A sentence is provided in direct speech. From the four given options, choose the one that most accurately conveys the sentence in its corresponding indirect speech.
He said, “How long have you been waiting?”

Correct option is D

The correct indirect/ direct speech is (d) He asked how long I had been waiting.
Explain the right answer in detailed form: This is a wh-question, so in indirect speech we use asked (not “said”) and we change the question into a statement order (no inversion). Also, since the reporting verb is in the past ( he said/asked), the present perfect continuous “have been waiting” backshifts to past perfect continuous “had been waiting.” The pronoun you changes according to the listener; in the options it becomes I, which is acceptable.
Rules of conversion used (Direct → Indirect):
· Reporting verb: said (question) → asked
· Word order: How long have you been…? → how long I had been… (no “had I”)
· Tense backshift: have been waiting → had been waiting
· Example: She said, “Where are you going?” → She asked where I was going.
· Information booster / exceptions related to the topic:
· Indirect questions never use do/does/did and never use inversion (no “had I / is he”).