In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect (reported) speech. My mother said to my father, "I am very busy now."

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your grasp of the rules for changing a sentence from Direct speech to Indirect speech, especially changes in pronouns and tense when the reporting verb is in the past. The sentence involves a statement made by one person (mother) to another (father) about her own present state of busyness.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Direct speech: My mother said to my father, "I am very busy now."
• Reporting verb: said to.
• Reportee: my father.
• Pronoun in the quoted words: I, referring to my mother.
• Time word: now, which usually shifts to then in reported speech.

Concept / Approach:
When the reporting verb is in the past tense ("said"), the verb in the reported clause generally shifts one step back in time. Present simple and present continuous forms usually change to past simple and past continuous. Additionally, pronouns need to be adjusted according to the speaker and listener. Here, "I" refers to "my mother," so in reported speech it becomes "she." The adverb of time "now" typically becomes "then" when the reporting is done later.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Change "said to" to "told" when converting to Indirect speech: "My mother told my father." Step 2: Introduce the conjunction "that" to connect the reporting clause with the reported clause. Step 3: Replace "I" with "she" because the speaker is the mother. Step 4: Change the verb "am" (present simple of be) to "was," the corresponding past form. Step 5: Change the time word "now" to "then." Step 6: The final reported speech becomes: "My mother told my father that she was very busy then."

Verification / Alternative check:
Check that all standard backshift changes have been applied: present to past (am to was) and now to then. Also, check that the pronoun "she" correctly represents the original speaker. The sentence remains clear and grammatically correct, so the transformation is accurate.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• My mother told my father that I am very busy now: Keeps "I am" and "now," failing to change pronoun and tense under the past reporting verb.
• My mother told my father that she is very busy then: Uses "is" instead of "was," and the combination "is ... then" is also awkward in reported speech.
• My mother told my father that I was very busy now: Mixes "I" with "was" and "now," misrepresenting the speaker and mishandling the time adverb.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often forget to change time words like "now," "today," or "tomorrow" and may also leave the pronoun "I" unchanged, which creates confusion in reported speech. Always identify who is speaking and to whom, and then adjust pronouns, tenses, and time expressions systematically.

Final Answer:
The correct Indirect speech form is My mother told my father that she was very busy then.