Mastering Reported Speech
A Comprehensive Guide to Reporting What Others Said
Reported speech (also called indirect speech) is used to communicate what someone else said without quoting their exact words. This requires specific grammar changes to reflect the shift in time and perspective.
In this presentation, you will learn:
- The basic principles of transforming direct speech to reported speech
- How to change verb tenses correctly in reported speech
- How to adjust pronouns, time expressions, and demonstratives
- How to report questions, commands, and requests
- When to use reporting verbs other than “said”
“I am studying English.” (Direct speech)
She said (that) she was studying English. (Reported speech)
Basic Principles of Reported Speech
When converting direct speech to reported speech, several elements need to change:
Key Changes in Reported Speech:
- Verb tenses usually shift backward in time
- Pronouns change to reflect the new speaker’s perspective
- Time expressions adjust to the new time context
- Demonstratives (“this/these” become “that/those”)
- Word order in questions changes to statement order
- Quotation marks are removed
Basic Structure:
Direct speech: “[Original statement]”
Reported speech: [Person] said (that) [adjusted statement]
Example Transformation:
Direct Speech:
“I will call you tomorrow.”
Reported Speech:
She said (that) she would call me the next day.
Note:
The word “that” is optional in reported speech and is often omitted in spoken English.
Present Tense Changes in Reported Speech
When the reporting verb is in the past tense (e.g., “said,” “told”), present tenses generally shift backward in time.
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple (do/does) |
Past Simple (did) |
“I work in London.” → He said he worked in London. |
| Present Continuous (am/is/are + -ing) |
Past Continuous (was/were + -ing) |
“I am studying French.” → She said she was studying French. |
| Present Perfect (have/has + past participle) |
Past Perfect (had + past participle) |
“I have finished my homework.” → He said he had finished his homework. |
| Present Perfect Continuous (have/has been + -ing) |
Past Perfect Continuous (had been + -ing) |
“I have been waiting for an hour.” → She said she had been waiting for an hour. |
More Examples:
- “I live in Paris.” → He said (that) he lived in Paris.
- “She is learning Japanese.” → He said (that) she was learning Japanese.
- “We have visited Rome twice.” → They said (that) they had visited Rome twice.
Past & Future Tense Changes in Reported Speech
Past and future tenses also shift when converted to reported speech.
Past Tense Changes:
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
|---|---|
| Past Simple (did) |
Past Perfect (had done) |
| Past Continuous (was/were + -ing) |
Past Perfect Continuous (had been + -ing) |
| Past Perfect (had + past participle) |
Past Perfect (no change) |
Future Tense Changes:
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
|---|---|
| Future Simple (will) |
Conditional (would) |
| Future Continuous (will be + -ing) |
Conditional Continuous (would be + -ing) |
| Future Perfect (will have + past participle) |
Conditional Perfect (would have + past participle) |
Examples:
Past Tense Examples:
“I bought a new car yesterday.”
→ She said she had bought a new car the day before.
“I was sleeping when you called.”
→ He said he had been sleeping when I called.
Future Tense Examples:
“I will help you tomorrow.”
→ She said she would help me the next day.
“I will be traveling next month.”
→ He said he would be traveling the following month.
Modal Verbs in Reported Speech
Modal verbs often change in reported speech, but some remain the same.
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech | Example |
|---|---|---|
| can | could | “I can swim.” → She said she could swim. |
| may | might | “I may go to the party.” → He said he might go to the party. |
| must | had to / must | “I must finish this.” → She said she had to finish that. |
| will | would | “I will call you.” → He said he would call me. |
Modal Verbs That Don’t Change:
These modals usually remain the same:
- would → would
- could → could
- should → should
- might → might
Examples:
“I would like some tea.”
→ She said she would like some tea.
“You should see a doctor.”
→ He said I should see a doctor.
Note:
“Must” can remain unchanged when expressing a strong obligation that still exists at the time of reporting, but usually changes to “had to” when expressing a past obligation.
Time and Place Expressions
Time and place expressions often change in reported speech to reflect the new time and place context.
Common Changes:
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech | Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
|---|---|---|---|
| today | that day | now | then |
| yesterday | the day before | this | that |
| tomorrow | the next day / the following day | these | those |
| last week | the week before / the previous week | here | there |
| next week | the following week | ago | before |
Examples:
“I’m meeting her today.”
→ He said he was meeting her that day.
“I visited Rome last year.”
→ She said she had visited Rome the year before.
“I will call you tomorrow.”
→ He said he would call me the next day.
“We live here in this house.”
→ They said they lived there in that house.
When Time Expressions Don’t Change:
If you’re reporting something on the same day it was said, expressions like “today,” “tonight,” etc. may remain unchanged. Similarly, if the general time reference is still valid, the expression might not change.
Reporting Questions
When reporting questions, we use reporting verbs like “asked,” “inquired,” or “wanted to know.” The question is transformed into a statement with normal word order.
Yes/No Questions:
Structure: Subject + asked/inquired/wanted to know + if/whether + subject + verb…
“Are you coming to the party?”
→ She asked me if I was coming to the party.
“Do you speak French?”
→ He asked whether I spoke French.
Wh- Questions:
Structure: Subject + asked/inquired/wanted to know + question word + subject + verb…
“Where do you live?”
→ She asked me where I lived.
“Why are you late?”
→ He asked why I was late.
More Examples:
| Direct Question | Reported Question |
|---|---|
| “What time does the movie start?” | She asked what time the movie started. |
| “Have you seen my keys?” | He asked if I had seen his keys. |
| “Can you help me with this?” | She asked if I could help her with that. |
| “How did you solve this problem?” | He asked how I had solved that problem. |
Remember:
When reporting questions, we remove question marks and auxiliaries used to form questions. Word order changes from question form to statement form, and the same tense changes apply as with statements.
Reporting Commands and Requests
Commands and requests are reported using the infinitive structure with reporting verbs like “told,” “asked,” “ordered,” “begged,” or “advised.”
Basic Structure:
Subject + told/asked/ordered/advised + object + to + base verb…
Examples of Commands:
“Sit down!”
→ She told me to sit down.
“Don’t touch that!”
→ He told me not to touch that.
“Be quiet, please.”
→ The teacher asked us to be quiet.
“Open the window, would you?”
→ She asked me to open the window.
Different Reporting Verbs for Different Situations:
| Reporting Verb | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| told | For direct commands | “Stop talking!” → The teacher told us to stop talking. |
| asked | For polite requests | “Could you help me, please?” → She asked me to help her. |
| ordered | For strong commands | “Get out now!” → He ordered them to get out. |
| advised | For suggestions | “You should see a doctor.” → She advised me to see a doctor. |
| begged | For desperate requests | “Please help me!” → He begged me to help him. |
Reporting Negative Commands:
For negative commands, add “not” before the infinitive: “Don’t open the door” → He told me not to open the door.
Special Cases and Summary
When Tenses Don’t Change:
Tenses may not change in these cases:
- When reporting something very soon after it was said
- When the reported speech contains a universal truth or fact
- When the time reference is still valid
“The Earth revolves around the Sun.”
→ She said (that) the Earth revolves around the Sun. (Universal truth – no change)
“I’m leaving next Friday.”
→ He said he is leaving next Friday. (If “next Friday” is still in the future when reporting)
Other Reporting Verbs:
| Reporting Verb | Use |
|---|---|
| claimed | For assertions (especially ones you doubt) |
| admitted | For reluctant confessions |
| denied | For rejections of accusations |
| suggested | For ideas or proposals |
| Reporting Verb | Use |
|---|---|
| promised | For commitments to future actions |
| explained | For giving reasons or clarification |
| insisted | For emphatic statements |
| complained | For expressing discontent |
Summary of Key Changes in Reported Speech:
- Verb tenses generally shift one step back in time
- Pronouns change to reflect the new speaker’s perspective
- Time and place expressions adjust to the new context
- Questions transform into statements with normal word order
- Commands are reported using the infinitive structure
- Reporting verbs should match the function of the original statement
Common Errors to Avoid:
1. Forgetting to change pronouns consistently
2. Mixing tenses incorrectly
3. Keeping question word order in reported questions
4. Not adjusting time expressions
5. Using direct speech punctuation in reported speech
