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 pronouns, verb tenses, and time expressions.

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When do we use 'said' in Reported Speech?

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We use 'said' when we are reporting what someone has said without specifying the person to whom it was said. For example, 'He said he was tired.'

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When do we use 'told' in Reported Speech?

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We use 'told' when we are reporting what someone has said and specifying the person to whom it was said. For example, 'She told him that she was busy.'

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How do pronouns change in Reported Speech?

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Pronouns change according to the perspective of the speaker. For example, 'I' becomes 'he' or 'she', and 'you' becomes 'I' or 'he/she' depending on who is speaking.

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What happens to the verb tense in Reported Speech?

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The verb tense usually shifts back one tense in Reported Speech. For example, present simple changes to past simple.

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How do we report questions in Reported Speech?

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To report questions, we change the structure to a statement and often use 'if' or 'whether' for yes/no questions. For example, 'He asked if I was coming.'

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What is the change for 'this' and 'these' in Reported Speech?

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In Reported Speech, 'this' changes to 'that' and 'these' changes to 'those'.

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How do we report commands or requests in Reported Speech?

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Commands or requests are reported using verbs like 'ask' or 'tell'. For example, 'He said to close the door' becomes 'He asked me to close the door.'

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What is the structure of a Reported Speech sentence?

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The structure typically follows: Reporting verb + (that) + reported clause. For example, 'She said (that) she was happy.'

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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 without quoting the exact words.