Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence.
He said to his father, "Please increase my pocket-money."
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → He requested his father to increase his pocket-money.
A request in indirect speech:
| Change | Direct | Indirect | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reporting verb | said to his father, "Please ..." | requested his father | "Please" makes the sentence a polite request. So "said to" becomes "requested", and "Please" is dropped. |
| To + verb | increase | to increase | A request is reported with "to" + verb. No "that" is used. |
| Pronoun change | my | his | The son is the speaker. So "my pocket-money" becomes "his pocket-money". |
| Full sentence | He said to his father, "Please increase my pocket-money." | He requested his father to increase his pocket-money. |
Pocket-money is a small sum parents give a child to spend. Begged, urged and asked can also report a request, each followed by the person and "to" + verb. Example: Sita said to the driver, "Please stop here." → Sita asked the driver to stop there.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: He requests his father to increase his pocket-money. — Incorrect. "Requests" is in the present. The direct sentence has the past "said", so it must be "requested".
Option 3: He requested his father to increase them pocket-money. — Incorrect. "Them" cannot stand before a noun to show whose it is. The money belongs to the son, so it is "his".
Option 4: He requested with his father to increase his pocket-money. — Incorrect. "Request" takes the person straight after it. "Requested with his father" is wrong.