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📘 Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)
🧠 What is Reported Speech?
Reported Speech is used to report what someone else has said without quoting their exact
words. In contrast, Direct Speech uses the speaker's exact words inside quotation marks.
🔹
🔹 Direct Speech: She said, “I am happy.”
Reported Speech: She said (that) she was happy.
🔁 Changes in Reported Speech
1. Change of Tense
When reporting, we usually shift the tense back one step in the past:
Direct Speech Reported Speech
am / is was
are were
do / does did
did had done
have / has had
will would
can could
shall should
may might
🔹 I am tired, she said.
🔁 She said she was tired.
“ ”
2. Change of Pronouns
Pronouns are changed according to the speaker and listener.
🔹
🔁 “HeI lovesaidthishe song, ” he said.
loved that song.
3. Change of Time and Place Expressions
Direct Speech Reported Speech
now then
today that day
yesterday the day before
Direct Speech Reported Speech
tomorrow the next day
here there
this that
these those
🔹 I will see you tomorrow, she said.
🔁 She said she would see me the next day.
“ ”
4. Reporting Verbs
Use verbs like say, tell, ask, advise, warn, suggest, etc.
🔹 “Don’t touch that!” she said.
🔁 She warned me not to touch that.
💬 Reported Speech Types
✅ Statements
🔹 Direct: He said, I work hard.
🔁 Reported: He said (that) he worked hard.
“ ”
❓ Yes/No Questions
Change the question into a statement and use if or whether.
🔹
🔁 Direct: She asked, “Do you like chocolate?”
Reported: She asked if I liked chocolate.
❓ Wh-Questions
Keep the question word (what, where, who, when, why, how) but change the structure into a
statement.
🔹 Direct: He asked, “Where do you live?”
🔁 Reported: He asked where I lived.
❗ Commands and Requests
Use to + base verb (for orders/requests) or not to + verb for negative commands.
🔹
🔁 Direct: She said, “Please be quiet.”
Reported: She told me to be quiet.
🔹 Direct: He said, “Don’t run!”
🔁 Reported: He told me not to run.
✍️ Exercises (Multiple Choice)
Exercise 1: Statements
Choose the correct reported speech.
1. "I am learning English," he said.
A. He said he is learning English.
B. He said he was learning English.
C. He said he has been learning English.
D. He said he had learned English.
2. "We went to the beach," they said.
A. They said they had gone to the beach.
B. They said they go to the beach.
C. They said they are going to the beach.
D. They said they have gone to the beach.
Exercise 2: Questions
3. "Do you like coffee?" she asked me.
A. She asked me if I liked coffee.
B. She asked me do I like coffee.
C. She asked me if I like coffee.
D. She asked me that I like coffee.
4. "Where is your house?" he asked.
A. He asked where my house is.
B. He asked where my house was.
C. He asked where is my house.
D. He asked me where was my house.
Exercise 3: Commands
5. "Please sit down," the teacher said.
A. The teacher asked me to sit down.
B. The teacher said me to sit down.
C. The teacher told me that I sit down.
D. The teacher asked that I sit down.
6. "Don’t open the window!" mom said.
A. Mom said me not open the window.
B. Mom told me to not open the window.
C. Mom told me not to open the window.
D. Mom told that I don't open the window.
