Change the following sentence into Indirect Speech:
Mother said to the child, "Don't run in the Sun."
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Mother told the child not to run in the Sun.
Negative command in indirect speech:
| Change | Direct | Indirect | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reporting verb | said to | told | “Said to” becomes told / asked / advised / ordered, as the sense requires. The inverted commas go. |
| Verb form | Don't run | not to run | The command “Don't + verb” becomes not + to-infinitive. |
| Full sentence | Mother said to the child, “Don't run in the Sun.” | Mother told the child not to run in the Sun. |
Example: The teacher said to us, “Don't talk.” → The teacher told us not to talk.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Mother forbade the child not to run in the Sun. — Incorrect.
- Forbid means to order someone not to do something, so the negative is already in the verb.
- Adding "not" makes a double negative and reverses the sense. The correct form would be "forbade the child to run".
Option 2: Mother asked the child don't run in the Sun. — Incorrect. It keeps the direct words "don't run". Indirect speech needs "not to run".
Option 3: Mother told the child never to run in the Sun. — Incorrect. Never means at no time at all, which is stronger than the mother's "Don't". The meaning changes.