Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 07:15 · grounding rag
Model Answer
(B) He swore that he had not stolen the bag.
The correct past tense of "swear" is swore; the reported speech requires past tense in both clauses, making option (B) grammatically correct.
Explanation
- "Sweared" (A) is incorrect — "swear" is an irregular verb; its simple past is swore.
- Option (C) uses continuous tense, which is inappropriate here.
- Option (D) uses present tense "swears," which is inconsistent with the past tense in the reported clause ("had not stolen").
- Examiners look for knowledge of irregular verb forms and tense consistency in reported speech.