Select the option that expresses the given sentence in Direct to Indirect Speech.
Rita said, "I am happy today."
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
When changing direct speech to indirect speech, several grammatical shifts occur:
Reporting Verb: Since "said" is in the past tense, the tense of the reported clause must also change (backshift).
Pronoun: The first-person pronoun "I" refers to Rita, so it changes to the third-person "she".
Tense: The simple present "am" changes to the simple past "was" to match the reporting verb.
Time Expression: Words expressing nearness in time or place are changed to words expressing distance. Therefore, "today" becomes "that day".
Indirect speech: Rita said that she was happy that day.