Now that you know some of the reported speech rules about backshift, let’s learn some exceptions.
There are two situations in which we do NOT need to change the verb tense.
For example, if someone says “I have three children” (direct speech) then we would say “He said he has three children” because the situation continues to be true.
If I tell you “I live in the United States” (direct speech) then you could tell someone else “She said she lives in the United States” (that’s reported speech) because it is still true.
When the situation is still true, then we don’t need to backshift the verb.
But when the situation is NOT still true, then we DO need to backshift the verb.
Imagine your friend says, “I have a headache.”
We also don’t need to backshift to the verb when somebody said something about the future, and the event is still in the future.
Here’s an example:
Let’s look at a different situation:
Quick review:
Those were the rules for reported statements, just regular sentences.
What about reported speech for questions, requests, and orders?
For reported requests, we use “asked (someone) to do something”:
For reported orders, we use “told (someone) to do something:”
The main verb stays in the infinitive with “to”:
For yes/no questions, we use “asked if” and “wanted to know if” in reported speech.
The main verb changes and back shifts according to the rules and exceptions we learned earlier.
Notice that we don’t use do/does/did in the reported question:
For other questions that are not yes/no questions, we use asked/wanted to know (without “if”):
Again, notice that we don’t use do/does/did in reported questions:
Also, in questions with the verb “to be,” the word order changes in the reported question:
Learn more about reported speech:
If you want to take your English grammar to the next level, then my Advanced English Grammar Course is for you! It will help you master the details of the English language, with clear explanations of essential grammar topics, and lots of practice. I hope to see you inside!
I’ve got one last little exercise for you, and that is to write sentences using reported speech. Think about a conversation you’ve had in the past, and write about it – let’s see you put this into practice right away.
Hi, I’m Shayna. I create courses helping English as a Second Language learners become more fluent in just a few minutes a day – so they can speak English naturally and confidently in work and daily life.
What is reported speech, direct speech vs reported speech.
Direct speech | Reported speech |
---|---|
She says: “I like tuna fish.” | She says that she likes tuna fish. |
She said: “I’m visiting Paris next weekend.” | She said that she was visiting Paris the following weekend. |
He asked Betty: “Do you like cheese?” | He wanted to know if Betty liked cheese. |
A. reporting statements, 1- pronouns.
Shifting back tense | Direct speech | Reported speech |
---|---|---|
(no backshift) | “I poems.” | He that he poems. |
(backshift) | “I poems | He that he poems. |
Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
---|---|
He said: “I happy” | He said that he happy |
He said: “I for my keys” | He said that he for his keys |
He said: “I New York last year” | He said that he New York the previous year. |
He said: ” I here for a long time “ | He said that he there for a long time |
He said: “They the work when I “ | He said that they the work when he “ |
He said: “I football when the accident “ | He said that football when the accident |
He said: “I football for two hours.” | He said that football for two hours |
He said: “I a newspaper when the light “ | He said that he a newspaper when the light |
He said: “I the door.” | He said that the door. |
He said: “I a Mercedes if I rich” | He said that he a Mercedes if he rich |
Modal | Direct speech | Reported speech |
---|---|---|
can | “I do it.” | He said that he do it. |
may | “ I go out?” | He wanted to know if he go out. |
must | “She apply for the job.” | He said that she apply for the job. |
will | “They call you.” | He told her that they call her. |
Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
---|---|
Time Expressions | |
today | that day |
now | then |
yesterday | the day before |
… days ago | … days before |
last week | the week before/the previous week |
next year | the following year/the next year/ the year after |
tomorrow | the next day/the following day |
Place | |
here | there |
Demonstratives | |
this | that |
these | those |
Types of questions | Direct speech | Reported speech |
---|---|---|
With question words (what, why, where, how…) | “Why don’t you speak English?” | He asked me why I didn’t speak English. |
Without question words (yes or no questions) | “Do you speak English?” | He asked me whether/if I spoke English. |
Direct speech | Reported speech |
---|---|
“Nancy, do the exercise.” | He told Nancy to do the exercise. |
“Nancy, give me your pen, please.” | He asked Nancy to give him her pen. |
Tenses are not relevant for requests, simply use / + verb (infinitive without “to”) |
For affirmative use + infinitive (without to) For negative requests, use + infinitive (without to). |
Main clauses connected with and/but, punctuation rules of the reported speech, can we omit that in the reported speech, list of reporting verbs.
Direct speech | Reported speech |
---|---|
simple present | simple past |
simple past | past perfect |
present continuous | past continuous |
past continuous | past perfect continuous |
will | would |
shall | should |
may | might |
can | could |
must | had to |
English grammar and vocabulary
How to use reported speech in english, structure and explanations., table showing tense changes - direct to reported speech..
This table (right column) shows the verb tense or modal verb we use after we change from direct speech to reported speech.
present simple | past simple |
present continuous | past continuous |
present perfect simple | past perfect simple |
present perfect continuous | past perfect continuous |
past simple | past perfect simple |
past continuous | past perfect continuous |
past perfect simple | past perfect simple |
past perfect continuous | past perfect continuous |
|
|
will | would |
shall | should |
can | could |
could | could |
would | would |
must | must / had to |
should | should |
ought to | ought to |
may | might |
might | might |
Learn more about the tenses and modals in this list...
Reported speech is a structure used to repeat what somebody has said before (direct speech):
John: "My name is John" (direct speech) He said (that*) his name was John (reported speech)
* that can be omitted.
Note that after the verb said , which is in past tense, it is natural to continue the rest of the sentence in the past: "...his name was John". This does not mean that John is now not his name; we use the past for agreement of the verbs in the sentence: said and was .
However, if John is still John, we cannot reject the present tense. So that...
He said that his name is John.
...is also correct.
Let's consider a sentence said a week ago:
Mary: "I am going to Madrid."
If, a week later, we repeat what Mary said, we must now use the verb in past tense because the action cannot refer to the present but to seven days before :
Mary said that she was going to Madrid.
We can see that I'm going in direct speech changes to I was going in reported speech. All tenses change to one step further in the past. In the above example, present continuous to past continuous .
In this next example, we can see how present perfect changes to past perfect :
Dave: I have seen that film. Dave said that he had seen that film.
In the case where we can not go further into the past, we repeat the same tense:
Mike: I had been there. He said that he had been there.
Let's now look at other words that can change in reported speech if we refer to past actions:
I'm going tomorrow . He said he was going the next day (o " the following day ").
I'm playing football next week . He said he was playing football the following week .
I went last week . He said he had gone the week before .
If we have also moved in space, in other words, we are not in the same place where the direct speech was said, words referring to place must also change:
I like it here . He said that he liked it there .
here | there |
this | that |
these | those |
today | that day |
tomorrow | the following day |
yesterday | the day before |
next week | the following week |
last week | the week before |
now | then |
two days ago | two days before |
Modal auxiliary verbs, in some cases, have also got a past tense form which is used in reported speech:
I can speak English. He said that he could speak English.
I 'll see you next week. She said that she would see him the following week.
See table above for full list of modals that change...
Let's now consider this question:
Is your name John?
A question in reported speech that requires the answer yes or no (closed question) must include if . In other words, we want to know if the answer is yes or no :
She asked him if his name was John.
Open questions which do not require a yes or no , for example, questions with words like: what?, when?, why?, who?, which?, how?, whose?, where?, how much? , what time?, etc. usually take inversion between the subject and auxiliary (or verb to be) in direct speech but no inversion in reported speech:
What is your name ? She asked what his name was (and not, ... what was his name ).
How much are the potatoes ? They asked how much the potatoes were (and not, ... how much were the potatoes ).
Where can we go? He asked where they could go (and not, ... where could they go ).
When did you see that film? She asked when he had seen that film (and not, ... where had he seen that film).
Reporting verbs are used when you want to tell someone about another conversation. We also call this reported speech or indirect speech. Two examples of reporting verbs are say and tell. There are many others and these have different meanings and grammar structures. In this study guide, we’ll look at examples of these verbs and show you how to use them correctly. We’ll also look at reporting verbs to improve your academic writing. Let’s go!
Reporting verbs list.
What you will learn:
Reporting verbs (or referring verbs) are words used to report about (or refer to) what another person has said, written or done. These verbs are used in reported speech, which can be direct or indirect.
The first reporting verbs that English students learn are usually say and tell . For example compare i) and ii) below:
Charlotte told her mum to make a birthday cake for her. ( indirect speech)
There are many other reporting verbs in English. These can be particularly useful in formal and academic writing.
In this table, we have listed out some common reporting verbs that are used in everyday English. To help you understand how to correctly place them in a sentence, we have put them into approximate categories based on their most common usage. However, you should remember that some of these reporting verbs can be used in difference contexts and sometimes with different grammar structures.
Refuse Decide Promise Demand Agree Threaten Hope | Remind Ask Beg Warn Order Encourage Persuade Advise Urge | Deny Suggest Recommend Admit | Insist (on) Think (about) Blame (smbd for) Accuse (smbd of) Apologise (to smbd for) Complain (to smbd about) Confess (to) Forbid (smbd from) |
In the table below, we’ve listed out the reporting verbs in groups based on their general meanings. We have also indicated the relative “strength” of each verb. For example, if I imply (suggest/hint, weak) that you are wrong, this is very different from if I assert (state/say, strong) that you are wrong. Remember that English is seldom “black vs. white” – there are often several degrees of meaning.
Say | Assert that | Mention smth/that State that Point out smth/that Add smth/that Outline smth/that Describe smth/how | Note smth/that Comment on smth/that |
Suggest | Warn that Affirm that | Propose smth/that Hypothesise that Theorise that | Imply that Put forward smth |
Show | Prove smth/that Reveal smth/that Show smth/that | Demonstrate smth/that Establish smth/that | Hint at smth Allude to smth |
Persuade | Convince smbd | ||
Explain | Identify smth Illustrate smth/how Clarify smth | ||
Examine | Scrutinise smth | Investigate smth Study smth | Inquire into smth/whether |
Agree | Support smth Concur that | Acknowledge smth/that Recognise smth/that Echo smth | Concede smth |
Disagree | Challenge smth Refute smth Reject smth Oppose smth Object to smth Deny smth Rebuff smth | Doubt smth/whether | Question smth/whether |
Believe | Insist on smth/that Maintain that | Hold smth/that Profess that Subscribe to smth | Assume that |
Understanding what the verbs mean is generally the easiest step. You see a new word, you learn what the word means in your own language and you learn how to pronounce it in English. In actual fact, you can only really say you’ve learnt a word when you also know how to accurately use it in a sentence.
Let’s return to our example with Charlotte’s birthday cake:
“It’s my birthday next weekend. Make a birthday cake for me,” Charlotte said to her mum ( direct speech)
Easy, right? Now let’s consider that there are many other ways that Charlotte could say this in English. Depending on what she said and how she said it, you might need to use a different reporting verb, not just say or tell . For example:
In these sentences, there are three different verbs (say, hint, refuse). They all mean “no” but say is a neutral verb, hint is a weak verb, and refuse is much stronger .
Learning words in English is like collecting bricks to build a house. It’s not enough just to get the bricks. You also need to learn how to arrange them correctly so that your house is solid! You can’t build a good house from just a couple of bricks (e.g. say and tell). That’s why you need to learn more vocabulary – like reporting verbs. We don’t want the Big Bad Wolf to blow your house down!
Let’s take a look at HOW to use reporting verbs in real sentences. Below, we have divided the verbs into their different grammar structures so they are easier for you to learn.
Verbs: Refuse, decide, promise, demand, agree, threaten, plead with Examples:
Verbs : remind, ask, beg, warn , order, encourage, persuade, advise, urge, agree Examples :
Verbs: Deny, suggest, recommend, report, propose, admit
These verbs can be used with +ing or with that , but it’s generally better to be concise and use the +ing verb. Short and sweet! Examples :
Verbs: Blame smbd for, accuse smbd of, insist on, apologise for, complain about, confess to, forbid smbd from, agree to, think about Examples :
The reporting verbs we use in academic writing also follow specific grammatical patterns. Again, it is important to know whether the verb needs +ing, the infinitive , or that after it.
Verbs: Point out, find, observe , state, agree, believe, assert, claim, contend, explain, guess, assert, imply, reason, prove, note, report, reveal.
Verbs: Develop, study, focus on, acknowledge, doubt, contribute to, echo, subscribe to, question, disapprove of, dispute, reject, discuss, investigate, illustrate, present, outline, put forward, consider, support, emphasise, challenge, analyse, discard, identify, explore, propose, highlight, stress. Examples:
In academic writing, reporting verbs are used when you want to refer to what another person has said. You do this to strengthen your own argument and to show that other academics think the same as you.
It would be easy to just learn the verb “to state”, and use this all the time. However, using a range of other verbs can allow you to express your opinion about the author’s idea more precisely. For example, “to state” is quite neutral , but “to claim” implies that there is no proof behind what the author is saying.
You can use both the past and the present tense in academic writing.
If you are talking about recent research, use the present. This makes a connection between past research and now, which adds weight to your argument.
If you are talking about how research was conducted, you will need to use the past simple (either active or passive voice).
Avoid these common mistakes!
Which of these sentences are right and which are wrong? Choose correct or incorrect.
Choose the correct verb to complete the sentences.
Exercise 1:
Exercise 2:
Exercise 3:
The past simple is one of the most commonly used tenses in English. We mostly use this tense to describe finished actions that happened in the past. However, there are other uses besides this. Let’s explore the correct uses of the past simple tense and look at some common mistakes to avoid. Check out the interactive exercises at the end to test your knowledge!
The past continuous tense is commonly used in English to talk about actions or events that were ongoing at a time before now. This includes one action that was interrupted by another or two actions that were happening at the same time in the past. In this post, we will explore the correct uses of the past continuous and explain how you can avoid common mistakes with it. Check out the interactive quiz at the end to test your knowledge!
Adverbs of frequency tell us how often we do things or how often things happen. They can either describe definite frequency (daily, every week, annually) or indefinite frequency (always, usually, never). For example: I go swimming every week vs. I never go swimming .
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Table of Contents
Reported speech (also called indirect speech) gives the meaning of what someone said, not the exact words, while direct speech gives the exact words of the speaker, enclosed in quotation marks (or inverted commas.
With reported speech, we do not use quotation marks.
We use that to connect the introduction with the reported words. Using the connecting word that is optional.
There are certain verbs that we use to introduce reported speech. Here are the most common of them. (More introductory verbs with examples are given below.)
Note: Unlike told and asked , with the verb said , we do not mention the person to whom the words were said.
Because speech is often reported after it was said, verb tenses in the original statements change.
Here is a summary of tense changes with examples
Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
---|---|
"I swim daily," he said. | He said he swam daily. |
"I swam daily," he said. | He said he had swum daily. |
"I am swimming now," he said. | He said he was swimming then. |
| |
"I was swimming," he said. | He said he had been swimming. |
"I have already swum," he said. | He said he had already swum. |
"I had swum," he said. | He said he had already swum. |
"I will swim tomorrow," he said. | He said he would swim the following day. |
"I must swim every day," he said. | He said he had to swim every day. |
"I should swim every day," he said. | He said he should swim every day. |
If the speech is reported immediately , the tense does not change.
If the introductory verb used is in the present simple, future simple or present perfect , we do not change verb tense.
In addition, tense does not change when we talk about general truths, permanent states, and conditions .
We do not change verb tense when we report wishes, preferences, and unreal past.
⇔ Try this quiz on reporting statements.
To report imperative verbs (commands, requests, suggestions), we use an infinitive verb and we use tell / told or ask / asked , but not say / said.
Other verbs that can be used to report imperatives are: a dvise, order, beg, etc.
To report a negative imperative, we use not to infinitive .
With the verb suggest, we use that-clause or verb-ing.
⇔ Take a quiz on how to report imperatives.
When we report questions we change the helping verb-subject order to subject-helping verb/verb .
We follow the same rules of tense changes.
We use if or whether to connect the introduction with reported words.
⇔ Take a quiz on how to report questions.
Because the time of reported speech is later than that of direct speech, time reference will be different. As a result, time expressions in reported speech change according to the context.
This is a table of the most common time expressions and how they change.
Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
---|---|
tonight, today, this week / month / year | that night, that day, that week / month / year |
now | then, at the time, at once, immediately |
yesterday, last night / week / month / year | the day before. the previous night / week / month / year |
tomorrow | the following day, the day after, the next day |
next week/month/year | the following / the next week / month / year |
two days / weeks / months / years ago | two days/ weeks / months / years before |
Sometimes we use verbs other than say , tell , ask to introduce reported speech. We need to choose an appropriate reporting verb because each verb expresses how the reporting person interprets the speech. Here are some of these verbs with examples.
advise somebody to infinitive
accuse somebody of verb-ing
admit verb-ing
apologize for + verb-ing
complain that
demand that
deny verb-ing
encourage somebody to infinitive
inform somebody that
insist that
refuse to infinitive
remind somebody to
threaten to infinitive
suggest verb-ing
warn somebody to infinitive
Reported Speech (Statements) Quiz
Verb Tenses: A Complete Guide
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Reported speech is how we represent the speech of other people or what we ourselves say. There are two main types of reported speech: direct speech and indirect speech.
Direct speech repeats the exact words the person used, or how we remember their words:
Barbara said, “I didn’t realise it was midnight.”
In indirect speech, the original speaker’s words are changed.
Barbara said she hadn’t realised it was midnight .
In this example, I becomes she and the verb tense reflects the fact that time has passed since the words were spoken: didn’t realise becomes hadn’t realised .
Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words:
“I’m sorry,” said Mark. (direct)
Mark apologised . (indirect: report of a speech act)
In a similar way, we can report what people wrote or thought:
‘I will love you forever,’ he wrote, and then posted the note through Alice’s door. (direct report of what someone wrote)
He wrote that he would love her forever , and then posted the note through Alice’s door. (indirect report of what someone wrote)
I need a new direction in life , she thought. (direct report of someone’s thoughts)
She thought that she needed a new direction in life . (indirect report of someone’s thoughts)
Reported speech: direct speech
Reported speech: indirect speech
Speech reports consist of two parts: the reporting clause and the reported clause. The reporting clause includes a verb such as say, tell, ask, reply, shout , usually in the past simple, and the reported clause includes what the original speaker said.
reporting clause | reported clause |
, | |
, | |
me |
Direct speech.
In direct speech we usually put a comma between the reporting clause and the reported clause. The words of the original speaker are enclosed in inverted commas, either single (‘…’) or double (“…”). If the reported clause comes first, we put the comma inside the inverted commas:
“ I couldn’t sleep last night, ” he said.
Rita said, ‘ I don’t need you any more. ’
If the direct speech is a question or exclamation, we use a question mark or exclamation mark, not a comma:
‘Is there a reason for this ? ’ she asked.
“I hate you ! ” he shouted.
We sometimes use a colon (:) between the reporting clause and the reported clause when the reporting clause is first:
The officer replied: ‘It is not possible to see the General. He’s busy.’
Punctuation
In indirect speech it is more common for the reporting clause to come first. When the reporting clause is first, we don’t put a comma between the reporting clause and the reported clause. When the reporting clause comes after the reported clause, we use a comma to separate the two parts:
She told me they had left her without any money.
Not: She told me, they had left her without any money .
Nobody had gone in or out during the previous hour, he informed us.
We don’t use question marks or exclamation marks in indirect reports of questions and exclamations:
He asked me why I was so upset.
Not: He asked me why I was so upset?
Say and tell.
We can use say and tell to report statements in direct speech, but say is more common. We don’t always mention the person being spoken to with say , but if we do mention them, we use a prepositional phrase with to ( to me, to Lorna ):
‘I’ll give you a ring tomorrow,’ she said .
‘Try to stay calm,’ she said to us in a low voice.
Not: ‘Try to stay calm,’ she said us in a low voice .
With tell , we always mention the person being spoken to; we use an indirect object (underlined):
‘Enjoy yourselves,’ he told them .
Not: ‘Enjoy yourselves,’ he told .
In indirect speech, say and tell are both common as reporting verbs. We don’t use an indirect object with say , but we always use an indirect object (underlined) with tell :
He said he was moving to New Zealand.
Not: He said me he was moving to New Zealand .
He told me he was moving to New Zealand.
Not: He told he was moving to New Zealand .
We use say , but not tell , to report questions:
‘Are you going now?’ she said .
Not: ‘Are you going now?’ she told me .
We use say , not tell , to report greetings, congratulations and other wishes:
‘Happy birthday!’ she said .
Not: Happy birthday!’ she told me .
Everyone said good luck to me as I went into the interview.
Not: Everyone told me good luck …
Say or tell ?
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The reporting verbs in this list are more common in indirect reports, in both speaking and writing:
Simon admitted that he had forgotten to email Andrea.
Louis always maintains that there is royal blood in his family.
The builder pointed out that the roof was in very poor condition.
Most of the verbs in the list are used in direct speech reports in written texts such as novels and newspaper reports. In ordinary conversation, we don’t use them in direct speech. The reporting clause usually comes second, but can sometimes come first:
‘Who is that person?’ she asked .
‘It was my fault,’ he confessed .
‘There is no cause for alarm,’ the Minister insisted .
Verb patterns: verb + that -clause
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Reported speech or indirect speech is the form of speech used to convey what was said by someone at some point of time. This article will help you with all that you need to know about reported speech, its meaning, definition, how and when to use them along with examples. Furthermore, try out the practice questions given to check how far you have understood the topic.
Definition of reported speech, rules to be followed when using reported speech, table 1 – change of pronouns, table 2 – change of adverbs of place and adverbs of time, table 3 – change of tense, table 4 – change of modal verbs, tips to practise reported speech, examples of reported speech, check your understanding of reported speech, frequently asked questions on reported speech in english, 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.
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.”
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.
Subject said that (report whatever the speaker said) |
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.
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 |
This | That |
These | Those |
Here | There |
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 |
Simple Present Example: Preethi said, “I cook pasta.” | Simple Past Example: Preethi said that she cooked pasta. |
Present Continuous Example: Preethi said, “I am cooking pasta.” | Past Continuous Example: Preethi said that she was cooking pasta. |
Present Perfect Example: Preethi said, “I have cooked pasta.” | Past Perfect Example: Preethi said that she had cooked pasta. |
Present Perfect Example: Preethi said, “I have been cooking pasta.” | Past Perfect Continuous Example: Preethi said that she had been cooking pasta. |
Simple Past Example: Preethi said, “I cooked pasta.” | Past Perfect Example: Preethi said that she had cooked pasta. |
Past Continuous Example: Preethi said, “I was cooking pasta.” | Past Perfect Continuous Example: Preethi said that she had been cooking pasta. |
Past Perfect Example: Preethi said, “I had cooked pasta.” | Past Perfect (No change) Example: Preethi said that she had cooked pasta. |
Past Perfect Continuous Example: Preethi said, “I had been cooking pasta.” | Past Perfect Continuous (No change) Example: Preethi said that she had been cooking pasta. |
Will | Would |
May | Might |
Can | Could |
Shall | Should |
Has/Have | Had |
Here are some tips you can follow to become a pro in using reported speech.
Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written. Check them out.
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.”
Now, find out if you have answered all of them correctly.
1. Rachel said that she had an interview the next day.
2. Mahesh asked what he was doing.
3. Sherly said that her daughter was playing the lead role in the skit.
4. Dinesh exclaimed that it was a wonderful movie.
5. Suresh said that his son was getting married the following month.
6. Preetha asked if I could help her with the invitations.
7. Anna said that she looked forward to meeting me.
8. The teacher told us to make sure we completed the homework before the next day.
9. Sylvester said that he was not going to cry anymore.
10. Jade said that his sister was moving to Los Angeles.
What is the 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.”
You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech. Subject said that (report whatever the speaker said)
Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written.
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In this reference, you will learn about reporting verbs in English, how they are used in indirect speech , important grammar rules, and helpful examples. You will find sections that explain what reporting verbs are, a comprehensive list of reporting verbs with examples, and illustrative images to support your learning.
Direct speech is where the speaker gives first-hand information, while indirect speech reports what someone else said. For example, “I am watching TV” is direct speech, and “She said that she was watching TV” is indirect speech.
We use reported speech to tell what another person said without using their exact words, adapting them to the new circumstances.
A reported speech sentence has two parts:
Example: He said that they were classmates. (Introductory clause: He said that , Indirect clause: They were classmates. )
In the introductory clause, a reporting verb is needed. There are about 248 verbs to introduce reported speech in English.
Tell, say & ask.
The most common verbs to introduce reported speech are Tell , Say , and Ask . Important aspects of these verbs include:
Example: He told me that she was his wife.
Example: She asked (me) where I lived.
Example: She asked (me) to babysit for her on Friday.
Example: She complained that I was always late.
Example: She denied that she had flown in an aeroplane.
Example: He explained that it was an easy recipe to follow.
Exclaim/Remark
Example: She exclaimed/remarked that he was a beautiful baby.
Example: She promised that she would call me.
Example: He boasted that he was a brilliant dentist.
Inform somebody
Example: He informed me that I would be called for an interview.
Example: He claimed that he knew the answer.
Example: He agreed that it was a beautiful hat.
Example: He suggested that I (should) take the other road.
Example: He agreed to cook for me.
Example: He offered to carry her baby.
Example: She refused to buy me a car.
Example: He demanded to be told the truth.
Example: He threatened to punish me if I didn’t behave myself.
Example: He promised to marry her when he returned.
Example: He claimed to have heard her say that.
Example: He advised me to take a coat.
Example: He allowed me to park over there.
Example: She begged me to call the police.
Example: He commanded them to drop their weapons.
Example: He encouraged me to phone her.
Example: My doctor forbade me to eat sweets.
Example: She invited me to go to his house.
Example: He wanted me to drink a cup of tea.
Example: He instructed me to insert coin.
Example: My parents permitted me to travel with my friends.
Example: He urged me to finish reading the book.
Example: She ordered me to get out of bed.
Example: She reminded me to take out the garbage.
Example: She warned me not to go near the oven.
Example: He admitted (to) stealing/having stolen her money.
Accuse somebody of
Example: She accused me of breaking the cup.
Apologize for
Example: He apologized for shouting/having shouted at me.
Boast about/of
Example: He boasted of/about being the cleverest of all.
Complain to somebody of
Example: She complained to me of having a toothache.
Example: He denied murdering/having murdered his wife.
Example: She insisted on me/my wearing warm clothes.
Example: She suggested going to the theatre.
Explain to somebody
Example: He explained to me how to make polite conversation.
Wonder where/what/why/how + clause
When the subject of the reporting verb is not the same as the subject in the reported question .
‘Wonder + whether + to-inf or clause’ or ‘Wonder where/what/how + to-inf or clause’
When the subject of the infinitive is the same as the subject of the verb.
Reported speech
Indirect speech (reported speech) focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words. In indirect speech, the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command.
Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech: She said, "I am tired." = She said that she was tired.
Phrase in Direct Speech | Equivalent in Reported Speech |
---|---|
"I always coffee", she said | She said that she always coffee. |
"I a book", he explained. | He explained that he a book |
"Bill on Saturday", he said. | He said that Bill on Saturday. |
"I to Spain", he told me. | He told me that he to Spain. |
"I the light," he explained. | He explained that he the light. |
They complained, "We for hours". | They complained that they for hours. |
"We in Paris", they told me. | They told me that they in Paris. |
"I in Geneva on Monday", he said. | He said that he in Geneva on Monday. |
She said, " the car next Friday". | She said that she the car next Friday. |
You do not need to change the tense if the reporting verb is in the present, or if the original statement was about something that is still true (but this is only for things which are general facts, and even then usually we like to change the tense) , e.g.
These modal verbs do not change in reported speech: might, could, would, should, ought to :
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Below is a reported speech tense change chart with the rules for backshifting for each tense and for modal verbs. You will see reported speech does not go back a tense if it is already in the past perfect (there is no further back it can go), and some modal verbs also do not change. If you are tested on this, though, these are the changes you ...
Reported Speech Tense Chart. When we convert from direct speech to indirect speech, the tense of the sentence changes. See the chart below to understand direct to indirect speech tense shift. Greg said, "I am an English teacher." Greg said that he was an English teacher. Edward said, "I am watching the news."
No Change in Verb Tenses in Reported Speech. In some cases, verb tenses do not change when you report speech indirectly.Here are the key instances: When the introductory verb is in the present, present perfect, or future.; When the reported sentence deals with a fact or general truth.; When the reported sentence contains a time clause.; If the verb of the sentence is in the unreal past (the ...
Practise reported speech - clear explanations and lots of exercises. ... But, if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change the tenses in the reported speech: ... So, there's no easy conversion. You really have to think about when the direct speech was said. Here's a table of some possible conversions: now: then / at that ...
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.
The meaning is exactly the same if you use 'that' or if you don't use 'that'.) 1: SAY. Let's look first at the verbs we've already talked about. The basic verb pattern for using 'say' for reported speech is: say + (that) + clause. She said (that) she had already eaten. (The direct speech for this is "I've already eaten".)
Reported speech is when we repeat what another person has said but instead of using their exact words in quotation marks (direct speech), we use subordinate clause introduced by a reporting verb like the ones below: He says/said …. She explains/explained …. She tells/told me …. He asks/asked …. Often, we have to change the tense ...
Reported speech: indirect speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary
The verb "forbid" means to prohibit someone from doing something. We forbade our kids to use the computer without supervision. Other reporting verbs: boast + that. The verb "boast" means to arrogantly say good things about yourself or your accomplishments. He boasted that he always got the best grades in the class. propose + that
When we use reported speech, we often change the verb tense backwards in time. This can be called "backshift.". Here are some examples in different verb tenses: "I want to go home.". She said she wanted to go home. "I 'm reading a good book.". She said she was reading a good book. "I ate pasta for dinner last night.".
Yes, and you report it with a reporting verb. He said he wanted to know about reported speech. I said, I want and you changed it to he wanted. Exactly. Verbs in the present simple change to the past simple; the present continuous changes to the past continuous; the present perfect changes to the past perfect; can changes to could; will changes ...
1. We use direct speech to quote a speaker's exact words. We put their words within quotation marks. We add a reporting verb such as "he said" or "she asked" before or after the quote. Example: He said, "I am happy.". 2. Reported speech is a way of reporting what someone said without using quotation marks.
What is reported speech? Reported speech is a structure used to repeat what somebody has said before (direct speech): John: "My name is John" (direct speech) He said (that*) his name was John (reported speech) * that can be omitted. Note that after the verb said, which is in past tense, it is natural to continue the rest of the sentence in the ...
These verbs are used in reported speech, which can be direct or indirect. The first reporting verbs that English students learn are usually say and tell. For example compare i) and ii) below: "It's my birthday next weekend. Please, make a birthday cake for me!" Charlotte said to her mum (direct speech) Charlotte told her mum to make a ...
This is a table of the most common time expressions and how they change. Direct Speech. Reported Speech. tonight, today, this week / month / year. that night, that day, that week / month / year. now. then, at the time, at once, immediately. yesterday, last night / week / month / year. the day before. the previous night / week / month / year.
Reported speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary
The indirect (reported) speech: He said he liked it. He thought that Irene was late. She hoped she would pass the exam. The indirect (reported) speech is typically introduced by verbs such as say, tell, admit, complain, explain, remind, reply, think, hope, offer, refuse etc. He said (that) he didn't want it. She explained that she had been at ...
Reported Speech: In this article, you will be introduced to reported speech, its meaning and definition, how and when to use it. You can also check out the examples given for a much better understanding of reported speech. ... Table 4 - Change of Modal Verbs. Direct Speech: Reported Speech: Will: Would: May: Might: Can: Could: Shall: Should ...
Reporting Verbs - Created by 7ESL. Direct speech is where the speaker gives first-hand information, while indirect speech reports what someone else said. For example, "I am watching TV" is direct speech, and "She said that she was watching TV" is indirect speech. We use reported speech to tell what another person said without using ...
In indirect speech, the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command. Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech: She said, "I am tired." = She said that she was tired. Phrase in Direct Speech. Equivalent in Reported Speech.
Reported Speech. Greg: "I am cooking dinner Maya.". Maya: "Greg said he was cooking dinner.". So most often, the reported speech is going to be in the past tense, because the original statement, will now be in the past! *We will learn about reporting verbs in part 2 of this lesson, but for now we will just use said/told.