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Reported Speech (Indirect Speech) : A. Reporting Statements

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is used to report what someone has said without using their exact words. When transforming direct speech into reported speech, pronouns, tenses, place/time expressions may need to be changed depending on the context. For statements, questions, requests and other sentence types, there are specific rules for transformation that involve backshifting tenses, changing pronouns and expressions to be consistent with the new context. The key aspects of reported speech are maintaining the meaning while adjusting elements such as tense and pronoun references to reflect that the words are no longer being quoted verbatim.

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Sofia Angelova
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445 views

Reported Speech (Indirect Speech) : A. Reporting Statements

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is used to report what someone has said without using their exact words. When transforming direct speech into reported speech, pronouns, tenses, place/time expressions may need to be changed depending on the context. For statements, questions, requests and other sentence types, there are specific rules for transformation that involve backshifting tenses, changing pronouns and expressions to be consistent with the new context. The key aspects of reported speech are maintaining the meaning while adjusting elements such as tense and pronoun references to reflect that the words are no longer being quoted verbatim.

Uploaded by

Sofia Angelova
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)

What is reported speech?


Reported speech is when you tell somebody else what you or a person said before.

Distinction must be made between direct speech and 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 She said that she was visiting Paris the following
weekend" weekend.

Different types of sentences


When you use reported speech, you either report:

 statements
 questions
 requests / commands
 other types

A. Reporting Statements

When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:

 pronouns
 tense
 place and time expression

1- Pronouns

In reported speech, you often have to change the pronoun depending on who says what.

Example:

She says, “My dad likes roast chicken.” – She says that her dad likes roast chicken.

2- Tenses

 If the sentence starts in the present, there is no backshift of tenses


in reported speech.
 If the sentence starts in the past, there is often backshift of tenses
in reported speech.

1

Direct speech Reported speech
(no backshift) “I write poems.” He says that he writes poems.
(backshift) “I write poems.” He said that he wrote poems.

No backshift

Do not change the tense if the introductory clause is in a present tense (e. g. He says).
Note, however, that you might have to change the form of the present tense verb (3rd
person singular).

Example:
He says, “I write poems.” – He says that he writes English.

Backshift

You must change the tense if the introductory clause is in a past tense (e. g. He said).

Example:
He said, “I am happy.” – He said that he was happy.

Examples of the main changes in tense:

Direct Speech Reported Speech


Simple Present Simple Past
He said: "I am happy" He said that he was happy
Present Progressive Past Progressive
He said: "I'm looking for my keys" He said that he was looking for his keys
Simple Past Past Perfect Simple
He said: "I visited New York last year"  He said that he had visited New York the
previous year.
Present Perfect  Past Perfect 
He said: " I've lived here for a long time " He said that he had lived there for a long time
Past Perfect  Past Perfect 
He said: "They had finished the work when He said that they had finished the work when
I arrived" he had arrived"
Past Progressive Past Perfect Progressive
He said: "I was playing football when the He said that he had been playing football
accident occurred" when the accident had occurred 
Present Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Progressive
He said:"I have been playing football for He said that he had been playing football for
two hours." two hours
Past Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Progressive
He said: "I had been reading a newspaper He said that he had been reading a newspaper
when the light went off" when the light had gone off
Future Simple (will+verb) Conditional (would+verb)
He said: "I will open the door." He said that he would open the door.
Conditional (would+verb) Conditional (would+verb)

2
He said: "I would buy Mercedes if He said that he would buy Mercedes if he had
I were rich" beenrich"

The modal verbs could, should, would, might, needn't, ought to, used to do not normally
change.
Example:
He said, "She might be right." – He said that she might be right.

Other modal verbs may change:

Modal Direct speech Reported speech


can "I can do it." He said he could do it.
may "May I go out?" He wanted to know if he might go out.
must "She must apply for the job." He said that she must/had to apply for the job.
will "They will call you." He told her that they would call her.

3- Place, demonstratives and time expressions

Place, demonstratives and time expressions change if the context of the reported
statement (i.e. the location and/or the period of time) is different from that of the direct
speech.

In the following table, you will find the different changes of place; demonstratives and
time expressions.

Direct Speech Reported Speech


Time Expressions
today that day
now then
yesterday the day before
… days ago … days before
last week the week before
next year the following year
tomorrow the next day / the following day
Place
here there
Demonstratives
this that
these those

B. Reporting Questions

When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:

3
 pronouns
 place and time expressions
 tenses (backshift)

Also note that you have to:

 transform the question into an indirect question


 use the question word (where, when, what, how) or if / whether

Types of questions Direct speech Reported speech


With question word (what, "Why" don’t you He asked me why I didn’t
why, where, how...) speak English?” speak English.
Without question word (yes “Do you speak He asked me whether / if I
or no questions) English?” spoke English.

C. Reporting requests / commands

When transforming requests and commands, check whether you have to change:

 pronouns
 place and time expressions

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 to  / not to + verb (infinitive without
"to")

Example:

She said, “Sit down." - She asked me to sit down.

She said, "don't be lazy" - She asked me not to be lazy

For affirmative use to + infinitive (without to)

For negative requests, use not to + infinitive (without to).

D. Other transformations

 Expressions of advice with must, should and ought are usually reported


using advise / urge.
Example:
"You must read this book."
He advised / urged me to read that book.
 The expression let’s is usually reported using suggest. In this case, there are
two possibilities for reported speech: gerund or statement with should.
Example:

4
"Let’s go to the cinema."
1. He suggested going to the cinema.
2. He suggested that we should go to the cinema.

Main clauses connected with and/but


If two complete main clauses are connected with ‚and or ‚but, put ‚that after the
conjunction.

Example:
He said,“I saw her but she didn't see me.“ – He said that he had seen her but that she
hadn't seen him.“

If the subject is dropped in the second main clause (the conjunction is followed by a verb),
do not use ‚that‘.

Example:
She said,“I am a nurse and work in a hospital.“ – He said that she was a nurse and worked
in a hospital.“

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