In the following question, a sentence is given in Direct speech. Out of the four alternatives, select the option that best expresses the same sentence in Indirect (reported) speech: The teacher said to the boys, "Can you sit still and do your work?"

Introduction / Context:
This question focuses on converting a yes or no question from Direct speech to Indirect speech. The original sentence is: The teacher said to the boys, "Can you sit still and do your work?" You need to apply the rules for reporting questions that begin with an auxiliary verb and require an "if" or "whether" clause in Indirect speech.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- Reporting clause: The teacher said to the boys. - Reported question: "Can you sit still and do your work?" - The question expects a yes or no reply. - Auxiliary verb: can. - The subject "you" refers to the boys.

Concept / Approach:
Yes or no questions in Indirect speech are introduced with "if" or "whether" instead of repeating the question word order. When the reporting verb is in the past tense ("said"), the auxiliary "can" often changes to "could". The structure becomes that of a statement, with subject before auxiliary. Because the sentence expresses a question about ability and behaviour, the tone remains interrogative in meaning but not in grammatical form. The reporting verb "said to" changes to "asked" to show that a question is being reported.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Replace "said to" with "asked" because a question is being reported. Step 2: Introduce the reported clause with "if" since it is a yes or no question. Step 3: Change the pronoun "you" into "they" because it refers to the boys collectively. Step 4: Backshift the modal "can" to "could" in keeping with the past tense reporting verb. Step 5: Use statement word order: subject "they" followed by "could", and include the rest of the predicate "sit still and do their work". Step 6: The final reported sentence is: The teacher asked the boys if they could sit still and do their work.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, convert the Indirect sentence back into Direct speech. From "The teacher asked the boys if they could sit still and do their work", we can reconstruct: The teacher said to the boys, "Can you sit still and do your work?" The meaning and relationship between teacher and students remain the same, and the structure is appropriate for an exam question on reported speech.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A uses "told" instead of "asked" and the word "whether", but the structure "told whether" is incorrect for reporting a question. Option B is grammatically faulty and still has a quasi-direct word order "can't they", which is not the correct reported form. Option C completely drops the question structure and only keeps a request to sit still, omitting "do their work" and losing the interrogative meaning.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners forget to change the reporting verb from "said" to "asked" when converting questions. Another frequent mistake is keeping the original question word order, such as "could they", while also misplacing "if" or "whether". It is also common to forget to shift "can" to "could" when the reporting verb is in the past tense. Always check whether the original is a yes or no question; if it is, introduce the reported clause with "if" or "whether" and then follow normal statement order.

Final Answer:
The teacher asked the boys if they could sit still and do their work.