Select the option that expresses the given sentence in Direct Speech.
They said that they were supposed to arrive earlier.

Correct option is B

The correct direct speech is (b) “We were supposed to arrive earlier.”
Explanation: In the indirect sentence, the reporting verb said is in the past, and the reported clause “they were supposed to arrive earlier” already reflects a past-time obligation/arrangement. To convert to direct speech, we restore the original first-person subject ( We) and keep the same past form were supposed (since the reported sense is of a past expectation). Hence, (b) is the exact reconstruction.
Rules of conversion (Direct ↔ Indirect):
· Change of person: “they” → “we” (because speakers refer to themselves).
· Tense backshift only applies when needed; here the original direct likely was were supposed, which in reported speech stays were supposed (no further shift required).
· Time/Deixis: No time word to adjust here.
· Structure:
· Direct: They said, “ We were supposed to arrive earlier.”
· Indirect: They said (that) they were supposed to arrive earlier.
· Example: Direct: She said, “I was due at 5.” → Indirect: She said that she was due at 5.