Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech.
"We will have a thorough search before opening the room,” the inspector told his subordinates.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Explanation
The correct answer is option 4, i.e., The inspector told his subordinates that they would have a thorough search before opening the room.
Reported Speech Concept: When reporting speech in the past, we backshift the tense (will → would).
Grammar Explanation: Direct speech “We will have” changes to “they would have” in reported speech because the reporting verb “told” is in the past tense.
Correction: "We will have" → "they would have"
Final Sentence: The inspector told his subordinates that they would have a thorough search before opening the room.
Conclusion: The correct answer is “The inspector told his subordinates that they would have a thorough search before opening the room.”