A sentence is provided in direct speech. From the four given options, choose the one that most accurately conveys the sentence in its corresponding indirect speech.
She said to him, "Do as I say or you'll regret it."
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
To convert this sentence, we have to handle two different structures within the same quote (an imperative command and a warning):
Reporting Verb: "Said to him" is changed to "told him."
Imperative Part ("Do as I say"):
We use the word "to" to connect the command.
The pronoun "I" changes to "she" to match the speaker.
The present tense "say" shifts back to the past tense "said."
Result: "...to do as she said..."
Warning Part ("or you'll regret it"):
The pronoun "you" changes to "he" (referring to "him").
The future auxiliary "will" (from you'll) must be backshifted to its past form, "would."
Result: "...or he would regret it.