Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence.
The doctor said to Mr Joshi, “You should walk for half an hour every morning.”
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → The doctor advised Mr Joshi to walk for half an hour every morning.
Changing advice into indirect speech:
| Change | Direct | Indirect | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reporting verb | said to Mr Joshi | advised Mr Joshi | “You should walk” gives advice. So “said to” becomes “advised”. |
| To + verb | You should walk | to walk | “You should” is dropped. Advice is reported with “to” + verb, so “walk” becomes “to walk”. |
| Full sentence | The doctor said to Mr Joshi, “You should walk for half an hour every morning.” | The doctor advised Mr Joshi to walk for half an hour every morning. |
Advice with “should not” becomes “not to” + verb. Example: The nurse said to me, “You should not lift heavy bags.” → The nurse advised me not to lift heavy bags.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: The doctor advised to Mr Joshi to walk for half an hour every morning. — Incorrect. “Advised” takes the person straight after it. The “to” before “Mr Joshi” is wrong.
Option 2: The doctor advised Mr Joshi to should walk for half an hour every morning. — Incorrect. “To should walk” keeps “should” from the spoken words. After “to” only the plain verb comes: “to walk”.
Option 4: The doctor asked Mr Joshi if he should walk for half an hour every morning. — Incorrect. “Asked ... if he should” turns the advice into a question. The doctor gave advice. He did not ask anything.