In this direct and indirect speech question, choose the option that correctly reports the instruction: The coach said to me, "You have to get up early."

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: The coach told me that I had to get up early.

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This question examines your understanding of how to report a necessity or obligation expressed in direct speech. The original sentence shows the coach giving an instruction about getting up early. When changing this into indirect speech, you must choose the correct form of have to or had to and ensure that the pronoun and tense fit the reporting context. Questions like this commonly appear in exams to test reported speech with expressions of duty or obligation.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Direct sentence: The coach said to me, "You have to get up early."
  • Reporting verb: said to, with object me.
  • The expression have to shows necessity or obligation.
  • The speaker is the coach; the listener is I in the reported version.
  • The statement is reported later from a past point of view.


Concept / Approach:
In reported speech, when the reporting verb is in the past, the structure have to usually becomes had to. The pronoun you must change to I, because the person reporting is the same one who received the instruction. The reporting verb said to me can be converted to told me, which is more natural when an object is mentioned. We also add that to introduce the reported clause. The resulting sentence is The coach told me that I had to get up early, which correctly reports the necessity imposed by the coach.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Rewrite the reporting clause The coach said to me as The coach told me. Step 2: Introduce the reported clause with that to form a complete indirect sentence. Step 3: Change the pronoun you to I, reflecting that the listener is now reporting the statement. Step 4: Convert have to into had to to follow the sequence of tenses after a past reporting verb. Step 5: Keep the phrase get up early unchanged, as it correctly expresses the required action.


Verification / Alternative check:
The final reported sentence is: The coach told me that I had to get up early. It follows the standard pattern for reporting obligations, uses correctly changed pronouns and tense, and maintains the original meaning. It reads naturally and matches what exam setters typically require when they construct items on reported speech involving have to.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B is incorrect because it keeps have to instead of had to, so it does not follow the normal tense backshift rule.
Option C is incorrect because it uses tells in the present tense, whereas the original sentence uses said in the past tense.
Option D is incorrect because had had to suggests a completed past obligation and is unnecessarily complex for this simple instruction.
Option E is incorrect because would have to changes the nuance and suggests a future in the past or conditional sense, which is not needed here.


Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes confuse have to, had to, and would have to when changing statements into indirect speech. Another common error is leaving pronouns unchanged or misidentifying who the obligation applies to. Some students also overcomplicate the tense by using perfect forms without reason. To avoid confusion, remember that have to simply becomes had to when the reporting verb is in the past and the obligation is still described from that earlier point in time.


Final Answer:
The coach told me that I had to get up early.

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