Question

Choose the most appropriate indirect narration of the given sentence:
Ranga said to Subbu, "Please, help me solve this sum."

• A. Ranga urged Subbu that he should help to solve that sum.
• B. Ranga requested Subbu to help him solve that sum.
• C. Ranga requested Subbu to help me solve that sum.
• D. None of the above.

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

Ranga requested Subbu to help him solve that sum.

When a sentence is changed from direct to indirect speech, the subject pronoun, verbs and tense forms also change. (This is because the speech is reported by someone else, and the tense of the direct speech goes one tense back as it's spoken at a later time now.) The meaning of the sentence should not be changed.
An imperative sentence, when changed to reported speech, does not function as an imperative (command or request) anymore. It turns into a declarative sentence.
Option B: This sentence is the correct narration of the direct speech, as 'please' has changed to 'requested' as 'please' is a form of request. 'Subbu' is in the third person, hence while changing from direct to indirect, 'me' changes to 'him'. 'This sum' changes to 'that sum'.
Hence B is correct.
Option A is incorrect because 'please' refers to polite requests whereas 'urge' refers to suggestions.
Option C is incorrect because the pronoun here 'me' has not been changed. Since the object 'Subbu' of the reporting verb 'said to' is in third person, the pronoun in the reported speech must also be in third person, i.e., 'him'.
Option D is incorrect because the answer lies in B.