Select the correct direct form of the given sentence.

The Principal asked Kamal how it was that he was always late for school.

The Principal said to Kamal, “How is it that you are always late for school?”

The correct direct form of the given sentence is:

The Principal said to Kamal, "How is it that you are always late for school?"

The other options are incorrect:

• The Principal said to Kamal, "How are you always late for school?" This is incorrect because the reported speech is a question about the present, not the past.
• The Principal said to Kamal, "How it is he was always late for school?" This is incorrect because the pronoun "he" should be "you".
• The Principal said to Kamal, "How it was that he was always late for school?" This is also incorrect, for the same reason.