Convert the following indirect sentence into direct speech. Choose the most accurate option. The player exclaimed with delight that he had scored the winning goal.

Explanation

The correct option is (b). To convert indirect to direct speech, we restore the exact words within quotation marks and choose the correct reporting verb based on the mood/emotion. The sentence says “exclaimed with delight”, which indicates a joyful exclamation. Therefore, we must use “exclaimed” in direct speech. Also, the reported clause uses Past Perfect “had scored”, which is typically a backshift from Present Perfect “have scored” in direct speech. Rule-based conversion: Remove the conjunction “that”. Use quotation marks for the spoken words. Change pronoun: “he” becomes “I” because the player is speaking about himself. Tense restoration: “had scored” becomes “have scored” in direct speech (common backshift reversal). Use an exclamation mark to reflect “delight”. Thus, the best direct form is: The player exclaimed, “I have scored the winning goal!” Why other options are incorrect: Copyright © 2026 Adda247 Option A: Uses “said” which does not convey the emotion “with delight”. Option C: “Alas!” expresses sorrow, not delight, so it contradicts the context. Option D: Incorrect structure; it does not form a complete spoken sentence and changes meaning. So the correct answer is (b)