In this direct and indirect speech question, choose the option that correctly reports the warning: I said to my friend, "Be careful, my dog may bite you."

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your ability to report a warning that combines an imperative and a possibility expressed with may. The original sentence contains a direct instruction to be careful and a reason that warns of a possible dog bite. In indirect speech, we must express both the warning and the possible danger in a natural, grammatically correct form. This kind of sentence is important because it combines command, advice, and probability in a single reported structure.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Direct sentence: I said to my friend, "Be careful, my dog may bite you."
• Reporting verb: said to, with object my friend.
• The first part is an imperative: Be careful.
• The second part is a possibility: my dog may bite you.
• The speaker is I, and the listener is my friend, who becomes him in the report.

Concept / Approach:
For warnings, verbs like warned or cautioned are more precise than said. The imperative be careful is commonly reported using warned someone to be careful. The modal may usually becomes might in reported speech when the reporting verb is in the past tense. The pronoun you becomes him because the sentence is now reported by the original speaker. A complete and natural structure is therefore I warned my friend to be careful and told him that my dog might bite him, which includes both the instruction and the possible reason for it.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that the original utterance is a warning about potential danger. Step 2: Change said to my friend into warned my friend to reflect the warning function. Step 3: Convert Be careful into to be careful following the pattern warned someone to do something. Step 4: Change may bite into might bite to match the past reporting verb. Step 5: Replace you with him and add told him that to link the second clause smoothly.

Verification / Alternative check:
The final reported sentence is: I warned my friend to be careful and told him that my dog might bite him. This sentence clearly shows the warning, keeps the possibility of a dog bite, and uses correct pronoun and modal changes. It reads smoothly and accurately reflects the meaning of the original direct speech, which is exactly the goal in this type of grammar question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B misses the special warning verb warned and uses only told, which is less precise for this context.
Option C is close, but the structure is heavier and changes the order; the expected teaching pattern prefers the concise to be careful plus might bite him structure in a simpler form.
Option D is not as natural because said to my friend that he should be careful is less direct than using warned and also changes the modal may into should.
Option E is almost correct, but it omits the explicit report that my dog might bite him in a separate clause with told him that, which is given in the best option.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners often forget to replace may with might in reported speech when the reporting verb is past. Another common mistake is to retain said instead of using a more accurate verb like warned for warnings or advised for suggestions. Pronoun changes can also cause errors, especially when you must become him or her. To avoid these pitfalls, always identify whether the original sentence is a warning, request, or command and pick a reporting verb that reflects it properly, then check the modal and pronoun changes.

Final Answer:
I warned my friend to be careful and told him that my dog might bite him.