Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence.
The old guard said to us, “May you both come back safely from the hills!”
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → The old guard prayed that we both might come back safely from the hills.
Indirect form of a wish or prayer:
| Change | Direct | Indirect | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reporting verb | said to us | prayed | "May you ...!" is a wish for someone's good. So "said to" becomes "prayed" (or "wished"). |
| Joining word | "May you ..." | that we ... | The wish becomes a statement joined by "that". The subject comes before the verb. |
| Pronoun change | you both | we both | The guard spoke to us, so "you" becomes "we". |
| Tense change | may | might | The reporting verb is in the past, so "may" becomes "might" (might + base form (V1)). |
| Full sentence | The old guard said to us, “May you both come back safely from the hills!” | The old guard prayed that we both might come back safely from the hills. |
The exclamation mark is dropped in the indirect form. Example: Dadi said to me, “May you live long!” → Dadi prayed that I might live long.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: The old guard said to us that may we both come back safely from the hills. — Incorrect. "That may we" keeps the word order of the wish. In indirect speech the subject comes before the verb ("that we might").
Option 3: The old guard wished that we both may come back safely from the hills. — Incorrect. The reporting verb is in the past, so "may" must change to "might".
Option 4: The old guard prayed that you both might come back safely from the hills. — Incorrect. The guard spoke to us, so "you" must become "we".