Multiple choice

Directions: Look at the underlined part of the sentence. Below are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of the substitutions is better than the underlined part, indicate it as your answer. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, indicate (4) as your answer.

The traveler asked the stranger if he had known the way to the nearest inn.

  1. knew

  2. has known

  3. knows

  4. No improvement
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In indirect speech, when the reporting verb 'asked' is in the past tense, the state of knowing is typically expressed in the simple past 'knew'. 'Had known' would imply he knew it at a time even further in the past before the asking occurred.

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