Question : Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech.
The commander ordered the soldiers to march ahead and not to think of their enemy's large numbers.
Option 1: The commander said to the soldiers, "Please march ahead. Do not think of your enemy's large numbers."
Option 2: The commander said to the soldiers, "March ahead. Do not think of your enemy's large numbers."
Option 3: The commander said to the soldiers, "March ahead. Do not think of their enemy's large numbers."
Option 4: The commander said to the soldiers, "March ahead and not think of their enemy's large numbers."
Correct Answer: The commander said to the soldiers, "March ahead. Do not think of your enemy's large numbers."
Solution : The correct option is the second option.
Direct speech involves directly quoting what someone says within quotation marks. When converting a sentence from reported speech (indirect speech) to direct speech, we need to include the exact words spoken by the speaker.
The steps of conversion are as follows:
- The reporting verb "ordered" is changed to "said".
- The connector "that" is used to introduce the reported clause.
- The first-person pronoun "their" is changed to the second-person pronoun "your".
- The to-infinitive is changed to the base form of the verb "think". Also, "not" is changed to "do not".
- The words of the speaker are enclosed in the inverted commas.
Therefore, the direct speech would be: " The commander said, "March ahead. Do not think of your enemy's large numbers."
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