Reported Speech

What is reported speech?

 Reported speech is when you tell somebody else what you or a person
said before.
 Distinction must be made between direct speech and reported speech.
Direct speech vs Reported speech:

Direct speech Reported speech

She says: "I like tuna fish." She says that she likes tuna fish.

She said: "I'm visiting Paris next weekend" She said that she was visiting Paris the following
weekend.
Different types of sentences

 When you use reported speech, you either report:

1. Statements
2. Questions
3. requests / commands
4. other types
 Reporting Statements

 When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:

 pronouns
 tense
 place and time expression
 1- Pronouns
In reported speech, you often have to change the pronoun depending on who says what.
Example:
She says, “My dad likes roast chicken.” – She says that her dad likes roast chicken.
 2- Tenses
 If the sentence starts in the present, there is no backshift of tenses in reported speech.
 If the sentence starts in the past, there is often backshift of tenses in reported speech.
 Conversion Rules as the Reporting
Verb

 When the reporting or principal verb is in the Past Tense, all Present tenses of the direct are
changed into the corresponding Past Tenses.
a) Direct: He said, “I am unwell.”
b) Indirect: He said (that) he was unwell.
 If the reporting verb is in the Present or Future Tense, the tenses of the Direct Speech do
not change.
a) Direct: He says/will say, “I am unwell.”
b) Indirect: He says/will say he is unwell.
 The Tense in Indirect Speech is NOT CHANGED if the words within the quotation marks talk
of a universal truth or habitual action.
a) Direct: They said, “We cannot live without water.”
b) Indirect: They said that we cannot live without water.
 Direct and Indirect (reported speech)
in Present Tense
 Simple Present Changes to Simple Past
a) Direct: "I am happy", she said.
b) Indirect: She said that she was happy.
 Present Continuous Changes to Past Continuous
a) Direct: "I am reading a book", he explained.
b) Indirect: He explained that he was reading a book.
 Present Perfect Changes to Past Perfect
a) Direct: She said, "He has finished his food“.
b) Indirect: She said that he had finished his food.
 Present Perfect Continuous Changes to Past Perfect Continuous
a) Direct: "I have been to Gujarat", he told me.
b) Indirect: He told me that he had been to Gujarat.
 Direct and Indirect (reported speech)
in Past Tense

 Simple Past Changes to Past Perfect

a) Direct: He said, “Ira arrived on Monday."
b) Indirect: He said that Ira had arrived on Monday.

 Past Continuous Changes to Past Perfect Continuous

a) Direct: "We were living in Goa", they told me.
b) Indirect: They told me that they had been living in Goa.
 Direct and Indirect (reported speech)
in Future Tense

 Future Changes to Present Conditional

a) Direct: He said, "I will be in Kolkata tomorrow."
b) Indirect: He said that he would be in Kolkata the next day.

 Future Continuous Changes to Conditional Continuous

a) Direct: She said, "I'll be using the car next Friday.”
b) Indirect: She said that she would be using the car next Friday.
Try it

 Each of the following sentences will contain a mistake in the usage of Direct and
Indirect Speech. See if you can spot that mistake.

1. Direct: The boy said, “I’m happy with my results.”

Indirect: The boy said that he is happy with his results.
Indirect: The boy said that he was happy with his results.
2. Direct: She said, “I have baked a cake.”
Indirect: She said (that) she had baked a cake.
Indirect: She said (that) she baked a cake.
3. Direct: He said, “All people have equal rights.”
Indirect: He said that all people had equal rights.
Indirect: He said that all people have equal rights.
 Change the direct speech into reported speech. Use 'she said' at the
beginning of each answer.
* Note

 The modal verbs could, should, would, might, needn't, ought to, used
to do not normally change.
Example:
He said, "She might be right." – He said that she might be right.
 Other modal verbs may change:

Modal Direct speech Reported speech

can "I can do it." He said he could do it.
may "May I go out?" He wanted to know if
he might go out.
must "She must apply for the job." He said that she must/had
to apply for the job.
will "They will call you." He told her that they would call
her.
 Changes in Modals

 CAN changes into COULD

a) Direct: He said, "I can swim."
b) Indirect: He said that he could swim.
 MAY changes into MIGHT
a) Direct: He said, "I may buy a house.”
b) Indirect: He said that he might buy a house.
 MUST changes into HAD TO/WOULD HAVE TO
a) Direct: He said, "I must work hard.”
b) Indirect: He said that he had to work hard.
 Modals that DO NOT Change: Would, Could, Might, Should, Ought to.
a) Direct: He said, "I should face the challenge.”
b) Indirect: He said that he should face the challenge.
 Conversion of Interrogative

 Reporting Verb like ‘said/ said to’ changes to asked, enquired or

demanded
a) Direct: He said to me, “What are you doing?”
b) Indirect: He asked me what I was doing.
 If sentence begins with auxiliary verb, the joining clause should be if or
whether.
a) Direct: He said, “Will you come for the meeting?”
b) Indirect: He asked them whether they would come for the meeting.
 If sentence begins with ‘wh’ questions then no conjunction is used as the
"question-word" itself act as joining clause.
a) Direct: “Where do you live?” asked the girl.
b) Indirect: The girl enquired where I lived.
Place, demonstratives and time
expressions

 Place, demonstratives and time expressions change if the context of the

reported statement (i.e. the location and/or the period of time) is different
from that of the direct speech.
 In the following table, you will find the different changes of place;
demonstratives and time expressions.
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Time Expressions
today that day
now then
yesterday the day before
… days ago … days before
last week the week before
next year the following year
tomorrow the next day / the following day

Place
here there

Demonstratives
this that
these those
Reporting Questions

 When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:

 pronouns
 place and time expressions
 tenses (backshift)
 Also note that you have to:
 transform the question into an indirect question
 use the question word (where, when, what, how) or if / whether
 Types of questions Direct speech Reported speech
"Why" don’t you speak He asked me why I
With question word English?” didn’t speak English.
(what, why, where,
how...)

“Do you speak English?” He asked me whether /

Without question word if I spoke English.
(yes or no questions)
Reporting requests / commands

 When transforming requests and commands, check whether you have to

change:
1. Pronouns
2. place and time expressions

Direct speech Reported speech

“Nancy,do the exercise.“ He told Nancy to do the exercise.
"Nancy, give me your pen, please." He asked Nancy to give him her pen.

Tenses are not relevant for requests – simply use to / not to + verb (infinitive without "to")
 Commands and Requests

 Indirect Speech is introduced by some verbs like ordered,

requested, advised and suggested. Forbid(s)/ forbade is
used for the negative sentences. The imperative mood is
changed into the Infinitive.
a) Direct: Rafique said to Ahmed, “Go away.”
b) Indirect: Rafique ordered Ahmed to go away.
c) Direct: He said to her, “Please wait.”
d) Indirect: He requested her to wait.
 Example:
She said, “Sit down." - She asked me to sit down.
She said, "don't be lazy" - She asked me not to be lazy

For affirmative use to + infinitive (without to)

For negative requests, use not to + infinitive
(without to).
 Change of Pronouns

 The first person of the reported speech changes according to the subject
of reporting speech.
a) Direct: She said, “I am in ninth class.”
b) Indirect: She says that she was in ninth class.
 The second person of reported speech changes according to the object
of reporting speech.
a) Direct: He says to them, "You have completed your job.”
b) Indirect: He tells them that they have completed their job.
 The third person of the reported speech doesn't change.
a) Direct: He says, "She is in tenth class.”
b) Indirect: He says that she is in tenth class.
Lets try...............!!!!