The correct answer is OPTION 2 - Mary explained that I spoke very good English.
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Reporting verb ("exclaimed"): The original sentence expresses admiration, so "said" changes to "exclaimed" in indirect speech to convey the emotion.
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Tense change ("speak" to "spoke"): In indirect speech, the verb tense usually shifts back. Since "speak" is in the simple present, it changes to the simple past ("spoke").
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Pronoun change ("you" to "I"): Pronouns are adjusted based on the speaker and listener. Here, "you" changes to "I" because Mary is speaking to the narrator.
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"Such good English" to "very good English": The phrase "such good" is often changed to "very good" for clarity and correctness in indirect speech.
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Incorrect options explained:
- Option 1 ("Mary explained that I speak..."): Incorrect because "explained" does not convey admiration and the tense is not shifted.
- Option 3 ("Mary told me I was speaking..."): Incorrect because "was speaking" is the past continuous, which doesn't match the original simple present tense.
- Option 4 ("Mary exclaimed that I was speaking..."): Incorrect because "was speaking" implies an action in progress, not a general statement.
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