In this English grammar question on direct and indirect speech, choose the option that correctly reports the refusal: My friend said to me, "I am not going to talk to you."

Introduction / Context:
This question assesses your ability to convert a statement of refusal or decision from direct speech into indirect speech. The original sentence shows a friend announcing that he is not going to talk to the listener. When reporting this, you must maintain the sense of determination and apply correct tense and pronoun changes. Such questions are routine in exams and help evaluate a student’s command of reported speech in everyday situations.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Direct sentence: My friend said to me, "I am not going to talk to you."
• Reporting verb: said to, with object me.
• The verb phrase am not going to talk expresses a near future intention or decision.
• The speaker is my friend, and the listener is me.
• The report is made at a later time from a past perspective.

Concept / Approach:
In indirect speech, said to me is often changed to told me. The pronoun I becomes he to refer to my friend, and you becomes me, since the original listener is now the reporter. The verb am not going to talk is usually converted into was not going to talk, which reflects a decision or intention from a past viewpoint. This keeps the force of the refusal while aligning the tense with the past reporting verb. The simple pattern My friend told me that he was not going to talk to me is therefore correct.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Change the reporting verb phrase My friend said to me into My friend told me. Step 2: Introduce the reported clause with that, a common feature in formal indirect speech. Step 3: Replace the pronoun I with he so that it refers correctly to my friend. Step 4: Change am not going to talk into was not going to talk to follow the sequence of tenses rule. Step 5: Replace you with me so the sentence clearly shows who is being referred to in the refusal.

Verification / Alternative check:
The final sentence is: My friend told me that he was not going to talk to me. It correctly reports the friend’s decision, keeps the tone of refusal, and uses proper pronoun and tense changes. It reads naturally as a report of something that happened earlier, which is exactly what is needed in this grammar question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B is not the best choice because would not be talking suggests a more continuous or hypothetical idea rather than the simple firm decision expressed in the original sentence.
Option C alters the meaning by adding never, which is stronger than the original I am not going to talk to you and goes beyond the information given.
Option D is incorrect because has told and is not going use present perfect and present, which do not match the past structure of the original sentence.
Option E uses talk with me, which is not wrong in itself, but the more direct and exact version is talk to me, which mirrors the original expression more closely.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners may mistakenly use will not talk instead of was not going to talk, which can cause confusion about the time of the decision. Another frequent error is adding adverbs like never or always that do not appear in the original sentence, thereby changing its strength. Pronoun changes, especially with I and you, can also be tricky. To avoid these pitfalls, focus on preserving the original meaning while adjusting tense and pronouns according to the standard rules for reported speech.

Final Answer:
My friend told me that he was not going to talk to me.