Select the option that expresses the given sentence in Direct to Indirect Speech.
He said, "It must be raining outside."
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The correct option is: He said it must be raining outside.
Key Rules for "Must" in Indirect Speech:
Logical Deduction: When "must" is used to express a logical conclusion or a probability (as in this case, where the speaker is inferring it is raining), it does not change in indirect speech.
Obligation/Necessity: "Must" only changes to "had to" when it expresses a strong obligation or necessity in the present.
Tense Consistency: Since the reporting verb "said" is in the past tense, the rest of the sentence remains in the same logical frame.
NOTE: While "that" is often used as a conjunction (e.g., He said that it must...), it is frequently omitted in conversational and informal English, which is why the selected option remains correct.