In the following question, a sentence is given in Direct Speech. Choose the option that best expresses the same sentence in Indirect (Reported) Speech: My father said to the stranger, “Where do you live?”

Introduction / Context:
This question assesses understanding of converting Direct Speech to Indirect Speech, especially for questions. The original sentence contains a question in the present tense, introduced by “said to”. Candidates must change it into a reported question, which involves changes in tense, pronouns, and word order, while keeping the meaning intact. Such transformations are heavily tested in English grammar sections of competitive exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:
Direct Speech: “My father said to the stranger, Where do you live?”
We need an Indirect Speech form. We assume that “said to” will change to “asked”, because the sentence is clearly a question, and that normal backshifting of tense will apply, since the reporting verb is in past tense (“said”).

Concept / Approach:
For reporting questions, “said to” becomes “asked”. The question word “where” remains. Since the reporting verb is past (“said”), the present tense “do you live” usually changes to past tense “he lived”. Word order shifts from interrogative to statement order (subject before verb) in reported speech. Pronouns are adjusted from “you” to “he” to match the third person, because the stranger is being spoken about by the narrator, not addressed directly anymore.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Change the reporting verb: “said to the stranger” becomes “asked the stranger”. Step 2: Keep the question word “where” as it is, because it introduces the content clause. Step 3: Change the pronoun “you” to “he”, referring to the stranger in third person. Step 4: Backshift the tense: “do you live” (simple present) becomes “he lived” (simple past). Step 5: Use statement word order in the reported clause: “where he lived”, not “where did he live”. Step 6: Combine all parts to get: “My father asked the stranger where he lived.”

Verification / Alternative check:
Check the options. Option (d) “My father asked the stranger where he lived” matches each of the above rules: correct reporting verb, correct pronoun, correct backshifted tense, and correct word order. Option (a) keeps present tense “lives”, which is less usual given the reporting verb in past tense. Option (b) uses present perfect continuous, “has been living”, which adds unnecessary detail not present in the original sentence. Option (c) has faulty word order “where he lives to the stranger”, which is grammatically incorrect. Therefore, option (d) is clearly best.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option (a) does not perform backshift and uses “lives”, creating a tense mismatch with the reporting verb “asked”.
Option (b) changes the meaning by introducing the idea of ongoing residence with “has been living”, which is not indicated in the original question.
Option (c) is grammatically incorrect in English because the phrase “to the stranger” is placed inside the reported clause awkwardly and the clause structure is not acceptable.
Only option (d) maintains tense consistency and grammatical correctness.

Common Pitfalls:
One common error is to preserve the question word order after “asked”, writing “asked the stranger where did he live”, which is wrong in Indirect Speech. Another pitfall is forgetting to change pronouns and tenses, which results in unnatural or grammatically inconsistent sentences. To avoid these mistakes, always follow the sequence: adjust the reporting verb, choose the correct connector (if any), backshift the tense when required, and then rewrite the reported clause in statement order.

Final Answer:
The correct Indirect Speech form is My father asked the stranger where he lived.