direct
indirect
reported clause
statement
-clause
question
clause clause
clause
command
-infinitive clause
Indirect speech: reporting statements
Indirect reports of statements consist of a reporting clause and a that -clause. We often omit that , especially in informal situations:
The pilot commented that the weather had been extremely bad as the plane came in to land. (The pilot’s words were: ‘The weather was extremely bad as the plane came in to land.’ )
I told my wife I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday. ( that -clause without that ) (or I told my wife that I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday .)
Reporting yes-no questions and alternative questions.
Indirect reports of yes-no questions and questions with or consist of a reporting clause and a reported clause introduced by if or whether . If is more common than whether . The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:
She asked if [S] [V] I was Scottish. (original yes-no question: ‘Are you Scottish?’ )
The waiter asked whether [S] we [V] wanted a table near the window. (original yes-no question: ‘Do you want a table near the window? )
He asked me if [S] [V] I had come by train or by bus. (original alternative question: ‘Did you come by train or by bus?’ )
Questions: yes-no questions ( Are you feeling cold? )
Indirect reports of wh -questions consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a wh -word ( who, what, when, where, why, how ). We don’t use a question mark:
He asked me what I wanted.
Not: He asked me what I wanted?
The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:
She wanted to know who [S] we [V] had invited to the party.
Not: … who had we invited …
In indirect questions with who, whom and what , the wh- word may be the subject or the object of the reported clause:
I asked them who came to meet them at the airport. ( who is the subject of came ; original question: ‘Who came to meet you at the airport?’ )
He wondered what the repairs would cost. ( what is the object of cost ; original question: ‘What will the repairs cost?’ )
She asked us what [S] we [V] were doing . (original question: ‘What are you doing?’ )
Not: She asked us what were we doing?
We also use statement word order (subject + verb) with when , where, why and how :
I asked her when [S] it [V] had happened (original question: ‘When did it happen?’ ).
Not: I asked her when had it happened?
I asked her where [S] the bus station [V] was . (original question: ‘Where is the bus station?’ )
Not: I asked her where was the bus station?
The teacher asked them how [S] they [V] wanted to do the activity . (original question: ‘How do you want to do the activity?’ )
Not: The teacher asked them how did they want to do the activity?
Questions: wh- questions
Indirect reports of commands consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a to -infinitive:
The General ordered the troops to advance . (original command: ‘Advance!’ )
The chairperson told him to sit down and to stop interrupting . (original command: ‘Sit down and stop interrupting!’ )
We also use a to -infinitive clause in indirect reports with other verbs that mean wanting or getting people to do something, for example, advise, encourage, warn :
They advised me to wait till the following day. (original statement: ‘You should wait till the following day.’ )
The guard warned us not to enter the area. (original statement: ‘You must not enter the area.’ )
Verbs followed by a to -infinitive
We can use the reporting verb in the present simple in indirect speech if the original words are still true or relevant at the time of reporting, or if the report is of something someone often says or repeats:
Sheila says they’re closing the motorway tomorrow for repairs.
Henry tells me he’s thinking of getting married next year.
Rupert says dogs shouldn’t be allowed on the beach. (Rupert probably often repeats this statement.)
We often use the present simple in newspaper headlines. It makes the reported speech more dramatic:
JUDGE TELLS REPORTER TO LEAVE COURTROOM
PRIME MINISTER SAYS FAMILIES ARE TOP PRIORITY IN TAX REFORM
Present simple ( I work )
Reported speech
Reported speech: direct speech
In indirect speech, we can use the past continuous form of the reporting verb (usually say or tell ). This happens mostly in conversation, when the speaker wants to focus on the content of the report, usually because it is interesting news or important information, or because it is a new topic in the conversation:
Rory was telling me the big cinema in James Street is going to close down. Is that true?
Alex was saying that book sales have gone up a lot this year thanks to the Internet.
‘Backshift’ refers to the changes we make to the original verbs in indirect speech because time has passed between the moment of speaking and the time of the report.
direct speech | indirect speech |
not very happy at work.’ | not very happy at work. |
going home.’ | going home. |
be late.’ | be late. |
been working,’ she said. | . |
to make her so angry?’ he asked. | to make her so angry. |
In these examples, the present ( am ) has become the past ( was ), the future ( will ) has become the future-in-the-past ( would ) and the past ( happened ) has become the past perfect ( had happened ). The tenses have ‘shifted’ or ‘moved back’ in time.
direct | indirect | |
present simple | → | past simple |
present continuous | → | past continuous |
present perfect simple | → | past perfect simple |
present perfect continuous | → | past perfect continuous |
past simple | → | past perfect simple |
past continuous | → | past perfect continuous |
future (will) | → | future-in-the-past (would) |
past perfect | ↔ | past perfect (no change) |
The past perfect does not shift back; it stays the same:
Direct speech | Indirect speech |
| already left. |
Some, but not all, modal verbs ‘shift back’ in time and change in indirect speech.
direct speech | indirect speech | change | |
| be there,’ he promised. | be there. | becomes |
| need more money.’ I open it?’ she asked. | need more money. open it. | usually becomes in reported questions, becomes |
| see you at 2.30,’ he added. | see me at 2.30. | becomes |
| be back later,’ she said. wait in the hallway,’ he said. | be back later. wait in the hallway. | (possibility) becomes (permission) becomes |
| pay by 30th April.’ be awful to live in such a noisy place,’ she said. | pay by 30th April. be awful to live in such a noisy place. | (obligation) usually becomes (speculation) does not change |
| sell it for about 2,000 euros,’ he said. | sell it for about 2,000 euros. | no change |
| go there immediately,’ she said. | go there immediately. | no change |
| buy it if I had the money,’ he said. | buy it if he had the money. | no change |
| snow tonight,’ he warned. | snow that night. | no change |
| come till six o’clock,’ he said. | come till six o’clock. | no change |
We can use a perfect form with have + - ed form after modal verbs, especially where the report looks back to a hypothetical event in the past:
He said the noise might have been the postman delivering letters. (original statement: ‘The noise might be the postman delivering letters.’ )
He said he would have helped us if we’d needed a volunteer. (original statement: ‘I’ll help you if you need a volunteer’ or ‘I’d help you if you needed a volunteer.’ )
Used to and ought to do not change in indirect speech:
She said she used to live in Oxford. (original statement: ‘I used to live in Oxford.’ )
The guard warned us that we ought to leave immediately. (original statement: ‘You ought to leave immediately.’ )
We don’t need to change the tense in indirect speech if what a person said is still true or relevant or has not happened yet. This often happens when someone talks about the future, or when someone uses the present simple, present continuous or present perfect in their original words:
He told me his brother works for an Italian company. (It is still true that his brother works for an Italian company.)
She said she ’s getting married next year. (For the speakers, the time at the moment of speaking is ‘this year’.)
He said he ’s finished painting the door. (He probably said it just a short time ago.)
She promised she ’ll help us. (The promise applies to the future.)
Changes to personal pronouns in indirect reports depend on whether the person reporting the speech and the person(s) who said the original words are the same or different.
direct | indirect | |
don’t want to shock people,’ Tom said. | said he didn’t want to shock people. | different speakers ( changes to ) |
’ll look after Toby,’ I said. | said I would look after Toby. | same speaker (no change) |
need to be here at nine o’clock,’ George told Beatrice. | told Beatrice she needed to be there at nine o’clock. | different speakers ( changes to ) |
hope you will join us tonight,’ I said to James. | told James I hoped he would join us that night. | same speaker (no change to ; changes to ) |
We often change demonstratives ( this, that ) and adverbs of time and place ( now, here, today , etc.) because indirect speech happens at a later time than the original speech, and perhaps in a different place.
direct speech | indirect speech |
.’ | the next/following day. |
this moment in time.’ | . |
.” | . |
,’ the boy protested. | . |
direct | indirect | |
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The word order in indirect reports of wh- questions is the same as statement word order (subject + verb), not question word order:
She always asks me where [S] [V] I am going .
Not: She always asks me where am I going .
We don’t use a question mark when reporting wh- questions:
I asked him what he was doing.
Not: I asked him what he was doing?
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Indirect speech is a report on what someone else said or wrote without using that person's exact words (which is called direct speech). It's also called indirect discourse or reported speech .
In direct speech , a person's exact words are placed in quotation marks and set off with a comma and a reporting clause or signal phrase , such as "said" or "asked." In fiction writing, using direct speech can display the emotion of an important scene in vivid detail through the words themselves as well as the description of how something was said. In nonfiction writing or journalism, direct speech can emphasize a particular point, by using a source's exact words.
Indirect speech is paraphrasing what someone said or wrote. In writing, it functions to move a piece along by boiling down points that an interview source made. Unlike direct speech, indirect speech is not usually placed inside quote marks. However, both are attributed to the speaker because they come directly from a source.
In the first example below, the verb in the present tense in the line of direct speech ( is) may change to the past tense ( was ) in indirect speech, though it doesn't necessarily have to with a present-tense verb. If it makes sense in context to keep it present tense, that's fine.
Keeping the present tense in reported speech can give the impression of immediacy, that it's being reported soon after the direct quote,such as:
An action in the future (present continuous tense or future) doesn't have to change verb tense, either, as these examples demonstrate.
Indirectly reporting an action in the future can change verb tenses when needed. In this next example, changing the am going to was going implies that she has already left for the mall. However, keeping the tense progressive or continuous implies that the action continues, that she's still at the mall and not back yet.
With a past-tense verb in the direct quote, the verb changes to past perfect.
Note the change in first person (I) and second person (your) pronouns and word order in the indirect versions. The person has to change because the one reporting the action is not the one actually doing it. Third person (he or she) in direct speech remains in the third person.
In free indirect speech, which is commonly used in fiction, the reporting clause (or signal phrase) is omitted. Using the technique is a way to follow a character's point of view—in third-person limited omniscient—and show her thoughts intermingled with narration.
Typically in fiction italics show a character's exact thoughts, and quote marks show dialogue. Free indirect speech makes do without the italics and simply combines the internal thoughts of the character with the narration of the story. Writers who have used this technique include James Joyce, Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, Henry James, Zora Neale Hurston, and D.H. Lawrence.
Direct and Indirect Speech are the two ways of reporting what someone said. The use of both direct and indirect speech is crucial in effective communication and writing. Understanding the basics of direct and indirect speech is important, but mastering the advanced techniques of these two forms of speech can take your writing to the next level. In this article, we will explore direct and indirect speech in detail and provide you with a comprehensive guide that covers everything you need to know.
Table of Contents
Direct speech is a way of reporting what someone said using their exact words. Direct speech is typically enclosed in quotation marks to distinguish it from the writer’s own words. Here are some examples of direct speech:
In direct speech, the exact words spoken by the speaker are used, and the tense and pronouns used in the quote are maintained. Punctuation is also important in direct speech. Commas are used to separate the quote from the reporting verb, and full stops, question marks, or exclamation marks are used at the end of the quote, depending on the tone of the statement.
Indirect speech is a way of reporting what someone said using a paraphrased version of their words. In indirect speech, the writer rephrases the speaker’s words and incorporates them into the sentence. Here are some examples of indirect speech:
In indirect speech, the tense and pronouns may change, depending on the context of the sentence. Indirect speech is not enclosed in quotation marks, and the use of reporting verbs is important.
The structure of direct and indirect speech is different. Direct speech is presented in quotation marks, whereas indirect speech is incorporated into the sentence without quotation marks. The tenses and pronouns used in direct and indirect speech also differ. In direct speech, the tense and pronouns used in the quote are maintained, whereas, in indirect speech, they may change depending on the context of the sentence. Reporting verbs are also used differently in direct and indirect speech. In direct speech, they are used to introduce the quote, while in indirect speech, they are used to report what was said.
Converting direct speech to indirect speech involves changing the tense, pronouns, and reporting verb. Here are the steps involved in converting direct speech to indirect speech:
Here is an example of converting direct speech to indirect speech:
Direct speech: “I am going to the store,” said John. Indirect speech: John said that he was going to the store.
Converting indirect speech to direct speech involves using the same tense, pronouns, and reporting verb as the original quote. Here are the steps involved in converting indirect speech to direct speech:
Here is an example of converting indirect speech to direct speech:
Indirect speech: John said that he was going to the store. Direct speech: “I am going to the store,” said John.
Using direct and indirect speech effectively can add depth and complexity to your writing. Here are some advanced techniques for using direct and indirect speech:
Blending direct and indirect speech involves using both forms of speech in a single sentence or paragraph. This technique can create a more engaging and realistic narrative. Here is an example:
“Sarah said, ‘I can’t believe it’s already winter.’ Her friend replied that she loved the cold weather and was excited about the snowboarding season.”
In this example, direct speech is used to convey Sarah’s words, and indirect speech is used to convey her friend’s response.
Reported questions are a form of indirect speech that convey a question someone asked without using quotation marks. Reported questions often use reporting verbs like “asked” or “wondered.” Here is an example:
“John asked if I had seen the movie last night.”
In this example, the question “Have you seen the movie last night?” is reported indirectly without using quotation marks.
Direct speech can be used to convey emotion more effectively than indirect speech. When using direct speech to convey emotion, it’s important to choose the right tone and emphasis. Here is an example:
“She screamed, ‘I hate you!’ as she slammed the door.”
In this example, the use of direct speech and the exclamation mark convey the intense emotion of the moment.
Direct and indirect speech are important tools for effective communication and writing. Understanding the differences between these two forms of speech and knowing how to use them effectively can take your writing to the next level. By using advanced techniques like blending direct and indirect speech and using direct speech to convey emotion, you can create engaging and realistic narratives that resonate with your readers.
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Welcome to a comprehensive tutorial providing guidance on the proper use, types, and rules of indirect speech in English grammar. Indirect speech, also called reported speech, allows us to share another person’s exact words without using quotes. It is particularly useful in written language. This tutorial aims to brief you about the changes that occur when switching from direct speech to indirect speech. It further explains the necessary rules which must be followed during this transition.
Table of Contents
Direct speech refers to the exact wording that someone uses when performing an act of speech. However, indirect speech implicitly shares the content of the person’s original words.
Direct Speech: He said, “I am hungry.” Indirect Speech: He said that he was hungry.
Notably, an essential component of indirect speech is the change in verb tense. In the direct speech example, the speaker uses the present tense “am.” In the indirect version, even though the speaker is still hungry, the tense changes to the past “was.”
The verb tense in indirect speech is one step back in time from the tense in the direct speech. Here are the common changes:
Direct: He says, “I need help.” Indirect: He said he needed help.
Direct: She is saying, “I am reading a book.” Indirect: She was saying that she was reading a book.
Besides the tense, word usage for place and time often changes when converting from direct to indirect speech.
Direct: He said, “I will do it tomorrow.” Indirect: He said that he would do it the next day.
Direct: She said, “I was here.”
Indirect: She said that she was there.
Modals also change when transforming direct speech into indirect speech. Here are some common changes:
Direct: She said, “I can play the piano.” Indirect: She said that she could play the piano.
Direct: He said, “I will go shopping.” Indirect: He said that he would go shopping.
When reporting orders, requests, and questions, the structure also changes. The following is the structure:
Direct: He said to her, “Close the door.” Indirect: He told her to close the door.
Direct: She asked, “Where is the station?” Indirect: She asked where the station was.
In conclusion, reported speech becomes easier to understand and use effectively with practice. Understanding the transition from direct to indirect speech is vital to expressing yourself accurately and professionally, especially in written English. This guide provides the foundational information for mastering the changes in indirect speech. Practice these rules to become more fluent and confident in your English communication skills.
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Direct speech, changing the tense (backshift), no change of tenses, question sentences, demands/requests, expressions with who/what/how + infinitive, typical changes of time and place.
In English grammar, we use reported speech to say what another person has said. We can use their exact words with quotation marks , this is known as direct speech , or we can use indirect speech . In indirect speech , we change the tense and pronouns to show that some time has passed. Indirect speech is often introduced by a reporting verb or phrase such as ones below.
Learn the rules for writing indirect speech in English with Lingolia’s simple explanation. In the exercises, you can test your grammar skills.
Mandy is sitting in the café where James works. He tells her, “I work in this café almost every day. But yesterday I saw a famous TV presenter here for the first time. She was eating an ice-cream at the table where you are sitting now.” |
A week later, Mandy is speaking to a friend on the phone, “I saw James at the café last week. He said that .” |
When turning direct speech into indirect speech, we need to pay attention to the following points:
If the introductory clause is in the simple past (e.g. He said ), the tense has to be set back by one degree (see the table). The term for this in English is backshift .
direct speech | indirect speech |
---|---|
simple present | simple past |
present progressive | past progressive |
simple past | past perfect simple |
present perfect simple | |
past perfect simple | |
past progressive | past perfect progressive |
present perfect progressive | |
past perfect progressive | |
future (going to) | was / were going to |
future (will) | conditional (would) |
conditional (would) |
The verbs could, should, would, might, must, needn’t, ought to, used to normally do not change.
If the introductory clause is in the simple present , however (e.g. He says ), then the tense remains unchanged, because the introductory clause already indicates that the statement is being immediately repeated (and not at a later point in time).
In some cases, however, we have to change the verb form.
When turning questions into indirect speech, we have to pay attention to the following points:
We don’t just use indirect questions to report what another person has asked. We also use them to ask questions in a very polite manner.
When turning demands and requests into indirect speech, we only need to change the pronouns and the time and place information. We don’t have to pay attention to the tenses – we simply use an infinitive .
If it is a negative demand, then in indirect speech we use not + infinitive .
To express what someone should or can do in reported speech, we leave out the subject and the modal verb and instead we use the construction who/what/where/how + infinitive.
direct speech | indirect speech |
---|---|
today | that day |
now | then at that moment/time |
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 |
here | there |
this | that |
these | those |
The words say and tell are not interchangeable. say = say something tell = say something to someone
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Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is a way of communicating what someone else has said without quoting their exact words. For example, if your friend said, “ I am going to the store ,” in reported speech, you might convey this as, “ My friend said he was going to the store. ” Reported speech is common in both spoken and written language, especially in storytelling, news reporting, and everyday conversations.
Pronouns are usually changed to match the perspective of the person reporting the speech. For example, “I” in direct speech may become “he” or “she” in reported speech, depending on the context. Here are some example sentences:
Reported speech: tense shifts.
When converting direct speech into reported speech, the verb tense is often shifted back one step in time. This is known as the “backshift” of tenses. It’s essential to adjust the tense to reflect the time elapsed between the original speech and the reporting. Here are some examples to illustrate how different tenses in direct speech are transformed in reported speech:
Reported speech: question format.
When converting questions from direct speech into reported speech, the format changes significantly. Unlike statements, questions require rephrasing into a statement format and often involve the use of introductory verbs like ‘asked’ or ‘inquired’. Here are some examples to demonstrate how questions in direct speech are converted into statements in reported speech:
Reported speech quiz.
How to use reported speech.
If you have a sentence in Direct Speech, try to follow our 5 steps to put the sentence into Reported Speech..
Mind the type of sentences when you use Reported Speech. There is more detailed information on the following pages.
If you use Reported Speech there are mostly two main differences.
The introductory sentence in Reported Speech can be in the Present or in the Past .
If the introductory sentences is in the Simple Present, there is no backshift of tenses.
If there is a pronoun in Direct Speech, it has possibly to be changed in Reported Speech, depending on the siutation.
Here I is changed to she .
If there is backshift of tenses in Reported Speech, the tenses are shifted the following way.
Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
---|---|
Simple forms | |
Simple Present | Simple Past |
Simple Past | Past Perfect |
Present Perfect | |
Past Perfect | |
will | would |
Progressive forms | |
am/are/is | was/were |
was/were | had been |
has been | |
had been |
If there is an expression of time/place in the sentence, it may be changed, depending on the situation.
Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
---|---|
this evening | that evening |
today/this day | that day |
these days | those days |
now | then |
a week ago | a week before |
last weekend | the weekend before / the previous weekend |
next week | the following week |
tomorrow | the next/following day |
here | there |
In some cases backshift of tenses is not necessary, e.g. when statements are still true. Backshift of tenses is never wrong.
when you use general statements.
* The word that is optional, that is the reason why we put it in brackets.
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13th June 2020 By Edify English Leave a Comment
Any word spoken by a speaker can be written in two different ways. Those two are direct and indirect speech. Direct Speech is when the speaker’s actual words are quoted and these words are put in inverted commas (“…..”) while Indirect Speech is when the speaker’s words are said indirectly with the same meaning without repeating the exact words. For Example, the statement in direct speech She said to me, “I am going to the park” changes into She told me that she was going to the park in indirect speech.
Basic Changes while changing from Direct speech to indirect speech
Example: He said to me, “I am happy” becomes He told me that he was happy
(The verb in the direct speech ‘am’ is converted into ‘was’.)
Example: He said to me, “I was happy” changes into He told me that he had been happy
Example: The peon said, “The professor is teaching in that classroom” changes into The peon said that the professor was teaching in that classroom.
Example: She said, “I have passed the test” becomes She said that she had passed the test.
Example: The teacher said, “The sun rises in the East” becomes The teacher said that the sun rises in the east in indirect speech.
Example: Samuel said, “I know the university’s address.” and the indirect speech for that is Samuel said that he knows the university’s address
Rules for converting Interrogatory sentences
Example: He said to her, “Will you marry me?” changes into He asked her whether she would marry him in the indirect speech.
Rules for Converting Imperative Sentences
Example: My father said to me, “prepare well for your examination” . It can be converted to My father advised me to prepare well for my examination.
Rules for Converting Exclamatory Sentences
Example: The coach said, “Hurrah! we won the match!” is changed as The coach exclaimed with joy that we had won the match.
These are the changes in helping verbs while changing from Direct and Indirect Speech
Am/ Is | Was |
Are | Were |
Have/ Had/ Did | had |
Do/ Does | Did |
Will | Would |
Shall | Should |
Can | Could |
May | Might |
Must | Had to |
Was/ Were | had been |
Should | Should |
Had | Had |
Would | Would |
Could | Could |
Note: There is no change in the helping verbs “would, should, could, might, had” in the direct speech and they remain the s ame in indirect speech as well.
Changes in Time and Place
This | That |
These | Those |
Here | There |
Now | Then |
Today | That Day |
Tonight | That Night |
Tomorrow | The next day/ The following day |
The Day after tomorrow | In two days |
The Day before yesterday | Two days before |
Ago | Before |
Next | The following |
Last | The previous |
Thus | So |
This Evening | That Evening |
Hence | Thence |
Cha nges in pronoun s
The changes in pronouns in indirect speech depends on the subject and the object of the reporting verb.
Example: She said, “I watched a movie” can be converted into She said that she had watched a movie . Hence, the first person in the direct speech “I” has become “she” based on the subject.
Had there been “he” instead of “she”, the first person in reported speech changes accordingly into “he”.
Example: She said to me, “You watched a movie” can be converted into She told me that I had watched a movie.
Example: I said to her, “He will play Chess” can be converted into I told her that he would play Chess.
Stay tuned for more examples of direct and indirect speech.
For an extensive material on tenses, Click here
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Reported speech
Direct and indirect speech can be a source of confusion for English learners. Let's first define the terms, then look at how to talk about what someone said, and how to convert speech from direct to indirect or vice-versa.
You can answer the question What did he say? in two ways:
Direct speech repeats, or quotes, the exact words spoken. When we use direct speech in writing, we place the words spoken between quotation marks (" ") and there is no change in these words. We may be reporting something that's being said NOW (for example a telephone conversation), or telling someone later about a previous conversation.
Reported or indirect speech is usually used to talk about the past, so we normally change the tense of the words spoken. We use reporting verbs like 'say', 'tell', 'ask', and we may use the word 'that' to introduce the reported words. Inverted commas are not used.
She said, "I saw him." (direct speech) = She said that she had seen him . (indirect speech)
'That' may be omitted: She told him that she was happy. = She told him she was happy.
Use 'say' when there is no indirect object: He said that he was tired.
Always use 'tell' when you say who was being spoken to (i.e. with an indirect object): He told me that he was tired.
Use these verbs to describe the action of communicating: He talked to us. She was speaking on the telephone.
Use these verbs with 'about' to refer to what was said: He talked (to us) about his parents.
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“Reported speech” might sound fancy, but it isn’t that complicated.
It’s just how you talk about what someone said.
Luckily, it’s pretty simple to learn the basics in English, beginning with the two types of reported speech: direct (reporting the exact words someone said) and indirect (reporting what someone said without using their exact words ).
Read this post to learn how to report speech, with tips and tricks for each, plenty of examples and a resources section that tells you about real world resources you can use to practice reporting speech.
How to report indirect speech, reporting questions in indirect speech, verb tenses in indirect reported speech, simple present, present continuous, present perfect, present perfect continuous, simple past, past continuous, past perfect, past perfect continuous, simple future, future continuous, future perfect, future perfect continuous, authentic resources for practicing reported speech, novels and short stories, native english videos, celebrity profiles.
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Direct speech refers to the exact words that a person says. You can “report” direct speech in a few different ways.
To see how this works, let’s pretend that I (Elisabeth) told some people that I liked green onions.
Here are some different ways that those people could explain what I said:
Direct speech: “I like green onions,” Elisabeth said.
Direct speech: “I like green onions,” she told me. — In this sentence, we replace my name (Elisabeth) with the pronoun she.
In all of these examples, the part that was said is between quotation marks and is followed by a noun (“she” or “Elisabeth”) and a verb. Each of these verbs (“to say,” “to tell [someone],” “to explain”) are ways to describe someone talking. You can use any verb that refers to speech in this way.
You can also put the noun and verb before what was said.
Direct speech: Elisabeth said, “I like spaghetti.”
The example above would be much more likely to be said out loud than the first set of examples.
Here’s a conversation that might happen between two people:
1: Did you ask her if she liked coffee?
2: Yeah, I asked her.
1: What did she say?
2. She said, “Yeah, I like coffee.” ( Direct speech )
Usually, reporting of direct speech is something you see in writing. It doesn’t happen as often when people are talking to each other.
Direct reported speech often happens in the past. However, there are all kinds of stories, including journalism pieces, profiles and fiction, where you might see speech reported in the present as well.
This is sometimes done when the author of the piece wants you to feel that you’re experiencing events in the present moment.
For example, a profile of Kristen Stewart in Vanity Fair has a funny moment that describes how the actress isn’t a very good swimmer:
Direct speech: “I don’t want to enter the water, ever,” she says. “If everyone’s going in the ocean, I’m like, no.”
Here, the speech is reported as though it’s in the present tense (“she says”) instead of in the past (“she said”).
In writing of all kinds, direct reported speech is often split into two or more parts, as it is above.
Here’s an example from Lewis Carroll’s “ Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland ,” where the speech is even more split up:
Direct speech: “I won’t indeed!” said Alice, in a great hurry to change the subject of conversation. “Are you—are you fond—of—of dogs?” The Mouse did not answer, so Alice went on eagerly: “There is such a nice little dog near our house I should like to show you!”
Reporting indirect speech is what happens when you explain what someone said without using their exact words.
Let’s start with an example of direct reported speech like those used above.
Direct speech: Elisabeth said, “I like coffee.”
As indirect reported speech, it looks like this:
Indirect speech: Elisabeth said she liked coffee.
You can see that the subject (“I”) has been changed to “she,” to show who is being spoken about. If I’m reporting the direct speech of someone else, and this person says “I,” I’d repeat their sentence exactly as they said it. If I’m reporting this person’s speech indirectly to someone else, however, I’d speak about them in the third person—using “she,” “he” or “they.”
You may also notice that the tense changes here: If “I like coffee” is what she said, this can become “She liked coffee” in indirect speech.
However, you might just as often hear someone say something like, “She said she likes coffee.” Since people’s likes and preferences tend to change over time and not right away, it makes sense to keep them in the present tense.
Indirect speech often uses the word “that” before what was said:
Indirect speech: She said that she liked coffee.
There’s no real difference between “She said she liked coffee” and “She said that she liked coffee.” However, using “that” can help make the different parts of the sentence clearer.
Let’s look at a few other examples:
Indirect speech: I said I was going outside today.
Indirect speech: They told me that they wanted to order pizza.
Indirect speech: He mentioned it was raining.
Indirect speech: She said that her father was coming over for dinner.
You can see an example of reporting indirect speech in the funny video “ Cell Phone Crashing .” In this video, a traveler in an airport sits down next to another traveler talking on his cell phone. The first traveler pretends to be talking to someone on his phone, but he appears to be responding to the second traveler’s conversation, which leads to this exchange:
Woman: “Are you answering what I’m saying?”
Man “No, no… I’m on the phone with somebody, sorry. I don’t mean to be rude.” (Direct speech)
Woman: “What was that?”
Man: “I just said I was on the phone with somebody.” (Indirect speech)
When reporting questions in indirect speech, you can use words like “whether” or “if” with verbs that show questioning, such as “to ask” or “to wonder.”
Direct speech: She asked, “Is that a new restaurant?”
Indirect speech: She asked if that was a new restaurant.
In any case where you’re reporting a question, you can say that someone was “wondering” or “wanted to know” something. Notice that these verbs don’t directly show that someone asked a question. They don’t describe an action that happened at a single point in time. But you can usually assume that someone was wondering or wanted to know what they asked.
Indirect speech: She was wondering if that was a new restaurant.
Indirect speech: She wanted to know whether that was a new restaurant.
It can be tricky to know how to use tenses when reporting indirect speech. Let’s break it down, tense by tense.
Sometimes, indirect speech “ backshifts ,” or moves one tense further back into the past. We already saw this in the example from above:
Direct speech: She said, “I like coffee.”
Indirect speech: She said she liked coffee.
Also as mentioned above, backshifting doesn’t always happen. This might seem confusing, but it isn’t that difficult to understand once you start using reported speech regularly.
What tense you use in indirect reported speech often just depends on when what you’re reporting happened or was true.
Let’s look at some examples of how direct speech in certain tenses commonly changes (or doesn’t) when it’s reported as indirect speech.
To learn about all the English tenses (or for a quick review), check out this post .
Direct speech: I said, “I play video games.”
Indirect speech: I said that I played video games (simple past) or I said that I play video games (simple present).
Backshifting into the past or staying in the present here can change the meaning slightly. If you use the first example, it’s unclear whether or not you still play video games; all we know is that you said you played them in the past.
If you use the second example, though, you probably still play video games (unless you were lying for some reason).
However, the difference in meaning is so small, you can use either one and you won’t have a problem.
Direct speech: I said, “I’m playing video games.”
Indirect speech: I said that I was playing video games (past continuous) or I said that I’m playing video games (present continuous).
In this case, you’d likely use the first example if you were telling a story about something that happened in the past.
You could use the second example to repeat or stress what you just said. For example:
Hey, want to go for a walk?
Direct speech: No, I’m playing video games.
But it’s such a nice day!
Indirect speech: I said that I’m playing video games!
Direct speech: Marie said, “I have read that book.”
Indirect speech: Marie said that she had read that book (past perfect) or Marie said that she has read that book (present perfect).
The past perfect is used a lot in writing and other kinds of narration. This is because it helps point out an exact moment in time when something was true.
The past perfect isn’t quite as useful in conversation, where people are usually more interested in what’s true now. So, in a lot of cases, people would use the second example above when speaking.
Direct speech: She said, “I have been watching that show.”
Indirect speech: She said that she had been watching that show (past perfect continuous) or She said that she has been watching that show (present perfect continuous).
These examples are similar to the others above. You could use the first example whether or not this person was still watching the show, but if you used the second example, it’d probably seem like you either knew or guessed that she was still watching it.
Direct speech: You told me, “I charged my phone.”
Indirect speech: You told me that you had charged your phone (past perfect) or You told me that you charged your phone (simple past).
Here, most people would probably just use the second example, because it’s simpler, and gets across the same meaning.
Direct speech: You told me, “I was charging my phone.”
Indirect speech: You told me that you had been charging your phone (past perfect continuous) or You told me that you were charging your phone (past continuous).
Here, the difference is between whether you had been charging your phone before or were charging your phone at the time. However, a lot of people would still use the second example in either situation.
Direct speech: They explained, “We had bathed the cat on Wednesday.”
Indirect speech: They explained that they had bathed the cat on Wednesday. (past perfect)
Once we start reporting the past perfect tenses, we don’t backshift because there are no tenses to backshift to.
So in this case, it’s simple. The tense stays exactly as is. However, many people might simplify even more and use the simple past, saying, “They explained that they bathed the cat on Wednesday.”
Direct speech: They said, “The cat had been going outside and getting dirty for a long time!”
Indirect speech: They said that the cat had been going outside and getting dirty for a long time. (past perfect continuous)
Again, we don’t shift the tense back here; we leave it like it is. And again, a lot of people would report this speech as, “They said the cat was going outside and getting dirty for a long time.” It’s just a simpler way to say almost the same thing.
Direct speech: I told you, “I will be here no matter what.”
Indirect speech: I told you that I would be here no matter what. (present conditional)
At this point, we don’t just have to think about tenses, but grammatical mood, too. However, the idea is still pretty simple. We use the conditional (with “would”) to show that at the time the words were spoken, the future was uncertain.
In this case, you could also say, “I told you that I will be here no matter what,” but only if you “being here” is still something that you expect to happen in the future.
What matters here is what’s intended. Since this example shows a person reporting their own speech, it’s more likely that they’d want to stress the truth of their own intention, and so they might be more likely to use “will” than “would.”
But if you were reporting someone else’s words, you might be more likely to say something like, “She told me that she would be here no matter what.”
Direct speech: I said, “I’ll be waiting for your call.”
Indirect speech: I said that I would be waiting for your call. (conditional continuous)
These are similar to the above examples, but apply to a continuous or ongoing action.
Direct speech: She said, “I will have learned a lot about myself.”
Indirect speech: She said that she would have learned a lot about herself (conditional perfect) or She said that she will have learned a lot about herself (future perfect).
In this case, using the conditional (as in the first example) suggests that maybe a certain event didn’t happen, or something didn’t turn out as expected.
However, that might not always be the case, especially if this was a sentence that was written in an article or a work of fiction. The second example, however, suggests that the future that’s being talked about still hasn’t happened yet.
Direct speech: She said, “By next Tuesday, I will have been staying inside every day for the past month.”
Indirect speech: She said that by next Tuesday, she would have been staying inside every day for the past month (perfect continuous conditional) or She said that by next Tuesday, she will have been staying inside every day for the past month (past perfect continuous).
Again, in this case, the first example might suggest that the event didn’t happen. Maybe the person didn’t stay inside until next Tuesday! However, this could also just be a way of explaining that at the time she said this in the past, it was uncertain whether she really would stay inside for as long as she thought.
The second example, on the other hand, would only be used if next Tuesday hadn’t happened yet.
Let’s take a look at where you can find resources for practicing reporting speech in the real world.
One of the most common uses for reported speech is in fiction. You’ll find plenty of reported speech in novels and short stories . Look for books that have long sections of text with dialogue marked by quotation marks (“…”). Once you understand the different kinds of reported speech, you can look for it in your reading and use it in your own writing.
Writing your own stories is a great way to get even better at understanding reported speech.
One of the best ways to practice any aspect of English is to watch native English videos. By watching English speakers use the language, you can understand how reported speech is used in real world situations.
FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.
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Celebrity profiles, which you can find in print magazines and online, can help you find and practice reported speech, too. Celebrity profiles are stories that focus on a famous person. They often include some kind of interview. The writer will usually spend some time describing the person and then mention things that they say; this is when they use reported speech.
Because many of these profiles are written in the present tense, they can help you get used to the basics of reported speech without having to worry too much about different verb tenses.
While the above may seem really complicated, it isn’t that difficult to start using reported speech.
Mastering it may be a little difficult, but the truth is that many, many people who speak English as a first language struggle with it, too!
Reported speech is flexible, and even if you make mistakes, there’s a good chance that no one will notice.
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Perfect english grammar.
Reported Statements
Here's how it works:
We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. ( Click here for more about using 'say' and 'tell' .) If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence:
We don't need to change the tense, though probably we do need to change the 'person' from 'I' to 'she', for example. We also may need to change words like 'my' and 'your'. (As I'm sure you know, often, we can choose if we want to use 'that' or not in English. I've put it in brackets () to show that it's optional. It's exactly the same if you use 'that' or if you don't use 'that'.)
But , if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change the tenses in the reported speech:
present simple | I like ice cream | She said (that) she liked ice cream. |
present continuous | I am living in London | She said (that) she was living in London. |
past simple | I bought a car | She said (that) she had bought a car OR She said (that) she bought a car. |
past continuous | I was walking along the street | She said (that) she had been walking along the street. |
present perfect | I haven't seen Julie | She said (that) she hadn't seen Julie. |
past perfect* | I had taken English lessons before | She said (that) she had taken English lessons before. |
will | I'll see you later | She said (that) she would see me later. |
would* | I would help, but... | She said (that) she would help but... |
can | I can speak perfect English | She said (that) she could speak perfect English. |
could* | I could swim when I was four | She said (that) she could swim when she was four. |
shall | I shall come later | She said (that) she would come later. |
should* | I should call my mother | She said (that) she should call her mother |
might* | I might be late | She said (that) she might be late |
must | I must study at the weekend | She said (that) she must study at the weekend OR She said she had to study at the weekend |
* doesn't change.
Click here for a mixed tense exercise about practise reported statements. Click here for a list of all the reported speech exercises.
Reported Questions
So now you have no problem with making reported speech from positive and negative sentences. But how about questions?
Where is the Post Office, please? | She asked me where the Post Office was. |
What are you doing? | She asked me what I was doing. |
Who was that fantastic man? | She asked me who that fantastic man had been. |
Do you love me? | He asked me if I loved him. |
Have you ever been to Mexico? | She asked me if I had ever been to Mexico. |
Are you living here? | She asked me if I was living here. |
Click here to practise reported 'wh' questions. Click here to practise reported 'yes / no' questions. Reported Requests
There's more! What if someone asks you to do something (in a polite way)? For example:
Please help me. | She asked me to help her. |
Please don't smoke. | She asked me not to smoke. |
Could you bring my book tonight? | She asked me to bring her book that night. |
Could you pass the milk, please? | She asked me to pass the milk. |
Would you mind coming early tomorrow? | She asked me to come early the next day. |
Reported Orders
Go to bed! | He told the child to go to bed. |
Don't worry! | He told her not to worry. |
Be on time! | He told me to be on time. |
Don't smoke! | He told us not to smoke. |
now | then / at that time |
today | yesterday / that day / Tuesday / the 27th of June |
yesterday | the day before yesterday / the day before / Wednesday / the 5th of December |
last night | the night before, Thursday night |
last week | the week before / the previous week |
tomorrow | today / the next day / the following day / Friday |
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A direct speech can be transformed into an indirect speech and vice versa using a suitable reporting verb and a linker depending on the sentence. Let’s have an example first.
Direct Speech
Tina | said | “Are you busy now?” |
Indirect Speech
Tina | asked | whether | I was busy then. |
List of Reporting verbs and linkers (list 1)
Said, told | That | |
1. Yes-no question 2. Wh-question | Asked, wanted to know, enquired | If / whether |
Asked, wanted to know, enquired | wh-word | |
1. Without ‘Let’ 2. With ‘Let’ | Told, ordered, advised, requested, asked | to / not to |
Suggested, proposed | that | |
Wished, prayed | that | |
Exclaimed in joy / sorrow / wonder / fear / disgust etc. | that |
Verbs of Reported speech (if the reporting verb is in past tense) (list 2) Direct speech → Indirect speech Am / is / are → was / were Was / were → had been Has / have → had Had → had had Shall / will → would Can → could May → might Must, should → must, should Verb1 → verb2 Verb2 → had + verb3
Change of time and place expressions in past tense (list 3) now → then ago → before today → that day yesterday → the previous day tomorrow → the next day last night → the previous night here → there this → that these → those
Narration change of interrogative sentence, narration change of imperative sentence, narration change of optative sentence, narration change of exclamatory sentence, narration change of vocatives, narration change of question tag.
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Direct and indirect speech grammar rules vary so you need to understand them. We'll start by looking at what each one is. Note that indirect speech is also commonly knows as reported speech.
Direct speech is when the words are given in exactly the way that the speaker said them. So in other words they are quoted with no change .
When presenting direct speech, the words are usually placed in quotation marks, with a comma after say(s) / said if it is used to present the speech. Say (s) / said can also be placed at the end of the quotation, in which case a comma comes before it.
Indirect speech is also known as reported speech . You may also see it referred to as indirect discourse or indirect narration .
Indirect speech is the reporting of what someone else said in your own words but without changing the meaning of what was said.
Reporting verbs are used to present indirect speech. The common ones are:
That is in brackets as it can be omitted from the sentence, whether spoken or written.
So the key difference between direct and indirect speech is that with direct speech the exact words are quoted but in indirect speech it is your own words .
Direct speech is fairly simple to use and understand as it involves just repeating what was said. There is not much to get confused about with the grammar, apart from getting say(s)/said correct.
But indirect or reported speech is more difficult so we will look at that in more detail now.
View more examples of direct and indirect speech >>
With direct and indirect speech, there are three main things you need to be aware of when converting one to the other:
The tense of verbs when moving from direct to indirect speech do not necessarily change because if the circumstances of what someone said is the same, then it may be reported as that. For example:
However, as we are reporting what was said in the past, we often change the tense. This rule for this is related to backshifting, which means shifting back a tense. So the present will go back to the past. Some modals also change.
Here are examples using the previous examples of indirect speech, showing you how they look like in direct speech:
There are more details on the site about changing tenses in indirect / reported speech:
Learn more about changing tenses >>
Pronouns in indirect speech also need to be changed from what they were in the indirect speech, as well as of course adapting the first pronoun to fit the person who said the statement:
You may also need to change phrases referring to time, though this depends on the context and when you are reporting the speech.
With these examples you have to assume the speech is being reported at a time in the future so the phrases such as 'yesterday' or 'tomorrow' would not makes sense any more in terms of the reported speech.
Some different rules apply when turning direct speech using imperatives or commands into indirect speech. Check out the rules here:
Rules for Reported Speech Imperatives >>
This reported speech quiz gives you the chance to practice converting direct speech to reported speech, also known as indirect speech. This involves backshifting with the tenses.
Reported speech tenses may differ from the tense of the direct speech. The general rule for tenses in reported speech is that it changes to the past tense. This is called backshifting.
In these examples of direct and indirect speech you are given a sentence in direct speech which is then connected to indirect speech.
Reported speech imperatives, also known as reported commands, follow a slightly different structure to normal indirect speech. We use imperatives to give orders, advice, or make requests.
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Future continuous tense quiz: yes/no questions.
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Literary English
Direct and indirect speech are two ways to report what someone else has said. In direct speech, the exact words spoken by a person are quoted within quotation marks. In indirect speech, the words of the speaker are reported without using their exact words and without using quotation marks. Instead, the reported speech is often introduced by verbs such as “said,” “told,” “asked,” etc. Indirect speech allows us to convey what someone else said without necessarily repeating their exact words, often to provide a summary or to integrate it into a larger narrative.
Direct speech is also called reporting speech. There are two parts in a sentence in direct speech first part is known as reporting speech (in this sentence we know about reporting person) and the second part which is known as reported speech (indirect narration “example”, or indirect discourse). When we want to describe what someone said, one option is to use direct speech . We use direct speech when we simply repeat what someone says, putting the phrase between speech marks:
As you can see, with direct speech it is common to use the verb ‘to say’ and ‘to says’ (‘said’ in the past). But you can also find other verbs used to indicate direct speech such as ‘ask’, ‘reply’, and ‘shout’.
In grammar, when we want to report what someone said, without speech marks and without necessarily using exactly the same words, we use indirect speech. It is also known as reported speech. Look at the following sentences:
In above sentences, the reporter delivers the message of the boy using his real words (e.g.“I am going to school.”) In the indirect speech sentence, the reporter delivers his message but in his own words without any change in the meaning. Thus, both direct and indirect speeches are two different ways of reporting a statement of person. In simple words, quoting a person using your own words is called an indirect speech.
1 st person 2 nd person 3 rd person
Subject Object No change
I, we, you he, she, it,
My, our, us, me your they and noun.
Important word changes
The above rules are mandatory for converting direct speech into indirect speech. Hence, they should be memorized thoroughly. The following examples cover all the aforementioned rules. So, focus on every sentence to know how the above-mentioned rules have been used here.
Some special words will be changed when direct speech changes into indirect speech
If the reporting speech is in present tense or future tense, then no change is required to be made in the verb of reported speech.
Direct Speech: he says, “I live in Pakistan”.
Indirect Speech: he tells that he lives in Pakistan.
Direct Speech: you say to me, “you will go to Lahore”.
Indirect Speech: you tell me that I shall go to Lahore.
Direct Speech: I say, “she was ill”.
Indirect Speech: I tell that she was ill.
Present indefinite will be changed into past into past indefinite tense.
(First form into second form)
Present continues will be changed into past continues tense.
(is, am, are into was, were)
Present perfect will be changed into past perfect tense.
(has, had into had)
Present perfect continues will be changed into past perfect continues tense.
(has been, have been into had been)
Past indefinite will be changed into past perfect tense.
(second form into had)
Past continues will be changed into past perfect continues tense.
(was, were into had been)
Note : Past perfect, past perfect continues, future indefinite, future continues, future perfect, future perfect continues tense will not be changed.
Sentences that make a declaration are called assertive sentences. These sentences may be positive, negative, false, or true statements. To convert such sentences into indirect speech, use the rules as declared above except said is sometimes replaced with told . Look at the following examples:
Direct Speech: She says, “I am writing a letter to my brother.”
Indirect Speech: She says that she is writing a letter to her brother.
Direct Speech: She says, “I was not writing a letter to my brother.”
Indirect Speech: She says that she was not writing a letter to her brother.
Direct Speech: She said to me, “I am writing a letter to my brother.”
Indirect Speech: She told me that she was writing a letter to her brother.
Imperative sentences are sentences that give an order or a direct command. These sentences may be in the form of advice, appeal, request, or order. Mostly, it depends upon the forcefulness of the presenter. Thus, a full stop (.) or sign of exclamation (!) is used at the end of the sentence.
When we will be convert these types of sentences into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:
The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case order the speaker gives a direct command. Then said will be changed into ordered For example:
The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case request the speaker gives a request command. Then said will be changed into request.
For example:
The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case guide the speaker gives a piece of advice. Then said will be changed into advised .
The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case forbade the speaker stopped to do something. Then said will be changed into forbade .
The sentence, which expresses a prayer, keen wish, curse, happiness etc., is called an optative sentence . This kind of sentence generally starts with ‘may’ and ‘wish’. Sometimes, ‘may’ remains hidden.
The sentence, which expresses a sudden and deep excitement, wonder, shock, or sorrow, etc., is called an exclamatory sentence . In this kind of sentence must have exclamation mark (!) at the end of the sentence or in the central of the sentence.
When we will be converted these types of sentences into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:
In a prayer sentence said will be replaced by
When we will be changed direct speech to indirect speech always we will be replaced inverted commas that .
In a hope sentence said will be replaced by
When we will be changed direct speech to indirect speech always we will be replaced inverted commas that .
In a glad & happy sentence, said will be replaced by exclaimed with joy or exclaimed with joyfully. And exclamatory mark (!) will be removed.
In a sad or sorrow sentence, said will be replaced by exclaimed with sorrow or exclaimed with sorrowfully.
Which sentences, ask questions, are called interrogative sentences. Every interrogative sentence has question mark (?) at the ends.
To change interrogative sentences from direct speech into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:
When we will be changed sentence direct speech to indirect Said will be replaced by asked .
If interrogative sentence will be started from “ Wh ” mean when, whom, what, where, who, which, why, how, whose when we will be changed sentence direct speech to indirect speech inverted commas will not be replaced. Just it will be removed.
If the reported sentence will be started form helping verb, then if will be used in place of that .
After the changing sentence mark of interrogation (?) will be replaced with full stop (.).
Direct speech: He said to me, “Who are you”?
Indirect speech: He asked me who I was.
Direct speech: He said to me, “Where are you going”?
Indirect speech: He asked me where I was going.
Direct speech: Sunny said to me, “will you help me”?
Indirect speech: Sunny asked me if I would help him.
Sentences which have natural truth or universal truth in the part of reported speech are called universal sentences .
To change universal sentences from direct speech into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:
When we will be changed sentence direct speech to indirect Said will be replaced by
When we will be changed direct speech to indirect speech always we will be replaced inverted commas with that .
Always remember that universal truth will never change so we will not be changed reported speech portion.
Direct speech: The teacher said to the boys, “The earth revolves around the sun”.
Indirect speech: The teacher told the boys that the earth revolves around the sun.
Direct speech: Saif said, “Allah is one”.
Indirect speech: Saif told that Allah is one.
Direct speech: She said to him, “Honesty is the best policy”.
Indirect speech: She told him that honesty is the best policy.
Direct speech: Sunny said to Farrukh, “The sun rises in the east”.
Indirect speech: Sunny told Farrukh that the sun rises in the east.
Have you ever struggled with the rules of direct and indirect speech? You’re not alone. These forms of speech can be challenging, but mastering them is crucial for clear and effective communication, especially for school students, ESL learners, and those preparing for competitive exams.
Understanding direct and indirect speech conversion rules is crucial for clear and accurate communication and the conversion between direct and indirect speech will significantly enhance your language skills.
This informative article will explore these Direct and Indirect Speech Rules for Conversion with detailed examples.
Direct speech is a form of reporting that presents someone’s exact words without any alterations. It is commonly enclosed in quotation marks, allowing readers to see the speaker’s statements precisely as they were uttered.
a . Quotation Marks
Quotation marks are your best friends here. They compress the exact words spoken by a person.
b. Punctuation Placement
Punctuation is crucial. Commas , periods , question marks , and exclamation points all have their specific places within the quotation marks.
c. Speaker Tags
Speaker tags like “he said” or “she exclaimed” are often used to indicate who is speaking. These can be placed before , after , or even in the middle of the quoted speech.
a. Basic Examples
Consider this simple example:
Here, the exact words of Ritu are presented within quotation marks.
b. Complex Examples
Now, let’s add more complexity:
Notice how the sentence is split into two parts, but both are still within quotation marks.
“I shall not go to school,” are the exact words of Riya, enclosed in quotation marks/inverted commas (“….”). This format, which uses commas and quotation marks/inverted commas, is called direct speech . In this sentence, ‘Riya’ is the subject or speaker, ‘says’ is the reporting verb, and ‘I shall not go to school’ is the reported speech.
Indirect speech , on the other hand, involves paraphrasing someone’s words and reporting them indirectly, without using quotation marks. It requires a few changes in structure, such as tense and pronoun shifts. Let’s convert the previous example of direct speech into indirect speech:
a. Removing Quotation Marks
Unlike direct speech, indirect speech doesn’t require quotation marks. You’re paraphrasing what was said.
b. Changing Pronouns
Pronouns often need to be changed to fit the new context. For instance, “I” becomes “he” or “she.”
c. Adjusting Tenses
Tenses usually shift back when converting to indirect speech. Present tense often turns into past tense.
d. Modifying Time Expressions
Time expressions like “today” or “tomorrow” also change to maintain the timeline consistency.
Basic Examples
Here’s a simple conversion:
Complex Examples
For a more complex sentence:
Similarly, we can report the above sentence without quoting Riya’s exact words while keeping the meaning the same. This format is called indirect speech. In this format, no commas or quotation marks/inverted commas are used; only a full stop (.) is used at the end of the sentence.
The following comparison highlights the key differences between direct and indirect speech rules, including punctuation, tense changes, and adjustments to pronouns and time references.
Quoting the exact words spoken by the speaker. | Reporting the essence of what the speaker said without quoting exactly. | |
Uses quotation marks (“…”). | Does not use quotation marks. | |
Follows the reporting verb with a comma. | Integrates the reporting verb without a comma. | |
Tense remains as originally spoken. | Tense often shifts back (present to past, future to conditional, etc.). | |
Pronouns remain as originally spoken. | Pronouns change to match the perspective of the reporting speaker. | |
Time and place references remain as originally spoken. | Time and place references may change (e.g., “today” becomes “that day”). | |
She said, “I am going to the store.” | She said that she was going to the store. | |
John asked, “Can you help me?” | John asked if I could help him. | |
“We will finish the project tomorrow,” they promised. | They promised that they would finish the project the next day. | |
“I have never seen such a beautiful place,” he exclaimed. | He exclaimed that he had never seen such a beautiful place. |
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Discover the essential rules of direct and indirect speech with a variety of examples to improve your language skills. Effortlessly understand the intricacies of converting statements, questions, and commands from one form to another.
Understanding direct and indirect speech is crucial for effective communication, for learners. Here, we have outlined the essential rules you need to know.
A. Reporting Verbs Rules B. Tenses Rules C. Pronouns Rules D. Punctuation Marks Rules E. Modals and Conditional Rules F. Modifying Words Rules
Different reporting verbs are used to introduce indirect speech. The choice of reporting verb can convey the speaker’s attitude towards the reported speech.
Changes in reporting verbs according to tense are one of the most important rules for converting direct speech into indirect speech.
Remember: If the reporting verbs are in the present or future tense, the tense of the verb in the reported speech is not changed .
Remember: If the reporting verbs are in the past tense , the tense of the verb in the reported speech will be in the corresponding past tense.
Here are some commonly used reporting verbs:
“Say” and “tell” are two frequently used reporting verbs. “Say” is generally followed by the reported speech, while “tell” is followed by the indirect object (the person being addressed).
Direct: He says , “I am your friend.” Indirect: He says that he is your friend.
Direct: He said to me, “I’m going to the store.” Indirect: She told me that he was going to the store.
say | say |
say to me | tell me |
says to them | tells them |
said | said |
said to him | told him |
shall/will say | shall/will say |
shall/will say to her | shall/will tell her |
When reporting questions , “ ask “ and “ inquire “ are commonly employed reporting verbs.
Direct: He said to me, “Where are you going?” Indirect: He asked where I was going.
Direct: She said , “When will the concert start?” Indirect: She inquired, “When will the concert start?”
Direct: Sarah said , “What time does the movie start?” Indirect: Sarah asked what time the movie started.
Direct: “Could you please provide more details?” she said to me. Indirect: She inquired politely if I could provide more details.
Direct: The customer said , “Do you have this item in stock?” Indirect: The customer i nquired if that item had in stock.
To report imperative sentences, “Request”, “Advise”, “Order”, and “beg” are often used.
Direct: “Please close the door,” she said . Indirect: She requested that the door be closed.
Direct: “You should study regularly,” he said. Indirect: He advised that regular studying should be done.
Direct: “Stand up straight,” the sergeant said . Indirect: The sergeant ordered that they stand up straight.
Direct: He said to me, “Go home at once” Indirect: He ordered me to go home at once.
Direct: She said , “Do not run in the sun” Indirect: She advised not to run in the sun.”
Direct: “Please forgive me,” she said. Indirect: She begged for forgiveness.
The second most important rule is the changes of Tenses for converting direct speech to indirect speech. When transforming direct speech into indirect speech, there are specific rules to follow regarding tense changes:
If the Reporting Verb is in the Present Tense , there is no change in the tense in the Reported Verb when Direct Speech is converted into Indirect Narration.
Direct: Arnab says , “The room is dark.” Indirect: Arnab says that the room is dark.
Direct: Arnab says , “The room was dark.” Indirect: Arnab says that the room was dark.
Direct: Arnab says , “I shall finish the work.” Indirect: Arnab says that he will finish the work.
Direct: Mary says , “I am going to the party.” Indirect: Mary says that she is going to the party.
Direct: He tells us, “I will finish the project by tomorrow.” Indirect: He tells us that he will finish the project by tomorrow.
If the Reporting Verb is in the Future Tense , there is no change in the tense in the Reported Verb when Direct Speech is converted into Indirect Narration.
Direct: Sarah will say , “I am going to the store.” Indirect: Sarah will say that she is going to the store.
Direct: John will say, “I have completed the assignment.” Indirect: John will say that he has completed the assignment.
Direct: Arnab will say, “The room is dark.” Indirect: Arnab will say that the room is dark.
Direct: Arnab will say , “The room was dark.” Indirect: Arnab will say that the room was dark.
Direct: Arnab will say, “I shall finish the work.” Indirect: Arnab will say that he will finish the work.
If the Reporting verb of the Direct Narration is in the Past Tense , the Present Tense of the Verb in the Reported Speech of Direct Narration is changed into the corresponding Past Tense in Indirect Narration .
Past He , | Present Indefinite ” I you” | Past Indefinite He said that he me. |
Past The teacher , | Universal Truth or Regular Habits ” The sun in the east.” | Remains Unchanged The teacher said that the sun in the east. |
Past She , | Present Continuous ” I a song.” | Past Continuous She said that she . |
Past Mother , | Present Perfect ” I cooking.” | Past Perfect Mother said that she cooking. |
Past Maria , | Past Indefinite “You the work.” | Past Perfect Maria said that I the work. |
Past Soumen , | Past Continuous ” I football.” | Soumen said that he football. |
Past Ravvi , | Past Perfect ” You me.” | Remains Unchanged Ravi said that I him. |
Past They said, | Shall/Will “We help him.” | Should/Would They said that they help him. |
Past Doctor , | Can / May ” You do it.” | Could / Might The doctor said that I do it. |
Direct: Rohan said , “She works hard.” Indirect: Rohan said that she worked hard.
Direct: Rohan said, “She is singing a song.” Indirect: Rohan said that she was singing a song.
Direct: The guest said shouting, “We have arrived .” Indirect: The guest shouted that they had arrived.
Direct: My sister said , “It has been raining hard for 3 days”. Indirect: My sister said that it had been raining hard for 3 days.
Direct: Father said, “I visited the Taj yesterday.” Indirect: Father said that he had visited the Taj the previous day.
Direct: The boys said, “They were traveling in the park.” Indirect: The boys said that they had been traveling in the park.
Direct: The reporters commented , “The Kohinoor had been lost long ago”. Indirect: The reporters commented that the Kohinoor had been lost long ago.
Direct: Jyotsna said, “ She had been doing the work for 3 hours”. Indirect: Jyotsna said that she had been doing the work for 3 hours.
The Tense of the Verb remains unchanged in Indirect Narration in cases of General Statements of Facts , Universal Truths , Commonplace Occurrences , and Habitual or Repeated Actions . No real change occurs in these cases. Only there will be present Tense alone.
Direct: The boy said to his mother, “ The sun rises in the East”. Indirect: The boy told his mother that the sun rises in the East. [ Universal Truth ]
Direct: The monk answered , “ Man is mortal”. Indirect: The monk answered that man is mortal. [ Universal Truth ]
Direct: The teacher told the students, “ Perseverance always leads to success.” Indirect: The teacher told the students that perseverance always leads to success.
There are certain rules to follow regarding the changes of pronouns from direct speech to indirect speech:
First person.
(a) If the subject of the reported speech of direct form is in the first person, the subject of the reported speech will be replaced by the subject of the reporting verb in indirect form, but the number must be the same. [ singular > singular and plural > plural ]
Direct: She says, “ I am ill today.” Indirect: She says that she is ill that day.
(b) If the subject of the reported speech in the Direct Form is in the second person, the subject of the reported speech will be replaced by the object of the reporting verb in the indirect form, but the number must be the same. [ singular > singular and plural > plural ]
Direct: He says to me , ” You can do this work.” Indirect: He tells me that I can do that work.
(c) If the subject of the reported speech of Direct Form is in the third person, there will be no change in the person of the Indirect Form.
Direct: I said, “ He will not wait for his friend.” Indirect: I said that he would not wait for his friend.
I (1st person, singular) | me (1st person, singular) |
We (1st person, plural) | us (1st person, plural) |
You (2nd person, singular / plural) | You (2nd person, |
He (3rd person, singular) | him (3rd person, singular) |
She (3rd person, singular) | her (3rd person, singular) |
They (3rd person, plural) | them (3rd person, plural) |
In the case of demonstrative pronouns, replace them with appropriate pronouns in indirect speech.
Direct: “ This is my book,” she said. Indirect: She said that this was her book.
Understanding how to punctuate and use quotation marks correctly is crucial when dealing with direct and indirect speech. Here are some guidelines:
When introducing indirect speech with a reporting verb, use a comma to separate the reporting verb from the reported speech.
Example: She said, “I’ll be there on time.”
If the direct speech is a question, change the question mark to a full stop when converting to indirect speech.
Direct: He asked, “Are you coming to the party?” Indirect: He asked if I was coming to the party.
In cases where the direct speech has an exclamation mark, replace it with a full stop in indirect speech.
Direct: She exclaimed, “What a beautiful day!” Indirect: She exclaimed that it was a beautiful day.
Indirect speech involving modals and conditional sentences requires careful attention to maintain accuracy:
When dealing with modals like can, could, will, would, may, might, shall, should, must, etc., use the appropriate past form in indirect speech.
Direct: She said, “You should respect your elders. Indirect: She said that I should respect my elders.
Direct: She said, “I can speak French fluently. Indirect: She said that she could speak French fluently.
Direct: May I borrow your pen?” she asked. Indirect: She asked if she might borrow my pen.
Direct: He said, “You must complete the assignment by tomorrow. Indirect: He said that I must complete the assignment by the next day.
In indirect speech, conditional sentences undergo specific changes, especially when they involve “will” or “would.”
Direct: He said, “I will help you.” Indirect: He said that he would help me.
Direct: He said, “I will help you with your project Indirect: He said that he would help me with my project.
Adding modifying words or phrases can alter the meaning of the reported speech:
When using adverbs of time in indirect speech, adjust them to match the new timeframe.
Direct: “I will come tomorrow,” she said. Indirect: She said that she would come the next day.
Similar to adverbs of time, adverbs of place need modification in indirect speech.
Direct: ” I live here,” he said. Indirect: He said that he lived there.
We can also use Adverbs of manner in indirect speech, requiring appropriate adjustments.
Direct: “He ran quickly,” she said. Indirect: She said that he ran quickly.
In Indirect Narration, words denoting Time, Place, Manner, Distance, and Direction used in the quoted speech are correspondingly changed to conform to the point of view of the Reporter. Thus, the sense of nearness is changed into that of Distance, and so on.
now | then /at that time |
ago | before |
henceforth | thenceforth |
long ago | long before |
henceforward | thenceforward |
today | That day /the same day |
tonight | that night /the same night |
tomorrow | the next day /the following day |
yesterday | the previous day /the day before |
yesterday night | the previous night /the night before |
last night | the previous night /the night before |
last evening | the previous evening /the evening before |
last week | the previous week /the week before |
last fortnight | the previous fortnight /the fortnight before |
last month | the previous month /the month before |
last year | the previous year /the year before |
last occasion | the previous occasion |
next day | the following day /the day after |
next week | the following week /the week after |
next fortnight | the following fortnight /the fortnight after |
next month | the following month /the month after |
next year | the following year /the year after |
on the next occasion | on the following occasion |
here | there |
at this place | at that place |
thus | so /in that way |
in this way | in that way |
in this manner | in that manner |
hereby | thereby |
this | that |
these | those |
hither | thither |
hence | thence |
From here | From there |
It is necessary to know about the Direct Indirect Speech Advanced Rules to change the mode of narration from direct to indirect speech of different sentences. All five sentences of Direct Indirect Speech Conversion Rules are shown with proper examples below.
To convert Assertive sentences into indirect speech the following rules are applied.
(a) No comma and Inverted comma in Indirect Speech, only full stop at the end. (b) Reporting Verbs changed from Direct Speech to Indirect Speech ; ‘say – say’, ‘says – says’, ‘said – said’, ‘said to – told’, ‘say to – tell’, ‘says to – tells’. (c) Connective ‘that’ added before Reported Speech in indirect Narration.
Direct: He said to me, “I am ill.” Indirect: He told me that he was ill.
Direct: Mary said, “I am happy with my results.” Indirect: Mary said that she was happy with her results.
Direct: Tom said, “I will attend the meeting tomorrow.” Indirect: Tom said that he would attend the meeting the next day.
Direct: Alice said, “I have finished my homework.” Indirect: Alice said that she had finished her homework.
Direct: David said, “We are planning a trip to the mountains.” Indirect: David said that they were planning a trip to the mountains.
Forming indirect speech with questions necessitates some adjustments:
When reporting yes/no questions, use “if” or “whether” and invert the subject and auxiliary verb in indirect speech.
Direct: John asked, “Are you coming to the party?” Indirect: John asked if I was coming to the party.
Direct: Sarah asked, “Do you like chocolate?” Indirect: Sarah asked if I liked chocolate.
Direct: Mike asked, “Have you finished your project?” Indirect: Mike asked if I had finished my project.
Direct: Emma asked, “Will you help me with my homework?” Indirect: Emma asked if I would help her with her homework.
Direct: “Will you be there?” he asked. Indirect: He asked if I would be there.
For reporting wh-questions, maintain the question word and adjust the word order in indirect speech.
(a) ‘Tell’ and ‘say’ in Direct Narration are changed to ‘ask’, ‘enquire of’, ‘question’, ‘want to know’ etc. in Indirect Narration. (b) In place of introductory ‘that’. ‘if’ or ‘whether’ should be used. (c) In Indirect Narration a full stop (.) must be put in place of a question mark(?) at the end of the sentence. (d) In Direct Narration the Reported Speech begins with W-word or how, in Indirect Narration the same Wh-word or how is retained.
Direct: Lisa asked, “Where are you going?” Indirect: Lisa asked where I was going.
Direct: Mark asked, “What time does the movie start?” Indirect: Mark asked what time the movie started.
Direct: Jennifer asked, “Why did you leave early?” Indirect: Jennifer asked why I had left early.
Direct: Tom asked, “How do you solve this problem?” Indirect: Tom asked how I solved that problem.
Direct: “Where are you going?” she asked. Indirect: She asked where I was going.
Direct: The teacher said to me, “Why are you late?” Indirect: The teacher asked me why I was late.
The indirect speech also involves reporting imperatives, which are commands, requests, or advice:
When reporting commands, use the reporting verb “tell” and change the imperative verb to the corresponding infinitive.
Direct: The teacher said, “Open your books.” Indirect: The teacher told the students to open their books.
For reporting requests, employ the reporting verb “ask” and convert the imperative verb to the corresponding infinitive.
Direct: She said, “Please help me with this.” Indirect: She asked for help with that.
(a) Reporting verbs of Direct Speech changed into order or command, advise, or request according to sense in Indirect Speech. (b) ‘To’ is placed before Reported speech in Indirect Narration; for the negative imperative sentence ‘not to’ is used. (c) ‘not to’ can also be replaced by ‘forbid’, or ‘prohibit’. (d) ‘Let’ implies ‘suggestion’ or ‘proposal’; Reporting verb will be ‘suggest’ or ‘propose’ in Indirect Speech. ‘that’ is used before Reported speech in Indirect Narration (e) ‘Let’ without ‘suggestion’ or ‘proposal’; Reporting verb will be ‘tell’, or ‘wish’ according to sense in Indirect Speech. ‘that’ is used before Reported speech in Indirect Narration.
Direct: Mother said to me, “Don’t run in the sun.” Indirect: Mother advised me not to run in the sun.
Direct: She said to me, “Let us go for a picnic.” Indirect: She suggested that we should go for a picnic.
The following rules are used to change an optative sentence from direct speech to indirect speech
(a) Reporting verbs changed to ‘ wish ’, ‘ pray’ , and ‘ bless ’ in Indirect Speech. (b) Linker, ‘ that ’ is placed before Reported speech in Indirect Narration.
Direct: The monk said to me, “ May God bless you.” Indirect: The monk wished that God might bless me.
(a) The reporting verb is changed into exclaim (in joy), exclaim (in grief), cried out (in sorrow), pray, wish, etc. (b) Examinations are turned into statements. (c) Interjections (Alas, Oh, Hurrah) are omitted. (d) ‘What’, and ‘How’ used in exclamation should be replaced by great, great, very, very much, and big.
Direct: The boys said, “Hurrah! we have won the match.” Indirect: The boy exclaimed in joy that they had won the match.
Change the following sentences into indirect speech.
Q: Ratan said to Anita, “I don’t like your brother”.
Ans: Ratan told Anita that she did not like her brother.
Q: The hermit said to the boys, “God is present everywhere.”
Ans: The hermit told the boys that God is present everywhere.
Q: :He said to you, “You shouldn’t play in my garden.”
Ans: He told you that you should not play in his garden.
Q: The class teacher said to the students. “The inspector will visit our school today.”
Ans: The class teacher told the students that the inspector would visit their school that day.
Q: He said to me, “I don’t believe you.”
Ans: He told me that he didn’t believe me.
Q: She said to her son, “I’ve often told you not to play with fire.”
Ans: She told her son that she had often told him not to play with fire.
Q: Sitesh said to Lina, “I want you to go to Patna with me.”
Ans: Sitesh told Lina that he wanted her to go to Patna with him.
Q: “We can’t be quite happy in life,” he said.
Ans: He said that they couldn’t be quite happy in life.
Q: He said, “The Muslims bury their dead.”
He said that the Muslims bury their dead.
Q: “You’ve overcooked the steak again, Mary”, he said.
Ans: He told Mary that she had overcooked the steak again.
Q: Ramen said to Bina, “I’m going to your house this, week.”
Ans: Ramen told Bina that he was going to her house that week.
Q: He said, “We will discuss this tomorrow.”
Ans: He said that they would discuss that the next day
Q: He said to me, “You are wicked; so I shall not mix with you.”
Ans: He told me that I was wicked; so he would not mix with me.
Q: He said to you, “I was much struck by your eloquence.”
Ans: He told you that he had been much struck by your eloquence.
Q: We remarked, “God is gracious.”
Ans: We remarked that God is gracious.
Q: I said to my mother, “I shall always obey you.”
Ans: I told my mother that I should always obey her.
Q: He said to Gopal, “You were a mere boy when I saw you last.”
Ans: He told Gopal that he was a mere boy when he had seen him last.
Q: I said to him, “The sky is blue.”
Ans: I told him that the sky is blue.
Q: He said to me, “You will feel the consequences.”
Ans: He told me that I should feel the consequences.
Q: She said to you, “I am not angry with you.”
Ans: She told you that she was not angry with you.
Q: I said to them, “You have done wrong.”
Ans: I told them that they had done wrong.
Q: He said, “I visit the temple every day.”
Ans: He said that he visited the temple every day.
Fill in the blanks with proper direct and indirect speech rules.
Q : what is the key difference between direct and indirect speech.
Ans: The main difference lies in the quoting style. Direct speech involves repeating someone’s exact words, while indirect speech reports what was said without quoting verbatim.
Ans: While backshifting is common, some exceptions exist, especially in cases where the statement’s truth remains constant.
Ans: When reporting multiple speakers, use appropriate reporting verbs and introduce each person’s dialogue in a logical sequence.
Ans: Combining direct and indirect speech in a sentence is possible, but it requires precision to avoid confusion.
Ans: Reporting verbs like “said,” “told,” “asked,” “claimed,” and “explained” are frequently employed.
Ans: Focus on maintaining consistency in style and verb tense to ensure a smooth transition between direct and indirect speech.
Ans: Direct speech is usually enclosed within quotation marks and directly quotes someone’s words. Indirect speech, on the other hand, reports those words without quotation marks, often using reporting verbs like “said,” “told,” “asked,” etc.
Ans: Yes, the choice of reporting verbs can convey the speaker’s attitude or emotions towards the reported speech. Different reporting verbs can modify the meaning slightly.
Ans: Common reporting verbs for indirect speech include “say,” “tell,” “ask,” “inquire,” “explain,” “describe,” and more.
Ans: The tense in indirect speech is generally shifted back one step. For example, present simple becomes past simple, present continuous becomes past continuous, and so on.
Ans: No, quotation marks are not used in indirect speech as they report the speech without directly quoting it.
Ans: Certainly! In the story, he said, “I love you,” to which she replied that she loved him too.
Ans: It is possible to omit the reporting verb in some cases, especially in informal contexts, but including it adds clarity and structure to the reported speech.
Ans: Most tenses change in indirect speech, but the changes depend on the context and the tense of the original statement.
Ans: Certainly! Here are a few more examples:
Direct: “I am reading a book,” she said. Indirect: She said that she was reading a book.
Direct: “We have completed the project,” they exclaimed. Indirect: They exclaimed that they had completed the project.
Ans: Practice by converting direct speech to indirect speech and vice versa using various reporting verbs, tenses, and pronouns. Additionally, read books or articles and identify the reported speech used by the authors.
Reported speech or indirect speech is the form of speech used to convey what was said by someone at some point of time. This article will help you with all that you need to know about reported speech, its meaning, definition, how and when to use them along with examples. Furthermore, try out the practice questions given to check how far you have understood the topic.
Definition of reported speech, rules to be followed when using reported speech, table 1 – change of pronouns, table 2 – change of adverbs of place and adverbs of time, table 3 – change of tense, table 4 – change of modal verbs, tips to practise reported speech, examples of reported speech, check your understanding of reported speech, frequently asked questions on reported speech in english, what is reported speech.
Reported speech is the form in which one can convey a message said by oneself or someone else, mostly in the past. It can also be said to be the third person view of what someone has said. In this form of speech, you need not use quotation marks as you are not quoting the exact words spoken by the speaker, but just conveying the message.
Now, take a look at the following dictionary definitions for a clearer idea of what it is.
Reported speech, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a report of what somebody has said that does not use their exact words.” The Collins Dictionary defines reported speech as “speech which tells you what someone said, but does not use the person’s actual words.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, reported speech is defined as “the act of reporting something that was said, but not using exactly the same words.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines reported speech as “the words that you use to report what someone else has said.”
Reported speech is a little different from direct speech . As it has been discussed already, reported speech is used to tell what someone said and does not use the exact words of the speaker. Take a look at the following rules so that you can make use of reported speech effectively.
Subject said that (report whatever the speaker said) |
As discussed earlier, when transforming a sentence from direct speech into reported speech, you will have to change the pronouns, tense and adverbs of time and place used by the speaker. Let us look at the following tables to see how they work.
I | He, she |
Me | Him, her |
We | They |
Us | Them |
You | He, she, they |
You | Him, her, them |
My | His, her |
Mine | His, hers |
Our | Their |
Ours | Theirs |
Your | His, her, their |
Yours | His, hers, theirs |
This | That |
These | Those |
Here | There |
Now | Then |
Today | That day |
Tomorrow | The next day / The following day |
Yesterday | The previous day |
Tonight | That night |
Last week | The week before |
Next week | The week after |
Last month | The previous month |
Next month | The following month |
Last year | The previous year |
Next year | The following year |
Ago | Before |
Thus | So |
Simple Present Example: Preethi said, “I cook pasta.” | Simple Past Example: Preethi said that she cooked pasta. |
Present Continuous Example: Preethi said, “I am cooking pasta.” | Past Continuous Example: Preethi said that she was cooking pasta. |
Present Perfect Example: Preethi said, “I have cooked pasta.” | Past Perfect Example: Preethi said that she had cooked pasta. |
Present Perfect Example: Preethi said, “I have been cooking pasta.” | Past Perfect Continuous Example: Preethi said that she had been cooking pasta. |
Simple Past Example: Preethi said, “I cooked pasta.” | Past Perfect Example: Preethi said that she had cooked pasta. |
Past Continuous Example: Preethi said, “I was cooking pasta.” | Past Perfect Continuous Example: Preethi said that she had been cooking pasta. |
Past Perfect Example: Preethi said, “I had cooked pasta.” | Past Perfect (No change) Example: Preethi said that she had cooked pasta. |
Past Perfect Continuous Example: Preethi said, “I had been cooking pasta.” | Past Perfect Continuous (No change) Example: Preethi said that she had been cooking pasta. |
Will | Would |
May | Might |
Can | Could |
Shall | Should |
Has/Have | Had |
Here are some tips you can follow to become a pro in using reported speech.
Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written. Check them out.
Transform the following sentences into reported speech by making the necessary changes.
1. Rachel said, “I have an interview tomorrow.”
2. Mahesh said, “What is he doing?”
3. Sherly said, “My daughter is playing the lead role in the skit.”
4. Dinesh said, “It is a wonderful movie!”
5. Suresh said, “My son is getting married next month.”
6. Preetha said, “Can you please help me with the invitations?”
7. Anna said, “I look forward to meeting you.”
8. The teacher said, “Make sure you complete the homework before tomorrow.”
9. Sylvester said, “I am not going to cry anymore.”
10. Jade said, “My sister is moving to Los Angeles.”
Now, find out if you have answered all of them correctly.
1. Rachel said that she had an interview the next day.
2. Mahesh asked what he was doing.
3. Sherly said that her daughter was playing the lead role in the skit.
4. Dinesh exclaimed that it was a wonderful movie.
5. Suresh said that his son was getting married the following month.
6. Preetha asked if I could help her with the invitations.
7. Anna said that she looked forward to meeting me.
8. The teacher told us to make sure we completed the homework before the next day.
9. Sylvester said that he was not going to cry anymore.
10. Jade said that his sister was moving to Los Angeles.
What is the definition of reported speech.
Reported speech, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a report of what somebody has said that does not use their exact words.” The Collins Dictionary defines reported speech as “speech which tells you what someone said, but does not use the person’s actual words.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, reported speech is defined as “the act of reporting something that was said, but not using exactly the same words.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines reported speech as “the words that you use to report what someone else has said.”
You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech. Subject said that (report whatever the speaker said)
Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written.
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The distinction between Direct and Indirect Speech may be confusing for some students. Often when we need to explain an incident or action, it involves quoting what someone said. A social situation, as well as a work email or presentation, are examples of such instances. There are two forms of Speech used to explain what other people say: direct Speech and indirect Speech (or reported Speech).
The same words spoken are quoted indirect Speech. If we use Direct Speech in writing, we bring the words spoken between quotation marks (" ") and leave them alone. We may be reporting something that is being said (for example, a phone conversation) or asking someone about a previous conversation later.
Nirmal said, "There's a dog outside the window."
Mahima says, "What time will you be home?"
Supriya said, "I don't know!"
When we use reported or Indirect Speech to speak about the past, we generally change the tense of the words we say. We use reporting verbs like 'say,' 'tell,' and 'ask,' and we can introduce the reported words with the word 'that.' There are no inverted commas in this sentence.
For Example,
Mahima said that she had seen him.
Nirmal said he was looking forward to playing in the match on Saturday.
Children often mix up Direct and Indirect Speech. We need a way to say the difference between what someone is claimed to have said and what they said when we're writing. What did she say if you asked her? You may respond in one of two ways:
“I don’t like pizza,” Siddi said. (Direct Speech)
Siddi says she doesn’t like pizza. (Indirect Speech)
Note how Speech marks (“...”) are used in Direct Speech to indicate precisely what was said. Speech labels are located at the beginning and end of the actual words spoken. The words 'Siddi said' are not in Speech marks because they were not spoken aloud; rather, they are a way for the writer to express who was speaking to the reader.
The past tense is often used in reported Speech. This is because the words have already been spoken, and the writer is simply reporting on what has already been saying. It's critical to think about what was said and convert it to the past tense.
Following are the steps to convert the Direct/Indirect Speech and also let’s discuss Direct and Indirect Speech tenses rules in detail.
Step 1: Write down the reporting verb that is used to determine the Indirect Speech's tense.
Step 2: Change the position and time to reflect the speaker's actual location and time.
Step 3: For both the object and the subject, use the correct pronoun.
Step 4: Make sure the sentence has the correct structure and word order.
Now we'll go through each of these measures in greater depth.
Case 1: Nirmal said, ‘I go to the gym every day.
Case 2: Nirmal says, ‘I go to the gym every day.’
The verb ‘say' is used in both of the instances above to express the action of speaking. In addition, the reporting verb say is used in the past tense in the first case – said. In case 2, however, the reporting verb is in the present tense.
As a consequence, all verbs must be in the relevant past tense here. If the reporting verb is in the past tense, this is often followed. Thus, Nirmal said, ‘I go to the class every day will change to Nirmal said that he went to the gym every day.
The second rule is that the tense is not changed whether the reporting verb is in the future or present tense. So, Nirmal says, ‘I go to the class every day will be changed to Nirmal says that he goes to the class every day.
The time or place specified in the sentence should be changed to match the current time or position.
On 21st, May 2015: ‘I will come tomorrow,’ Sriram said.
On 21st, May 2015, Sriram said that he would come the next day.
Case 1: Saurav will say to his friends, “I have started learning psychology” will change to Saurav will tell his friends that he has started learning psychology.
In this case, the speaker and the reporter are the same people. As a consequence, the pronoun should be the first person pronoun.
Case 2: Ma’am said to me, “I hope you will bring the geometry to my next class” will changed to Ma’am hoped that I would bring the geometry to her next class.
The speaker is ma'am, and the reporter is the student. As a consequence, the ma'am pronoun should be in the third person. The reporter's pronoun should also be in the first person.
Remember that we do not change the tense of the reporting verb within the quotation marks when it is in the present or future tense.
When using English, you'll want to use both direct and indirect Speech regularly, so make sure you're familiar with both and can use them correctly. Direct Speech isn't always an accurate representation of what someone has said. Using inverted commas before and after the quotation, you may quote from other texts similarly. Instead of using the verb "to tell," consider using a verb like "to compose," "to state," or "to define." You may convey what is being reported using a variety of verbs; for example, while "to say" is widely used, you may also want to use "to tell" to explain something that has been told to you. Keeping a small diary of what has been said around you is an important way to practise – explain what people have said and try to write a few examples of each form.
1. What is Direct and Indirect Speech with Examples?
The same words spoken are quoted in the direct speech. If we use direct speech in writing, we bring the words spoken between quotation marks (" ") and leave them alone. We are talking about the present moment and we are talking about the original content. Direct Speech: “I'm seeing my brother tomorrow.” or “I’ll call them tomorrow”
While reporting if we are changing the words without changing the meaning of the sentence then it is called indirect speech. Here the present tense is converted into past tense. Here the sentence of the speaker is summarized without changing the meaning and reported.
Indirect Speech: She said she was seeing her brother the following day. Or She said that it was hot.
2. What are Simple Rules for Conversion of Indirect Speech to Direct Speech?
Both inverted commas and quotation marks should be eliminated. Put a full stop at the end of the sentence. Shift the present tense of the verb within the inverted commas/quotation marks to the corresponding past tense. Shift it to the past perfect tense if it's in the simple past tense.
Step 1: change the tenses from present to past
Present Tense: I like chocolates
Past Tense: she said that she liked chocolates
Step 2: Change the sentences from simple past to past perfect
Present: He arrived on Tuesday
Past: He said that he had arrived on Tuesday
Step 3: while converting future tense, ‘will’ changes to would
Present: I will be attending the wedding.
Past: She said that she would be attending the wedding.
Step 4: change the present continuous tense to the past continuous tense.
Present: We are eating dinner
Past: They said that they were eating dinner.
Step 5: Change the Present Perfect Tense into Past Perfect Tense
Present: She has finished her task.
Past: She said that she had finished her task.
Step 6: Change the Past Progressive Tense into the Perfect Continuous Tense
Present: My husband was cooking
Past: She said that her husband had been cooking.
Step 7: And also remember past perfect and past perfect progressive doesn't change.
Step 8: And also the future Progressive Tense changes into “would be”. The Future Perfect Tense changes into “would have”.The Future Perfect Progressive Tense changes into “would have been”.
And also follow these simple rules.
The conjunction ‘that’ is used in indirect speech.
The pronoun ‘I’ has to be changed according to the person.
The verb “am" is changed to “was".
For converting to Indirect speech, the words representing nearness will be changed to the words representing distance like the adverb “now” will be converted to the word “Then”, here now represent the nearness in time while ‘then’ represent distance.
3. What are the Examples of Direct Speech?
Few examples of Direct speech are:
Nirmal said, "There's a dog outside the window."
Mahima says, "What time will you be home?"
Supriya said, "I don't know!"
I like chocolates.
Where do you live in?
Where are you?
I play basketball
I do yoga every morning
Can you pass me the bottle, please?
I brought a new pen
I will shift to Mumbai
She had worked hard.
My mom is preparing sweets
Don’t talk to me
I play chess every day
Ananth is dancing on the floor
I like Sachin Tendulkar
She plays the guitar very well
4. Differentiate between Direct and Indirect Speech.
|
|
While reporting if we use the exact words of the user, then it is called direct speech. | While reporting, if we gave the same meaning without using exact words then it is called indirect speech. |
While writing we use inverted commas | We don’t use inverted commas |
Here the words are repeated originally | Here speaker words are summarized, modified |
Here it is happening at the present moment | It is in past tense |
Any form of verbs can be used | Most commonly said and told is used |
I'll come to the party by 8 PM | he said that he would come to the party by 8 PM |
5. Give some examples for indirect speech.
She said that she liked chocolates
He said that he played basketball
She asked me to be on time
Neha said that her parents were very well.
He said that he played chess every day
She told me that she liked Sachin Tendulkar
She told me that she had been to the USA.
She said that she had finished her task.
he said that he would come to the party by 8 PM
She said that she hadn’t seen Nupur recently.
She asked me to bring her dress the next day
He asked us not to be late.
They told that they were ready for competition
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If we want to describe the speech of some other people with other people in our own words, that speech is called a Reported speech or Narration.
In the English language, there are certain ways to express the spoken words between two people.
The speech has two main types, Direct speech , and Indirect speech , respectively.
These two ways of narration of spoken words are also called Direct and Indirect speech, also known as Direct and Indirect narrations.
Direct and indirect speech is majorly used in any conversations, scripts, or any biographies, etc. where one or more than one person converses with each other.
It is also called straight speech or quoted speech, which is spoken or written directly in the text by the speaker, writer, or the first person, who is going to speak with anyone with him.
The spoken statements of the speaker normally come under the inverted commas notation, and a speaker who speaks these sentences may come like “he said/he said that.”
The speaker’s words or statements are mentioned in a single phrase pattern or direct discussion.
An Indirect speech is also called a reported speech, or secondary speech means the speech, which has spoken indirectly.
It is simply an overlook statement that is used to say about the incident that has happened in the past time.
The actual words of the speaker changed into the past tense and the sentence, and hence the reported speech of the direct speech does not come inside the inverted commas.
A person who is going to report the speech or a speech that comes in the first part of the direct speech is called a reporting speech.
Reported speech is a speech that is always in an inverted comma or quotation marks.
It is a second part of the direct speech sentence.
The verb, which is used in a reporting speech to report something in a direct speech, is called a reporting verb.
The verb which comes inside the reported speech is called reported verb, respectively.
As we start writing any direct and indirect conversation, we often use reported verbs like “say, tell, ask, inform, instruct, claim, suggest, enquire, etc.”
These reported verbs, whenever used in direct or indirect speech, change into the past simple form like said, told, asked, informed, instructed, claimed, suggested, enquired, etc.
But the verbs used in a speech between the inverted commas will remain as it is.
Rule 1 : “no inverted commas.”.
The reported speech does not come into inverted commas or quotation in an indirect speech.
Example: Direct: He said, “I have completed my assignments yesterday.”
Indirect: He said that he had completed his assignments the previous day.
Using the conjunction word “that” in-between the reporting speech and reported speech in an indirect speech.
Example:
While writing a direct speech into an indirect speech, we have to change the tense of the reported speech because whatever we are writing in indirect speech has already happened in the past timing.
If the tense of the reporting verb of direct speech is in the past tense, then the tense will change according to these criteria.
Simple present tense will change into simple past tense..
Direct: He said, “They come to meet me.”
Indirect: He said that they came to meet him.
Direct: She said, “They are coming to meet me.”
Indirect: She said that they were coming to meet her.
Direct: He said, “They have come to meet me.”
Indirect: He said that they had come to meet him.
Direct: She said, “They have been coming to meet me.”
Indirect: She said that they had been coming to meet her.
Simple past tense will change into the past perfect tense.
Direct: He said, “They came to meet me.”
Indirect: He said that they had come to meet him.
Past continuous tense will change into past perfect continuous tense.
Direct: She said, “They were coming to meet me.”
Indirect: She said that they had been coming to meet her.
Past perfect tense and past perfect continuous tense will remain the same.
Direct: He said, “They had come to meet me.”
Direct: She said, “They had been coming to meet me.”
There are no changes in the future tense sentences; only shall/will may change into would, can change into could.
Indirect: She said that could he come on the next day
Indirect: He said that he would never forgive me.
The pronoun used as an indirect subject speech sometimes needs to be changed accordingly in indirect speech as of the reported verb of the direct speech.
The mentioned time (not the timing) in a direct speech sentence will have to change in indirect speech like now becomes then, tomorrow becomes the next day, yesterday becomes the previous day, today becomes that day, later becomes soon.
Assertive sentences:.
Assertive sentences are simple statements that may be affirmative or negative.
If we are going to convert assertive sentences from direct speech into indirect speech, we have to replace “said” with “told” sometimes.
Here, the subject in direct speech refers to someone in his talk.
Indirect: He told me that she was working on that project.
Indirect: She told me that she was going for a long drive.
Imperative sentences are statements that deliver a command, order, request, appeal, or advice.
It depends on the speaker, how he delivers the message to the other person.
While converting these types of sentences cum statements from direct speech to indirect speech, we have to check the type of sentence, whether it is a command, order, request, or else.
Indirect: The teacher ordered me to sit properly.
Indirect: The Boss commanded an office boy to bring a coffee for him.
Indirect: The teacher requested me to sit properly.
Indirect: The bartender advised me to try that drink.
An interrogative sentence is a sentence which interrogates or ask questions.
Each interrogative sentence ends with an interrogative sign or a question mark sign “?”.
While writing interrogative sentences from direct speech into indirect speech,
Exclamatory sentences are those sentences that show emotions, feelings and ends with an exclamation mark!
If any interjection comes in an exclamation sentence, then the exclamation sign removes in an indirect speech, and an exclamatory sentence gets converted into an assertive sentence.
The replacement of reporting verb “said” with exclaimed with (great wonder, sorrow, joy) exclaimed (joyfully, sorrowfully)
Replace with very or very great , if words like how or what comes at the beginning of the reported speech.
Published by
Olivia Drake
Reported speech and indirect speech are two terms that refer to the same concept, which is the act of expressing what someone else has said.
On this page:
Reported speech is different from direct speech because it does not use the speaker’s exact words. Instead, the reporting verb is used to introduce the reported speech, and the tense and pronouns are changed to reflect the shift in perspective. There are two main types of reported speech: statements and questions.
1. Reported Statements: In reported statements, the reporting verb is usually “said.” The tense in the reported speech changes from the present simple to the past simple, and any pronouns referring to the speaker or listener are changed to reflect the shift in perspective. For example, “I am going to the store,” becomes “He said that he was going to the store.”
2. Reported Questions: In reported questions, the reporting verb is usually “asked.” The tense in the reported speech changes from the present simple to the past simple, and the word order changes from a question to a statement. For example, “What time is it?” becomes “She asked what time it was.”
It’s important to note that the tense shift in reported speech depends on the context and the time of the reported speech. Here are a few more examples:
Reported speech is used to report what someone else has said, thought, or written. It is often used in situations where you want to relate what someone else has said without quoting them directly.
Reported speech can be used in a variety of contexts, such as in news reports, academic writing, and everyday conversation. Some common situations where reported speech is used include:
News reports: Journalists often use reported speech to quote what someone said in an interview or press conference.
Business and professional communication: In professional settings, reported speech can be used to summarize what was discussed in a meeting or to report feedback from a customer.
Conversational English: In everyday conversations, reported speech is used to relate what someone else said. For example, “She told me that she was running late.”
Narration: In written narratives or storytelling, reported speech can be used to convey what a character said or thought.
1. Change the pronouns and adverbs of time and place: In reported speech, you need to change the pronouns, adverbs of time and place to reflect the new speaker or point of view. Here’s an example:
Direct speech: “I’m going to the store now,” she said. Reported speech: She said she was going to the store then.
In this example, the pronoun “I” is changed to “she” and the adverb “now” is changed to “then.”
2. Change the tense: In reported speech, you usually need to change the tense of the verb to reflect the change from direct to indirect speech. Here’s an example:
Direct speech: “I will meet you at the park tomorrow,” he said. Reported speech: He said he would meet me at the park the next day.
In this example, the present tense “will” is changed to the past tense “would.”
3. Change reporting verbs: In reported speech, you can use different reporting verbs such as “say,” “tell,” “ask,” or “inquire” depending on the context of the speech. Here’s an example:
Direct speech: “Did you finish your homework?” she asked. Reported speech: She asked if I had finished my homework.
In this example, the reporting verb “asked” is changed to “said” and “did” is changed to “had.”
Overall, when making reported speech, it’s important to pay attention to the verb tense and the changes in pronouns, adverbs, and reporting verbs to convey the original speaker’s message accurately.
1. Changing Pronouns: In reported speech, the pronouns in the original statement must be changed to reflect the perspective of the new speaker. Generally, the first person pronouns (I, me, my, mine, we, us, our, ours) are changed according to the subject of the reporting verb, while the second and third person pronouns (you, your, yours, he, him, his, she, her, hers, it, its, they, them, their, theirs) are changed according to the object of the reporting verb. For example:
Direct speech: “I love chocolate.” Reported speech: She said she loved chocolate.
Direct speech: “You should study harder.” Reported speech: He advised me to study harder.
Direct speech: “She is reading a book.” Reported speech: They noticed that she was reading a book.
2. Changing Adverbs: In reported speech, the adverbs and adverbial phrases that indicate time or place may need to be changed to reflect the perspective of the new speaker. For example:
Direct speech: “I’m going to the cinema tonight.” Reported speech: She said she was going to the cinema that night.
Direct speech: “He is here.” Reported speech: She said he was there.
Note that the adverb “now” usually changes to “then” or is omitted altogether in reported speech, depending on the context.
It’s important to keep in mind that the changes made to pronouns and adverbs in reported speech depend on the context and the perspective of the new speaker. With practice, you can become more comfortable with making these changes in reported speech.
In reported speech, the tense of the reported verb usually changes to reflect the change from direct to indirect speech. Here are some guidelines on how to change the tense in reported speech:
Present simple in direct speech changes to past simple in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I like pizza.” Reported speech: She said she liked pizza.
Present continuous in direct speech changes to past continuous in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I am studying for my exam.” Reported speech: He said he was studying for his exam.
Present perfect in direct speech changes to past perfect in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I have finished my work.” Reported speech: She said she had finished her work.
Past simple in direct speech changes to past perfect in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I visited my grandparents last weekend.” Reported speech: She said she had visited her grandparents the previous weekend.
Will in direct speech changes to would in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I will help you with your project.” Reported speech: He said he would help me with my project.
Can in direct speech changes to could in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I can speak French.” Reported speech: She said she could speak French.
Remember that the tense changes in reported speech depend on the tense of the verb in the direct speech, and the tense you use in reported speech should match the time frame of the new speaker’s perspective. With practice, you can become more comfortable with changing the tense in reported speech.
No, you do not always need to use a reporting verb in reported speech. However, using a reporting verb can help to clarify who is speaking and add more context to the reported speech.
In some cases, the reported speech can be introduced by phrases such as “I heard that” or “It seems that” without using a reporting verb. For example:
Direct speech: “I’m going to the cinema tonight.” Reported speech with a reporting verb: She said she was going to the cinema tonight. Reported speech without a reporting verb: It seems that she’s going to the cinema tonight.
However, it’s important to note that using a reporting verb can help to make the reported speech more formal and accurate. When using reported speech in academic writing or journalism, it’s generally recommended to use a reporting verb to make the reporting more clear and credible.
Some common reporting verbs include say, tell, explain, ask, suggest, and advise. For example:
Direct speech: “I think we should invest in renewable energy.” Reported speech with a reporting verb: She suggested that they invest in renewable energy.
Overall, while using a reporting verb is not always required, it can be helpful to make the reported speech more clear and accurate
How to use reported speech to report questions and commands?
1. Reporting Questions: When reporting questions, you need to use an introductory phrase such as “asked” or “wondered” followed by the question word (if applicable), subject, and verb. You also need to change the word order to make it a statement. Here’s an example:
Direct speech: “What time is the meeting?” Reported speech: She asked what time the meeting was.
Note that the question mark is not used in reported speech.
2. Reporting Commands: When reporting commands, you need to use an introductory phrase such as “ordered” or “told” followed by the person, to + infinitive, and any additional information. Here’s an example:
Direct speech: “Clean your room!” Reported speech: She ordered me to clean my room.
Note that the exclamation mark is not used in reported speech.
In both cases, the tense of the reported verb should be changed accordingly. For example, present simple changes to past simple, and future changes to conditional. Here are some examples:
Direct speech: “Will you go to the party with me?”Reported speech: She asked if I would go to the party with her. Direct speech: “Please bring me a glass of water.”Reported speech: She requested that I bring her a glass of water.
Remember that when using reported speech to report questions and commands, the introductory phrases and verb tenses are important to convey the intended meaning accurately.
To make questions in reported speech, you need to use an introductory phrase such as “asked” or “wondered” followed by the question word (if applicable), subject, and verb. You also need to change the word order to make it a statement. Here are the steps to make questions in reported speech:
Identify the reporting verb: The first step is to identify the reporting verb in the sentence. Common reporting verbs used to report questions include “asked,” “inquired,” “wondered,” and “wanted to know.”
Change the tense and pronouns: Next, you need to change the tense and pronouns in the sentence to reflect the shift from direct to reported speech. The tense of the verb is usually shifted back one tense (e.g. from present simple to past simple) in reported speech. The pronouns should also be changed as necessary to reflect the shift in perspective from the original speaker to the reporting speaker.
Use an appropriate question word: If the original question contained a question word (e.g. who, what, where, when, why, how), you should use the same question word in the reported question. If the original question did not contain a question word, you can use “if” or “whether” to introduce the reported question.
Change the word order: In reported speech, the word order of the question changes from the inverted form to a normal statement form. The subject usually comes before the verb, unless the original question started with a question word.
Here are some examples of reported questions:
Direct speech: “Did you finish your homework?”Reported speech: He wanted to know if I had finished my homework. Direct speech: “Where are you going?”Reported speech: She wondered where I was going.
Remember that when making questions in reported speech, the introductory phrases and verb tenses are important to convey the intended meaning accurately.
Here you can find more examples of direct and indirect questions
In reported or indirect speech, you are retelling or reporting what someone said using your own words. The tense of the reported speech is usually shifted back one tense from the tense used in the original statement. For example, if someone said, “I am going to the store,” in reported speech you would say, “He/she said that he/she was going to the store.”
The main difference between reported speech and indirect speech is that reported speech usually refers to spoken language, while indirect speech can refer to both spoken and written language. Additionally, indirect speech is a broader term that includes reported speech as well as other ways of expressing what someone else has said, such as paraphrasing or summarizing.
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WASHINGTON — Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., is working to organize a group of Democratic senators to ask President Joe Biden to exit the presidential race, The Washington Post reported Friday.
Warner, chair of the powerful Senate Intelligence Committee, has reportedly been raising concerns that Biden cannot effectively run against former President Donald Trump following Biden’s disastrous debate performance last week.
A Warner spokesperson did not respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment on Friday afternoon. NBC , Axios and other outlets also confirmed the effort.
Senators are considering pursuing a meeting at the White House with Biden to discuss their concerns in person, according to the Post, while others are waiting to see Biden’s interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, which aired on Friday night.
When asked about Warner’s desire to have him step aside, Biden told reporters Friday, “He’s the only one.”
Many Democrats have privately shared concerns about their presidential candidate in the wake of the debate, in which Biden repeatedly stumbled in his answers to questions. Still, only a handful of lawmakers have publicly called for him to step aside, and only a few senators have spoken out about the issue at all. The Senate has been out of session with senators away from Washington for two weeks.
More: 'I'm the nominee': Biden calls out Democrats pushing for him to withdraw from election
Others have remained public backers of the president, who says he does not plan to step aside.
“We said we will stand with him,” said Maryland Gov. Wes Moore following a meeting between several Democratic governors and the president at the White House this week. “The president has always had our backs, we’re going to have his back as well.”
Sen. Tim Kaine, Warner’s fellow Democratic Senator from Virginia, also expressed support for Biden during a roundtable discussion at Market Street Coffee in Petersburg, his first campaign stop of the “ Salute to Service ” tour on Monday.
“The bottom line is, Joe Biden is our president. He’s a patriotic American. He’s done a good job. He puts others first, not himself,” he said.
The fallout from the debate has made for a remarkable turn in an already historic presidential race that pits two presidents against one another: the oldest president in American history and the first former president to be convicted of a felony.
Senate Democrats, in particular, have much at stake at the top of the ticket: They are on defense this year, defending multiple vulnerable incumbents who are already tasked with outperforming the president. Any additional perceived weaknesses could make that even more challenging.
However, many lawmakers are planning to wait until they see robust polling indicating how voters feel about the president following the debate.
A USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll released earlier this week indicates voters slightly prefer Trump to Biden 41% to 38%, a shift from a May poll that showed them tied at 37% to 37%.
Elizabeth Beyer contributed.
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FILE - Paul Dans, director of Project 2025 at the Heritage Foundation, speaks at the National Religious Broadcasters convention, Feb. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. Former President Donald Trump is seeking to distance himself from a plan for a massive overhaul of the federal government drafted by some of his administration officials, including Dans. Some of these men are expected to take high-level roles if the Republican presumptive nominee is elected back into the White House. Trump is saying on Truth Social that he “knew nothing about Project 2025.” (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)
FILE - Acting director of Office of Management and Budget Russ Vought listens during a television interview at the White House, Oct. 21, 2019, in Washington. Former President Donald Trump is seeking to distance himself from a plan for a massive overhaul of the federal government drafted by some of his administration officials, including Vought. Some of these men are expected to take high-level roles if the Republican presumptive nominee is elected back into the White House. Trump is saying on Truth Social that he “knew nothing about Project 2025.” (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
FILE - Director of the Presidential Personnel Office John McEntee is seen on the South Lawn of the White House, Aug. 27, 2020, in Washington. Former President Donald Trump is seeking to distance himself from a plan for a massive overhaul of the federal government drafted by some of his administration officials, including McEntee. Some of these men are expected to take high-level roles if the Republican presumptive nominee is elected back into the White House. Trump is saying on Truth Social that he “knew nothing about Project 2025.” (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
MIAMI (AP) — Donald Trump has distanced himself from Project 2025, a massive proposed overhaul of the federal government drafted by longtime allies and former officials in his administration, days after the head of the think tank responsible for the program suggested there would be a second American Revolution.
“I know nothing about Project 2025,” Trump posted on his social media website. “I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they’re saying and some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them.”
The 922-page plan outlines a dramatic expansion of presidential power and a plan to fire as many as 50,000 government workers to replace them with Trump loyalists. President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign has worked to draw more attention to the agenda, particularly as Biden tries to keep fellow Democrats on board after his disastrous debate.
“He’s trying to hide his connections to his allies’ extreme Project 2025 agenda,” Biden said of Trump in a statement released by his campaign Saturday. “The only problem? It was written for him, by those closest to him. Project 2025 should scare every single American.”
Trump has outlined his own plans to remake the government if he wins a second term, including staging the largest deportation operation in U.S. history and imposing tariffs on potentially all imports. His campaign has previously warned outside allies not to presume to speak for the former president and suggested their transition-in-waiting efforts were unhelpful.
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Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts said on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast Tuesday that Republicans are “in the process of taking this country back.” Former U.S. Rep. Dave Brat of Virginia hosted the show for Bannon, who is serving a four-month prison term.
“We are in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be,” Roberts said.
Those comments were widely circulated online and assailed by Biden’s campaign, which accused Trump and his allies of “dreaming of a violent revolution to destroy the very idea of America.”
Some of the people involved in Project 2025 are former senior administration officials. The project’s director is Paul Dans, who served as chief of staff at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management under Trump. Trump’s campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt was featured in one of Project 2025’s videos.
John McEntee, a former director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office in the Trump administration, is a senior adviser. McEntee told the conservative news site The Daily Wire earlier this year that Project 2025’s team would integrate a lot of its work with the campaign after the summer when Trump would announce his transition team.
Trump’s comments on Project 2025 come before the Republican Party’s meetings this coming week to begin to draft its party platform.
Project 2025 has been preparing its own 180-day agenda for the next administration that it plans to share privately, rather than as part of its public-facing book of priorities for a Republican president. A key Trump ally, Russ Vought, who contributed to Project 2025 and is drafting this final pillar, is also on the Republican National Committee’s platform writing committee.
Project 2025 said in a statement it not tied to a specific candidate or campaign.
“We are a coalition of more than 110 conservative groups advocating policy and personnel recommendations for the next conservative president,” it said. “But it is ultimately up to that president, who we believe will be President Trump, to decide which recommendations to implement.”
A Biden campaign spokesperson said Project 2025 staff members are also leading the Republican policy platform. “Project 2025 is the extreme policy and personnel playbook for Trump’s second term that should scare the hell out of the American people,” said Ammar Moussa.
On Thursday, as the country celebrated Independence Day and Biden prepared for his television interview after his halting debate performance, the president’s campaign posted on X a shot from the dystopian TV drama “The Handmaid’s Tale” showing a group of women in the show’s red dresses and white hats standing in formation by a reflecting pool with a cross at the far end where the Washington Monument should be. The story revolves around women who are stripped of their identities and forced to give birth to children for other couples in a totalitarian regime.
“Fourth of July under Trump’s Project 2025,” the post said.
Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in New York and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.
Pressure is on Joe Biden after two major gaffes in his NATO speech, with fresh calls for him to bow out of the presidential race. Meanwhile, Ukraine faced another wave of drones and missiles while still reeling from one of Russia's deadliest airstrikes earlier this week.
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Ukraine's top prosecutor has called for the International Criminal Court to prosecute Russia over a missile strike on a children's hospital in Kyiv.
In one of the worst wave of Russian strikes across the country, 44 people were killed, including two doctors at Okhmatdyt hospital.
The ICC's office of the prosecutor said one of its teams had visited the hospital, but does not publicly comment on which indictments it is investigating.
"It's important to show that Russia itself, at the moment, is a criminal state," said Ukrainian prosecutor general Andriy Kostin.
Moscow denies attacking the hospital despite all available evidence indicating they did, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
A UN rights mission has said there was a "high likelihood" the hospital took a direct hit from a Russian missile, and Ukraine's security service said it had unequivocal evidence the medical facility was hit by a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile.
The ICC has issued six arrest warrants for alleged Russian crimes in Ukraine, including one against Vladimir Putin.
A former Russian president has admitted Moscow will continue its military operation to "crush" Ukraine - even if Kyiv accepted the terms of the Kremlin's so-called peace deal.
Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, said Russia will "drive a long steel nail into the coffin" of Ukraine in the event it surrenders much of its eastern territory.
Mr Putin has been shopping around the proposal that Ukraine give up four regions and drop its aspirations to join NATO in return for a ceasefire - a plan deemed absurd by Ukraine and its allies.
"What if they take [the deal] and accept it?" asked Mr Medvedev on Telegram.
"This will not be the end of Russia's military operation. Even after signing the papers and accepting defeat, the remaining part of the radicals, after a regrouping of forces, will sooner or later return to power, inspired by Russia's Western enemies.
"And then the time will come to finally crush the reptile. Drive a long steel nail into the coffin of Bandera's quasi-state," he said, making reference to the Second World War-era, far-right Ukrainian nationalist Stepan Bandera.
"Destroy the remnants of his bloody legacy and return the remaining lands to the bosom of the Russian land."
Russian propaganda frequently seeks to portray the modern day Ukrainian state as sympathetic to the Nazis in order to justify its full-scale invasion.
The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution demanding Russia urgently withdraws from Europe's largest nuclear power plant.
It expressed "grave concern over the precarious nuclear safety and security situation" at the plant, which it said must be returned to Ukrainian control.
The resolution was approved by 99 votes to nine, with 60 countries abstaining and 25 countries not voting.
Russia was joined by Belarus, Cuba, Eritrea, Mali, Nicaragua, Syria, Burundi and North Korea in opposing it.
There have been fears of a nuclear catastrophe since Russian troops occupied the plant shortly after invading Ukraine in February 2022.
Zaporizhzhia, which has six nuclear reactors, sits in Russian-controlled territory in south-eastern Ukraine near the front lines and has been continually caught in crossfire.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly expressed alarm about cuts to Zaporizhzhia's electricity, which is crucial for the plant's operation.
Ukraine's UN ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya said the repercussions of a possible incident "would be even more catastrophic" than the Chernobyl plant explosion in 1986.
Mr Kyslytsya warned that "if we simply stand with our arms crossed, that good luck will not last forever, and an incident will be inevitable".
Russia's deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyansky accused the communique's supporters of trying "to promote the false Western narrative about the source of threats to nuclear facilities in Ukraine".
Russia is likely jamming radars in European nations as part of a campaign targeting NATO allies, according to war analysts.
Disruptions to aviation and maritime GPS are likely components of a "hybrid campaign" to undermine unity in the alliance and support for Ukraine, the Institute for the Study of War said.
Finnish transport authorities told Iltalehti that GPS "malfunctions" increased in the past week, after a sailor reported severe interference while guiding other boats near Kotka and Hamina on Finland's southern coast.
"Russia's apparent GPS jamming is likely part of Russia's intensifying hybrid campaign directly targeting NATO states, likely aimed at undermining support for Ukraine and NATO unity," the ISW said.
The US-based think tank said Russian jamming was likely responsible for GPS signal problems on a plane carrying former British defence secretary Grant Shapps in March, and for forcing Finnair to cancel flights to Tartu, Estonia, until May.
Jamming may originate from Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave on the Baltic Sea separated from the Russian mainland by Lithuania and Belarus.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban appears to be taking an approach to the war unrecognisable to his NATO and EU allies.
Hot on the heels of a surprise meeting with Vladimir Putin, as well as trips to Kyiv and Beijing, Mr Orban met with Donald Trump while the NATO summit was ongoing.
The pair discussed the "possibilities of peace" at Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in Florida "as the next stop of his peace mission," the prime minister's spokesperson said.
Trump has said he would quickly end the war - without any explanation. Advisers have reportedly presented him with a plan making aid to Kyiv conditional on Ukraine joining peace talks.
NATO and EU leaders have been angered by Mr Orban's antics, having launched his self-styled "peace mission" without their coordination and undermining their attempts to isolate Russia.
"Whatever adventurism is being undertaken without Ukraine's consent or support is not something that's consistent with our policy, the foreign policy of the United States," said White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan.
On his trip to Kyiv, Mr Orban did not tell Volodymyr Zelenskyy he was stopping in Moscow afterwards.
"Not all the leaders can make negotiations. You need to have some power for this," Mr Zelenskyy said at the NATO summit.
Mr Putin's so-called "peace plan" means Ukraine surrendering four of its regions and dropping aspirations to join NATO.
Ukraine was once again attacked by a barrage of missiles and drones overnight.
The air force said it shot down five cruise missiles and 11 out of 19 drones launched by Russia.
Moscow's main target was the town of Starokostiantyniv, an important Ukrainian air base and a frequent target of Moscow's strikes, the air force said.
The air force said it did not have the location of the remaining eight drones launched in the attack.
"It is likely that the enemy is using imitators of attack drones to overload air defence. There was no information on casualties or damage."
It comes as the country continues to reel from a devastating wave of strikes on Monday, which killed 44 people and injured almost 200 more.
Joe Biden - a keen ally of Ukraine - is facing fresh calls to bow out of the presidential race after mistakenly referring to Volodymyr Zelenskyy as "President Putin".
There were gasps from those in the room at the NATO summit in Washington at the first of two major gaffes - the second: referring to Kamala Harris as "Vice President Trump".
Kyiv will be keenly watching what impact this has on the presidential race. The Biden administrations support for Ukraine - both directly and via NATO - has been crucial, while Donald Trump has questioned America's aid.
Indeed, at the news conference, Mr Biden argued Trump would weaken NATO.
The president trailed off before he had completed his thoughts during some answers, while in others, he delivered detailed responses on issues such as the Israel-Gaza conflict and the need for western countries to produce more weaponry.
The Biden campaign has been on the ropes for two weeks, since his poor debate performance against Trump.
At least 16 of the 213 Democrats in the House and one of the Senate's 51 Democrats have appealed publicly to the president to withdraw from the race.
Representative Jim Himes of Connecticut joined that group shortly after the news conference ended.
"We must put forth the strongest candidate possible to confront the threat posed by Trump's promised MAGA authoritarianism," he said.
"I no longer believe that is Joe Biden."
The campaign has commissioned a survey to test how Vice President Kamala Harris would fare if she were to replace Biden as candidate, a source with knowledge of the matter told AP.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll last week found Harris would fare no better than Biden in a match-up with Trump.
Welcome back to our live coverage of the war in Ukraine.
NATO leaders ended their summit in Washington last night, where Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the alliance's "crucial" support for Ukraine will help stop Vladimir Putin's "appetite for aggression".
We'll bring you updates and analysis throughout the day - but first, here's a recap of the key developments over the course of the last 24 hours.
We are ending our live coverage for now.
Scroll back to find out all the day's latest developments.
The Democrat congressman becomes the second senior lawmaker to call for Biden to stand down following his latest gaffes.
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In summary, understanding direct and indirect speech is crucial for effective communication and writing. Direct speech can be used to convey the speaker's tone and emotion, while indirect speech can be useful when summarizing what someone said. By following the rules for changing direct speech to indirect speech, you can accurately report what was said while maintaining clarity and ...
Reported speech: indirect speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary
Indirect speech is a report on what someone else said or wrote without using that person's exact words, as examples and explanations illustrate.
Direct and Indirect Speech are the two ways of reporting what someone said. The use of both direct and indirect speech is crucial in effective communication and writing. Understanding the basics of direct and indirect speech is important, but mastering the advanced techniques of these two forms of speech can take your writing to the next level.
Changes in Indirect Speech Welcome to a comprehensive tutorial providing guidance on the proper use, types, and rules of indirect speech in English grammar. Indirect speech, also called reported speech, allows us to share another person's exact words without using quotes. It is particularly useful in written language.
Learn the rules for writing indirect speech in English with Lingolia's simple explanation. In the exercises, you can test your grammar skills.
Reported speech can be quite challenging for English language learners because in order to change direct speech into reported speech, one must change the perspective and tense of what was said by the original speaker or writer. In this guide, we will explain in detail how to change direct speech into indirect speech and provide lots of examples of reported speech to help you understand. Here ...
How to use Reported Speech If you have a sentence in Direct Speech, try to follow our 5 steps to put the sentence into Reported Speech..
This articles describes all the rules and various examples of direct and indirect speech. This chapter is important as it is a basic concept of grammar.
Read about direct and indirect speech. Find the differences between direct and reported speech, learn to convert direct to an indirect statement, and view examples.
Direct and indirect speech can be a source of confusion for English learners. Let's first define the terms, then look at how to talk about what someone said, and how to convert speech from direct to indirect or vice-versa.
Learn to master reported speech in English! "Reported speech" means talking about the things that other people have said. Read this post to learn about direct and indirect reported speech in English. Reported speech is an essential skill for gossiping, chatting with friends and keeping up with the news.
Learn how to use reported speech with clear explanations and lots of exercises. Perfect English Grammar helps you master grammar skills.
A direct speech can be transformed into an indirect speech and vice versa using a suitable reporting verb and a linker depending on the sentence. Let's have an example first.
Direct and indirect speech are different because in direct speech the exact words said are spoken, but in indirect or reported speech, we are reporting what was said, usually using the past tense.
Direct Speech Direct speech is also called reporting speech. There are two parts in a sentence in direct speech first part is known as reporting speech (in this sentence we know about reporting person) and the second part which is known as reported speech (indirect narration "example", or indirect discourse). When we want to describe what someone said, one option is to use direct speech ...
Understanding direct and indirect speech rules is crucial for clear and accurate communication. Explore these rules with detailed examples.
Indirect speech is also known as reported speech, indirect narration, or indirect discourse. In grammar, when you report someone else's statement in your own words without any change in the meaning of the statement, it is called indirect speech.
Reported Speech - Definition, Rules and Usage with Examples Reported speech or indirect speech is the form of speech used to convey what was said by someone at some point of time. This article will help you with all that you need to know about reported speech, its meaning, definition, how and when to use them along with examples. Furthermore, try out the practice questions given to check how ...
Learn about direct and indirect speech topic of english in details explained by subject experts on vedantu.com. Register free for online tutoring session to clear your doubts.
Direct Speech: The teacher said, "Do you complete your homework?" Indirect Speech: The teacher asked if he completed his homework.
Speech in a reported clause is not separated from the reporting verb by a comma, is not enclosed in inverted commas, and does not begin with a capital letter unless it is a proper noun. Reported questions are not followed by question marks. An alternative position for main clauses that would normally have a linking that, is after the reported ...
Reported speech is a way of relaying what someone else has said. Learn how to use it correctly with examples and tips in this comprehensive guide.
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