Select the correct direct form of the given sentence:
The supervisor ordered the peon to post those letters.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
Correct Answer: The supervisor said to the peon, "Post these letters."
Explanation:
• In indirect speech, commands and orders are reported using reporting verbs like ordered/commanded followed by to + V1 (to post).
• To convert back to direct speech, the sentence inside quotation marks must be an imperative sentence starting with the base form of the verb (Post).
• The demonstrative adjective those in indirect speech changes back to these in direct speech.
• The reporting verb phrase "The supervisor ordered the peon" is replaced by "The supervisor said to the peon".
Quick Tip: Distance words in indirect speech revert to proximity words in direct speech: those → these, that → this, then → now.