Reported Speech

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What is reported speech?

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Reported speech is a way of conveying what someone else has said without quoting their exact words. It often involves changes in verb tense, pronouns, and time expressions.

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How do you change present simple to reported speech?

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Present simple changes to past simple in reported speech. For example, 'He says, "I eat apples"' becomes 'He said that he ate apples.'

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What is the rule for changing future simple to reported speech?

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Future simple (will) changes to would in reported speech. For example, 'She says, "I will go"' becomes 'She said that she would go.'

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How do you report a question?

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To report a question, use a reporting verb like 'ask' and change the question format to a statement. For example, 'He asked, "Are you coming?"' becomes 'He asked if I was coming.'

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What happens to the pronouns in reported speech?

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Pronouns often change in reported speech to reflect the perspective of the speaker. For example, 'I' may change to 'he' or 'she' depending on who is speaking.

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How do you report commands or requests?

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Commands or requests are reported using 'to' + base form of the verb. For example, 'She said, "Close the door"' becomes 'She told me to close the door.'

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What is the past perfect tense in reported speech?

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The past perfect tense remains the same in reported speech. For example, 'He said, "I had finished"' becomes 'He said that he had finished.'

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How do you report statements in the present continuous?

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Present continuous changes to past continuous in reported speech. For example, 'She says, "I am studying"' becomes 'She said that she was studying.'

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What is the significance of time expressions in reported speech?

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Time expressions often change in reported speech to reflect the time of reporting. For example, 'today' may change to 'that day' and 'tomorrow' to 'the following day.'

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What is the difference between direct and reported speech?

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Direct speech quotes the exact words spoken, while reported speech paraphrases what was said, often changing verb tenses and pronouns.