1. Expressing Doubt or Skepticism:
* "They asked me how I would know." (This focuses on the question being asked.)
* "He wondered how I could possibly know." (This emphasizes the speaker's disbelief.)
* "She doubted that I had any way of knowing." (This focuses on the speaker's lack of confidence in the listener's knowledge.)
2. Asking for an Explanation:
* "They wanted to know what made me think that." (This focuses on the reason behind the statement.)
* "She asked me to explain how I knew." (This emphasizes the request for an explanation.)
* "He was curious about how I had come to that conclusion." (This emphasizes the speaker's interest in the process of knowing.)
3. Challenging Someone's Knowledge:
* "She questioned how I could be so sure." (This focuses on the challenge to the listener's confidence.)
* "He challenged me to explain how I had acquired that information." (This emphasizes the speaker's belief that the listener's knowledge is suspect.)
* "They implied that I was making assumptions." (This focuses on the speaker's perception of the listener's knowledge.)
The specific wording of the indirect speech should reflect the nuance and intent of the original statement.