REPORTED

SPEECH
 • Definition of reported speech: Reported speech,

Reported also known as indirect speech, conveys what

someone said without using their exact words. It is
used to report a conversation or speech in our own

SPeech
words.
• How to convert direct speech into reported speech:
Direct speech is when we use someone's exact
words, while reported speech is when we use our
own words to convey what someone said. To
convert direct speech into reported speech, we need
to change the tense and pronouns (if necessary) and
use an appropriate reporting verb and conjunction.
• Examples: Direct speech: "I am happy," said Jane.
Reported speech: Jane said that she was happy.
(Direct speech + reporting verb + object + reported
speech; present simple changed to past simple)
 that we are reporting what someone else said.
• Object: the conjunction used to connect the
reporting verb and the reported speech The
object is the conjunction (that, if, whether, etc.)
that connects the reporting verb and the reported

Structure speech.
• Reported speech: the actual words spoken in the

of direct speech The reported speech is what the

speaker actually said in the direct speech.
• Tense change: how the tense of the verb changes

reported when reporting speech The tense of the verb

often changes from present to past when
reporting speech.
speech • Pronoun change: how pronouns change when
reporting speech The pronouns often change
when reporting speech, depending on who is
speaking and who is being spoken to.
• Example sentence: Direct speech: "I am going to
the store," said John to Mary.
 Present simple to past simple Direct speech: "I like ice cream," said Sarah.
Simple Present Reported speech: Sarah said that she liked ice cream.

Tense Present Present continuous to past continuous Direct speech: "I am eating lunch," said Tom.

change in
Continuous Reported speech: Tom said that he was eating lunch.

Reported Present Perfect

Present perfect to past perfect Direct speech: "I have finished my work," said Alice.
Reported speech: Alice said that she had finished her work.

SPEECH
Past simple to past perfect Direct speech: "I went to the store yesterday," said Mike.
Simple Past Reported speech: Mike said that he had gone to the store the day before.
Pronoun change
• First person pronouns (I, we) to third person
pronouns (he, she, they)
Direct speech: "I am going to the party,"
said Mary.
Reported speech: Mary said that she was
going to the party.
• Second person pronouns (you) to third
person pronouns (he, she, they)
Direct speech: "You need to study," said the
teacher.
Reported speech: The teacher said that they
 Common reporting verbs include "said," "told,"
"asked," "replied," "explained," and "warned,"
among others. The tense of the verb in reported
speech changes based on the tense of the original
verb. For example:

Reporting Direct speech: "I will be there at 6 pm," said Tom.

Reported speech: Tom said that he would be there at 6

verbs pm. (future changed to conditional)

Direct speech: "I went to the concert last night," said

Jane.
Reported speech: Jane said that she had gone to the
concert last night. (past simple changed to past
perfect)
QUESTION AND STATEMENT
Statements and questions in direct speech: Statements are
sentences that convey information or facts, while questions
are sentences that seek information.
Example sentences for each type of speech:
Direct speech statement: "The sun is shining today," said
Sarah.
Reported speech statement: Sarah said that the sun was
shining today.
Changes in punctuation and word order when reporting
statements and questions: When reporting statements, the
punctuation may change, and the word order may be
altered to fit the syntax of the reporting clause. When
reporting questions, the reporting verb and conjunction
used may change depending on whether the original
question was a yes-no question or a WH-question.
Direct speech question: "Are you coming to the party?"
asked John. Reported speech
Yes-no question: John asked if I was coming to the party.
Reported speech
WH-question: John asked me where the party was.
 • Commands and requests in direct speech: Commands are

COMMA sentences that give instructions or orders, while requests are

sentences that ask for something.
• Reporting commands with "to-(action)" or "that": When
reporting commands, we can use either a "to-(action)" verb or

NDS "that" before the reported speech.

• Reporting requests with "to-(action)": When reporting requests,
we typically use a "to-(action)" verb after the reporting verb.

AND
• Example sentences for each type of speech: Direct speech
command: "Clean your room," said Mom.
Reported speech with "to-(action)": Mom told me to clean my
room.

REQUES
 Reported speech with "that": Mom commanded that I clean my
room.
• Direct speech request: "Can you pass me the salt?" asked Bob.
Reported speech with "to-(action)": Bob asked me to pass him the

TS
salt.
Reported speech with "that": Bob requested that I pass him the
salt.
 speech When reporting speech with
modal verbs, we need to use an
appropriate form of the modal verb based
on the context. For example:
• Can: could
• May: might

Modal • Shall: should

• Will: would 

verbs Direct speech: "I can swim," said Mary.

Reported speech: Mary said that she could
swim.
Direct speech: "I can swim," said Tom.
Reported speech: Tom said that he could
swim.
Direct speech: "You should study more,"
said the teacher. Reported speech: The
 • When reporting time and place expressions, we often
change them to reflect the perspective of the speaker
in the reported speech. Common changes include
using "here" and "there" to reflect the location of
the speaker, and changing "now" and "then" to

Time and
reflect the time of the reported speech.
• Examples: Direct speech: "I will meet you here
tomorrow," said Lisa.

place Reported speech: Lisa said that she would meet me

there the next day.
• Direct speech: "I am busy now," said John.
Reported speech: John said that he was busy then.
• Direct speech: "I went to Paris last year," said Peter.
Reported speech: Peter said that he had gone to
Paris the previous year.