Choose the correct reported construction of the following sentence:
He said to the interviewer, “Please repeat the question, sir.”
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → He requested the interviewer to repeat the question.
Request (imperative) in indirect speech:
Other standard changes (in reported statements and questions): is/am → was, do/does → did, will → would, can → could, may → might. Here → there, now → then, today → that day.
| Change | Direct | Indirect | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reporting verb | said to | requested | A polite request with “please” is reported with requested (an order would take “ordered” or “told”). |
| Verb form | Please repeat ..., sir | to repeat | The imperative “repeat” becomes the to-infinitive to repeat. “Please” and “sir” are dropped because “requested” already carries the politeness. |
| Full sentence | He said to the interviewer, “Please repeat the question, sir.” | He requested the interviewer to repeat the question. |
Example: She said to me, “Please close the door.” → She requested me to close the door.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: He told the Sir if he could please repeat the question. — Incorrect.
- "told ... if" does not report a request. "Told" reports statements or orders.
- "the Sir" turns a form of address into a noun, and "please" is kept.
Option 2: He requested the interviewer if he could repeat the question. — Incorrect. "Requested" is followed by an object + to-infinitive ("requested the interviewer to repeat"). "If he could" mixes in the pattern of a reported question.
Option 3: He asked the interviewer can you repeat the question. — Incorrect.
- The words "can you" are copied from a direct question, with no change of pronoun or word order.
- The original is a request, not a question, so it should be reported with "to repeat".