Question

Change the following statement into indirect speech.

"Don't swim out too far, boys" I said.

• A. I warned the boys not to swim too far.
• B. I said the boys not to swim too far.
• C. I proposed the boys not to swim too far.
• D. I asked the boys not to swim too far.

Answer 1

The correct option is A I warned the boys not to swim too far.

The two ways of relating what a person has said are 1)direct and 2)indirect (reported).

In the direct speech, the exact words of the original speaker are repeated.

In the indirect speech (reported speech), the exact meaning of what the speaker told is expressed but not necessarily in the speaker’s exact words.

Option A is correct as the instruction in the inverted commas is in the simple present tense and that's why 'not to swim' is used.

Options B, C, and D are wrong as 'said','proposed', and 'asked' cannot be used respectively.

The correct answer is A)I warned the boys not to swim too far.