Choose the option in which the following sentence has been changed into Indirect Narration.
Kewal said, “Lata, why are you working so hard?”

Correct option is D

Correct indirect speech: (d) Kewal enquired of Lata why she was working so hard.
Definition (Direct Speech):
• Direct Speech → exact words in quotation marks. (Hindi: वक्ता के शब्द ज्यों-के-त्यों)
Definition (Indirect Speech):
• Indirect Speech → reported speech without quotes, with grammar changes. (Hindi: अप्रत्यक्ष कथन)
Step-by-step conversion (in detail):
• Reporting verb: “said” (question) → enquired/asked
• “said to + person” with enquiry → enquired of + person is correct formal structure.
• Since it is a Wh-question (why), we keep “why” and do NOT use if/whether.
• Change question order to statement order (no inversion):
– Direct: why are you working…?
– Indirect: why she was working…
• Pronoun change: “you” (Lata) → she
• Tense backshift (reporting verb in past):
– “are working” (Present Continuous) → was working (Past Continuous)
Grammatical rule (English):
• Wh-question: asked/enquired + wh-word + subject + verb (no inversion)
• Past reporting verb ⇒ Present Continuous → Past Continuous
व्याकरणिक नियम (Hindi):
• Wh-question का indirect: wh-word + subject + verb, inversion नहीं होता; past reporting verb होने पर tense पीछे जाता है (are working → was working) और pronoun बदलते हैं।
Why other options are incorrect:
• (a) “said to” is less appropriate for questions; also “why” clause needs correct reporting verb.
• (b) wrong word order: “why is she…” (direct question order retained).
• (c) “enquired Lata” wrong; correct is enquired of Lata; also “why was she…” inversion remains.
Hence, option (d) is the correct answer.