REPORTED SPEECH

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What is reported speech?

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

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How do you change present tense to past tense in reported speech?

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In reported speech, present tense verbs are typically changed to past tense. For example, 'I am happy' becomes 'He said he was happy.'

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What is the rule for changing pronouns in reported speech?

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Pronouns in reported speech must be changed to match the perspective of the speaker. For example, 'I' becomes 'he' or 'she' depending on who is speaking.

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How do you report a question?

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When reporting a question, use 'ask' instead of 'say' and change the sentence structure to a statement. For example, 'He asked, "Are you coming?"' becomes 'He asked if I was coming.'

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What happens to time expressions in reported speech?

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Time expressions often change in reported speech. For example, 'today' becomes 'that day,' 'tomorrow' becomes 'the next day,' and 'yesterday' becomes 'the day before.'

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How do you report commands or requests?

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Commands or requests are reported using verbs like 'tell' or 'ask' followed by an infinitive. For example, 'She said, "Close the door"' becomes 'She told me to close the door.'

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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 those words. For example, direct: 'I am tired.' Reported: 'He said he was tired.'

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How do you report a statement in the past tense?

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When reporting a statement in the past tense, the verb tense usually shifts back one tense. For example, 'I saw her' becomes 'He said he had seen her.'

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What is the structure of reported speech?

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The structure of reported speech typically follows the pattern: reporting verb + (that) + reported clause. For example, 'He said (that) he was tired.'

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What is the significance of using 'that' in reported speech?

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The word 'that' is often optional in reported speech. It can be included for clarity, but it is not necessary. For example, 'He said (that) he was happy.'