Reported speech

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is a way of conveying what someone else has said without quoting their exact words. It involves changing the original speaker’s words into a different grammatical structure. Here are the key aspects of reported speech:

Basic Structure

In reported speech, the structure typically follows this pattern:

  • Reporting Verb: Common verbs used include “say,” “tell,” “ask,” “advise,” etc.
  • Change in Pronouns: Pronouns often change to reflect the perspective of the speaker.
  • Tense Changes: The tense of the original statement usually shifts back (known as “backshifting”).

 

Tense Changes

When converting direct speech to reported speech, the following tense changes generally occur:

  • Present Simple → Past Simple

    • Direct: “I eat apples.”
    • Reported: He said that he ate apples.
  • Present Continuous → Past Continuous

    • Direct: “I am eating apples.”
    • Reported: He said that he was eating apples.
  • Present Perfect → Past Perfect

    • Direct: “I have eaten apples.”
    • Reported: He said that he had eaten apples.
  • Past Simple → Past Perfect

    • Direct: “I ate apples.”
    • Reported: He said that he had eaten apples.
  • Future Simple → Conditional

    • Direct: “I will eat apples.”
    • Reported: He said that he would eat apples.

Pronoun Changes

Pronouns must be adjusted to match the perspective of the reporting speaker:

  • Direct: “I will help you.”
  • Reported: He said that he would help me.

Time and Place Expressions

Time and place expressions may also change:

  • Now → then
  • Today → that day
  • Tomorrow → the next day / the following day
  • Yesterday → the day before / the previous day
  • Here → there

Questions and Commands

  • Questions: When reporting questions, the structure changes to a statement form, and the question word is retained.

    • Direct: “Where are you going?”
    • Reported: He asked where I was going.
  • Commands: For commands, the verb “tell” or “ask” is often used, and the structure changes to an infinitive form.

    • Direct: “Close the door.”
    • Reported: He told me to close the door.

Exceptions to Backshifting

In some cases, backshifting may not occur, especially if the reporting verb is in the present tense or if the information is still true:

  • Direct: “I am a teacher.”
  • Reported: He says that he is a teacher.

Share this page

Subcribe & Follow

Find out more: