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.

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.”

Rules to be Followed When Using Reported Speech

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.

● The first thing you have to keep in mind is that you need not use any quotation
marks as you are not using the exact words of the speaker.
● You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech.

Subject said that (report whatever the speaker said)

● You can use verbs like said, asked, requested, ordered, complained, exclaimed,
screamed, told, etc. If you are just reporting a declarative sentence, you can use
verbs like told, said, etc. followed by ‘that’ and end the sentence with a full stop.
When you are reporting interrogative sentences, you can use the verbs –
enquired, inquired, asked, etc. and remove the question mark. In case you are
reporting imperative sentences, you can use verbs like requested, commanded,
pleaded, ordered, etc. If you are reporting exclamatory sentences, you can use the
verb exclaimed and remove the exclamation mark. Remember that the structure
of the sentences also changes accordingly.
● Furthermore, keep in mind that the sentence structure, tense, pronouns, modal
verbs, some specific adverbs of place and adverbs of time change when a
sentence is transformed into indirect/reported speech.

Transforming Direct Speech into Reported Speech

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.

Table 1 – Change of Pronouns

Direct Speech Reported Speech

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

Table 2 – Change of Adverbs of Place and Adverbs of Time

Direct Speech Reported Speech

This That

These Those

Adverbs of Place

Here There

Adverbs of Time

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

Table 3 – Change of Tense

Direct Speech Reported Speech

Simple Present Simple Past

Example: Preethi said, “I cook Example: Preethi said that she

pasta.” cooked pasta.

Present Continuous Past Continuous

Example: Preethi said, “I am Example: Preethi said that she

cooking pasta.” was cooking pasta.

Present Perfect Past Perfect

Example: Preethi said, “I have Example: Preethi said that she

cooked pasta.” had cooked pasta.

Present Perfect Past Perfect Continuous

Example: Preethi said, “I have Example: Preethi said that she

been cooking pasta.” had been cooking pasta.

Simple Past Past Perfect

Example: Preethi said, “I cooked Example: Preethi said that she

pasta.” had cooked pasta.

Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous

Example: Preethi said, “I was Example: Preethi said that she

cooking pasta.” had been cooking pasta.

Past Perfect Past Perfect (No change)

Example: Preethi said, “I had Example: Preethi said that she

cooked pasta.” had cooked pasta.

Past Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous (No change)

 Example: Preethi said, “I had Example: Preethi said that she

been cooking pasta.” had been cooking pasta.

Table 4 – Change of Modal Verbs

Direct Speech Reported Speech

Will Would

May Might

Can Could

Shall Should

Has/Have Had

Tips to Practise Reported Speech

Here are some tips you can follow to become a pro in using reported speech.

● Select a play, a drama or a short story with dialogues and try transforming the
sentences in direct speech into reported speech.
● Write about an incident or speak about a day in your life using reported speech.
● Develop a story by following prompts or on your own using reported speech.

Examples of Reported Speech

Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be

written. Check them out.

● Santana said that she would be auditioning for the lead role in Funny Girl.
● Blaine requested us to help him with the algebraic equations.
● Karishma asked me if I knew where her car keys were.
● The judges announced that the Warblers were the winners of the annual acapella
competition.
● Binsha assured that she would reach Bangalore by 8 p.m.
● Kumar said that he had gone to the doctor the previous day.
● Lakshmi asked Teena if she would accompany her to the railway station.
● Jibin told me that he would help me out after lunch.
● The police ordered everyone to leave from the bus stop immediately.
● Rahul said that he was drawing a caricature.

Check Your Understanding of Reported Speech

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.”

Verb Tense Changes

Change the reporting verb into its past form if the statement is irrelevant
now. Remember that some of these words are irregular verbs, meaning
they don’t follow the typical -d or -ed pattern. For example:

● Direct speech: I dislike fried chicken.

Reported speech: She said she disliked fried chicken.

Note how the main verb in the reported statement is also in the past
tense verb form.

Use the simple present tense in your indirect speech if the initial words
remain relevant at the time of reporting. This verb tense also works if the
report is something someone would repeat. For example:

● Slater says they’re opening a restaurant soon.

● Maya says she likes dogs.
This rule proves that the choice of verb tense is not a black-and-white
question. The reporter needs to analyze the context of the action.

Move the tense backward when the reporting verb is in the past tense.
That means:

● Present simple becomes past simple.

● Present perfect becomes past perfect.
● Present continuous becomes past continuous.
● Past simple becomes past perfect.
● Past continuous becomes past perfect continuous.

Here are some examples:

● The singer has left the building. (present perfect)

He said that the singers had left the building. (past perfect)

● Her sister gave her new shows. (past simple)

● She said that her sister had given her new shoes. (past
perfect)

If the original speaker is discussing the future, change the tense of the
reporting verb into the past form. There’ll also be a change in the
auxiliary verbs.

● Will or shall becomes would.

 ● Will be becomes would be.
● Will have been becomes would have been.
● Will have becomes would have.

For example:

● Direct speech: “I will be there in a moment.”

Indirect speech: She said that she would be there in a moment.

Do not change the verb tenses in indirect speech when the sentence has
a time clause. This rule applies when the introductory verb is in the
future, present, and present perfect. Here are other conditions where
you must not change the tense:

● If the sentence is a fact or generally true.

● If the sentence’s verb is in the unreal past (using second or
third conditional).
● If the original speaker reports something right away.
● Do not change had better, would, used to, could, might, etc.

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Changes in Place and Time Reference

Changing the place and time adverb when using indirect speech is
essential. For example, now becomes then and today becomes that day.
Here are more transformations in adverbs of time and places.

● This – that.
● These – those.
● Now – then.
● Here – there.
● Tomorrow – the next/following day.
● Two weeks ago – two weeks before.
● Yesterday – the day before.

Here are some examples.

● Direct speech: “I am baking cookies now.”

Indirect speech: He said he was baking cookies then.

● Direct speech: “Myra went here yesterday.”

Indirect speech: She said Myra went there the day before.

● Direct speech: “I will go to the market tomorrow.”

Indirect speech: She said she would go to the market the next day.
Using Modals

If the direct speech contains a modal verb, make sure to change them
accordingly.

● Will becomes would

● Can becomes could
● Shall becomes should or would.

For example:

● Direct speech: “Will you come to the ball with me?”

Indirect speech: He asked if he would come to the ball with me.

● Direct speech: “Gina can inspect the room tomorrow because

she’s free.”
Indirect speech: He said Gina could inspect the room the next day
because she’s free.

However, sometimes, the modal verb should does not change

grammatically. For example:

● Direct speech: “He should go to the park.”

Indirect speech: She said that he should go to the park.

Imperative Sentences

To change an imperative sentence into a reported indirect sentence, use

to for imperative and not to for negative sentences. Never use the word
that in your indirect speech. Another rule is to remove the word please.
Instead, say request or say. For example:

● “Please don’t interrupt the event,” said the host.

The host requested them not to interrupt the event.

● Jonah told her, “Be careful.”

● Jonah ordered her to be careful.

Reported Questions

When reporting a direct question, I would use verbs like inquire, wonder,
ask, etc. Remember that we don’t use a question mark or exclamation
mark for reports of questions. Below is an example I made of how to
change question forms.

● Incorrect: He asked me where I live?

Correct: He asked me where I live.

Here’s another example. The first sentence uses direct speech in a

present simple question form, while the second is the reported speech.

● Where do you live?

She asked me where I live.