Complete the reported speech: 'I am drafting a research paper on desert water harvesting,' Omar explained.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. Omar explained that he was drafting a research paper on desert water harvesting.
- Step 1: Identify reporting verb and tense backshift: The reporting verb 'explained' is in the past tense, requiring backshift of the quoted clause.
- Step 2: Backshift present continuous ('am drafting') to past continuous: 'was drafting'.
- Step 3: Adjust subject pronoun from 'I' to 'he': 'Omar explained that he was drafting a research paper on desert water harvesting.'
Answer
Omar explained that he was drafting a research paper on desert water harvesting.
Why not the others: 'is drafting' fails to backshift the tense; 'has been drafting' introduces present perfect continuous; 'had drafted' shifts into past perfect simple, losing the progressive aspect.
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