Reported Speech

Types, Rules, and Sentence Structure

A complete, colour-coded grammar reference covering direct vs. reported speech, the general rules of
conversion (tense, pronoun, time and place changes), and the three main sentence types —
Assertive, Imperative, and Interrogative — each with structure formulas and worked examples.

ASSERTIVE IMPERATIVE INTERROGATIVE

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 1 What Is Reported Speech?

Speech can be conveyed in two ways: Direct Speech, which repeats a speaker's exact words inside
quotation marks, and Indirect (Reported) Speech, which conveys the same meaning without quoting the
exact words. Reported speech typically changes the tense, pronouns, and time/place expressions of the
original sentence, and joins the reporting clause to the reported clause with an appropriate connector.

DIRECT She said, "I am writing a letter."

REPORTED She said (that) she was writing a letter.

Every sentence in reported speech has two parts: the Reporting Speech (e.g., She said, He told me, They
asked) and the Reported Speech (the actual content being conveyed, transformed according to the rules
below).

2 General Rules of Conversion

2.1 Tense Change (Backshift)

When the reporting verb is in the past tense (said, told, asked), the tense of the reported clause generally
shifts one step back into the past. If the reporting verb is in the present or future tense, no tense change is
required.

Direct Speech Tense Reported Speech Tense

Simple Present Simple Past

Present Continuous Past Continuous

Present Perfect Past Perfect

Simple Past Past Perfect

Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect Past Perfect (no change)

will / can / may / must would / could / might / had to

shall should

★ NOTE No backshift is required for universal truths, facts, and habitual actions (e.g., He said the sun rises
in the east.), and it is optional when the reporting verb is in the present tense or the statement is still true at
the time of reporting.

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 2.2 Pronoun Change
Pronouns change according to person: the first person in direct speech changes to agree with the subject
of the reporting verb; the second person changes to agree with the object of the reporting verb; the third
person normally stays the same.

DIRECT He said, "I will help you."

REPORTED He said (that) he would help me/her/him (depending on context).

2.3 Time and Place Changes

Direct Speech Reported Speech

now then

today that day

tonight that night

yesterday the day before / the previous day

tomorrow the next day / the following day

last week/month/year the previous week/month/year

next week/month/year the following week/month/year

ago before

here there

this that

these those

★ NOTE As with tense, these shift only when the context requires it — if reporting happens the same day or
in the same place, words such as 'today' or 'here' may stay unchanged.

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 3 The Three Sentence Types

Every reported sentence falls into one of three functional types, each with its own connector and structural
pattern, colour-coded throughout this guide:

ASSERTIVE IMPERATIVE INTERROGATIVE

3.1 Assertive (Declarative) Sentences

Assertive sentences make a statement of fact, opinion, or description. They are reported using the
connector that (often omitted in informal speech), with the verb, pronouns, and time/place expressions
changed according to the general rules above.

FORMULA → Subject + said/told + (object) + that + Subject + Verb (backshifted) + Object.

DIRECT Ravi said, "I am tired."

REPORTED Ravi said (that) he was tired.

DIRECT She said, "I have finished my homework."

REPORTED She said (that) she had finished her homework.

DIRECT He said to me, "You look happy today."

REPORTED He told me (that) I looked happy that day.

★ NOTE When the reporting verb is 'said to,' it changes to 'told' in reported speech (said to → told); 'said'
alone (with no listener named) stays as 'said.'

3.2 Imperative Sentences

Imperative sentences give a command, make a request, give advice, or express a suggestion/prohibition.
Instead of 'that,' reported imperatives use a to-infinitive (for positive commands) or not to-infinitive (for
negative commands), and the reporting verb changes to match the tone: order/command → ordered,
commanded; request → requested; advice → advised; suggestion → suggested; forbid → forbade/told not
to.

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 FORMULA → (Positive) Subject + ordered/requested/advised/told + Object + to + Verb
(base) + Object.

FORMULA → (Negative) Subject + ordered/requested/advised/told + Object + not to + Verb

(base) + Object.

DIRECT The teacher said, "Close the door."

REPORTED The teacher ordered/told them to close the door.

DIRECT She said to him, "Please help me."

REPORTED She requested him to help her.

DIRECT The doctor said, "Do not smoke."

REPORTED The doctor advised him not to smoke.

DIRECT Mother said, "Let's go for a walk."

Mother suggested going for a walk. / Mother suggested that they (should) go for
REPORTED
a walk.

★ NOTE 'Let's' suggestions are typically reported with 'suggested' + gerund, or 'suggested that ... should,'
rather than with a to-infinitive.

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 3.3 Interrogative Sentences

Interrogative sentences ask a question. The reporting verb 'said/said to' changes to asked (or
enquired/wanted to know), the question mark is dropped, and word order changes from question order back
to normal statement order (subject before verb). There are two structures, depending on the question type.

(a) Yes/No Questions — reported using if or whether:

FORMULA → Subject + asked + (object) + if/whether + Subject + Verb (backshifted) +

Object.

DIRECT He said to her, "Do you like tea?"

REPORTED He asked her if/whether she liked tea.

DIRECT She said, "Have you finished the report?"

REPORTED She asked if/whether I had finished the report.

(b) Wh- Questions — reported using the same wh-word (what, where, why, who, when, how, etc.) in place of
if/whether, keeping normal statement word order:

FORMULA → Subject + asked + (object) + wh-word + Subject + Verb (backshifted) +

Object.

DIRECT She said to me, "Where do you live?"

REPORTED She asked me where I lived.

DIRECT He said, "Why are you late?"

REPORTED He asked why I was late.

DIRECT The officer said to them, "What is your name?"

REPORTED The officer asked them what their name was.

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 ★ NOTE In reported questions, auxiliary verbs such as 'do/does/did' are removed and the helping verb is
absorbed into the backshifted main verb; the sentence ends without a question mark since it is no longer a
direct question.

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 4 Quick-Reference Summary

Type Connector Reporting Verb Structure

Assertive that (often said / told S + said (that) + S + V

omitted) (backshift) + O

Imperative to / not to ordered, requested, S + ordered/requested + O

advised, told, forbade + (not) to + V

Interrogative if / whether asked S + asked + O + if/whether +

(Yes/No) S+V

Interrogative (Wh-) wh-word asked S + asked + O + wh-word +

S+V

5 Practice Tip

When converting any sentence, work through four checks in order: (1) identify the sentence type —
assertive, imperative, or interrogative — to choose the right connector; (2) shift the tense if the reporting
verb is in the past; (3) change pronouns to match the speaker/listener in the new context; (4) adjust time and
place words if the moment or location of reporting differs from the moment of speaking.

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