Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. Shanti asked me, "Why did you keep this smartphone in the bin?" (a) Shanti asked me why I had been keeping that smartphone in the bin. (b) Shanti asked me why I kept that smartphone in the bin. (c) Shanti asked me why I was keeping that smartphone in the bin. (d) Shanti asked me why I had kept that smartphone in the bin.

Options

A. Shanti asked me why I had been keeping that smartphone in the bin.
B. Shanti asked me why I kept that smartphone in the bin.
C. Shanti asked me why I was keeping that smartphone in the bin.
D. Shanti asked me why I had kept that smartphone in the bin.

Answer

D

Explanation

Shanti asked me why I had kept that smartphone in the bin.(Correct)
Simple past `(V_(2))to` past perfect (had `+ V_(3)`)
(a) Shanti `ul("asked")` me why I `ul("had been keeping")` that smartphone in the bin.(Incorrect reported verb and tense)
(b) Shanti asked me why I `ul("kept")` that smartphone in the bin.(Incorrect tense)
(c ) Shanti asked me why `ul("I was keeping")` that smartphone in the bin.(Incorrect tense)