In the following question, a sentence is given in direct speech. Select the option that best expresses the same sentence in indirect (reported) speech. He said, "This man will be waiting for you here at the lobby."

Introduction / Context:
This item tests reported speech that includes a demonstrative "this", a future continuous form "will be waiting", and a place word "here". The original speaker is pointing out a person and describing where that person will wait. In indirect speech, we must adapt tense, demonstratives, and place expressions while preserving the information about the future arrangement.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Reporting verb: "said" in simple past.
• Direct speech: "This man will be waiting for you here at the lobby."
• Demonstrative "this man" refers to a man near the speaker.
• Verb phrase "will be waiting" is future continuous.
• Place word "here" refers to the lobby where the original speaker is located.
• Pronoun "you" refers to "me" in the reported version.

Concept / Approach:
With a past reporting verb, "will be waiting" changes to "would be waiting". The demonstrative "this" becomes "that" because the man is being referred to by someone who is not pointing at him directly any more. The place adverb "here" becomes "there" in indirect speech to show a shift from the original speaker location to the reported context. The sentence remains a statement introduced by "that".

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Begin with "He said that" to start the reported clause. Step 2: Convert "This man" to "that man" to reflect the change in demonstrative from direct pointing to indirect reference. Step 3: Change "will be waiting" to "would be waiting" to backshift the future continuous tense. Step 4: Change "for you" to "for me" because the speaker said this to the person who is now reporting it. Step 5: Replace "here at the lobby" with "there at the lobby" to mark the change of viewpoint. Step 6: Combine everything into "He said that that man would be waiting for me there at the lobby."

Verification / Alternative check:
The reported sentence keeps the idea of a man waiting in the lobby for the narrator. The continuous aspect "would be waiting" correctly indicates a planned ongoing action at some future time relative to the original speech, now seen as future in the past. Demonstrative and place changes align with standard reported speech rules. The sentence is grammatical and clear.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A begins with "He said this that man", which is not a correct structure. Option C keeps "here" instead of changing it to "there", which does not suit indirect speech from a different position. Option D also has the incorrect "He said this that man" structure and keeps "here", so it is doubly incorrect.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners frequently forget to change words that express place and time, focusing only on tense shifts. They may also overlook demonstratives, leaving "this" unchanged. Another pitfall is trying to keep the pointing effect of "this" in reported speech, which is not natural when the original situation is only described, not physically present. Remember always to handle pronouns, tense, demonstratives, and place or time words separately when converting direct speech to indirect speech.

Final Answer:
The correct reported sentence is He said that that man would be waiting for me there at the lobby.