A sentence has been given in Direct Speech. Choose the option that best expresses the same sentence in Indirect Speech: “Sita said, ‘Will he listen to such a man?’”

Introduction / Context:
This question examines your knowledge of converting a yes or no question from Direct to Indirect Speech. The direct sentence “Sita said, ‘Will he listen to such a man?’” is an interrogative sentence in the future tense. In reported speech, we must change the reporting verb, adjust the word order, and shift the tense correctly while keeping the meaning intact.

Given Data / Assumptions:
Direct speech: “Sita said, ‘Will he listen to such a man?’”
Reporting verb: “said”
Question inside quotes: “Will he listen to such a man?”
We must convert this into a reported yes or no question, typically introduced by “if” or “whether,” and change “will” to “would” in indirect speech.

Concept / Approach:
When we convert a direct yes or no question to indirect speech, the reporting verb “said” usually changes to “asked” because a question is being reported. The auxiliary verb comes after the subject instead of before it, because the sentence shifts from interrogative word order to normal statement order. Tense is shifted back one step: “will” becomes “would.” The conjunction “whether” (or “if”) introduces the reported question. Therefore, “Sita said, ‘Will he listen to such a man?’” becomes “Sita asked whether he would listen to such a man.”

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Change the reporting verb to reflect a question: “said” becomes “asked.” Step 2: Introduce the reported clause with “whether” or “if,” since this is a yes or no question. Step 3: Reverse the word order from question form “Will he listen” to statement form “he would listen.” Step 4: Apply backshift of tense: “will” in direct speech becomes “would” in indirect speech. Step 5: Combine all elements: “Sita asked whether he would listen to such a man.”

Verification / Alternative check:
Imagine someone reporting the question later: “Sita asked whether he would listen to such a man.” If we convert this back to direct speech, we get “Sita said, ‘Will he listen to such a man?’” which matches the original sentence. This shows that the transformation is correct. Any option that does not use “asked,” fails to use “whether/if,” or keeps the original tense “will” is grammatically incomplete or incorrect for formal reported speech.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A: “Sita said would we listen to such a man.” changes the subject to “we” and keeps a confusing interrogative pattern, which is incorrect.
Option B: “Sita ask if he would listen to such a man.” has a wrong verb form “ask” instead of “asked” and does not match the original reporting structure fully.
Option C: “Sita said would I listen to such a man.” incorrectly changes the subject to “I,” altering the meaning.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often forget to shift the tense, leaving “will” unchanged, or they forget to change the word order from question form to statement form. Another frequent mistake is keeping the reporting verb as “said” even when a question is being reported. To avoid these errors, remember three key steps: change “said” to “asked,” introduce “if” or “whether,” and backshift the tense.

Final Answer:
The correct indirect speech form is “Sita asked whether he would listen to such a man.”