A sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect Speech. Out of the four given alternatives, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct Speech.
He asked, "Is the chairman coming to the meeting?"

The correct answer is "He asked if the chairman was coming to the meeting."
Explanation:
Direct and Indirect Speech Definition: Direct speech quotes the exact words spoken, whereas indirect speech reports the message in a modified form without quotation marks.
· Yes/No questions in indirect speech use "if" or "whether".
· "Is coming" (present continuous) changes to "was coming" (past continuous).
· Direct: He asked, "Is the chairman coming to the meeting?"
· Indirect: He asked if the chairman was coming to the meeting.