Reported Speech
When we use reported speech, we are referring to something that was said either by ourselves or
by someone else in the past. An example of this might be „he said that he was going shopping.‟
This type of speech is used very frequently during both spoken and written examples of English
and it is an important part of the language which any English student will find useful to learn. In
this section, we are going to look at types of reported speech as well as how we can use it.
What is Reported Speech?
Reported speech is simply when we tell somebody what someone else said. You can
do this in your writing, or in speech. Reported speech is very different from direct speech,
which is when you show what somebody said in the exact way that they said it. In reported
speech though, you do not need to quote somebody directly.
Instead, we use a reporting verb, such as „say‟ or „ask‟. These reporting verbs are used
to report the speech to someone else. There are many different reporting verbs that can
be used, and we‟ll try to use different ones throughout this article to show you some
examples, but you can always do some research too if you want to learn more examples for
yourself.
Reported Speech Rules
When changing from direct to indirect speech, you need to change the grammar in certain
ways. In this section, we are going to be looking a little more closely at direct and indirect
speech and how they are used.
Verb Tense Changes in Reported Speech
Present
If the reporting verb is in the present tense, then very little needs to be done to the
direct speech sentence to change it. Here‟s an example.
Direct speech: I like dogs.
Reported speech: She says she likes dogs.
Here nothing really needed to be changed except the pronoun, because you are now
talking about somebody else, so „I‟ becomes „She‟ or „He‟. The tense is still the same
because „says‟ is the present tense version of the reporting verb. But what happens if the
sentence needs to be changed to past tense?
Past
Sometimes it is necessary to change the reporting verb into the past tense if what was said
is no longer relevant, or was said sometime in the past. Here are the changes that would
need to be made.
Direct speech: I like dogs.
Reported speech: She said she liked dogs.
As well as changing the pronouns here, we‟ve had to change the tense of both the
reporting verb and the verb. So, „says‟ becomes „said‟ and „like‟ becomes „liked‟.
Direct and indirect speech
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When the reporting verb is in the past tense, verb tense forms usually need to change.
The tenses generally move backward in this way:
Present Simple Tense into Past Simple Tense
Present Continuous Tense into Past Continuous Tense
Present Perfect Tense into Past Perfect Tense
Past Simple Tense into Past Perfect Tense
Past Continuous Tense into Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Past Perfect Tense (the tense remains unchanged)
Future
If somebody is talking about what will happen in the future then, again, you will need to
change the tense of the reporting verb.
Direct speech: I shall leave in a moment.
Reported speech: She said that she would leave in a moment.
Notice how „shall‟ and “will” become „would‟ here in order for it to make sense.
Will into Would
Will be into Would be
Will have into Would have
Will have been into Would have been
Modal verbs actually have a very interesting relationship with reported speech, so we‟ll
look at that below too.
Modal Verbs and Reported Speech
We‟ve already covered modal verbs in another article, but it‟s interesting to see how they
are changed in reported speech.
Can into Could
Could (The verb remains unchanged)
Have to into Had to
Must into Must/Had to
May into Might
Might (The verb remains unchanged)
Should (The verb remains unchanged)
Changes in Time and Place in Reported Speech
Time and place references often have to change in Indirect Speech
Now –> Then
Today –> That day
Here –> There
This –> That
Tomorrow –> The following day/ The next day/ The day after
Next week –> The following week/ The next week/ The week after
Yesterday –> The previous day/ The day before
Last week –> The previous week/ The week before
Ago –> Previously/ Before
Tonight –> That night
Changes in Time and Place in Reported Speech | Image
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No Change in Verb Tenses in Reported Speech
There is no change in verb tenses in Indirect Speech when:
The introductory verb is in the Present, Present Perfect or Future.
If the reported sentence deals with a fact or general truth.
The reported sentence contains a time clause.
The verb of the sentence is in the unreal past (the second or the third conditional).
The subjunctive stays unchanged in the subordinate clause.
Had better, could, would, used to, should, might, ought to and mustn’t remain
unchanged.
If the speaker reports something immediately or soon after it was said.
No Change in Verb Tenses in Reported Speech | Image
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Reporting Verbs in Indirect Speech
List of reporting verbs in reported speech.
Tell, say, ask.
Verb + that + clause: complain, deny, explain, exclaim, remark, promise, boast,
inform somebody, claim, agree, suggest.
Verb + to + infinitive: agree, offer, refuse, demand, threaten, promise, claim.
Verb + indirect object + to + infinitive: advise, allow, beg, command, encourage,
forbid, invite, want, instruct, permit, urge, order, remind, warn.
Verb + “ing” form: admit (to), accuse somebody of, apologize for, boast about/ of,
complain to somebody of, deny, insist on, suggest.
Verb + how: explain to somebody.
Wonder.
Introductory Verbs in Indirect Speech | Image 1
Changes of Pronouns in Reported Speech
In indirect speech, you need to be careful with personal pronouns. They need to be
changed according to the situation. You need to know the context.
Changes of Pronouns in Indirect Speech | Image
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Reported Questions in English
When you are changing a question from direct speech into indirect speech, you follow the
same kinds of rules as for statements.
To report a question, we use verbs such as inquire, wonder, want to know, ask…
Reported Questions in English | Image
Reported Commands and Requests in English
Reported Orders, Commands, and Requests are formed using the to-infinitive and not to-
infinitive.
The reporting verbs for the orders/ commands/ requests are order, shout, demand, warn,
beg, command, tell, insist, beseech, threaten, implore, ask, propose, forbid…
When we change from direct to indirect speech, the pronoun and tense changes are also
needed.
Reported Commands and Requests in English | Image
