Reported Speech
Reported speech (also called indirect speech) is used to report what someone else has said without quoting them directly.
1. Direct vs Reported Speech
- Direct: He said, "I am tired."
- Reported: He said (that) he was tired.
2. Changes in Reported Speech
When changing direct speech into reported speech, changes usually occur in:
- Pronouns
- Tense (if reporting verb is in past)
- Time and place expressions
2.1 Tense Changes
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
|---|---|
| Present simple → "I eat rice." | Past simple → He said (that) he ate rice. |
| Present continuous → "I am eating." | Past continuous → He said he was eating. |
| Present perfect → "I have finished." | Past perfect → He said he had finished. |
| Will → "I will go." | Would → He said he would go. |
2.2 Time & Place Changes
| Direct | Reported |
|---|---|
| Now | Then |
| Today | That day |
| Tomorrow | The next day |
| Yesterday | The day before |
| Here | There |
3. Reporting Statements
Direct: She said, “I like tea.”
Reported: She said (that) she liked tea.
4. Reporting Questions
Use question word (what, why, where...) or “if”/“whether” for yes/no questions. No question mark.
- Direct: He said, “Are you coming?”
- Reported: He asked if I was coming.
- Direct: She said, “Where do you live?”
- Reported: She asked where I lived.
5. Reporting Commands and Requests
Use "to + base verb" or "not to" for negatives.
- Direct: He said, “Sit down.”
- Reported: He told me to sit down.
- Direct: She said, “Don’t shout.”
- Reported: She told me not to shout.
6. Reporting Suggestions
- Direct: He said, “Let’s go out.”
- Reported: He suggested going out.