Lesson eLearning

Rewrite the following sentence in indirect speech: The teacher said to the students, "Do not make a noise in the corridor."

medium 2 marks Class 10 · English · English Grammar - Reported Speech
Answer
The teacher instructed the students not to make a noise in the corridor.

The correct answer is The teacher instructed the students not to make a noise in the corridor. — Remove the quotation marks and combine the main clause with the infinitive phrase.

Step-by-step solution

  1. Identify the type of sentence: The speech inside quotes is a negative imperative sentence (an instruction or order).
  2. Change the reporting verb: Change 'said to' to an imperative verb suitable for a teacher, such as 'instructed', 'ordered', or 'told'.
  3. Change the negative imperative 'Do not make' into the infinitive structure 'not to make'.
  4. Remove the quotation marks and combine the main clause with the infinitive phrase.
Common mistake: Writing 'to not make' or using 'that' along with 'not to make' (e.g., 'said that not to make').

Concept tested: Reporting negative imperative sentences

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