Reported speech

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is used to describe what someone said without using their exact words. When we report speech, we often change the tense, pronoun, and word order. In this grammar lesson, we will discuss the rules and structures of reported speech.

Structure of Reported Speech:

When reporting speech, there are usually two clauses: the reporting clause (the part that describes who is speaking and what they said) and the reported clause (the part that contains the actual statement).

For example:

Direct Speech: "I am going to the store," said John.

Reported Speech: John said he was going to the store.

In this example, the reporting clause is "John said" and the reported clause is "he was going to the store."

Tense Changes in Reported Speech:

In reported speech, the tense of the verb in the reported clause is often changed to reflect the time of the reporting clause. The following table shows how the tense changes in reported speech:

Direct Speech | Reported Speech

Present Simple | Past Simple

Present Continuous | Past Continuous

Present Perfect | Past Perfect

Past Simple | Past Perfect

Past Continuous | Past Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect | Past Perfect

Future Simple | Conditional

Modals | Past Modals

Pronoun Changes in Reported Speech:

In reported speech, the pronouns in the reported clause may also change depending on who is being referred to. The following table shows how the pronouns change in reported speech:

Direct Speech | Reported Speech

I | He/She

You | They

We | They

He/She/It | They

They | They

Word Order Changes in Reported Speech:

In reported speech, the word order in the reported clause often changes. The following table shows how the word order changes in reported speech:

Direct Speech | Reported Speech

Subject + Verb | Subject + Verb

Question Word + Auxiliary Verb + Subject + Verb | Question Word + Subject + Auxiliary Verb + Verb

Auxiliary Verb + Subject + Verb | Subject + Auxiliary Verb + Verb

For example:

Direct Speech: "Why didn't you come to the party?" asked Jane.

Reported Speech: Jane asked why I hadn't come to the party.

In this example, the word order in the reported clause changes from a question format to a statement format.

Reporting Verbs:

There are various reporting verbs that can be used to introduce reported speech, such as said, told, asked, and wondered. The choice of reporting verb can also affect the structure of the reported speech.

For example:

Direct Speech: "I will be late," said John.

Reported Speech: John said he would be late.

In this example, the reporting verb "said" is used to introduce the reported speech.

Practice Exercises:

1. Change the following direct speech into reported speech:

Direct: "I love this movie," said Tom.

Reported: 

2. Change the following direct speech into reported speech:

Direct: "Have you finished your homework?" asked the teacher.

Reported: 

3. Change the following direct speech into reported speech:

Direct: "I am going to the beach tomorrow," said Sarah.

Reported: 

4. Change the following direct speech into reported speech:

Direct: "Can you help me with my project?" asked Susan.

Reported: 

5. Change the following direct speech into reported speech:

Direct: "We have already booked our flight," said John and Mary.

Reported: 

In conclusion, reported speech is a useful tool for describing what someone said without using their exact words. By