English
Narration
Imperative Sentence
Question #7800 (CAT-I)
Select the correct indirect speech of the given sentence:
The officer said to the clerk, "Send this confidential file to the head office right now."
A
The officer told the clerk to send this confidential file to the head office right now.
B
The officer ordered the clerk that he should send that confidential file to the head office right then.
C
The officer ordered the clerk to send that confidential file to the head office right then.
D
The officer commanded the clerk to send that confidential file to the head office right now.
Rules of conversion:
• An officer instructing a clerk represents an official command, so 'ordered' is appropriate.
• The imperative clause uses the infinitive form: 'to send'.
• Time and distance words change: 'this' changes to 'that', and 'now' changes to 'then' ('right now' becomes 'right then').
• Therefore, option C is entirely accurate.