Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence.
The lecturer said to the class, “You should start preparing for the examination.”

Correct option is C

The correct indirect speech is (c) The lecturer advised the class to start preparing for the examination.
Direct speech refers to the exact words spoken by a person, written within quotation marks. It reproduces the speaker’s original words as they were spoken.
Indirect speech (or reported speech) refers to reporting what someone said without quoting them exactly. The words are often paraphrased and adjusted to fit grammatical structure, especially in tense, pronouns, time expressions, etc.
Explanation:
This is an imperative sentence in direct speech, expressed with "should", indicating advice. In indirect speech, "should" is often replaced with “to + base verb” and the reporting verb becomes “advised”.
Conversion Rule:
· Direct: “You should + base verb...”
· Indirect: advised + object + to + base verb
· Change pronouns accordingly: you → the class
Example:
· Direct: He said, “You should sleep early.”
· Indirect: He advised me to sleep early.
Information Booster:
Avoid using incorrect tense structures like “to started” in indirect speech (as in option d).