Reported speech

 Reported speech (also called indirect speech) is when you tell someone what another person said, without quoting their exact words.

  • Direct speech: "I’m tired," she said.

  • Reported speech: She said that she was tired.

 How Does It Work?

When changing from direct to reported speech, you usually:

  1. Change the pronouns

  2. Change the verb tense (backshift)

  3. Sometimes change time/place words


 Pronoun Change

  • Direct: "I love you," she said.

  • Reported: She said she loved me.


3. Time Words Change

Example:

  • Direct: "I’ll call you tomorrow."

  • Reported: He said he would call me the next day.


Common reporting verbs:

  • said (that)

  • told (someone) that

  • asked (for questions)

  • explained, mentioned, added, etc.

Examples:

  • She said (that) she was tired.

  • He told me (that) he was busy.

  • They asked if I could help.

  • She explained that it was too late.

 Reporting Questions

Use if or whether for yes/no questions.

Example:

  • Direct: "Do you like pizza?"

  • Reported: He asked if I liked pizza.

For wh- questions, keep the question word, but change the structure to a statement.

Example:

  • Direct: "Where are you going?"

  • Reported: She asked where I was going.
    (No question mark or inversion!)


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