A sentence is provided in indirect speech. From the four given options, choose the one that most accurately conveys the sentence…

Question

A sentence is provided in indirect speech. From the four given options, choose the one that most accurately conveys the sentence in its corresponding direct speech.

The librarian said that silence must be maintained in the library.

1. A. "Silence should be maintained in the library," said the librarian.
2. B. "You will maintain silence in the library," the librarian said.
3. C. "Maintain silence in the library," said the librarian. (Correct answer)
4. D. "Must you maintain silence in the library?" asked the librarian.

Correct Answer

Option C — "Maintain silence in the library," said the librarian.

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is "Maintain silence in the library," said the librarian..

Key Points

• The reported sentence expresses a command, signalled by *silence must be maintained*, so the direct form must be an imperative.
• An imperative in direct speech drops the subject and the modal and begins with the bare verb: "Maintain silence in the library," said the librarian.
• Option A keeps the indirect phrasing inside quotation marks, option B turns it into a future statement, and option D converts it into a question — none of which is a command.

Additional Information

• Reported commands use the pattern *told/ordered/asked + object + to-infinitive*, and reversing them restores the bare imperative — *He told me to wait* → *"Wait," he said.*
• Reported requests soften to *please*, and reported prohibitions become negative imperatives — *She said that we should not enter* → *"Do not enter," she said.*
• In direct speech the quoted words take a comma before the closing quotation mark when the reporting clause follows, and the reporting verb keeps its original tense.