- English Grammar
- Reported Speech
Reported Speech - Definition, Rules and Usage with Examples
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.
Table of Contents
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.
- The first thing you have to keep in mind is that you need not use any quotation marks as you are not using the exact words of the speaker.
- You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech.
- You can use verbs like said, asked, requested, ordered, complained, exclaimed, screamed, told, etc. If you are just reporting a declarative sentence , you can use verbs like told, said, etc. followed by ‘that’ and end the sentence with a full stop . When you are reporting interrogative sentences, you can use the verbs – enquired, inquired, asked, etc. and remove the question mark . In case you are reporting imperative sentences , you can use verbs like requested, commanded, pleaded, ordered, etc. If you are reporting exclamatory sentences , you can use the verb exclaimed and remove the exclamation mark . Remember that the structure of the sentences also changes accordingly.
- Furthermore, keep in mind that the sentence structure , tense , pronouns , modal verbs , some specific adverbs of place and adverbs of time change when a sentence is transformed into indirect/reported speech.
Transforming Direct Speech into Reported Speech
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.
Here are some tips you can follow to become a pro in using reported speech.
- Select a play, a drama or a short story with dialogues and try transforming the sentences in direct speech into reported speech.
- Write about an incident or speak about a day in your life using reported speech.
- Develop a story by following prompts or on your own using reported speech.
Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written. Check them out.
- Santana said that she would be auditioning for the lead role in Funny Girl.
- Blaine requested us to help him with the algebraic equations.
- Karishma asked me if I knew where her car keys were.
- The judges announced that the Warblers were the winners of the annual acapella competition.
- Binsha assured that she would reach Bangalore by 8 p.m.
- Kumar said that he had gone to the doctor the previous day.
- Lakshmi asked Teena if she would accompany her to the railway station.
- Jibin told me that he would help me out after lunch.
- The police ordered everyone to leave from the bus stop immediately.
- Rahul said that he was drawing a caricature.
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 reported speech?
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.”
What is the formula of reported speech?
You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech. Subject said that (report whatever the speaker said)
Give some examples of reported speech.
Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written.
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Reported Speech – Rules, Examples & Worksheet
| Candace Osmond
Candace Osmond
Candace Osmond studied Advanced Writing & Editing Essentials at MHC. She’s been an International and USA TODAY Bestselling Author for over a decade. And she’s worked as an Editor for several mid-sized publications. Candace has a keen eye for content editing and a high degree of expertise in Fiction.
They say gossip is a natural part of human life. That’s why language has evolved to develop grammatical rules about the “he said” and “she said” statements. We call them reported speech.
Every time we use reported speech in English, we are talking about something said by someone else in the past. Thinking about it brings me back to high school, when reported speech was the main form of language!
Learn all about the definition, rules, and examples of reported speech as I go over everything. I also included a worksheet at the end of the article so you can test your knowledge of the topic.
What Does Reported Speech Mean?
Reported speech is a term we use when telling someone what another person said. You can do this while speaking or writing.
There are two kinds of reported speech you can use: direct speech and indirect speech. I’ll break each down for you.
A direct speech sentence mentions the exact words the other person said. For example:
- Kryz said, “These are all my necklaces.”
Indirect speech changes the original speaker’s words. For example:
- Kryz said those were all her necklaces.
When we tell someone what another individual said, we use reporting verbs like told, asked, convinced, persuaded, and said. We also change the first-person figure in the quotation into the third-person speaker.
Reported Speech Examples
We usually talk about the past every time we use reported speech. That’s because the time of speaking is already done. For example:
- Direct speech: The employer asked me, “Do you have experience with people in the corporate setting?”
Indirect speech: The employer asked me if I had experience with people in the corporate setting.
- Direct speech: “I’m working on my thesis,” I told James.
Indirect speech: I told James that I was working on my thesis.
Reported Speech Structure
A speech report has two parts: the reporting clause and the reported clause. Read the example below:
- Harry said, “You need to help me.”
The reporting clause here is William said. Meanwhile, the reported clause is the 2nd clause, which is I need your help.
What are the 4 Types of Reported Speech?
Aside from direct and indirect, reported speech can also be divided into four. The four types of reported speech are similar to the kinds of sentences: imperative, interrogative, exclamatory, and declarative.
Reported Speech Rules
The rules for reported speech can be complex. But with enough practice, you’ll be able to master them all.
Choose Whether to Use That or If
The most common conjunction in reported speech is that. You can say, “My aunt says she’s outside,” or “My aunt says that she’s outside.”
Use if when you’re reporting a yes-no question. For example:
- Direct speech: “Are you coming with us?”
Indirect speech: She asked if she was coming with them.
Verb Tense Changes
Change the reporting verb into its past form if the statement is irrelevant now. Remember that some of these words are irregular verbs, meaning they don’t follow the typical -d or -ed pattern. 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. This verb tense also works if the report is something someone would repeat. For example:
- Slater says they’re opening a restaurant soon.
- Maya says she likes dogs.
This rule proves that the choice of verb tense is not a black-and-white question. The reporter needs to analyze the context of the action.
Move the tense backward when the reporting verb is in the past tense. That means:
- Present simple becomes past simple.
- Present perfect becomes past perfect.
- Present continuous becomes past continuous.
- Past simple becomes past perfect.
- Past continuous becomes past perfect continuous.
Here are some examples:
- The singer has left the building. (present perfect)
He said that the singers had left the building. (past perfect)
- Her sister gave her new shows. (past simple)
- She said that her sister had given her new shoes. (past perfect)
If the original speaker is discussing the future, change the tense of the reporting verb into the past form. There’ll also be a change in the auxiliary verbs.
- Will or shall becomes would.
- Will be becomes would be.
- Will have been becomes would have been.
- Will have becomes would have.
For example:
- Direct speech: “I will be there in a moment.”
Indirect speech: She said that she would be there in a moment.
Do not change the verb tenses in indirect speech when the sentence has a time clause. This rule applies when the introductory verb is in the future, present, and present perfect. Here are other conditions where you must not change the tense:
- If the sentence is a fact or generally true.
- If the sentence’s verb is in the unreal past (using second or third conditional).
- If the original speaker reports something right away.
- Do not change had better, would, used to, could, might, etc.
Changes in Place and Time Reference
Changing the place and time adverb when using indirect speech is essential. For example, now becomes then and today becomes that day. Here are more transformations in adverbs of time and places.
- This – that.
- These – those.
- Now – then.
- Here – there.
- Tomorrow – the next/following day.
- Two weeks ago – two weeks before.
- Yesterday – the day before.
Here are some examples.
- Direct speech: “I am baking cookies now.”
Indirect speech: He said he was baking cookies then.
- Direct speech: “Myra went here yesterday.”
Indirect speech: She said Myra went there the day before.
- Direct speech: “I will go to the market tomorrow.”
Indirect speech: She said she would go to the market the next day.
Using Modals
If the direct speech contains a modal verb, make sure to change them accordingly.
- Will becomes would
- Can becomes could
- Shall becomes should or would.
- Direct speech: “Will you come to the ball with me?”
Indirect speech: He asked if he would come to the ball with me.
- Direct speech: “Gina can inspect the room tomorrow because she’s free.”
Indirect speech: He said Gina could inspect the room the next day because she’s free.
However, sometimes, the modal verb should does not change grammatically. For example:
- Direct speech: “He should go to the park.”
Indirect speech: She said that he should go to the park.
Imperative Sentences
To change an imperative sentence into a reported indirect sentence, use to for imperative and not to for negative sentences. Never use the word that in your indirect speech. Another rule is to remove the word please . Instead, say request or say. For example:
- “Please don’t interrupt the event,” said the host.
The host requested them not to interrupt the event.
- Jonah told her, “Be careful.”
- Jonah ordered her to be careful.
Reported Questions
When reporting a direct question, I would use verbs like inquire, wonder, ask, etc. Remember that we don’t use a question mark or exclamation mark for reports of questions. Below is an example I made of how to change question forms.
- Incorrect: He asked me where I live?
Correct: He asked me where I live.
Here’s another example. The first sentence uses direct speech in a present simple question form, while the second is the reported speech.
- Where do you live?
She asked me where I live.
Wrapping Up Reported Speech
My guide has shown you an explanation of reported statements in English. Do you have a better grasp on how to use it now?
Reported speech refers to something that someone else said. It contains a subject, reporting verb, and a reported cause.
Don’t forget my rules for using reported speech. Practice the correct verb tense, modal verbs, time expressions, and place references.
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Class 6 English Grammar Chapter 24 Direct and Indirect Speech
Class 6 English Grammar Chapter 24 Direct and Indirect Speech. The word—speech—means whatever we speak or write. Speaking or writing the words of an another person can be done in two ways, 1. by repeating the words of the other person as they were, 2. by stating the meaning of the words of the other person in your own words. Suppose Aman speaks the words: “I am ill today.” Any person other than Aman can express his words in the following two ways: (a) Either he says: Aman said, “I am ill today.” (b) Or he can say: Aman said that he was ill that day.
- Class 6 English Grammar Direct and Indirect Speech
- Class 6 English Grammar Chapter 24 Revision Book
- Class 6 English Grammar Next Chapter
- Class 6 English Grammar Main Page
- Class 6 English NCERT Solutions
Direct Speech
Aman said, “I am ill today.” In this sentence, the very words of the speaker, i.e., “I am ill today” are quoted within inverted commas (” “). This is called the Direct Speech. The sentence within ” ” is called reported speech. The verb that introduces the reporting speech is called reporting verb.
INDIRECT SPEECH Aman said that he was ill that day. In the above sentence, we have reported what the speaker said, i.e. he was ill that day without quoting the exact words. This is called Indirect Speech. Carefully Read the following points: In Direct Speech: 1. The Reported Speech is put within Inverted Commas (” “). 2. The first word of the Reported Speech begins with a capital letter. In Indirect Speech: 1. Inverted commas are not used for the Reported Speech It is generally introduced by the conjunction that, if, etc. 2. The comma separating the Reporting Verb from the Reported Speech is removed. 3. The tense of the Reporting Verb is never changed.
RULES FOR THE CHANGE OF TENSES
Conversion of Assertive Sentences into Indirect Speech Rule: If the Reporting Verb is in the Present or Future Tense, the tense of the verb in the Reported Speech is not changed at all as,
CHANGE IN TENSES
Rule: If the Reporting Verb is in the Past Tense, the tense of the R.S. will change as under: Simple Present changes into Simple Past: Direct: He said, “Sandhya sings a nice song.” Indirect: He said that Sandhya sang a nice song. Present Continuous changes into Past Continuous: Direct: He said, “The girls are picking flowers.” Indirect: He said that the girls were picking flowers. Present Perfect changes into Past Perfect: Direct: Father said to me, “It has been raining since morning.” Indirect: Father told me that it had been raining since morning. Simple Past changes into Past Perfect: Direct: I said to him, “They enjoyed the magic show.” Indirect: I told him that they had enjoyed the magic show. Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous are not changed: Direct: She said, “He had not seen the Taj before.” Indirect: She said that he had not seen the Taj before. Shall and will of future tense become should/would: Direct: I said to her, “I shall help Sagun”. Indirect: I told her that I should/would help Sagun. All Present Tenses change into their corresponding Past forms: is, am become was can becomes could are becomes were may becomes might has, have become had was/were become had been The forms of could, should, would, might, had are not changed: Direct: I said to him, “I am a poor man.” Indirect: I told him that I was a poor man.
CHANGE OF PRONOUN
Pronouns of the first person change according to the person of the Subject of the Reporting Verb: Direct: I said, “I have done my duty.” Indirect: I said that I had done my duty. Rule: Pronouns of the third person remain unchanged. Direct: I said, “He has done his duty.” Indirect: I said that he had done his duty. CHANGE OF WORDS DENOTING TIME AND POSITION here becomes there this becomes that ago becomes before today becomes that day thus becomes so now becomes then CONVERSION OF QUESTIONS INTO INDIRECT SPEECH 1. The Reporting Verb is changed to asked, enquired, demanded etc. 2. Whether or if is used if the R.S. begins with a Helping Verb or a Modal Auxiliary like do, does, did, is, am, are and can, could, should, would etc. in place of comma and inverted commas. 3. All questions beginning with interrogative words like how, what etc. remain unchanged. 4. The Interrogative form is changed into assertive form. The Question Mark is dropped. 5. Tenses, Pronouns and Words denoting nearness are changed according to the rules already stated. Direct: 1. He said to me, “Do you take tea?” Indirect: He asked me if I took tea.
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- Reported Speech
Reported Speech How does it Work?
Indirect speech or Reported speech is just a way of expressing your intent in questions, statements or other phrases, without essentially quoting them outrightly as the way it is done in indirect speech.
Reported Speech Rules
To understand Reported Speech Grammar and Reported Verbs, you need to first understand reported speech rules and how it works. Here are some types of reported speech:
Reported Statements
Reported speech is used when someone says a sentence, like, "I'm going to the movie tonight". Later, we want to tell a 3rd person what the first person is doing.
It works like this:
We use a reporting verb i.e 'say' or 'tell'. In the present tense, just put in 'he says.
Direct Speech: I like burgers.
Reported Speech: He says (that) he likes burgers.
You don't need to change the tense, but you do need to switch the 'person' from 'I' to 'he’. You also need to change words like 'my' and 'your'.
But, in case the reporting verb is in the past tense, then change the tenses in the reported speech itself.
Reported Questions
Reported questions to go like
Direct Speech: Where do you reside?
We make the change to reported speech by-
It is similar to reported statements. The tense changes are exact, and we keep the question’s word. But we need to change the grammar of that normal sentence into positive. For eg:
Reported Speech: He asked me where I resided.
The direct speech question is in the present simple tense. We make a present simple question with 'do' or 'does'. For that, I need to take that away. Then change the verb to the past simple.
Direct Speech: Where is Jolly?
Reported Speech: He asked me where Jolly was.
The direct question is the present simple of 'be'. We change the question form of the present simple of being by changing the position of the subject and the verb. So, change them back before putting the verb into the past simple.
Here Are Some More Examples
Reported Requests
The reported speech goes a long way. What if a person asks you to do something politely or make a request? It’s called a reported request. For example
Direct Speech: Close the door, please / Could you close the door please? / Would you mind closing the door, please?
All these requests mean the same, so we don't need to report every word there when we tell a 3rd person about it.
We can simply use 'ask me + to + infinitive':
Reported Speech: They asked me to close the door.
Direct Speech: Please be punctual.
Reported Speech: They asked us to be punctual.
Reported Orders
And lastly, how about when someone doesn't ask that politely? This is known as an 'order' in English, which is when someone tells you to do something pretty much directly. This is called a reported order. For example
Direct Speech: Stand up right now!
We make this into a reported speech in the same way as that for a request. Just use 'tell' rather than 'ask':
Reported Speech: She told me to stand up right now.
Time Expressions within the Ambit of Reported Speech
Sometimes when we want to change the direct speech into reported speech, we will have to change the time expressions too. We don't necessarily always have to do that. However, It depends on when we heard the speech in indirect form and when we said the speech in reported form.
For Example,
It's Sunday. Kiran Ma’am says "I'm leaving today".
If You tell someone on Sunday, You will say "Kiran Ma’am said she was leaving today".
If you tell someone on Tuesday, You will say "Kiran Ma’am said she was leaving yesterday".
If you tell someone on Friday, you will say "Kiran Ma’am said she was leaving on Sunday ".
If you tell someone a month later, you will say "Kiran Ma’am said she was leaving that day".
So, technically there's no easy way to convert. You need to put in real effort and have to think about it when the direct speech is said.
Here's a Table of How Some Conversions can be Made
now can be converted to then / at that time
today can be converted to yesterday / that day / Tuesday / the 27 th of June
yesterday can be converted to the day before yesterday / the day before / Wednesday / the 5th of December
last night can be converted to the night before, Thursday night
last week can be converted to the week before / the previous week
tomorrow can be converted to today / the next day / the following day / Friday
Now Let us Check our Understanding Through this Table
This is all about reported speech. English grammar is a tricky thing given both the rules and practice. Reading these rules solely will not help you to get a strong grasp of them. You also have to practice reported speech sentences in practical life to know how and when they can be used.
FAQs on Reported Speech
1. How to convert present tenses to reported speech and give some examples.
There are certain rules to follow while converting sentences to reported speech. We need to manage tenses also.
Usually, the present sentences change to simple past tense.
Ex: I do yoga every morning
She said that she did yoga every morning.
I play cricket a lot
He said that he played cricket a lot
Usually The present continuous tense changes to the past continuous tense.
Ex: My friend is watching a movie.
She said that her friend was watching a movie.
We are eating dinner
They said that they were eating dinner.
Usually, the Present Perfect Tense changes into Past Perfect Tense
Ex: I have been to the USA
She told me that she had been to the USA.
She has finished her task.
She said that she had finished her task.
Usually the Present Perfect Progressive Tense changes into Past Perfect Tense
2. How to convert present tenses to reported speech and give some examples.
Usually the Past Simple Tense changes into the Past Perfect Tense.
Ex: He arrived on Friday
He said that he had arrived on Friday.
My mom enjoyed the stay here
He said that his mom had enjoyed the stay there.
Usually, the Past Progressive Tense changes into the Perfect Continuous Tense
Ex: I was playing the cricket
He said that he had been playing cricket.
My husband was cooking
She said that her husband had been cooking.
Usually, the Past Perfect Tense doesn’t change.
Ex: She had worked hard.
She said that she had worked hard.
And also the Past Perfect Progressive Tense doesn’t change.
3. State the rules for conversion of future tenses into reported speech
There are rules to follow while converting the future tenses to reported speech.
In general, the Future Simple Tense changes into would. And also the future Progressive Tense changes into “would be”. The Future Perfect Tense changes into “would have”. The Future Perfect Progressive Tense changes into “would have been”.
Ex: I will be attending the wedding.
She said that she would be attending the wedding.
4. Give examples for conversion of ‘can ‘, ‘can’t’ and ‘will’,’’won’t’
5. Give some examples for reported requests and reported orders.
Reported Speech
Perfect english grammar.
Reported Statements
Here's how it works:
We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. ( Click here for more about using 'say' and 'tell' .) If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence:
- Direct speech: I like ice cream.
- Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.
We don't need to change the tense, though probably we do need to change the 'person' from 'I' to 'she', for example. We also may need to change words like 'my' and 'your'. (As I'm sure you know, often, we can choose if we want to use 'that' or not in English. I've put it in brackets () to show that it's optional. It's exactly the same if you use 'that' or if you don't use 'that'.)
But , if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change the tenses in the reported speech:
- Reported speech: She said (that) she liked ice cream.
* doesn't change.
- Direct speech: The sky is blue.
- Reported speech: She said (that) the sky is/was blue.
Click here for a mixed tense exercise about practise reported statements. Click here for a list of all the reported speech exercises.
Reported Questions
So now you have no problem with making reported speech from positive and negative sentences. But how about questions?
- Direct speech: Where do you live?
- Reported speech: She asked me where I lived.
- Direct speech: Where is Julie?
- Reported speech: She asked me where Julie was.
- Direct speech: Do you like chocolate?
- Reported speech: She asked me if I liked chocolate.
Click here to practise reported 'wh' questions. Click here to practise reported 'yes / no' questions. Reported Requests
There's more! What if someone asks you to do something (in a polite way)? For example:
- Direct speech: Close the window, please
- Or: Could you close the window please?
- Or: Would you mind closing the window please?
- Reported speech: She asked me to close the window.
- Direct speech: Please don't be late.
- Reported speech: She asked us not to be late.
Reported Orders
- Direct speech: Sit down!
- Reported speech: She told me to sit down.
- Click here for an exercise to practise reported requests and orders.
- Click here for an exercise about using 'say' and 'tell'.
- Click here for a list of all the reported speech exercises.
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Reported Speech: Rules, Examples, Exceptions
👉 Quiz 1 / Quiz 2
Advanced Grammar Course
What is reported speech?
“Reported speech” is when we talk about what somebody else said – for example:
- Direct Speech: “I’ve been to London three times.”
- Reported Speech: She said she’d been to London three times.
There are a lot of tricky little details to remember, but don’t worry, I’ll explain them and we’ll see lots of examples. The lesson will have three parts – we’ll start by looking at statements in reported speech, and then we’ll learn about some exceptions to the rules, and finally we’ll cover reported questions, requests, and commands.
So much of English grammar – like this topic, reported speech – can be confusing, hard to understand, and even harder to use correctly. I can help you learn grammar easily and use it confidently inside my Advanced English Grammar Course.
In this course, I will make even the most difficult parts of English grammar clear to you – and there are lots of opportunities for you to practice!
Backshift of Verb Tenses in Reported Speech
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:
Reported Speech (Part 1) Quiz
Exceptions to backshift in reported speech.
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.
No backshift needed when the situation is still true
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.
He said he HAS three children
But when the situation is NOT still true, then we DO need to backshift the verb.
Imagine your friend says, “I have a headache.”
- If you immediately go and talk to another friend, you could say, “She said she has a headache,” because the situation is still true
- If you’re talking about that conversation a month after it happened, then you would say, “She said she had a headache,” because it’s no longer true.
No backshift needed when the situation is still in the future
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:
- On Monday, my friend said, “I ‘ll call you on Friday .”
- “She said she ‘ll call me on Friday”, because Friday is still in the future from now.
- It is also possible to say, “She said she ‘d (she would) call me on Friday.”
- Both of them are correct, so the backshift in this case is optional.
Let’s look at a different situation:
- On Monday, my friend said, “I ‘ll call you on Tuesday .”
- “She said she ‘d call me on Tuesday.” I must backshift because the event is NOT still in the future.
Review: Reported Speech, Backshift, & Exceptions
Quick review:
- Normally in reported speech we backshift the verb, we put it in a verb tense that’s a little bit further in the past.
- when the situation is still true
- when the situation is still in the future
Reported Requests, Orders, and Questions
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”:
- “Please make a copy of this report.” (direct speech)
- She asked me to make a copy of the report. (reported speech)
For reported orders, we use “told (someone) to do something:”
- “Go to the bank.” (direct speech)
- “He told me to go to the bank.” (reported speech)
The main verb stays in the infinitive with “to”:
- She asked me to make a copy of the report. She asked me make a copy of the report.
- He told me to go to the bank. He told me go to the bank.
For yes/no questions, we use “asked if” and “wanted to know if” in reported speech.
- “Are you coming to the party?” (direct)
- He asked if I was coming to the party. (reported)
- “Did you turn off the TV?” (direct)
- She wanted to know if I had turned off the TV.” (reported)
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:
- She wanted to know did I turn off the TV.
- She wanted to know if I had turned off the TV.
For other questions that are not yes/no questions, we use asked/wanted to know (without “if”):
- “When was the company founded?” (direct)
- She asked when the company was founded.” (reported)
- “What kind of car do you drive?” (direct)
- He wanted to know what kind of car I drive. (reported)
Again, notice that we don’t use do/does/did in reported questions:
- “Where does he work?”
- She wanted to know where does he work.
- She wanted to know where he works.
Also, in questions with the verb “to be,” the word order changes in the reported question:
- “Where were you born?” ([to be] + subject)
- He asked where I was born. (subject + [to be])
- He asked where was I born.
Reported Speech (Part 2) Quiz
Learn more about reported speech:
- Reported speech: Perfect English Grammar
- Reported speech: BJYU’s
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.
Master the details of English grammar:
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About the author.
Shayna Oliveira
Shayna Oliveira is the founder of Espresso English, where you can improve your English fast - even if you don’t have much time to study. Millions of students are learning English from her clear, friendly, and practical lessons! Shayna is a CELTA-certified teacher with 10+ years of experience helping English learners become more fluent in her English courses.
- Reported Speech
Reported Speech: Whenever you are quoting someone else’s words , you use two kinds of speeches – Direct or Indirect speech . In this chapter, we will learn all about Direct and Indirect speech and how to convert one into another.
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Reported speech- how does it work.
Whenever you report a speech there’s a reporting verb used like “say” or “tell”. For example:
Direct speech: I love to play football .
Reported speech: She said that she loves to play football. (Note 1 : Assume a gender if not mentioned already. Note 2: Using “that” is optional. This sentence could also have been written as “She said she loves to play football.”)
The tense doesn’t have to be changed in this case of reported speech. But of the reporting verb is in the past tense , we do change the tense of the sentence.
Browse more Topics under Transformation Sentences
- Active and Passive Voice
- Parts of Speech
- Types of Sentences
Reported speech- Play of the tenses:
Learn more about Parts of Speech here in detail
This is a summary table that will be crystal clear to you as you read further. Just come back to this table after this section and use this as a summary table:
Some word transitions from direct to reported speech that will come in handy:
- Will becomes would
- Can becomes could
- would stays would
- should stays should
- must stays must or had to(matter of choice)
- shall becomes should
Exception : A present tense in direct speech may not become a past tense in the reported speech if it’s a fact or something generic we are talking about in the sentence. For example-
Direct speech: The sun rises from the East.
Reported speech: She said that the sun rises/rose from the East.
Reported speech- Handling questions:
What happens when the sentence we are trying to report was actually a question? That’s something we are going to deal with in this section. Reported questions- It’s quite interesting. let’s get into it:
Well the good news is that the tense change you learnt above stays the same in reported speech for questions. The only difference is that when you report a question, you no more report it in the form of a question but in the form of a statement. For example:
Direct speech: Where do you want to eat?
Reported speech: She asked me where I wanted to eat.
Notice how the question mark is gone from the reported speech. The reported speech is a statement now. Keep that in mind as you read further.
Remember the tense change? Let’s apply that to a few questions now.
Now these are questions that have wordy answers to them. What about the questions that has yes/no answers to them? In these type of questions just add “if” before asking the question. For example:
- Direct speech: Would you like to eat some cupcakes?
- Reported speech: He asked me if i would like to eat some cupcakes.
- Direct speech: Have you ever seen the Van Gogh paintings?
- Reported speech: She asked me if I had ever seen the Van Gogh paintings.
- Direct speech: Are you eating your vegetables?
- Reported speech: She asked if I was eating my vegetables.
Reported speech- Reported requests:
Well not all questions require answers. Some questions are polite requests. Remember? Could you please try to remember? And then there are request statements. Let’s see how do we convert these into reported speech.
Reported request = ask me + to + verb or requested me + to +verb
Just add this rule to your reported speech and you have what is called a reported request.
Reported speech- Reported orders:
Well, not everyone is going to be polite. Sometimes, we get orders. Now how will you report them? Unlike the request, the reporting verb isn’t ask but told or tell. Also, when in orders, sometimes subjects are omitted but while reporting we have to revive the subjects. Let’s see a few examples:
- Direct speech: Sit down!
- Reported speech: She told me to sit down.
- Direct speech: don’t worry!
- Reported speech: She told me not to worry.
Reported speech- Time transitions:
With that, you have everything it takes to understand reported speech. you are all se to change the direct to reported speech. Go ahead and try a few examples. All the best!
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Transformation of Sentences
- Active and Passive voice
37 responses to “Active and Passive voice”
Simple but very nice explanation and helpfull too.
What is the voice change of ” I have endeavoured to understand the fundamental truths.”
ENDEAVOUR HAS BEEN MADE BY ME TO UNDERSTAND THE FUNDAMENTAL TRUTH.
The fundamental truths have been endeavoured to be understood by me
The fundamental truths to understand had been endeavoured by him
The fundamental truths have endeavoured to be understood by me
The fundamental truths has been understood endeavoured to by me
How to change the voice for the following sentence – the books will be received by tomorrow
By whom? We need a subject. If the subject was for example “The library”, then the sentence in active voice would read “The library will receive the books by tomorrow”.
You will receive the books by tomorrow.
Tomorrow you will receive the book
You will receive the books (by) tomorrow.
Someone will receive the books by tomorrow
Tomorrow will be receive the books
HE WILL RECEIVE THE BOOKS BY TOMORROW.
By tomorrow the books will be received.
By tomorrow, you will receive the books
Tomorrow received the book
Change this “take right and turn left” into passive voice
Let the right be taken amd left be turned
‘amd’ is “and” 😅
You are advised to take right and turn left
Very helpful information thanks
Very well explained all basics that can lead to gain further knowledge very easily
What is in this box change into passive
what is the voice change of,” some people think nuclear is the best, because it doesnt add to global warming “….
Brilliant stuff!! – Rishabh
A kite was made by Ravi . What is the active form of this statement???
how to change into passive this sentence “when they were shifting the patient to the I.C.U.,he died
change into passive voice this sentence “when they were shifting the patient to I.C.U.,he died .
May you tell us tense conversion in voice.
Sentences without action like…. Jim is a doctor . Is it active or passive and if any how would you decide without having a main verb ?
It is named after the name of its principal tree ‘sundari'(passive)
how can ocean be object 🙄???
They made a bag
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Reported speech rules in english.
- By Matthew Jones
Talking about what someone else has already said, also known as reported speech, involves a few special grammar rules in English.
How you form reported speech will largely depend on what was said and when it was said. Unfortunately, you can’t always repeat back what you hear verbatim (using exactly the same words)!
So, how should you report speech in English? What are the grammar rules that dictate these indirect speech patterns? Finally, what are some examples of reported speech? We will answer all of these questions and more, but first, let’s take a look at exactly what is meant by “reported speech.”
Prefer to watch this lesson on video? Here’s our full length tutorial on Reported Speech Rules in English:
Reported Speech Rules in English:
What is reported speech?
Reported speech simply refers to statements that recount what someone else has already said or asked. For example, let’s say that you and your two friends went to the movies. As you’re leaving the movie theater, the following conversation takes place:
Friend #1: That movie was really scary!
You: I know, right?
Friend #2: What did he say?
You: He said that the movie was really scary.
The last sentence is what is known as “reported speech,” because you reported something that someone else said. In most cases, a statement of reported speech uses verbs like “say” or “tell,” though you can also use verbs like “state,” “proclaim,” or “announce,” depending on the context of the original statement.
In any case, this is just one example of reported speech in the simple past tense. Different rules apply based on the verb tense and the content of the statement. First, let’s look at how reported speech statements work in the simple present tense:
Reporting Statements in the Simple Present Tense
If you report a statement using the simple present tense (say, tell, etc), then you can also leave the original statement in the present tense. Here are a few examples:
- I like basketball -> They say that they like basketball.
- He wants to visit Paris -> He tells me that he wants to visit Paris.
- I watch TV every day -> She says she watches TV every day.
As you can see, both the reporting verb and the reported verb remain in the simple present tense. It is also important to note that, regardless of the tense, the word “that” is completely optional in reported speech. The meaning stays the same with or without it.
Reporting Statements in Other Tenses
Generally, when the reporting verb is in the simple past tense, we change the reported verb as well. For example:
- Statement: I feel sad.
- Reported Speech: He said he felt sad.
Since reported speech is reported after the fact, the reporting verb is usually in the simple past tense. This means that you will usually need to change the tense of the second clause. For example:
How to Change Tenses in Reported Speech
As you can see, the rules governing how to report speech can vary based on the tense of the original statement. Generally, you can’t go wrong if you follow these guidelines (from the original statement to reported speech):
- Simple Present -> Simple Past
- Present Continuous -> Past Continuous
- Present Perfect -> Past Perfect
- Simple Past -> Simple Past OR Past Perfect
- Past Continuous -> Past Perfect Continuous
- Simple Future -> “will” becomes “would”
- Future Continuous -> “will” becomes “would”
- Future Perfect -> “will” becomes “would”
- Present Perfect Continuous -> Past Perfect Continuous
- Past Perfect Continuous -> Past Perfect Continuous
- Future Perfect Continuous -> Future Perfect Continuous
That said, there are some exceptions in the present tense. For example, if the original statement is comprised of general information that is unchanging, you don’t need to report it in the past tense. Here are a few examples:
- Simple Present : Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius. -> He said that water freezes at zero degrees Celcius.
- Present Continuous : The planet is rotating around the sun. -> She said that the planet is rotating around the sun.
- Present Perfect : Human beings have always liked dogs. -> He said that human beings have always liked dogs.
Reporting Questions
Reporting statements is relatively straightforward, as it usually just requires the second clause to change tense (sometimes not even that). However, reporting questions is more complex. First of all, when you report a question, you cannot just repeat the original question. Instead, you must turn it into a statement. Here’s an example question:
Do you have a lighter?
If you want to report this question later, you’ll need to change it, like so:
They asked me if I had a lighter.
Thankfully, once you learn the guidelines for reporting statements, you can apply many of the same rules to reporting questions. All of the tense changes are the same:
- Note: For “Yes/No” questions, we change “do” or “does” to “if.”
- Present Continuous : Are you running errands today? -> She asked if I was running errands today.
- Present Perfect : Have you spoken to her? -> He asked if I had spoken to her.
- Simple Past : Did you believe the story? -> She asked if I believed the story.
- Past Continuous : How were you behaving? -> He asked me how I was behaving.
- Simple Future : Will you go shopping later? -> She asked me if I would go shopping later.
- Future Continuous : Will you be cooking tonight? -> He asked me if I would be cooking tonight.
- Future Perfect : Will you have received your diploma by then? -> She asked if I would have received my diploma by then.
- Present Perfect Continuous – Have you been doing your homework? -> He asked me if I had been doing my homework.
- Past Perfect Continuous – How long had you been sleeping? -> She asked me how long I had been sleeping.
- Future Perfect Continuous – Will you have been travelling? -> He asked if I would have been travelling.
Requests and Demands
To keep things simple, requests are treated the same as questions when reported to someone else. For example:
- Please sit down . -> He asked me to sit down.
- Could you open the door for me? -> She asked if I could open the door for her?
- Would you mind holding my bag? -> He asked if I would mind holding his bag.
However, if someone demands something, we generally report the speech using “told” instead of “asked” or “said.” Here are some commands in reported speech:
- Be quiet! -> She told me to be quiet.
- Don’t touch that! -> He told me not to touch that.
- Brush your teeth. -> She told me to brush my teeth.
Finally, when reporting speech, you must always consider the time in which the original statement was made. If a time is mentioned within the statement, you will also have to consider how that time relates to the current moment.
You have a doctor’s appointment on Tuesday.
For example, let’s say that the statement above was reported to you a few days prior, but you reported it to someone else on Monday (the day before the appointment). You could say either of the following:
She told me that I have a doctor’s appointment on Tuesday , or
She told me that I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow.
Here are a few more time conversions to help you with reported speech:
- Call your father right now. -> She told me to call my father right then.
- I saw you at the movies last night. -> He said he saw me at the movies the night before .
- Were you at school last week? -> She asked if I had been at school the week prior .
- Can I talk to you tomorrow? -> He asked if he could talk to me the next day .
Reported Speech Exercises
Now that you have a better understanding of reported speech in English, it’s time to practice! Fortunately, there are a number of ways to practice reported speech in daily conversation. So, here are a few free online resources to help you get the hang of it:
- Reported Speech Statements
- Reported Speech Questions
- B1 Grammar Reported Speech Quiz
- B2 Grammar Reported Speech Quiz
Lastly, if you’d like to learn more about reported speech or find a highly qualified English tutor online to help guide you, visit Magoosh Speaking today!
Matthew Jones
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CBSE Class 6 English Grammar Reported Speech
Reported Speech Class 6 CBSE
1. There are two different ways in which we can report the words of a speaker : (a) Direct Speech or Direct Narration. (b) Indirect Speech or Indirect Narration.
2. (a) Direct Speech contains the actual words of the speaker ; as— Sarla said, “My father has a roaring business in Mumbai” He said to me, “I am feeling unwell today.” In these sentences, actual words of the speaker are given within inverted commas without any change. (b) Indirect Speech gives the substance of the speaker’s actual words and not the exact words spoken by him or her ; as— Sarla said that her father had a roaring business in Mumbai He told me that he was feeling unwell that day.
3. The actual words of the speaker, given within ‘ inverted commas’ are called the Reported Speech. In the same way, the Verb which introduces the Reported Speech is called the Reporting Verb. In the sentence above ‘said’ is the Reporting Verb and ‘My father has a roaring business in Mumbai’ is the Reported Speech.
Reporting Verb and Reported Speech. Look at the following sentences : Radha says, “I shall’ finish my home-work today.” Sushma said to Pushpa, “Show me your dolls.”
The verbs ‘says and said’ in the above sentences are ‘Reporting Verbs’. The exact words of the speaker given within the inverted commas are ‘Reported Speech’.
4. Here are some distinctive points regarding the Direct Speech and Indirect Speech :
In the Direct Speech
- The Reported Speech is put within Reported (Inverted) Commas.
- The Reported Speech and the Reporting Verb are separated by a Comma.
- The first word of the Reported Speech begins with a capital letter.
Reported Speech For Class 6 CBSE
Transformation of Direct Speech into Indirect Speech I. Rules for the Change of Tense
Examples 1. Direct: Rajesh says, “She has brought fame to her family.” Indirect: Rajesh says that she has brought fame to her family. 2. Direct: Rohit has said, “I cannot displease my friend.” Indirect: Rohit has said that he cannot displease his friend. 3. Direct: I shall say, “I went to Agra on Monday.” Indirect: I shall say that I went to Agra on Monday. 4. Direct: She will say, “I have sent him a present.” Indirect:She will say that she has sent him a present.
Examples 1. Direct: I said, “I am speaking the truth.” Indirect: I said that I was speaking the truth. 2. Direct: The teacher said, “Boys fail because they do not study regularly.” Indirect: The teacher said that boys Jailed because they did not study regularly.
Exception to Rule II (i) If there is a Universal Truth or Habitualfact in the Reported Speech, the Tense of the verb is never changed ; as— 1. Direct : He said, “Face is the index of mind.” (Proverbial truth) Indirect: He said that face is the index of mind. 2. Direct: The teacher said, “The earth rotates round its axis.” (Geographical truth) Indirect: The teacher said that the earth rotates round its axis. 3. Direct: Horatius said, “Death comes sooner or later.” (Universal truth) Indirect : Horatius said that death comes sooner or later.
(ii) The Tense of the Verb in the Reported Speech does not change if the reported speech states a past historical fact; as— 1. Direct : He said, “India became free on 15th August, 1947.” Indirect : He said that India became free on 15th August, 1947. 2. Direct : She said, “Her father lived at Lahore for ten years.” Indirect : She said that her father lived at Lahore for ten years.
(iii) If two such actions are given in the Reported Speech which take place at the same time, the Past Indefinite or Continuous Tense does not change. Direct: He said, “Mohan was singing a song while Gopal was playing on a flute.” Indirect: He said that Mohan was singing a song while Gopal was playing on a flute. Examples 1. Direct: She said, “I am a top-class singer.” Indirect: She said that she was a top-class singer. 2. Direct: We said, “He is writing a poem.” Indirect: We said that, he was writing a poem. 3. Direct: He said, “It may rain tonight.” Indirect: He said that it might rain that night. 4. Direct: He said, “A devil ever remains a devil.” Indirect: He said that a devil ever remains a devil.
The future tense of the reported speech Is changed as under : Future Indefinite—would / should Future Continuous—would/should be Future Perfect—would/should have Future Perfect Continuous—would/should have been Examples 1. Direct: You said, “He is a very good athlete.” Indirect: You said that he was a very good athlete. 2. Direct: I said, “I have finished my work.” Indirect: I said that I had finished my work. 3. Direct: He said, “Her parents will pay a visit to Delhi.” Indirect: He said that her parents would pay a visit to Delhi.
B. Interrogative Sentences
Conversion Of Interrogative Sentences A From Direct Into Indirect
Examples (a) Questions beginning with a Helping Verb 1. Direct: He said to her, “Shall I accompany you to Agra ?” Indirect: He asked her if he would (should) accompany her to Agra. 2. Direct: She said to him, “Had I been absenting myself from school for a month ?” Indirect: She asked him if she had been absenting herself from school for a month. 3. Direct: He said to us, “Has she been spinning since yesterday ?” Indirect: He asked us if she had been spinning since the previous day. 4. Direct: They said to you, “Shall we be going on picnic tomorrow ?” Indirect: They asked you if they would be going on picnic the next day. 5. Direct: I said to her, “Will you have ironed your clothes ?” Indirect: I asked her if she would have ironed her clothes.
(b) Sentences having ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ 1. Direct: “Are there any more files ?” He asked. “Yes, sir,” said the peon. Indirect: He asked the peon if there were any more files. The peon replied respectfully in affirmative. 2. Direct: The teacher said to Lila, “Did you break the window pane ?” “No, sir,” said Lila, “I did not.” Indirect: The teacher asked Lila if she had broken the window pane. Lila replied respectfully and refused it (to have done it). 3. Direct: “If you find my answers satisfactory, will you give me five rupees ?” said the astrologer. “No, ’ replied the customer. Indirect: The astrologer asked the customer whether he would give him five rupees if he found his answers satisfactory. The customer replied in negative. 4. Direct: I said to him, “Do you want to go to Chandigarh ?” He said, “No, sir.” Indirect: I asked him if he wanted to go to Chandigarh and respectfully he replied in negative. 5. Direct: He said to me, “Does Mohan still play ?” I. said, “Yes, sir.” Indirect: He asked me if Mohan still played and I replied in positive.
(c) Questions beginning with Interrogative Words 1. Direct: He said to me, “Whom does she want to contact ?” Indirect: He asked me whom she wanted to contact. 2. Direct: They said to her, “Whose house are you purchasing ?” Indirect: They asked her whose house she was purchasing. 3. Direct: You said to him “Why are you making mischief ?” Indirect: You asked him why he was making mischief. 4. Direct: They said to us, “How have you solved this sum ?” Indirect: They asked us how we had solved that sum. 5. Direct : We said to them, “Who has misguided you ?” Indirect: We asked them who had misguided them.
(d) Questions beginning with modal auxiliaries 1. Direct: I said to him, “May Sunita come in to discuss with you something ?” Indirect: I asked him if Sunita might come in to discuss with him something. 2. Direct: The traveller said to me, “Can you tell me the way to the nearest inn ? Indirect: The traveller asked me if I could tell him the way to the nearest inn. 3. Direct: He said to me, “Must I leave for Mumbai tomorrow ?” Indirect: He asked me if he had to leave for Mumbai the next day. 4. Direct: I said to her, “Could you give me your notes ?” Indirect: I asked her if she could give me her notes. 5. Direct: I said to him, “Need I go to him ?” Indirect: I asked him if I had to go to him.
Multiple Choice Questions
Read the statements given below and tick the correct option : I. Identify the Reporting Verbs as directed : Question 1. Present (i) Radha will say ……… (ii) Radha said …… (iii) Radha had said ……….. (iv) Radha says ………..
Question 2. Past (i) The commander orders (ii) the commander order (iii) The commander said (iv) The commander will order
Question 3. Future (i) She requests (ii) She will say (iii) She informed (iv) She will enquire.
Question 4. Direct Speech (i) He said that the sun rises in the east (ii) Sun rises in the east (iii) She enquired about the holiday (iv) He enquired to be given a holiday
Question 5. Indirect speech (i) ‘I want to go for a walk’. (ii) He suggested going out for a walk (iii) ‘Get me a book’. (iv) ‘GO out’.
II. Fill in the blanks : Question 6. I said ……….. (i) why are you going (ii) him to go (iii) that he was going (iv) to go out of the room
Question 7. He asked …….. (i) whether was he fine (ii) was he fine (iii) if he is fine (iv) if he was fine
III. Tick the correct option : Question 8. The teacher said to them, (i) ‘Who had been teaching them English ?’ (ii) ‘Who teaches you English ?’ (iii) ‘Who taught your English ?’ (iv) ‘Whom you teach English ?’
Question 9. The teacher asked the students (i) whom were they taught English (ii) who taught them English. (iii) by whom were they taught English (iv) were they taught English
Question 10. He said, “The earth revolves around its axis” (i) He said that the earth revolved around its axis (ii) He said that the earth will revolve around its axis (iii) He said that the earth would revolve around its axis (iv) He said that the earth revolves around its axis. Answers 1. (iv) 2. (iii) 3. (ii) 4. (ii) 5. (ii) 6. (iii) 7. (iv) 8. (ii) 9. (ii) 10. (iv)
NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English
CBSE Class 6 English Grammar Reported Speech
1. There are two different ways in which we can report the words of a speaker : (a) Direct Speech or Direct Narration. (b) Indirect Speech or Indirect Narration.
2. (a) Direct Speech contains the actual words of the speaker ; as— Sarla said, “My father has a roaring business in Mumbai” He said to me, “I am feeling unwell today.” In these sentences, actual words of the speaker are given within inverted commas without any change. (b) Indirect Speech gives the substance of the speaker’s actual words and not the exact words spoken by him or her ; as— Sarla said that her father had a roaring business in Mumbai He told me that he was feeling unwell that day.
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3. The actual words of the speaker, given within ‘ inverted commas’ are called the Reported Speech. In the same way, the Verb which introduces the Reported Speech is called the Reporting Verb. In the sentence above ‘said’ is the Reporting Verb and ‘My father has a roaring business in Mumbai’ is the Reported Speech.
Reporting Verb and Reported Speech. Look at the following sentences : Radha says, “I shall’ finish my home-work today.” Sushma said to Pushpa, “Show me your dolls.”
The verbs ‘says and said’ in the above sentences are ‘Reporting Verbs’. The exact words of the speaker given within the inverted commas are ‘Reported Speech’.
4. Here are some distinctive points regarding the Direct Speech and Indirect Speech :
In the Direct Speech
- The Reported Speech is put within Reported (Inverted) Commas.
- The Reported Speech and the Reporting Verb are separated by a Comma.
- The first word of the Reported Speech begins with a capital letter.
Transformation of Direct Speech into Indirect Speech I. Rules for the Change of Tense
Examples 1. Direct: Rajesh says, “She has brought fame to her family.” Indirect: Rajesh says that she has brought fame to her family. 2. Direct: Rohit has said, “I cannot displease my friend.” Indirect: Rohit has said that he cannot displease his friend. 3. Direct: I shall say, “I went to Agra on Monday.” Indirect: I shall say that I went to Agra on Monday. 4. Direct: She will say, “I have sent him a present.” Indirect:She will say that she has sent him a present.
Examples 1. Direct: I said, “I am speaking the truth.” Indirect: I said that I was speaking the truth. 2. Direct: The teacher said, “Boys fail because they do not study regularly.” Indirect: The teacher said that boys Jailed because they did not study regularly.
Exception to Rule II (i) If there is a Universal Truth or Habitualfact in the Reported Speech, the Tense of the verb is never changed ; as— 1. Direct : He said, “Face is the index of mind.” (Proverbial truth) Indirect: He said that face is the index of mind. 2. Direct: The teacher said, “The earth rotates round its axis.” (Geographical truth) Indirect: The teacher said that the earth rotates round its axis. 3. Direct: Horatius said, “Death comes sooner or later.” (Universal truth) Indirect : Horatius said that death comes sooner or later.
(ii) The Tense of the Verb in the Reported Speech does not change if the reported speech states a past historical fact; as— 1. Direct : He said, “India became free on 15th August, 1947.” Indirect : He said that India became free on 15th August, 1947. 2. Direct : She said, “Her father lived at Lahore for ten years.” Indirect : She said that her father lived at Lahore for ten years.
(iii) If two such actions are given in the Reported Speech which take place at the same time, the Past Indefinite or Continuous Tense does not change. Direct: He said, “Mohan was singing a song while Gopal was playing on a flute.” Indirect: He said that Mohan was singing a song while Gopal was playing on a flute. Examples 1. Direct: She said, “I am a top-class singer.” Indirect: She said that she was a top-class singer. 2. Direct: We said, “He is writing a poem.” Indirect: We said that, he was writing a poem. 3. Direct: He said, “It may rain tonight.” Indirect: He said that it might rain that night. 4. Direct: He said, “A devil ever remains a devil.” Indirect: He said that a devil ever remains a devil.
The future tense of the reported speech Is changed as under : Future Indefinite—would / should Future Continuous—would/should be Future Perfect—would/should have Future Perfect Continuous—would/should have been Examples 1. Direct: You said, “He is a very good athlete.” Indirect: You said that he was a very good athlete. 2. Direct: I said, “I have finished my work.” Indirect: I said that I had finished my work. 3. Direct: He said, “Her parents will pay a visit to Delhi.” Indirect: He said that her parents would pay a visit to Delhi.
B. Interrogative Sentences
Conversion Of Interrogative Sentences A From Direct Into Indirect
Examples (a) Questions beginning with a Helping Verb 1. Direct: He said to her, “Shall I accompany you to Agra ?” Indirect: He asked her if he would (should) accompany her to Agra. 2. Direct: She said to him, “Had I been absenting myself from school for a month ?” Indirect: She asked him if she had been absenting herself from school for a month. 3. Direct: He said to us, “Has she been spinning since yesterday ?” Indirect: He asked us if she had been spinning since the previous day. 4. Direct: They said to you, “Shall we be going on picnic tomorrow ?” Indirect: They asked you if they would be going on picnic the next day. 5. Direct: I said to her, “Will you have ironed your clothes ?” Indirect: I asked her if she would have ironed her clothes.
(b) Sentences having ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ 1. Direct: “Are there any more files ?” He asked. “Yes, sir,” said the peon. Indirect: He asked the peon if there were any more files. The peon replied respectfully in affirmative. 2. Direct: The teacher said to Lila, “Did you break the window pane ?” “No, sir,” said Lila, “I did not.” Indirect: The teacher asked Lila if she had broken the window pane. Lila replied respectfully and refused it (to have done it). 3. Direct: “If you find my answers satisfactory, will you give me five rupees ?” said the astrologer. “No, ’ replied the customer. Indirect: The astrologer asked the customer whether he would give him five rupees if he found his answers satisfactory. The customer replied in negative. 4. Direct: I said to him, “Do you want to go to Chandigarh ?” He said, “No, sir.” Indirect: I asked him if he wanted to go to Chandigarh and respectfully he replied in negative. 5. Direct: He said to me, “Does Mohan still play ?” I. said, “Yes, sir.” Indirect: He asked me if Mohan still played and I replied in positive.
(c) Questions beginning with Interrogative Words 1. Direct: He said to me, “Whom does she want to contact ?” Indirect: He asked me whom she wanted to contact. 2. Direct: They said to her, “Whose house are you purchasing ?” Indirect: They asked her whose house she was purchasing. 3. Direct: You said to him “Why are you making mischief ?” Indirect: You asked him why he was making mischief. 4. Direct: They said to us, “How have you solved this sum ?” Indirect: They asked us how we had solved that sum. 5. Direct : We said to them, “Who has misguided you ?” Indirect: We asked them who had misguided them.
(d) Questions beginning with modal auxiliaries 1. Direct: I said to him, “May Sunita come in to discuss with you something ?” Indirect: I asked him if Sunita might come in to discuss with him something. 2. Direct: The traveller said to me, “Can you tell me the way to the nearest inn ? Indirect: The traveller asked me if I could tell him the way to the nearest inn. 3. Direct: He said to me, “Must I leave for Mumbai tomorrow ?” Indirect: He asked me if he had to leave for Mumbai the next day. 4. Direct: I said to her, “Could you give me your notes ?” Indirect: I asked her if she could give me her notes. 5. Direct: I said to him, “Need I go to him ?” Indirect: I asked him if I had to go to him.
Multiple Choice Questions
Read the statements given below and tick the correct option : I. Identify the Reporting Verbs as directed : Question 1. Present (i) Radha will say ……… (ii) Radha said …… (iii) Radha had said ……….. (iv) Radha says ………..
Question 2. Past (i) The commander orders (ii) the commander order (iii) The commander said (iv) The commander will order
Question 3. Future (i) She requests (ii) She will say (iii) She informed (iv) She will enquire.
Question 4. Direct Speech (i) He said that the sun rises in the east (ii) Sun rises in the east (iii) She enquired about the holiday (iv) He enquired to be given a holiday
Question 5. Indirect speech (i) ‘I want to go for a walk’. (ii) He suggested going out for a walk (iii) ‘Get me a book’. (iv) ‘GO out’.
II. Fill in the blanks : Question 6. I said ……….. (i) why are you going (ii) him to go (iii) that he was going (iv) to go out of the room
Question 7. He asked …….. (i) whether was he fine (ii) was he fine (iii) if he is fine (iv) if he was fine
III. Tick the correct option : Question 8. The teacher said to them, (i) ‘Who had been teaching them English ?’ (ii) ‘Who teaches you English ?’ (iii) ‘Who taught your English ?’ (iv) ‘Whom you teach English ?’
Question 9. The teacher asked the students (i) whom were they taught English (ii) who taught them English. (iii) by whom were they taught English (iv) were they taught English
Question 10. He said, “The earth revolves around its axis” (i) He said that the earth revolved around its axis (ii) He said that the earth will revolve around its axis (iii) He said that the earth would revolve around its axis (iv) He said that the earth revolves around its axis. Answers 1. (iv) 2. (iii) 3. (ii) 4. (ii) 5. (ii) 6. (iii) 7. (iv) 8. (ii) 9. (ii) 10. (iv)
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Class 6 Narration Change Rules with Examples and Exercises
Discover the process of Narration Change Class 6 Rules with Examples and Exercises with our comprehensive guide providing relevant examples and clear explanations. Our updated guide on the Narration Change Class 6 Rules offers clear and concise explanations of the modifications with helpful examples to make learning easier. Understand the new guidelines and improve your storytelling skills for successful narration exams. Get started now and take your Class 6 narration to the next level.
When we narrate something that is called Narration . Narration can be done either by speaking the speaker’s actual words i.e Direct Narration or by giving the substance of the speaker’s speech without changing the meaning i.e Indirect Narration . As a result, we get the conclusion that there are two types of narration – Direct Narration and Indirect Narration.
Narration Change Class 6
There are two types of Narration – Direct narration & Indirect Narration. Direct narration can also be called Direct Speech . Indirect narration can also be called Indirect Speech . Basically, when we quote a speaker’s actual words, it is called Direct Speech and if a speech is reported without quoting the speaker’s actual words, it is called Indirect Speech.
Features and Parts of Direct Speech.
Direct Speech: He said, “I am going to school.”
- Direct speech is put within the inverted commas (“…”) to mark off the exact words of the speaker.
- A comma (. ,) is used after the reporting verb.
- The first letter of the direct speech will be a capital letter.
Features and Parts of Indirect Speech.
Indirect Speech: He said that he was going to school.
- Indirect speech is not put within the inverted commas (“…”).
- No comma (. ,) is used after the reporting verb.
- The first letter of the direct speech will not be a capital letter.
Other Narration Change Resources:
General Rules of Narration Change Class 6
There are main four rules that we have to know to change Direct Speech to Indirect Speech.
If the reporting verb is Present to Future Tense, the tense of the verb in the reported speech is not changed at all.
Direct Speech: He says , “I wrote a letter.” Indirect Speech: He says that he wrote a letter.
Direct Speech: He will say , “You are a liar.” Indirect Speech: He will say that I am a liar.
If the reporting verb is Past Tense , the tense of the verb in the reported speech must be changed to one or other of the four forms of the Past Tense. Follow the table.
The first-person pronouns in the reported speech or quoted speech change according to the subject of the reporting verb.
- Direct: Mother said, “ I took tea.”
- Indirect: Mother Said that she had taken tea.
The second-person pronouns in the reported speech or quoted speech change according to the object of the reporting verb.
- Direct: My friend said to me, “ You have done well.”
- Indirect: My friend told me that I had done well.
The third-person pronouns in the reported speech or quoted speech remain in the third person.
- Direct: I said to you, “ He punished himself.”
- Indirect: I told you that he punished himself.
Place and Time expressions in the past tense in the reported speech or quoted speech of Direcr Narration change according to the following table.
Assertive Sentences Rules of Narration Change Class 6
Direct speech.
- Direct Speech: She said , “You are reading a book.”
- Direct Speech: She said to me , “You are reading a book. “
Indirect Speech
- Indirect Speech: She said that you were reading a book.
- Indirect Speech: She told me that I was reading a book.
Interrogative Sentences Rules of Narration Change Class 6
- Direct: You said to me, “Do you hear me? “
- Direct: You said to me, “ Why have you failed?”
- Indirect: You asked me if/whether I heard you.
- Indirect: You asked me why I had failed.
Narration Change Class 6 workout examples
Examples of tense.
Direct: He said, “I am going to the market.” Indirect: He said that he was going to the market
Direct: Mother says, “I love my child very much.” Indirect: The mother says that she loves her child very much.
Direct: The Prisoner said, “I shall break the jai.”l Indirect: The Prisoner said that he would break the jail.
Examples of Person
Direct: I said to you, “He punished himself.” Indirect: I told you that he punished himself
Direct: He says to me, “I have done the work.” Indirect: He tells me that he has done the work.
Direct: The child said, “I am studying English.” Indirect: The child said that he was studying English.
Examples of Time & Place
Direct: Rita said, “I live here.” Indirect: Rita said that she lived there.
Direct: He said to me, “I want to play with you today.” Indirect: He told me that he wanted to play with me that day.
Direct: The boy said, “My sister came here long ago.” Indirect: The boy said that his sister had come there long before.
Examples Interrogative sentences
Direct: He said to me, “What is your name?” Indirect: He asked me what my name was.
Direct: I said to him, “Why are you angry?” Indirect: I asked him why he was angry
Direct: The boy said, “Is there any hope for me?” Indirect: The boy asked if there was any hope for him.
Examples of Command or Request
Direct: Mother said, “Be quiet.” Indirect: Mother said to be quiet.
Direct: The teacher said, “Sit down.” Indirect: The teacher ordered to sit down
Direct: The library said to the boys, “Please, maintain silence in the class.” Indirect: The librarian requested the boys to maintain silence in the class.
Examples of Let
Direct: She said, “Let us go home.” Indirect: See proposed that they should go home.
Direct: He said, “Let me come in.” Indirect: He requested that he might come in.
Examples of Desire
Direct: He said to me, “May you prosper in life.” Indirect: He wished that I might prosper in life.
Direct: The holy man said to me, “May you be happy forever.” Indirect: The holy man wished me that I might be happy forever.
Examples Of Exclamatory sentences
Direct: He said, “Alas I have lost the challenge.” Indirect: He exclaimed in sorrow that he had lost the challenge.
Direct: “Farewell! my friends.”, he said. Indirect: He bid farewell to his friends.
Direct: He said, “How happy you are!” Indirect: He explained in joy that I was very happy.
Narration Change Class 6 Exercises
A. Change the following sentences from Direct speech to Indirect speech :
1. She said, “I am a top-class singer.”
2. You said, “He is a very good athlete”.
3. “Be quiet”, said the boy to his companion.
4. The shop assistant said, “This tea set costs Rs. 500/-.”
5. He asked me, “Have you done your homework ?”
6. Neha said to me, “Are you going to help me”.
B. Change the following sentences from direct speech to Indirect speech:
1. Ram said to him, “You are not doing any work.”
2. I said to him, “Can you tell me what the time is ?”
3. She said to me, “Do you know Sohan ?”
4. He said to me, “Did you lend me your book?”
5. He said to me, “Where do you live?”
C. Change the following sentences from direct speech to Indirect speech:
1. He said to Mohan, “How much money do you want ?”
2. The teacher said to me, “Sit in your class and learn a lesson.”
3. The teacher said to the boy, “Do not abuse anyone.”
4. Mohan said to his friend, “Let’s go out for a walk.”
5. The king said, “Let the man be set free.”
D. Read the following conversation and complete the passage given below.
Ramesh: I have invited my friends on my birthday party.
Renu: Then, I will invite my friends also.
Ramesh: That will be a good idea.
Renu: So, what should we have for dinner?
Ramesh: Let us decide the menu now.
Ramesh told Renu that he had invited his friends on his birthday. Then Renu said that (a) _________________ which Ramesh thought (b) _________________.
When Renu asked (c) _________________ Ramesh replied that they should decide the menu then.
E. Below you can read a conversation between Reinu and her husband Somu. Complete the following reporting what they discussed:
Reinu: Our new servant has a tendency to steal things.
Somu: Is anything missing?
Reinu: Yes, he has stolen one of our blankets.
Somu: Which one?
Reinu: It’s the one we took from Hotel Palm Beach.
Reinu told her husband that (a) __________ a tendency to steal things. Somu asked her (b) __________. She told him that (c) __________ When Somu asked her which one it was, she replied that it was the one they had taken from Hotel Palm Beach.
F. Read the conversation given below and report the dialogues between Sonu and Monu by completing the pas. that follows. Write the answer neatly in your answer sheet:
Sonu: I’m dying, Monu.
Monu: Well, do me a favour after you reach heaven.
Sonu: What do you want me to do?
Monu: Tell me if they play cricket in heaven.
(Sonu dies and Monu sees him in his dream.)
Sonu: There is one good and one bad news for you. The good news is that they play cricket here, and the bad news is that it is your turn to bowl tomorrow!
Sonu told Monu that he was dying. Monu asked Sonu (a) ____________ after he reached heaven. Sonu asked (b) ____________.Monu told Sonu (c)____________ .After his death, Sonu came into Monu’s dream and said that there was one good and one bad news for him. The good news was that they played cricket there and the bad one was that it was his turn to bowl the next day.
1. She said that she was a top-class singer.
2. You said that he was a very good athlete.
3. The boy told his companion to keep quiet.
4. The shop assistant said that the cost of the tea set was Rs. 500/-.
5. He asked me if I had done my homework.
6. Neha asked me if I was going to help her.
1. Ram told him that he was not doing any work.
2. I asked him if he could tell me what the time was.
3. She asked me whether I knew Sohan.
4. He asked me if I had lect him my book.
5. He asked me where I lived.
1. He asked Mohan how much money he wanted.
2. The teacher ordered me to sit in my class and learn my lesson.
3. The teacher forbade the boy to abuse anyone.
4. Mohan proposed to his friend that they should go out for a walk.
5. The king ordered that the man should be set free.
(a) she would invite her friends also
(b) would be a great idea
(c) what they should have for dinner
Answers 5
(a) their new servant had
(b) whether anything was missing
(c) he had stolen one of their blankets
Answers 6
(a) to do him a favor
(b)what he wanted him to do
(c) to tell him if they played cricket in heaven
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Reported speech: indirect speech
Indirect 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.
Indirect speech: reporting statements
Indirect reports of statements consist of a reporting clause and a that -clause. We often omit that , especially in informal situations:
The pilot commented that the weather had been extremely bad as the plane came in to land. (The pilot’s words were: ‘The weather was extremely bad as the plane came in to land.’ )
I told my wife I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday. ( that -clause without that ) (or I told my wife that I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday .)
Indirect speech: reporting questions
Reporting yes-no questions and alternative questions.
Indirect reports of yes-no questions and questions with or consist of a reporting clause and a reported clause introduced by if or whether . If is more common than whether . The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:
She asked if [S] [V] I was Scottish. (original yes-no question: ‘Are you Scottish?’ )
The waiter asked whether [S] we [V] wanted a table near the window. (original yes-no question: ‘Do you want a table near the window? )
He asked me if [S] [V] I had come by train or by bus. (original alternative question: ‘Did you come by train or by bus?’ )
Questions: yes-no questions ( Are you feeling cold? )
Reporting wh -questions
Indirect reports of wh -questions consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a wh -word ( who, what, when, where, why, how ). We don’t use a question mark:
He asked me what I wanted.
Not: He asked me what I wanted?
The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:
She wanted to know who [S] we [V] had invited to the party.
Not: … who had we invited …
Who , whom and what
In indirect questions with who, whom and what , the wh- word may be the subject or the object of the reported clause:
I asked them who came to meet them at the airport. ( who is the subject of came ; original question: ‘Who came to meet you at the airport?’ )
He wondered what the repairs would cost. ( what is the object of cost ; original question: ‘What will the repairs cost?’ )
She asked us what [S] we [V] were doing . (original question: ‘What are you doing?’ )
Not: She asked us what were we doing?
When , where , why and how
We also use statement word order (subject + verb) with when , where, why and how :
I asked her when [S] it [V] had happened (original question: ‘When did it happen?’ ).
Not: I asked her when had it happened?
I asked her where [S] the bus station [V] was . (original question: ‘Where is the bus station?’ )
Not: I asked her where was the bus station?
The teacher asked them how [S] they [V] wanted to do the activity . (original question: ‘How do you want to do the activity?’ )
Not: The teacher asked them how did they want to do the activity?
Questions: wh- questions
Indirect speech: reporting commands
Indirect reports of commands consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a to -infinitive:
The General ordered the troops to advance . (original command: ‘Advance!’ )
The chairperson told him to sit down and to stop interrupting . (original command: ‘Sit down and stop interrupting!’ )
We also use a to -infinitive clause in indirect reports with other verbs that mean wanting or getting people to do something, for example, advise, encourage, warn :
They advised me to wait till the following day. (original statement: ‘You should wait till the following day.’ )
The guard warned us not to enter the area. (original statement: ‘You must not enter the area.’ )
Verbs followed by a to -infinitive
Indirect speech: present simple reporting verb
We can use the reporting verb in the present simple in indirect speech if the original words are still true or relevant at the time of reporting, or if the report is of something someone often says or repeats:
Sheila says they’re closing the motorway tomorrow for repairs.
Henry tells me he’s thinking of getting married next year.
Rupert says dogs shouldn’t be allowed on the beach. (Rupert probably often repeats this statement.)
Newspaper headlines
We often use the present simple in newspaper headlines. It makes the reported speech more dramatic:
JUDGE TELLS REPORTER TO LEAVE COURTROOM
PRIME MINISTER SAYS FAMILIES ARE TOP PRIORITY IN TAX REFORM
Present simple ( I work )
Reported speech
Reported speech: direct speech
Indirect speech: past continuous reporting verb
In indirect speech, we can use the past continuous form of the reporting verb (usually say or tell ). This happens mostly in conversation, when the speaker wants to focus on the content of the report, usually because it is interesting news or important information, or because it is a new topic in the conversation:
Rory was telling me the big cinema in James Street is going to close down. Is that true?
Alex was saying that book sales have gone up a lot this year thanks to the Internet.
‘Backshift’ refers to the changes we make to the original verbs in indirect speech because time has passed between the moment of speaking and the time of the report.
In these examples, the present ( am ) has become the past ( was ), the future ( will ) has become the future-in-the-past ( would ) and the past ( happened ) has become the past perfect ( had happened ). The tenses have ‘shifted’ or ‘moved back’ in time.
The past perfect does not shift back; it stays the same:
Modal verbs
Some, but not all, modal verbs ‘shift back’ in time and change in indirect speech.
We can use a perfect form with have + - ed form after modal verbs, especially where the report looks back to a hypothetical event in the past:
He said the noise might have been the postman delivering letters. (original statement: ‘The noise might be the postman delivering letters.’ )
He said he would have helped us if we’d needed a volunteer. (original statement: ‘I’ll help you if you need a volunteer’ or ‘I’d help you if you needed a volunteer.’ )
Used to and ought to do not change in indirect speech:
She said she used to live in Oxford. (original statement: ‘I used to live in Oxford.’ )
The guard warned us that we ought to leave immediately. (original statement: ‘You ought to leave immediately.’ )
No backshift
We don’t need to change the tense in indirect speech if what a person said is still true or relevant or has not happened yet. This often happens when someone talks about the future, or when someone uses the present simple, present continuous or present perfect in their original words:
He told me his brother works for an Italian company. (It is still true that his brother works for an Italian company.)
She said she ’s getting married next year. (For the speakers, the time at the moment of speaking is ‘this year’.)
He said he ’s finished painting the door. (He probably said it just a short time ago.)
She promised she ’ll help us. (The promise applies to the future.)
Indirect speech: changes to pronouns
Changes to personal pronouns in indirect reports depend on whether the person reporting the speech and the person(s) who said the original words are the same or different.
Indirect speech: changes to adverbs and demonstratives
We often change demonstratives ( this, that ) and adverbs of time and place ( now, here, today , etc.) because indirect speech happens at a later time than the original speech, and perhaps in a different place.
Typical changes to demonstratives, adverbs and adverbial expressions
Indirect speech: typical errors.
The word order in indirect reports of wh- questions is the same as statement word order (subject + verb), not question word order:
She always asks me where [S] [V] I am going .
Not: She always asks me where am I going .
We don’t use a question mark when reporting wh- questions:
I asked him what he was doing.
Not: I asked him what he was doing?
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Biden lands in France for D-Day anniversary, democracy speech
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Reporting by Jeff Mason and Paris newsroom; additional reporting by Steve Holland, Eric Beech, Kanishka Singh, Katharine Jackson and Andrea Shalal; Editing by Heather Timmons, Stephen Coates and Michael Perry
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Jeff Mason is a White House Correspondent for Reuters. He has covered the presidencies of Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden and the presidential campaigns of Biden, Trump, Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain. He served as president of the White House Correspondents’ Association in 2016-2017, leading the press corps in advocating for press freedom in the early days of the Trump administration. His and the WHCA's work was recognized with Deutsche Welle's "Freedom of Speech Award." Jeff has asked pointed questions of domestic and foreign leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un. He is a winner of the WHCA's “Excellence in Presidential News Coverage Under Deadline Pressure" award and co-winner of the Association for Business Journalists' "Breaking News" award. Jeff began his career in Frankfurt, Germany as a business reporter before being posted to Brussels, Belgium, where he covered the European Union. Jeff appears regularly on television and radio and teaches political journalism at Georgetown University. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism and a former Fulbright scholar.
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South Korea's young shamans revive ancient tradition with social media
With statues of the Buddha and local gods, candles and incense sticks, Lee Kyoung-hyun's shrine looks similar to those of Korean shamans from centuries past.
Biden signs executive action drastically tightening border
WASHINGTON — Facing mounting political pressure over the migrant influx at the southern border, President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed an executive action that will temporarily shut down asylum requests once the average number of daily encounters tops 2,500 between official ports of entry, according to a senior administration official.
“The border is not a political issue to be weaponized," Biden said in a White House speech announcing the order.
The shutdown would go into effect immediately since that threshold has already been met, a senior administration official said. The border would reopen only once that number falls to 1,500. The president’s order would come under the Immigration and Nationality Act sections 212(f) and 215(a) suspending entry of noncitizens who cross the southern border into the United States unlawfully.
Senior administration officials said Tuesday in a call with reporters that “individuals who cross the southern border unlawfully or without authorization will generally be ineligible for asylum, absent exceptionally compelling circumstances, unless they are accepted by the proclamation.”
The officials said that migrants who don’t meet the requirement of having a "credible fear" when they apply for asylum will be immediately removable, and they “anticipate that we will be removing those individuals in a matter of days, if not hours,”
The White House conveyed details of the long-awaited move to lawmakers on Monday , but confirmed details of the executive action Tuesday morning ahead of planned remarks by the president in the East Room of the White House alongside mayors from several border towns.
“It’s definitely a step in the right direction,” said Texas state Rep. Eddie Morales Jr., whose district includes Eagle Pass. “One of a number of steps that are necessary for us to be able to secure the border.”
In 2018, the Trump administration tried to enact similar border restrictions but courts blocked them. The Biden administration now expects to defend the executive action against legal challenges.
The executive action will also have some exceptions, including for unaccompanied children.
In a written statement, Donald Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavett claimed that exception would give a “green light to child traffickers and sex traffickers” while reiterating the former president’s rallying cry that “the border invasion and migrant crime will not stop until Crooked Joe Biden is deported from the White House.”
Republican lawmakers are slamming the move as too little, too late.
“(Biden) created a crisis at the border intentionally,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. “(The executive action) has more political risk than political benefit, particularly because his own base is going to reject it.”
But the White House has repeatedly argued that it was congressional Republicans who have failed to act on immigration. Earlier this year, Trump urged House GOP members to kill a bipartisan border funding bill that had been negotiated in the Senate. At the time, House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republicans said that the Senate bill didn’t go far enough and they argued that a more hard-line immigration bill in the House was preferable.
“President Biden has led a historic opening of lawful pathways for individuals to and including families, to enter the United States through a lawful process, including the CBP One mobile application to request an appointment to present at a port of entry, as well as family reunification programs in countries throughout the region and a historic parole process for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans,” a senior administration official said. “And so this measure that we are announcing today comes alongside those lawful pathways,”
The executive action comes on the heels of a historic presidential election in Mexico and just as the campaign in the U.S. ramps up. Trump has a 30-point edge with registered voters on the question of which candidate would better handle immigration and border security, including a 23-point edge among Latino voters, according to a late-March CNBC national poll.
Many immigrant advocates are furious at the president’s harsher immigration policies and argue the changes will cause chaos.
“It is a betrayal of what we were told in his campaign four years ago,” said Lindsay Toczylowski, the executive director for the California-based Immigrant Defenders Law Center. “We were told that President Biden would be restoring humanity at our border. … But what we are seeing is that history is repeating itself.”
Lee Gelernt, the deputy director of the ACLU's Immigrants’ Rights Project who argued the challenge to asylum restrictions during the Trump administration, said the advocacy group planned to sue.
“ A ban on asylum is illegal just as it was when Trump unsuccessfully tried it,” Gelernt said in a statement.
Gelernt on Tuesday said the ACLU was still working out the timing of the lawsuit and where it would be filed during an interview with NBC News' Tom Llamas.
"I'm hoping that we can convince the administration, if not the courts, that this is misguided and illegal, and maybe the administration can pull it back or mitigate it," Gelernt said.
When asked about potential lawsuits during a call with reporters on Tuesday, a senior administration official said the agency was "prepared" for any forthcoming legal battles.
“I think we are accustomed to being litigated, frankly, from both sides of the political spectrum, for just about any measure we take in this space, and that is just yet another sign that there is no lasting solution to the challenges we are facing without Congress doing its job,” the official said.
CORRECTION (June 5, 2024 10:05 a.m. ET) A previous version of this article misstated the last name of the Texas state representative who represents Eagle Pass. He is Eddie Morales Jr. not Jones Jr.
Gabe Gutierrez is a senior White House correspondent for NBC News.
Monica Alba is a White House correspondent for NBC News.
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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. Q2.
CBSE Class 6 English Grammar Reported Speech. 1. There are two different ways in which we can report the words of a speaker : (a) Direct Speech or Direct Narration. (b) Indirect Speech or Indirect Narration. 2. (a) Direct Speech contains the actual words of the speaker ; as—. Sarla said, "My father has a roaring business in Mumbai". He ...
To change an imperative sentence into a reported indirect sentence, use to for imperative and not to for negative sentences. Never use the word that in your indirect speech. Another rule is to remove the word please. Instead, say request or say. For example: "Please don't interrupt the event," said the host.
on June 15, 2023, 7:09 AM. Class 6 English Grammar Chapter 24 Direct and Indirect Speech. The word—speech—means whatever we speak or write. Speaking or writing the words of an another person can be done in two ways, 1. by repeating the words of the other person as they were, 2. by stating the meaning of the words of the other person in your ...
Reported speech is used when someone says a sentence, like, "I'm going to the movie tonight". Later, we want to tell a 3rd person what the first person is doing. It works like this: We use a reporting verb i.e 'say' or 'tell'. In the present tense, just put in 'he says. Direct Speech: I like burgers.
Watch my reported speech video: Here's how it works: We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. ( Click here for more about using 'say' and 'tell' .) If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence: Direct speech: I like ice cream. Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.
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.".
Whenever you report a speech there's a reporting verb used like "say" or "tell". For example: Direct speech: I love to play football. Reported speech: She said that she loves to play football. (Note 1 : Assume a gender if not mentioned already. Note 2: Using "that" is optional.
Reported speech: He asked if he would see me later. In the direct speech example you can see the modal verb 'will' being used to ask a question. Notice how in reported speech the modal verb 'will' and the reporting verb 'ask' are both written in the past tense. So, 'will' becomes 'would' and 'ask' becomes 'asked'.
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Brush your teeth. -> She told me to brush my teeth. Finally, when reporting speech, you must always consider the time in which the original statement was made. If a time is mentioned within the statement, you will also have to consider how that time relates to the current moment.
Reported speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary
Reported Speech Class 6 CBSE. 1. There are two different ways in which we can report the words of a speaker : (a) Direct Speech or Direct Narration. (b) Indirect Speech or Indirect Narration. 2. (a) Direct Speech contains the actual words of the speaker ; as—. Sarla said, "My father has a roaring business in Mumbai".
Reported Speech Solved Examples Exercises for Class 6 CBSE. Question 1. Change into reported speech. (i) Rahul said, "I like fiction. (ii) The girl said, 'I am writing a letter'. (iii) The boy said to the girl, 'I am waiting for you.'. (iv) The masons said, 'We have finished the job.
CBSE Class 6 English Grammar Reported Speech. 1. There are two different ways in which we can report the words of a speaker : (a) Direct Speech or Direct Narration. (b) Indirect Speech or Indirect Narration. 2. (a) Direct Speech contains the actual words of the speaker ; as—. Sarla said, "My father has a roaring business in Mumbai". He ...
Country: Indonesia. School subject: English as a Second Language (ESL) (1061958) Main content: Reported speech (2013113) From worksheet author: Reported Speech Practice. Other contents: simple present, simple past, direct speech, indirect speech. Worksheet description: Educational Level: Intermediate Objective Explanation: The objective of this ...
Reported speech 2. Reported requests and orders. Reported speech exercise. Reported questions - worksheet. Indirect speech - worksheet. Worksheets pdf - print. Grammar worksheets - handouts. Grammar - lessons. Reported speech - grammar notes.
English Grammar Ebook for Class 6. When we narrate something that is called Narration.Narration can be done either by speaking the speaker's actual words i.e Direct Narration or by giving the substance of the speaker's speech without changing the meaning i.e Indirect Narration.As a result, we get the conclusion that there are two types of narration - Direct Narration and Indirect Narration.
Reported speech: indirect speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary
President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced an immigration authority that will allow the administration to ban asylum seekers who cross the US-Mexico border illegally.; The new executive action bars ...
President Joe Biden landed in France on Wednesday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day on a trip designed to underscore his commitment to U.S. allies in Europe and contrast his vision of ...
It depends. Trump's right to vote in Florida in November's election will depend on whether he is sentenced to a term in prison and if he has finished serving that prison sentence by the time ...
June 4, 2024, 4:00 PM UTC / Updated June 4, 2024, 6:38 PM UTC. ... "The border is not a political issue to be weaponized," Biden said in a White House speech announcing the order.