Choose the correct option to transform the sentence into indirect speech :-
“Beware, there is a danger”, the captain said to his soldiers.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → The captain warned the soldiers to beware of the danger.
| Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|
| The captain said to his soldiers, "Beware, there is a danger." | The captain warned the soldiers to beware of the danger. |
Imperative sentence (a warning) in indirect speech:
- Reporting verb: "said to" becomes a verb that suits the kind of command; "Beware" is a warning, so it becomes warned.
- Joining word: an order, request or warning is reported with the to-infinitive: "Beware" → to beware; the inverted commas go and no "that" is used.
- Tense change: the clause "there is a danger" is folded into the warning as "of the danger", so no separate tense change is needed.
- Pronoun changes: none; there are no pronouns to change.
- Words of nearness (time and place): none to change.
Example: The teacher said to the boys, "Be quiet." → The teacher ordered the boys to be quiet.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: The captain told the soldiers that there is a danger. — Incorrect.
- The warning "Beware" is lost; "told ... that" reports a plain statement.
- After the past reporting verb, "is" is not changed to "was".
Option 3: The soldiers are warned about the danger. — Incorrect.
- It turns the sentence into the present-tense passive voice.
- The speaker, the captain, disappears from the sentence.
Option 4: The captain advised the soldiers of the danger. — Incorrect. "Advised ... of" means "informed about"; it reports the information but loses the force of the warning "Beware" (be careful).
Contrast: a warning in direct speech is reported with a verb such as warned + the to-infinitive.