Choose the correct direct speech of the given sentence from the options that follow :

She asked them if they were ready for the event. 

The correct answer is '3' i.e. She said to them, "Are you ready for the event?" .

Key Points 

• The given sentence is in indirect speech, reporting a yes/no question. The reporting verb "asked" is in the past tense.
• When converting an indirect question with a past tense reporting verb and 'if' back to direct speech, the tense shifts back one step. The Past Simple tense ("were ready") in indirect speech typically comes from the Present Simple tense ("Are you ready?") in direct speech.
• The pronoun "they" in indirect speech refers to the people being addressed, which was "you" in the direct speech question directed at "them".
• A past tense reporting verb like "asked them" can be converted to "said to them," followed by the direct question in quotation marks.

Correct direct speech: She said to them, "Are you ready for the event?"

Additional Information 

• Option 1: "Had you been ready..." (Past Perfect) would become Past Perfect in indirect speech ("if they had been ready").
• Option 2: "She says to them..." uses a present tense reporting verb ("says"), which would not cause a tense shift in the indirect speech ("if they are ready"). The given indirect speech has a past tense ("were ready").
• Option 4: "She asked to them..." is grammatically incorrect; the correct phrasing is "asked them" or "said to them". Also, "Were you ready?" (Past Simple) would typically become Past Perfect ("if they had been ready") in indirect speech.