Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Sneha ordered Arjun to go away.
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Direct and indirect speech questions test how well you can convert spoken commands, requests, and statements into reported speech. In this question, Sneha is speaking directly to Arjun and giving a short command Go away. When we report such imperative sentences, we usually use reporting verbs like ordered, told, or asked, followed by an infinitive form of the verb. Choosing the right reporting verb depends on the tone of the original sentence.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
When converting commands from direct to indirect speech, the structure is generally: Subject + reporting verb (ordered, told, requested) + object + to + base verb. Because Go away is a clear and strong command rather than a polite request, ordered is more appropriate than asked. The phrase said to changes to ordered or told in good exam style. We then add Arjun as the object and use the infinitive to go away to report the command precisely and politely in indirect speech.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the type of sentence in direct speech. Go away is an imperative, and the tone suggests an order.Step 2: Replace said to with a suitable reporting verb that fits an order, such as ordered.Step 3: Keep the listener Arjun as the object of the reporting verb.Step 4: Change the bare command Go away into the infinitive form to go away.Step 5: Combine all parts to form Sneha ordered Arjun to go away.Step 6: Check that the sense of an instruction remains and that the grammar is correct.
Verification / Alternative Check:
If we imagine a narrator describing the scene, the natural way to report this command would be to say Sneha ordered Arjun to go away. This preserves both the strength of the instruction and the correct grammatical structure. The tense of the reporting verb remains in the past because the original used said. There is no need for additional conjunctions like that in a reported command. This cross check supports our choice.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Sneha asked Arjun that he should go away is incorrect because asked does not reflect the strong tone and because that clause is not the standard pattern for reporting commands. Sneha say to Arjun to go away is grammatically wrong because say should change to said and the pattern say to is not correct in this transformation. Sneha inquired Arjun to go away is also incorrect because inquire is used for asking questions, not giving orders, and the structure is unnatural in standard English. Therefore these alternatives do not follow the correct rules for indirect speech of an imperative sentence.
Common Pitfalls:
Students often carry over said to directly into indirect speech or select asked even when the original is clearly an order. Another common mistake is to keep the imperative verb form go instead of changing it to the infinitive to go. Remember that for commands and requests in reported speech, the core formula is ordered or requested plus object plus to plus base verb. Recognising the tone of the original sentence quickly leads you to the correct reporting verb.
Final Answer:
The correct indirect speech is: Sneha ordered Arjun to go away.
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