Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct / indirect) of the given sentence.
The Queen said to the ministers, “Cut off the prisoner’s head!”
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The correct answer is option 1. i.e. The Queen ordered the ministers to cut off the prisoner’s head.
As the given sentence is a imperative sentence. Imperative sentences are those which contain the sense of Request, Command, advise, suggestion etc and always begin with the main verb. The subject 'You' is always implied.
Here, ‘said to’ should be changed to ‘ordered ’ and a mark of exclaimation will be added.
- An imperative sentence gives a direct command. It can end in a period (full stop) or an exclamation mark, depending on the forcefulness of the command.
- The main verb in an imperative sentence is said to be in the imperative mood. In grammar, mood is the form a verb takes to show how it is to be regarded (e.g., as a fact, a command, a wish, an uncertainty).) There are three moods in English: the imperative mood, indicative mood, and the subjunctive mood.
- As imperative sentences have a command (or an order), a request, an advice or a suggestion, to change them into Indirect Speech, some specific verbs (i.e. requested, order, advised, forbade, suggested) replace the verbs (e.g. said, told) of reporting verb.