Change the following into Indirect Speech. Choose the correct answer from below.
He said to her, "Is your name not Sheela?"
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → He inquired whether her name was not Sheela.
Yes/no question in indirect speech:
| Change | Direct | Indirect | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reporting verb | said to | inquired | “Said to” becomes a verb of asking: “asked”, “inquired” or wanted to know. |
| Linking word | “ ” (quotation marks) | whether | A yes/no question is joined with “whether” or “if”. |
| Word order | Is your name | her name was | The question becomes a statement, subject before verb: “her name was”. |
| Pronoun change | your | her | “Your” becomes “her” (the listener). |
| Tense change | is | was | Present “is” becomes past “was”. The question mark goes. |
| Full sentence | He said to her, “Is your name not Sheela?” | He inquired whether her name was not Sheela. |
Example: She said to me, “Are you ready?” → She asked me whether I was ready.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: He asked her that her name was not Sheela. — Incorrect. A question is not reported with "that". A yes/no question needs "whether" or "if".
Option 2: He commanded Sheela to your name not Sheela. — Incorrect.
- "Commanded" is used for an order, not a question.
- "your" is not changed, and the sentence has no verb after "to". It makes no sense.
Option 3: he exclaimed Sheela that her name was not. — Incorrect.
- "Exclaimed" is used for an exclamation, not a question.
- The word order is broken and the meaning is lost.