In the following question, a sentence is given in Indirect speech with an exclamatory tone of regret. Choose the option that best expresses the same idea in Direct speech. He exclaimed with regret that he was perished by the people he had made.

Introduction / Context:
This question checks the ability to convert an exclamatory sentence of regret from Indirect to Direct speech. The sentence talks about someone suffering harm from the very people that he himself created or supported. English grammar questions on Direct and Indirect speech often involve emotional words such as "Alas" and reporting verbs like "exclaimed with regret", and candidates must correctly reconstruct the original exclamatory sentence.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Indirect speech: He exclaimed with regret that he was perished by the people he had made.
• The reporting verb phrase "exclaimed with regret" signals an exclamatory statement using "Alas".
• The passive structure "was perished by the people he had made" indicates suffering caused by those whom he created.
• The clause "he had made" is in the past perfect tense and refers to people he created before the time of suffering.
• We assume that the original speaker is saying "I am perished by the people I have made" with an exclamation of sorrow.

Concept / Approach:
When converting from Indirect to Direct speech, we reverse the tense backshift and reintroduce the original punctuation and interjections. The phrase "exclaimed with regret" is often represented in Direct speech by the interjection "Alas!" at the beginning of the quoted sentence. The pronoun "he" generally changes back to "I" because the original speaker talked about himself. The past passive "was perished" in Indirect speech usually corresponds to the present passive "am perished" in Direct speech. The past perfect "had made" usually returns to present perfect "have made" in Direct speech when the action continues to have relevance to the present moment. These patterns together help reconstruct the original sentence.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Check if the tense sequence now makes sense. The Direct speech expresses a present state of destruction or ruin: "I am perished" which then becomes "he was perished" in Indirect speech. The phrase "I have made" indicates his prior creation of those people, which correctly becomes "he had made" in Indirect speech. The emotional tone of regret is maintained by "Alas!", and the overall meaning that he suffers at the hands of his own creations remains intact. Thus the reconstructed Direct sentence fits naturally.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A uses "I perished" which is simple past and does not match the passive structure "was perished" in the Indirect sentence. Option B uses "I have perished" which is present perfect, and although it expresses a completed event, it does not directly correspond to "was perished" which is clearly past passive. Option D uses "I am perished by the people I made", which keeps the passive but fails to match the "had made" to "have made" relationship. The Indirect form clearly uses past perfect for "he had made", so the Direct should use present perfect "I have made".

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners ignore the subtle tense relationships between "had made" and "have made" and simply copy the same form back. Others forget to include the exclamation "Alas!" when they see "exclaimed with regret". Some candidates also confuse active and passive voice, writing "the people I have made have perished me", which is structurally different. Careful attention to both voice and tense is essential when reconstructing Direct speech from a reported exclamation.

Final Answer:
The best Direct speech form of the given sentence is He said, "Alas! I am perished by the people I have made."