Questions :
Options :
- Rajan told me
- that Australia was
- the smallest of the continents
- No error
correct answer : b)
✅ Correct Answer: Option B) that Australia was
🔍 Explanation:
The sentence is in reported speech, and the reporting verb is “told” (past tense).
But here’s the issue:
Australia is still the smallest continent, so the fact is still true.
In indirect/reported speech, if the statement is a universal fact or general truth, we do not change the tense of the verb.
❌ Incorrect:
“Rajan told me that Australia was the smallest of the continents.”
✅ Correct:
“Rajan told me that Australia is the smallest of the continents.”
📚 Grammar Rule Applied:
If the reported speech is a fact, habit, or general truth, the verb in the reported clause should remain in the present tense, even if the reporting verb is in the past.