Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech.
Anil said to Ria, “I know where everything is kept in the kitchen.”

Correct option is D

The correct indirect speech is (d). When converting direct speech into indirect speech, several transformations are applied to ensure correct tense, pronoun, and structural adjustments. Here’s the step-by-step conversion with the rules involved:
Rules of Conversion from Direct to Indirect Speech
1. Change the Reporting Verb:
· Since the sentence is declarative and not a question or command, the reporting verb “said to” changes to “told” to maintain the meaning in indirect speech.
· Transformation: “Anil said to Ria” becomes “Anil told Ria.”
2. Change in Pronouns:
· In indirect speech, pronouns change according to the perspective of the reporter. Here, “I” (referring to Anil) changes to “he” because Anil is now being reported by someone else.
· Transformation: “I know” changes to “he knew.”
3. Change in Tense:
· In indirect speech, if the reporting verb (“said”) is in the past tense, the tense of the main verb in the direct speech sentence typically shifts one step back in time.
· Present Simple (“know”) changes to Past Simple (“knew”) and Present Simple (“is kept”) changes to Past Simple (“was kept”).
· Transformation: “I know where everything is kept” becomes “he knew where everything was kept.”
4. Removal of Quotation Marks and Question Format:
· In indirect speech, quotation marks are removed, and the sentence is stated in a declarative form without a question mark.
Applied Example:
· Direct Speech: Anil said to Ria, “I know where everything is kept in the kitchen.”
· Indirect Speech: Anil told Ria that he knew where everything was kept in the kitchen.
Why Other Options Are Incorrect:
· (a): “Anil told Ria that he knows where everything was kept in the kitchen.”
· The verb “knows” should change to the past form “knew” to maintain the correct tense in indirect speech.
· (b): “Anil told Ria that he knew where everything is kept in the kitchen.”
· While “knew” is correct, “is kept” should be “was kept” to match the past tense in indirect speech.
· (c): “Anil asked Ria that he knows where everything was kept in the kitchen.”
· “Asked” is incorrect because the original sentence is a statement, not a question. Additionally, “knows” should change to “knew.”