In this English grammar question on direct and indirect speech, choose the option that correctly reports the routine action: She said to me, "I always drink a cup of green tea as soon as I get up."

Introduction / Context:
This question focuses on changing a sentence about a daily habit from direct speech into indirect speech. The original sentence describes a regular routine involving green tea. When we report such statements, we must handle pronouns, tense, and time expressions carefully. These questions are common in exams because they check your ability to apply reported speech rules in everyday life contexts rather than only abstract examples.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Direct sentence: She said to me, "I always drink a cup of green tea as soon as I get up."
• Reporting verb: said to, with the object me.
• The speaker is she, and the listener is me.
• The main verb drink is in the simple present tense, showing a habit.
• Time relationship: as soon as I get up indicates an immediate routine action.

Concept / Approach:
With a past reporting verb such as said, exam rules usually require us to backshift the tense in the reported clause when the focus is on a past report. So, simple present drink becomes simple past drank. The pronoun I must be changed to she, because the speaker is being referred to in the third person. The expression as soon as I get up becomes as soon as she got up, preserving the idea of immediate action. The reporting verb said to me can be converted into told me for a more natural structure in indirect speech.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Convert the reporting clause She said to me into She told me. Step 2: Introduce the reported clause with that: that I always drink a cup of green tea as soon as I get up. Step 3: Change the pronoun I to she to reflect third person reporting. Step 4: Backshift drink to drank and get up to got up, maintaining the idea of a regular habit. Step 5: Confirm that the adverb always and the phrase a cup of green tea remain unchanged to preserve the original meaning.

Verification / Alternative check:
The final sentence is: She told me that she always drank a cup of green tea as soon as she got up. This sentence follows the sequence of tenses rule, keeps the habitual sense with always, and uses appropriate pronouns. It sounds natural and fully reflects the original information about the speaker’s routine. There is no unnecessary change in meaning, and the grammar aligns with the kind of answer examination setters expect in questions on reported speech.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B is incorrect because drunk is the past participle, not the simple past; the correct simple past form is drank in this context.
Option C is incorrect because it uses had told and keeps drinks and got up together, resulting in an awkward and inconsistent tense mix.
Option D is incorrect because would be getting up suggests an unusual future in the past aspect, which is not needed to report a simple habit.
Option E is incorrect because it changes the meaning to a more general whenever idea and uses would always drink, which does not match the straightforward routine described in the original sentence.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse drank and drunk and may use the wrong form in reported speech. Another common issue is overcomplicating the tense by adding would or progressive forms where a simple past would be enough. Learners may also forget to adjust pronouns consistently, leaving I instead of changing it to she. Always remember to check the basic subject pronoun, the main verb tense, and any time expressions like as soon as in order to keep the meaning accurate and the grammar correct.

Final Answer:
She told me that she always drank a cup of green tea as soon as she got up.