In this direct and indirect speech question, the sentence "The girl in the red dress said to me, \"Where is the film studio?\"" is given in direct speech. Select the option that best expresses the same idea in indirect speech.

Introduction / Context:
This question tests how well you can convert a direct question into indirect (reported) speech. The original sentence is a wh-question introduced by "where" and spoken in the past ("said to me"). When such a question is reported, English requires changes in word order and, in many cases, tense. This kind of transformation is a common topic in competitive exams because it checks both grammar rules and your sense of natural English usage.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Direct speech: "The girl in the red dress said to me, 'Where is the film studio?'"
• Reporting verb: "said to me", which will usually become "asked me" for questions.
• The question word: "Where".
• The verb "is" is in present simple in the original question.
• We assume normal backshifting of tense in reported speech.

Concept / Approach:
When we report a question that begins with a wh-word, we use the pattern: subject + reporting verb + object + wh-word + subject + verb (statement word order). We do not keep the question word order ("Where is the studio?") inside indirect speech. In addition, because the reporting verb is in the past ("said"), we normally backshift the main verb from present simple ("is") to past simple ("was"). Also, the phrase "said to me" is better replaced with "asked me" or "inquired of me" when we are reporting a question about information, not a statement.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Change "said to me" to "asked me", which is more appropriate for a question. Step 2: Introduce the wh-word "where" directly, without using a comma or question mark inside the indirect clause. Step 3: Change the word order from "Where is the film studio?" to "where the film studio was", using statement order. Step 4: Backshift the tense from "is" to "was" because the reporting verb is in the past. Step 5: The resulting sentence is: "The girl in the red dress asked me where the film studio was." Step 6: Compare this with the options and identify it as option D.

Verification / Alternative check:
Check each option for common errors. Option A uses "inquired me", which is wrong because "inquire" is not followed directly by an object pronoun; we say "inquired of me" or "inquired where...". Option B keeps the question word order "where is the film studio" inside reported speech, which is incorrect. Option C also keeps the verb "is" instead of backshifting to "was", which is less acceptable in standard exam English. Option E is almost correct but still less direct for the exam because it misses the pronoun "me" after "inquired". The cleanest and most standard form is option D.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A misuses the verb "inquire". Option B leaves the auxiliary "is" before the subject "the film studio", which is an incorrect question order in indirect speech. Option C does not backshift the tense from "is" to "was" and is considered grammatically weak in traditional grammar questions. Option E is close but uses "inquired" instead of "asked me" and may be considered awkward in exam style, though grammatically acceptable in some contexts. Still, the best and most expected answer is option D.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often forget to change question word order inside indirect speech, leaving "where is..." instead of "where ... is/was". Another frequent mistake is to not backshift the tense when the reporting verb is in the past. To avoid such errors, always remember the sequence: change the reporting verb appropriately, remove the question mark, use statement word order, and adjust the tense according to backshifting rules.

Final Answer:
The correct reported speech form is The girl in the red dress asked me where the film studio was.