Question

Direct speech: “If you don’t keep quiet I shall shoot you”, he said to her in a calm voice.
Convert to Indirect speech.

• A. He warned her to shoot if she didn’t keep quiet calmly.
• B. He said calmly that I shall shoot you if you don’t be quiet.
• C. He warned her calmly that he would shoot her if she didn’t keep quiet.
• D. None of these

Hint:

In indirect speech, always adjust pronouns, shift tenses back, and convert expressions of manner into adverbs when needed.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Change pronouns and tense.
Direct speech in future tense (“I shall shoot you”) changes to conditional future (“he would shoot her”) in indirect speech. Pronouns “I” → “he” and “you” → “her” to match the subject and object.
Step 2: Retain conditional clause.
The condition “If you don’t keep quiet” remains in past tense as “if she didn’t keep quiet” in reported speech.
Step 3: Preserve tone adverb.
The phrase “in a calm voice” changes to the adverb “calmly” in indirect speech, maintaining the tone.
Step 4: Check meaning.
Option (c) preserves the warning, the calm manner, correct pronouns, and tense changes. Other options either have grammatical errors or fail to adjust tense/pronouns correctly.
\[ \boxed{\text{(c) He warned her calmly that he would shoot her if she didn’t keep quiet.}} \]