Question

Fill in the blank with the most appropriate option:
Alice said,” I’m at my office.”
Alice said that _________________
A. I’m at my office
B. She was at her office
C. I’m at her office
D. You have been at your office

Answer 1

Hint: In order to answer this question one must understand the difference between direct and indirect speech. While changing the speech from direct to reported speech, the tense changes one tense back

Complete step by step answer:
Reported speech is often known as indirect speech in English. When we talk about reported speech, we are usually talking about the past. Now let's take a look at some rules which are necessary in understanding Reported speech.
1. The DIRECT SPEECH changes into INDIRECT SPEECH
2. Present simple tense changes to past simple tense
3. Present progressive tense changes to past progressive tense
Ex- Can into could
Ex- This night into that night
While changing the speech from direct to reported speech, the tense changes one tense back. For example, if the direct speech is in the present tense and the reporting verb is in the past tense then the indirect speech will be in the past tense.
Also, when the speech is indirect the point of narrative also changes from I to she/he and from my to his/her.
Now let us discuss the options one by one.
Option A) I’m at my office
This option is incorrect because “I’m at my office” is still in the direct speech, whereas it should be transformed into indirect speech.
Option B) she was at her office
This option is correct because the given sentence is in the simple present tense. Hence the reported speech will be in the simple past tense.
Option C) I’m at her office
This option is incorrect because the meaning has been changed. The narrative of the subject I must change to” she”.
Option D) you have been at your office
This option is incorrect because this has changed the meaning. As the speech is reported it must be in the third person.

So, the correct answer is “Option b”.

Note: in order to answer such types of questions it is very important to read the sentence carefully so as to know in which tense the sentence is written. It is imperative to know the rules of Reported speech along with its rules. Also there is no change in the verb tenses if the reported sentence contains a time clause.