Choose the correct indirect form of the given sentence:
The coach said to us, “Don’t lose heart; you have played well today.”
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → The coach advised us not to lose heart and said that we had played well that day.
Changing advice and a statement into indirect speech:
| Change | Direct | Indirect | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reporting verb | said to us, “Don’t lose heart” | advised us | “Don’t lose heart” is advice, so “said to” becomes “advised”. To lose heart means to lose hope. |
| Advice | Don’t lose | not to lose | A “Don’t” sentence becomes “not to + verb”. |
| Joining word | ; (second part) | and said that | The second part is a statement, so it is joined with “and said that”. |
| Pronoun change | you | we | The coach is speaking to us, so “you” becomes “we”. |
| Tense change | have played | had played | The reporting verb “said” is in the past, so “have played” becomes “had played”. |
| Time word | today | that day | The words are reported later, so “today” becomes “that day”. |
| Full sentence | The coach said to us, “Don’t lose heart; you have played well today.” | The coach advised us not to lose heart and said that we had played well that day. |
Other common changes are now → then, tomorrow → the next day, here → there, and “Please” → requested. Example: Mother said to me, “Don’t play in the sun.” → Mother told me not to play in the sun.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: The coach advised us not to lose heart as we have played well that day. — Incorrect. “Have played” should change to “had played” after the past verb “said”.
Option 3: The coach told us that don’t lose heart and we had played well that day. — Incorrect. The advice is kept in its direct form after “that”. In indirect speech “Don’t lose heart” must become “not to lose heart”.
Option 4: The coach advised us not to lose heart and said that we had played well today. — Incorrect. “Today” is left unchanged. In indirect speech it becomes “that day”.