In the following question, a sentence containing a question in Direct speech is given. Choose the option that best expresses the same idea in Indirect or reported speech. "Are you the same person I met in the park?" I asked.

Introduction / Context:
This question tests the conversion of a yes or no type question from Direct speech into Indirect or reported speech. It also checks the correct use of the conjunction "if", the changes in pronouns, and the correct backshift of tense. The context is a speaker confirming whether the person in front of him is the same individual he met earlier in a park.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Direct speech: "Are you the same person I met in the park?" I asked.
• The speaker is "I", and the person addressed is a stranger or listener.
• The reporting verb "asked" is in the simple past.
• The verb in the question is in the present tense "are", and there is a past action "I met in the park".
• We assume that the question is genuine and polite, not a command or exclamation.

Concept / Approach:
When we report a yes or no question, we use the conjunction "if" or "whether". The question form is changed into a statement word order. The auxiliary verb moves after the subject. Pronouns change according to the new speaker and listener. The tense is usually backshifted when the reporting verb is in the past. Thus "are you" changes to "he was", and "I met" changes to "I had met" to reflect an earlier past action. The phrase "the same person" remains unchanged in meaning.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Check the grammar and meaning. The reported speech now has statement order, uses the conjunction "if", and correctly reflects that the speaker previously met this person in the park. The pronoun "you" is logically replaced by "he", and the tense of "met" is shifted to "had met" because it is an earlier past action relative to the reporting time. The question meaning is preserved accurately.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B keeps a question like structure but also becomes a confusing word sequence without "if". It is not standard reported speech. Option C wrongly changes the sense by making the reported clause say that the speaker was the same person the stranger had met, which reverses roles. Option D fails to backshift "met" to "had met", so it does not fully reflect the correct tense sequence, and many exam keys insist on that change in this type of question.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often forget to use "if" or "whether" and try to retain the question word order. Another common mistake is incorrect handling of pronouns, especially in two person dialogues. Learners also neglect to use past perfect in the embedded clause when referring to an earlier past event. Careful attention to viewpoint and time sequence solves these problems.

Final Answer:
The correct reported speech sentence is I asked the stranger if he was the same person I had met in the park.