English question from Panchayat Secretary (VLW) exam, 2025 by JKSSB
Select the correct narration for the sentence:
He said to him, “Please wait till I return.”
Last updated May 30, 2026
Correct Answer:
Option A —
He requested him to wait there till he returned
Here is why this is the correct choice:
Reporting Verb: Since the direct speech uses "Please," the reporting verb "said to" changes to "requested".
Imperative Mood: "Please wait..." is a request, so the conjunction changes to the infinitive "to wait".
Time and Place Changes: In indirect speech, "here" typically changes to "there". (Note: While "there" isn't in the original sentence, it is standard in indirect speech transformations to shift proximal words to distal ones, and (A) is the only option that handles the tenses and pronouns correctly).
Pronoun Change: The first-person pronoun "I" changes to "he" to match the subject of the reporting verb.
Tense Change: The simple present tense "return" changes to the simple past tense "returned" because the reporting verb is in the past tense ("said").
Why the other options are incorrect:
(B) Incorrect because it keeps "here" instead of shifting it, and uses the present tense "returns".
(C) Incorrect because it uses the present tense reporting verb "requests".
(D) Incorrect because it changes the structure to "till returning," which alters the original meaning and grammar of the clause.
Answer verified by Quintessence Classes faculty — Karan Nagar, Srinagar.
