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What is Reported Speech and how to use it? with Examples

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Olivia Drake

Reported speech and indirect speech are two terms that refer to the same concept, which is the act of expressing what someone else has said.

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Reported speech is different from direct speech because it does not use the speaker’s exact words. Instead, the reporting verb is used to introduce the reported speech, and the tense and pronouns are changed to reflect the shift in perspective. There are two main types of reported speech: statements and questions.

1. Reported Statements: In reported statements, the reporting verb is usually “said.” The tense in the reported speech changes from the present simple to the past simple, and any pronouns referring to the speaker or listener are changed to reflect the shift in perspective. For example, “I am going to the store,” becomes “He said that he was going to the store.”

2. Reported Questions: In reported questions, the reporting verb is usually “asked.” The tense in the reported speech changes from the present simple to the past simple, and the word order changes from a question to a statement. For example, “What time is it?” becomes “She asked what time it was.”

It’s important to note that the tense shift in reported speech depends on the context and the time of the reported speech. Here are a few more examples:

Direct speech: “I will call you later.”Reported speech: He said that he would call me later.
Direct speech: “Did you finish your homework?”Reported speech: She asked if I had finished my homework.
Direct speech: “I love pizza.”Reported speech: They said that they loved pizza.

When do we use reported speech?

Reported speech is used to report what someone else has said, thought, or written. It is often used in situations where you want to relate what someone else has said without quoting them directly.

Reported speech can be used in a variety of contexts, such as in news reports, academic writing, and everyday conversation. Some common situations where reported speech is used include:

News reports: Journalists often use reported speech to quote what someone said in an interview or press conference.

Business and professional communication: In professional settings, reported speech can be used to summarize what was discussed in a meeting or to report feedback from a customer.

Conversational English: In everyday conversations, reported speech is used to relate what someone else said. For example, “She told me that she was running late.”

Narration: In written narratives or storytelling, reported speech can be used to convey what a character said or thought.

How to make reported speech?

1. Change the pronouns and adverbs of time and place: In reported speech, you need to change the pronouns, adverbs of time and place to reflect the new speaker or point of view. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I’m going to the store now,” she said. Reported speech: She said she was going to the store then.

In this example, the pronoun “I” is changed to “she” and the adverb “now” is changed to “then.”

2. Change the tense: In reported speech, you usually need to change the tense of the verb to reflect the change from direct to indirect speech. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I will meet you at the park tomorrow,” he said. Reported speech: He said he would meet me at the park the next day.

In this example, the present tense “will” is changed to the past tense “would.”

3. Change reporting verbs: In reported speech, you can use different reporting verbs such as “say,” “tell,” “ask,” or “inquire” depending on the context of the speech. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “Did you finish your homework?” she asked. Reported speech: She asked if I had finished my homework.

In this example, the reporting verb “asked” is changed to “said” and “did” is changed to “had.”

Overall, when making reported speech, it’s important to pay attention to the verb tense and the changes in pronouns, adverbs, and reporting verbs to convey the original speaker’s message accurately.

How do I change the pronouns and adverbs in reported speech?

1. Changing Pronouns: In reported speech, the pronouns in the original statement must be changed to reflect the perspective of the new speaker. Generally, the first person pronouns (I, me, my, mine, we, us, our, ours) are changed according to the subject of the reporting verb, while the second and third person pronouns (you, your, yours, he, him, his, she, her, hers, it, its, they, them, their, theirs) are changed according to the object of the reporting verb. For example:

Direct speech: “I love chocolate.” Reported speech: She said she loved chocolate.

Direct speech: “You should study harder.” Reported speech: He advised me to study harder.

Direct speech: “She is reading a book.” Reported speech: They noticed that she was reading a book.

2. Changing Adverbs: In reported speech, the adverbs and adverbial phrases that indicate time or place may need to be changed to reflect the perspective of the new speaker. For example:

Direct speech: “I’m going to the cinema tonight.” Reported speech: She said she was going to the cinema that night.

Direct speech: “He is here.” Reported speech: She said he was there.

Note that the adverb “now” usually changes to “then” or is omitted altogether in reported speech, depending on the context.

It’s important to keep in mind that the changes made to pronouns and adverbs in reported speech depend on the context and the perspective of the new speaker. With practice, you can become more comfortable with making these changes in reported speech.

How do I change the tense in reported speech?

In reported speech, the tense of the reported verb usually changes to reflect the change from direct to indirect speech. Here are some guidelines on how to change the tense in reported speech:

Present simple in direct speech changes to past simple in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I like pizza.” Reported speech: She said she liked pizza.

Present continuous in direct speech changes to past continuous in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I am studying for my exam.” Reported speech: He said he was studying for his exam.

Present perfect in direct speech changes to past perfect in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I have finished my work.” Reported speech: She said she had finished her work.

Past simple in direct speech changes to past perfect in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I visited my grandparents last weekend.” Reported speech: She said she had visited her grandparents the previous weekend.

Will in direct speech changes to would in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I will help you with your project.” Reported speech: He said he would help me with my project.

Can in direct speech changes to could in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I can speak French.” Reported speech: She said she could speak French.

Remember that the tense changes in reported speech depend on the tense of the verb in the direct speech, and the tense you use in reported speech should match the time frame of the new speaker’s perspective. With practice, you can become more comfortable with changing the tense in reported speech.

Do I always need to use a reporting verb in reported speech?

No, you do not always need to use a reporting verb in reported speech. However, using a reporting verb can help to clarify who is speaking and add more context to the reported speech.

In some cases, the reported speech can be introduced by phrases such as “I heard that” or “It seems that” without using a reporting verb. For example:

Direct speech: “I’m going to the cinema tonight.” Reported speech with a reporting verb: She said she was going to the cinema tonight. Reported speech without a reporting verb: It seems that she’s going to the cinema tonight.

However, it’s important to note that using a reporting verb can help to make the reported speech more formal and accurate. When using reported speech in academic writing or journalism, it’s generally recommended to use a reporting verb to make the reporting more clear and credible.

Some common reporting verbs include say, tell, explain, ask, suggest, and advise. For example:

Direct speech: “I think we should invest in renewable energy.” Reported speech with a reporting verb: She suggested that they invest in renewable energy.

Overall, while using a reporting verb is not always required, it can be helpful to make the reported speech more clear and accurate

How to use reported speech to report questions and commands?

1. Reporting Questions: When reporting questions, you need to use an introductory phrase such as “asked” or “wondered” followed by the question word (if applicable), subject, and verb. You also need to change the word order to make it a statement. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “What time is the meeting?” Reported speech: She asked what time the meeting was.

Note that the question mark is not used in reported speech.

2. Reporting Commands: When reporting commands, you need to use an introductory phrase such as “ordered” or “told” followed by the person, to + infinitive, and any additional information. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “Clean your room!” Reported speech: She ordered me to clean my room.

Note that the exclamation mark is not used in reported speech.

In both cases, the tense of the reported verb should be changed accordingly. For example, present simple changes to past simple, and future changes to conditional. Here are some examples:

Direct speech: “Will you go to the party with me?”Reported speech: She asked if I would go to the party with her. Direct speech: “Please bring me a glass of water.”Reported speech: She requested that I bring her a glass of water.

Remember that when using reported speech to report questions and commands, the introductory phrases and verb tenses are important to convey the intended meaning accurately.

How to make questions in reported speech?

To make questions in reported speech, you need to use an introductory phrase such as “asked” or “wondered” followed by the question word (if applicable), subject, and verb. You also need to change the word order to make it a statement. Here are the steps to make questions in reported speech:

Identify the reporting verb: The first step is to identify the reporting verb in the sentence. Common reporting verbs used to report questions include “asked,” “inquired,” “wondered,” and “wanted to know.”

Change the tense and pronouns: Next, you need to change the tense and pronouns in the sentence to reflect the shift from direct to reported speech. The tense of the verb is usually shifted back one tense (e.g. from present simple to past simple) in reported speech. The pronouns should also be changed as necessary to reflect the shift in perspective from the original speaker to the reporting speaker.

Use an appropriate question word: If the original question contained a question word (e.g. who, what, where, when, why, how), you should use the same question word in the reported question. If the original question did not contain a question word, you can use “if” or “whether” to introduce the reported question.

Change the word order: In reported speech, the word order of the question changes from the inverted form to a normal statement form. The subject usually comes before the verb, unless the original question started with a question word.

Here are some examples of reported questions:

Direct speech: “Did you finish your homework?”Reported speech: He wanted to know if I had finished my homework. Direct speech: “Where are you going?”Reported speech: She wondered where I was going.

Remember that when making questions in reported speech, the introductory phrases and verb tenses are important to convey the intended meaning accurately.

Here you can find more examples of direct and indirect questions

What is the difference between reported speech an indirect speech?

In reported or indirect speech, you are retelling or reporting what someone said using your own words. The tense of the reported speech is usually shifted back one tense from the tense used in the original statement. For example, if someone said, “I am going to the store,” in reported speech you would say, “He/she said that he/she was going to the store.”

The main difference between reported speech and indirect speech is that reported speech usually refers to spoken language, while indirect speech can refer to both spoken and written language. Additionally, indirect speech is a broader term that includes reported speech as well as other ways of expressing what someone else has said, such as paraphrasing or summarizing.

Examples of direct speech to reported

Direct speech: “I am hungry,” she said. Reported speech: She said she was hungry.
Direct speech: “Can you pass the salt, please?” he asked. Reported speech: He asked her to pass the salt.
Direct speech: “I will meet you at the cinema,” he said. Reported speech: He said he would meet her at the cinema.
Direct speech: “I have been working on this project for hours,” she said. Reported speech: She said she had been working on the project for hours.
Direct speech: “What time does the train leave?” he asked. Reported speech: He asked what time the train left.
Direct speech: “I love playing the piano,” she said. Reported speech: She said she loved playing the piano.
Direct speech: “I am going to the grocery store,” he said. Reported speech: He said he was going to the grocery store.
Direct speech: “Did you finish your homework?” the teacher asked. Reported speech: The teacher asked if he had finished his homework.
Direct speech: “I want to go to the beach,” she said. Reported speech: She said she wanted to go to the beach.
Direct speech: “Do you need help with that?” he asked. Reported speech: He asked if she needed help with that.
Direct speech: “I can’t come to the party,” he said. Reported speech: He said he couldn’t come to the party.
Direct speech: “Please don’t leave me,” she said. Reported speech: She begged him not to leave her.
Direct speech: “I have never been to London before,” he said. Reported speech: He said he had never been to London before.
Direct speech: “Where did you put my phone?” she asked. Reported speech: She asked where she had put her phone.
Direct speech: “I’m sorry for being late,” he said. Reported speech: He apologized for being late.
Direct speech: “I need some help with this math problem,” she said. Reported speech: She said she needed some help with the math problem.
Direct speech: “I am going to study abroad next year,” he said. Reported speech: He said he was going to study abroad the following year.
Direct speech: “Can you give me a ride to the airport?” she asked. Reported speech: She asked him to give her a ride to the airport.
Direct speech: “I don’t know how to fix this,” he said. Reported speech: He said he didn’t know how to fix it.
Direct speech: “I hate it when it rains,” she said. Reported speech: She said she hated it when it rained.

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100 Reported Speech Examples: How To Change Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is a way of communicating what someone else has said without quoting their exact words. For example, if your friend said, “ I am going to the store ,” in reported speech, you might convey this as, “ My friend said he was going to the store. ” Reported speech is common in both spoken and written language, especially in storytelling, news reporting, and everyday conversations.

Reported speech can be quite challenging for English language learners because in order to change direct speech into reported speech, one must change the perspective and tense of what was said by the original speaker or writer. In this guide, we will explain in detail how to change direct speech into indirect speech and provide lots of examples of reported speech to help you understand. Here are the key aspects of converting direct speech into reported speech.

Reported Speech: Changing Pronouns

Pronouns are usually changed to match the perspective of the person reporting the speech. For example, “I” in direct speech may become “he” or “she” in reported speech, depending on the context. Here are some example sentences:

Direct : “I am going to the park.” Reported : He said he was going to the park .
Direct : “You should try the new restaurant.” Reported : She said that I should try the new restaurant.
Direct : “We will win the game.” Reported : They said that they would win the game.
Direct : “She loves her new job.” Reported : He said that she loves her new job.
Direct : “He can’t come to the party.” Reported : She said that he couldn’t come to the party.
Direct : “It belongs to me.” Reported : He said that it belonged to him .
Direct : “They are moving to a new city.” Reported : She said that they were moving to a new city.
Direct : “You are doing a great job.” Reported : He told me that I was doing a great job.
Direct : “I don’t like this movie.” Reported : She said that she didn’t like that movie.
Direct : “We have finished our work.” Reported : They said that they had finished their work.
Direct : “You will need to sign here.” Reported : He said that I would need to sign there.
Direct : “She can solve the problem.” Reported : He said that she could solve the problem.
Direct : “He was not at home yesterday.” Reported : She said that he had not been at home the day before.
Direct : “It is my responsibility.” Reported : He said that it was his responsibility.
Direct : “We are planning a surprise.” Reported : They said that they were planning a surprise.

Reported Speech: Reporting Verbs

In reported speech, various reporting verbs are used depending on the nature of the statement or the intention behind the communication. These verbs are essential for conveying the original tone, intent, or action of the speaker. Here are some examples demonstrating the use of different reporting verbs in reported speech:

Direct: “I will help you,” she promised . Reported: She promised that she would help me.
Direct: “You should study harder,” he advised . Reported: He advised that I should study harder.
Direct: “I didn’t take your book,” he denied . Reported: He denied taking my book .
Direct: “Let’s go to the cinema,” she suggested . Reported: She suggested going to the cinema .
Direct: “I love this song,” he confessed . Reported: He confessed that he loved that song.
Direct: “I haven’t seen her today,” she claimed . Reported: She claimed that she hadn’t seen her that day.
Direct: “I will finish the project,” he assured . Reported: He assured me that he would finish the project.
Direct: “I’m not feeling well,” she complained . Reported: She complained of not feeling well.
Direct: “This is how you do it,” he explained . Reported: He explained how to do it.
Direct: “I saw him yesterday,” she stated . Reported: She stated that she had seen him the day before.
Direct: “Please open the window,” he requested . Reported: He requested that I open the window.
Direct: “I can win this race,” he boasted . Reported: He boasted that he could win the race.
Direct: “I’m moving to London,” she announced . Reported: She announced that she was moving to London.
Direct: “I didn’t understand the instructions,” he admitted . Reported: He admitted that he didn’t understand the instructions.
Direct: “I’ll call you tonight,” she promised . Reported: She promised to call me that night.

Reported Speech: Tense Shifts

When converting direct speech into reported speech, the verb tense is often shifted back one step in time. This is known as the “backshift” of tenses. It’s essential to adjust the tense to reflect the time elapsed between the original speech and the reporting. Here are some examples to illustrate how different tenses in direct speech are transformed in reported speech:

Direct: “I am eating.” Reported: He said he was eating.
Direct: “They will go to the park.” Reported: She mentioned they would go to the park.
Direct: “We have finished our homework.” Reported: They told me they had finished their homework.
Direct: “I do my exercises every morning.” Reported: He explained that he did his exercises every morning.
Direct: “She is going to start a new job.” Reported: He heard she was going to start a new job.
Direct: “I can solve this problem.” Reported: She said she could solve that problem.
Direct: “We are visiting Paris next week.” Reported: They said they were visiting Paris the following week.
Direct: “I will be waiting outside.” Reported: He stated he would be waiting outside.
Direct: “They have been studying for hours.” Reported: She mentioned they had been studying for hours.
Direct: “I can’t understand this chapter.” Reported: He complained that he couldn’t understand that chapter.
Direct: “We were planning a surprise.” Reported: They told me they had been planning a surprise.
Direct: “She has to complete her assignment.” Reported: He said she had to complete her assignment.
Direct: “I will have finished the project by Monday.” Reported: She stated she would have finished the project by Monday.
Direct: “They are going to hold a meeting.” Reported: She heard they were going to hold a meeting.
Direct: “I must leave.” Reported: He said he had to leave.

Reported Speech: Changing Time and Place References

When converting direct speech into reported speech, references to time and place often need to be adjusted to fit the context of the reported speech. This is because the time and place relative to the speaker may have changed from the original statement to the time of reporting. Here are some examples to illustrate how time and place references change:

Direct: “I will see you tomorrow .” Reported: He said he would see me the next day .
Direct: “We went to the park yesterday .” Reported: They said they went to the park the day before .
Direct: “I have been working here since Monday .” Reported: She mentioned she had been working there since Monday .
Direct: “Let’s meet here at noon.” Reported: He suggested meeting there at noon.
Direct: “I bought this last week .” Reported: She said she had bought it the previous week .
Direct: “I will finish this by tomorrow .” Reported: He stated he would finish it by the next day .
Direct: “She will move to New York next month .” Reported: He heard she would move to New York the following month .
Direct: “They were at the festival this morning .” Reported: She said they were at the festival that morning .
Direct: “I saw him here yesterday.” Reported: She mentioned she saw him there the day before.
Direct: “We will return in a week .” Reported: They said they would return in a week .
Direct: “I have an appointment today .” Reported: He said he had an appointment that day .
Direct: “The event starts next Friday .” Reported: She mentioned the event starts the following Friday .
Direct: “I lived in Berlin two years ago .” Reported: He stated he had lived in Berlin two years before .
Direct: “I will call you tonight .” Reported: She said she would call me that night .
Direct: “I was at the office yesterday .” Reported: He mentioned he was at the office the day before .

Reported Speech: Question Format

When converting questions from direct speech into reported speech, the format changes significantly. Unlike statements, questions require rephrasing into a statement format and often involve the use of introductory verbs like ‘asked’ or ‘inquired’. Here are some examples to demonstrate how questions in direct speech are converted into statements in reported speech:

Direct: “Are you coming to the party?” Reported: She asked if I was coming to the party.
Direct: “What time is the meeting?” Reported: He inquired what time the meeting was.
Direct: “Why did you leave early?” Reported: They wanted to know why I had left early.
Direct: “Can you help me with this?” Reported: She asked if I could help her with that.
Direct: “Where did you buy this?” Reported: He wondered where I had bought that.
Direct: “Who is going to the concert?” Reported: They asked who was going to the concert.
Direct: “How do you solve this problem?” Reported: She questioned how to solve that problem.
Direct: “Is this the right way to the station?” Reported: He inquired whether it was the right way to the station.
Direct: “Do you know her name?” Reported: They asked if I knew her name.
Direct: “Why are they moving out?” Reported: She wondered why they were moving out.
Direct: “Have you seen my keys?” Reported: He asked if I had seen his keys.
Direct: “What were they talking about?” Reported: She wanted to know what they had been talking about.
Direct: “When will you return?” Reported: He asked when I would return.
Direct: “Can she drive a manual car?” Reported: They inquired if she could drive a manual car.
Direct: “How long have you been waiting?” Reported: She asked how long I had been waiting.

Reported Speech: Omitting Quotation Marks

In reported speech, quotation marks are not used, differentiating it from direct speech which requires them to enclose the spoken words. Reported speech summarizes or paraphrases what someone said without the need for exact wording. Here are examples showing how direct speech with quotation marks is transformed into reported speech without them:

Direct: “I am feeling tired,” she said. Reported: She said she was feeling tired.
Direct: “We will win the game,” he exclaimed. Reported: He exclaimed that they would win the game.
Direct: “I don’t like apples,” the boy declared. Reported: The boy declared that he didn’t like apples.
Direct: “You should visit Paris,” she suggested. Reported: She suggested that I should visit Paris.
Direct: “I will be late,” he warned. Reported: He warned that he would be late.
Direct: “I can’t believe you did that,” she expressed in surprise. Reported: She expressed her surprise that I had done that.
Direct: “I need help with this task,” he admitted. Reported: He admitted that he needed help with the task.
Direct: “I have never been to Italy,” she confessed. Reported: She confessed that she had never been to Italy.
Direct: “We saw a movie last night,” they mentioned. Reported: They mentioned that they saw a movie the night before.
Direct: “I am learning to play the piano,” he revealed. Reported: He revealed that he was learning to play the piano.
Direct: “You must finish your homework,” she instructed. Reported: She instructed that I must finish my homework.
Direct: “I will call you tomorrow,” he promised. Reported: He promised that he would call me the next day.
Direct: “I have finished my assignment,” she announced. Reported: She announced that she had finished her assignment.
Direct: “I cannot attend the meeting,” he apologized. Reported: He apologized for not being able to attend the meeting.
Direct: “I don’t remember where I put it,” she confessed. Reported: She confessed that she didn’t remember where she put it.

Reported Speech Quiz

Thanks for reading! I hope you found these reported speech examples useful. Before you go, why not try this Reported Speech Quiz and see if you can change indirect speech into reported speech?

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B1-B2 grammar

Reported speech

Daisy has just had an interview for a summer job.

Instructions

As you watch the video, look at the examples of reported speech. They are in red in the subtitles. Then read the conversation below to learn more. Finally, do the grammar exercises to check you understand, and can use, reported speech correctly.

Sophie: Mmm, it’s so nice to be chilling out at home after all that running around.

Ollie: Oh, yeah, travelling to glamorous places for a living must be such a drag!

Ollie: Mum, you can be so childish sometimes. Hey, I wonder how Daisy’s getting on in her job interview.

Sophie: Oh, yes, she said she was having it at four o’clock, so it’ll have finished by now. That’ll be her ... yes. Hi, love. How did it go?

Daisy: Well, good I think, but I don’t really know. They said they’d phone later and let me know.

Sophie: What kind of thing did they ask you?

Daisy: They asked if I had any experience with people, so I told them about helping at the school fair and visiting old people at the home, that sort of stuff. But I think they meant work experience.

Sophie: I’m sure what you said was impressive. They can’t expect you to have had much work experience at your age.

Daisy: And then they asked me what acting I had done, so I told them that I’d had a main part in the school play, and I showed them a bit of the video, so that was cool.

Sophie: Great!

Daisy: Oh, and they also asked if I spoke any foreign languages.

Sophie: Languages?

Daisy: Yeah, because I might have to talk to tourists, you know.

Sophie: Oh, right, of course.

Daisy: So that was it really. They showed me the costume I’ll be wearing if I get the job. Sending it over ...

Ollie: Hey, sis, I heard that Brad Pitt started out as a giant chicken too! This could be your big break!

Daisy: Ha, ha, very funny.

Sophie: Take no notice, darling. I’m sure you’ll be a marvellous chicken.

We use reported speech when we want to tell someone what someone said. We usually use a reporting verb (e.g. say, tell, ask, etc.) and then change the tense of what was actually said in direct speech.

So, direct speech is what someone actually says? Like 'I want to know about reported speech'?

Yes, and you report it with a reporting verb.

He said he wanted to know about reported speech.

I said, I want and you changed it to he wanted .

Exactly. Verbs in the present simple change to the past simple; the present continuous changes to the past continuous; the present perfect changes to the past perfect; can changes to could ; will changes to would ; etc.

She said she was having the interview at four o’clock. (Direct speech: ' I’m having the interview at four o’clock.') They said they’d phone later and let me know. (Direct speech: ' We’ll phone later and let you know.')

OK, in that last example, you changed you to me too.

Yes, apart from changing the tense of the verb, you also have to think about changing other things, like pronouns and adverbs of time and place.

'We went yesterday.' > She said they had been the day before. 'I’ll come tomorrow.' > He said he’d come the next day.

I see, but what if you’re reporting something on the same day, like 'We went yesterday'?

Well, then you would leave the time reference as 'yesterday'. You have to use your common sense. For example, if someone is saying something which is true now or always, you wouldn’t change the tense.

'Dogs can’t eat chocolate.' > She said that dogs can’t eat chocolate. 'My hair grows really slowly.' > He told me that his hair grows really slowly.

What about reporting questions?

We often use ask + if/whether , then change the tenses as with statements. In reported questions we don’t use question forms after the reporting verb.

'Do you have any experience working with people?' They asked if I had any experience working with people. 'What acting have you done?' They asked me what acting I had done .

Is there anything else I need to know about reported speech?

One thing that sometimes causes problems is imperative sentences.

You mean like 'Sit down, please' or 'Don’t go!'?

Exactly. Sentences that start with a verb in direct speech need a to + infinitive in reported speech.

She told him to be good. (Direct speech: 'Be good!') He told them not to forget. (Direct speech: 'Please don’t forget.')

OK. Can I also say 'He asked me to sit down'?

Yes. You could say 'He told me to …' or 'He asked me to …' depending on how it was said.

OK, I see. Are there any more reporting verbs?

Yes, there are lots of other reporting verbs like promise , remind , warn , advise , recommend , encourage which you can choose, depending on the situation. But say , tell and ask are the most common.

Great. I understand! My teacher said reported speech was difficult.

And I told you not to worry!

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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.

Reported Speech: Rules, Examples, Exceptions Espresso English

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:

More Espresso English Lessons:

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.

Direct Speech and Indirect Speech (Reported Speech)

August 30, 2023

Direct speech is when you repeat someone’s exact words, like “I’m going to the store.”

Indirect speech is when you say what someone said in your own words, like “She said she’s going to the store.”

So, direct speech uses the exact words, while indirect speech rephrases what was said. Remember, in indirect speech, things like tenses, pronouns, and time expressions might change to fit the new sentence.

A. Changes in Tenses and Passive Voice in Reported Speech

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, requires us to convey the words spoken by someone else while adapting them to a new context. This often involves changes in tenses and passive voice to accurately represent the original message. Let’s explore how different tenses and passive voice transform in reported speech, along with examples for each:

Direct Speech: “I eat an apple.”
Reported Speech: He said that he ate an apple.
Direct Speech: “She is reading a book.”
Reported Speech: She said that she was reading a book.
Direct Speech: “They visited the museum.”
Reported Speech: They said that they visited the museum.
Direct Speech: “I was playing tennis.”
Reported Speech: He said that he had been playing tennis.
Direct Speech: “She had finished her work.”
Reported Speech: She said that she had finished her work.
Direct Speech: “They had been studying for hours.”
Reported Speech: They said that they had been studying for hours.
Direct Speech: “I have seen that movie.”
Reported Speech: She said that she had seen that movie.
Direct Speech: “He has been working all day.”
Reported Speech: He said that he had been working all day.
Direct Speech: “I will come tomorrow.”
Reported Speech: She said that she would come the next day.
Direct Speech: “They will have finished by then.”
Reported Speech: They said that they would have finished by then.
Direct Speech: “The book is read by her.”
Reported Speech: She said that the book was read by her.
Direct Speech: “The cake is being baked.”
Reported Speech: They said that the cake was being baked.

Remember that when transforming tenses and passive voice in reported speech, the changes depend on the context and the tense of the original statement. Adapting these changes correctly ensures that the essence of the original message is conveyed accurately in the reported speech.

B. Changes in Pronouns in Reported Speech

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, involves relaying someone else’s words while adapting them to a new context. Pronouns play a crucial role in this transformation, as they need adjustments to match the perspective of the reporting speaker. Here’s a brief overview of how pronouns change in reported speech:

Changing Pronouns:

Pronouns in reported speech often change to reflect the perspective of the reporting speaker or the listener.

Direct Speech: “I am reading a book.”
Reported Speech: She said that she is reading a book.

First Person to Third Person:

Pronouns shift from the first person to the third person in reported speech.

Reported Speech: He said that he would come the next day.

Second Person to Third Person:

Pronouns shift from the second person to the third person in reported speech.

Direct Speech: “You should call your parents.”
Reported Speech: He said that I should call my parents.

Third Person to Third Person:

When the original and reported speeches are both in the third person, there’s often no change in pronouns.

Direct Speech: “She mentioned visiting the museum.”
Reported Speech: She mentioned visiting the museum.

Possessive Pronouns:

Possessive pronouns also shift according to the reporting speaker’s perspective.

Direct Speech: “This is my book.”
Reported Speech: He said that it was his book.

Maintaining Consistency:

Pronouns maintain consistency throughout the reported speech.

Direct Speech: “He called and said, ‘I will be there.'”
Reported Speech: He called and said that he would be there.

Adapting Demonstrative Pronouns:

Demonstrative pronouns may change based on the context of the reported speech.

Direct Speech: “Take this one.”
Reported Speech: She told me to take that one.

Changing Reflexive Pronouns:

Reflexive pronouns shift as needed to align with the new subject.

Direct Speech: “She washed herself.”
Reported Speech: He said that she washed herself.

Adjusting Indirect Object Pronouns:

Indirect object pronouns may require changes based on the reporting context.

Direct Speech: “He gave me a gift.”
Reported Speech: She mentioned that he had given her a gift.

C. Changes in Modals in Reported Speech

In reported speech, ‘can’ generally changes to ‘could.’
Direct Speech: “I can swim.”
Reported Speech: She said that she could swim.
The modal ‘may’ typically changes to ‘might’ in reported speech.
Direct Speech: “I may go to the party.”
Reported Speech: He said that he might go to the party.
‘Must’ remains ‘must’ in reported speech, but the context of necessity may change.
Direct Speech: “I must finish the assignment.”
Reported Speech: She said that she must finish the assignment.
‘Should’ can either remain ‘should’ or change to ‘ought to’ in reported speech.
Direct Speech: “You should exercise regularly.”
Reported Speech: He said that I should/ought to exercise regularly.
‘Will’ often changes to ‘would’ in reported speech to indicate future possibilities.
Direct Speech: “I will help you.”
Reported Speech: She said that she would help me.
‘Shall’ can change to ‘should’ or ‘would’ in reported speech, depending on the context.
Direct Speech: “Shall I open the window?”
Reported Speech: She asked if she should open the window.
In reported speech, ‘can’ changes to ‘could’ to maintain politeness.
Direct Speech: “Can you please pass the salt?”
Reported Speech: He asked if I could pass the salt.
‘Must’ can change to ‘had to’ in reported speech to reflect necessity.
Direct Speech: “You must attend the meeting.”
Reported Speech: She said that I had to attend the meeting.
‘Will’ can change to ‘was/were going to’ in reported speech for planned actions.
Direct Speech: “I will visit the museum.”
Reported Speech: He said that he was going to visit the museum.
‘Can’t’ changes to ‘couldn’t’ in reported speech to reflect inability.
Direct Speech: “I can’t solve this puzzle.”
Reported Speech: She said that she couldn’t solve the puzzle.
‘Should’ can change to ‘ought to’ in reported speech to maintain formality.
Reported Speech: He said that I ought to call my parents.
‘May’ can change to ‘might’ in reported speech for polite requests.
Direct Speech: “May I borrow your pen, please?”
Reported Speech: She asked if she might borrow my pen.

In reported speech, modals often undergo changes to suit the indirect context while retaining the original meaning. The transformation of modals contributes to accurate and effective communication when conveying someone else’s words and intentions.

D. Changes in Place References in Reported Speech

Place references are an important aspect of reported speech, requiring adjustments to accurately convey the speaker’s intended location. Let’s explore how place references change in reported speech, along with examples for each scenario:

Direct Speech: “I live here.”
Reported Speech: She said that she lived there.
Direct Speech: “Take this book.”
Reported Speech: He told me to take that book.
Direct Speech: “She mentioned visiting the Eiffel Tower.”
Reported Speech: She mentioned visiting the Eiffel Tower.
Direct Speech: “Pass me that book.”
Reported Speech: He asked me to pass him that book.
Direct Speech: “Where is the nearest café?”
Reported Speech: She asked where the nearest café was.
Direct Speech: “He said, ‘Come here.'”
Reported Speech: He told me to go there.
Direct Speech: “I found the key under the mat.”
Reported Speech: She said she had found the key under the mat.
Direct Speech: “He lives near the park.”
Reported Speech: He said he lived near the park.
Direct Speech: “She lives in New York.”
Reported Speech: He mentioned that she lived in New York.
Direct Speech: “Give me this one.”
Reported Speech: He asked for that one.

Adapting place references accurately ensures that the location and context of the original conversation are effectively maintained, even when narrated indirectly.

E. Changes in Questions in Reported Speech

Questions, both “Yes/No questions” and “Wh-questions,” undergo specific changes when reported. These changes ensure that the reported speech accurately captures the essence of the original question. Here’s an exploration of how different types of questions change in reported speech, accompanied by examples:

Direct Speech: “Did you finish your homework?”
Reported Speech: She asked if I had finished my homework.
Direct Speech: “Yes, I did finish my homework,” he said.
Reported Speech: He said that he had finished his homework.
Direct Speech: “Where are you going?”
Reported Speech: He asked where I was going.
Direct Speech: “I am going to the park,” she replied.
Reported Speech: She replied that she was going to the park.
Direct Speech: “What time does the train arrive?”
Reported Speech: He wanted to know what time the train arrived.
Direct Speech: “Is she coming to the party?”
Reported Speech: He asked if she was coming to the party.
Direct Speech: “When will the meeting start?”
Reported Speech: She wondered when the meeting would start.
Direct Speech: “Could you please pass me the salt?”
Reported Speech: She asked if I could pass her the salt.
Direct Speech: “Can you help me?”
Reported Speech: He asked if I could help him.
Direct Speech: “Why did you do that?”
Reported Speech: She demanded to know why I had done that.

Mastering the changes in reported speech for both yes/no and wh-questions is essential for accurately conveying conversations while adapting them to different linguistic contexts. These transformations ensure that the nuances of questions are maintained even when relayed indirectly.

F. Converting Time References in Reported Speech

Adapting time references is crucial in reported speech to ensure accurate conveyance of the original message. Time expressions such as “today,” “tomorrow,” “now,” “last week,” “last night,” “yesterday,” “days ago,” and “ago” require specific changes in reported speech to reflect the shift in time. Here’s a guide on how to convert sentences with time references to reported speech:

Direct Speech: “I am busy today.”
Reported Speech: She said that she was busy that day.
Direct Speech: “I am studying now.”
Reported Speech: He said that he was studying then.
Direct Speech: “I went to the market yesterday.”
Reported Speech: She said that she had gone to the market the previous day.
Direct Speech: “He visited last week, a few days ago.”
Reported Speech: They mentioned that he had visited the previous week, a few days before.
Direct Speech: “She called me last week.”
Reported Speech: He said that she had called him the previous week.
Direct Speech: “We had dinner together last night.”
Reported Speech: They mentioned that they had dinner together the previous night.
Direct Speech: “I am the current manager.”
Reported Speech: She said that she is the current manager.
Direct Speech: “I will meet you tomorrow.”
Reported Speech: He said that he would meet me the next day.
Direct Speech: “They plan to travel next week.”
Reported Speech: She mentioned that they planned to travel the following week.

Adapting time references in reported speech is essential to ensure that the context and timing of the original message are accurately conveyed, even when the conversation is relayed indirectly.

G. Changes in Commands in Reported Speech

Reporting commands requires particular adjustments to accurately represent the original instruction. Here’s a concise guide on how commands change in reported speech:

In direct commands, the verb is typically in the imperative form.
Direct Speech: “Open the window.”
Reported Speech: He told me to open the window.
In reported speech, the command changes to a verb of reporting, followed by an infinitive form.
Direct Speech: “Clean your room.”
Reported Speech: She asked me to clean my room.
Pronouns in commands may need to be adjusted to match the new context.
Direct Speech: “Take your umbrella.”
Reported Speech: He told me to take my umbrella.
Modals can be used to soften the command’s tone in reported speech.
Direct Speech: “Give me the book.”
Reported Speech: She requested me to give her the book.
Reporting verbs like “tell,” “ask,” “request,” “command,” or “order” are used to introduce the reported command.
Direct Speech: “Do your homework.”
Reported Speech: He ordered me to do my homework.
Time references may need to be adapted in reported commands.
Direct Speech: “Call me later.”
Reported Speech: She asked me to call her later.
Polite commands remain polite in reported speech.
A direct command changes to an indirect request.
Direct Speech: “Shut the door.”
Reported Speech: He asked me to shut the door.

Mastering the changes in reported speech for commands is essential for accurately conveying instructions while adapting them to different linguistic contexts. These transformations ensure that the nuances of commands are maintained even when relayed indirectly.

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How to use reported speech.

Learn about Reported Speech in English grammar. Clear and simple explanation of meaning and use, with examples.

Forming reported speech

Direct speech: “I’m not playing football.” Reported later: “He said that he wasn’t playing football.”
Direct speech: Jane: “I don’t like living here.” (Jane is referring to herself) Reported speech: Jane said (that) she didn’t like living here. (The pronoun she refers to Jane )
Direct speech: “I like this car.” Reported speech: He said (that) he liked that car.
Direct speech: “I went to Tokyo last week .” Reported speech: She said (that) she’d been to Tokyo the week before .

We use reported speech to tell someone what another person said:

Jim says to you:

“I don’t feel well.” “I can’t drive.” “My parents have gone on holiday.” “I’m going out now so you will have to wait until I get back.” “I’ll help you.”

Later, you tell your friend what Jim said:

Jim said (that) he didn’t feel well. He said (that) he couldn’t drive. He said (that) his parents had gone on holiday. He said (that) he was going out now so I would have to wait until he got back. He said that he would help me .

Additional points

Direct speech: “My car is bigger than yours.”
Reported speech: He said his car is/was bigger than mine.
Direct speech: “The earthquake happened at half past seven.”
Reported speech: The radio said that the earthquake happened at half past seven.
Direct speech: “I should go to the dentist.”
Reported speech: He said that he should go to the dentist.

Pronunciation

See the phonemic chart for IPA symbols used below.

If we use that in reported speech, we pronounce the weak form.

I said that he’d do it: /ðət/

Related grammar points

Reported Questions Reporting Verbs Say and Tell

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16 comments

Hello, I’m not a teacher, I’m an ESL class student. So, I’m here to ask you guys a question about wich is still making me to be confused. I asked my teacher, ”if you say, ”I am a teacher”, should I make it a reported speech as ” she said she was a teacher?”. she answered that I needed to say ,” she said she is a teacher”. One more thing: I found a sentence in worksheet written , ”He told his birthday is next week”. Is it correct? I thought it had to be ” he told his birhday would be next week” So, is this modern English rule? Is that a difference? Can you pleeease, explain and help me to make sure to correct this hesitation.

Thanks for your questions.

1. “She said she was a teacher” and “She said she is a teacher” are both correct. Often we don’t change the tense if the fact that we are reporting is still true. So, if it is still true that she is a teacher, then she can report it with “She said she is a teacher” (see Additional point number 1 above).

2. “He told his birthday is next week”. First of all, if you use “told” then you must add a direct object, like this: “He told me his birthday is next week”.

Now, let’s look at the different ways we can use reported speech for this. If the person says “My birthday is next week” then we can report it like this: – He told me his birthday was next week – He told me his birthday is next week (it’s still true so we don’t need to change the tense)

If the person says “My birthday will be next week” then we can report it like this: – He told me his birthday would be next week.

I hope that helps!

This is what I wanted to know. Thanks a lot!

I ask one of my students to introduce him/herself (name, age, hobbies)… and ask other students to take notes. When they are finished, I ask “What did he say?”

I tell students to think about what happened to them before they came to class. For example, “what did your mom, dad, husband, wife say to them? They write down the direct speech and then the reported speech.

I prepare cards with several questions in different tenses, such as:

“What were you doing yesterday at 6?” “How long have you been studying English?” “Will you do your homework for tomorrow?”

I put my students in pairs and ask them to interview each other using the questions on the cards. Once they’ve got their answers, they change partners and share everything they’ve learnt about the previous student.

Cut a dialogue into four parts. Paste it on four walls. Students work in pairs. One of them is the messenger and the other one is a receiver. The messenger runs to the walls and remembers the sentences, comes back and narrates the same to the receiver.

I did a “Find someone who…” mingling activity with my students and then divided the group into two teams. I asked a member from the first team to report one of the replies to a question they had asked. If their reply was correctly put into reported speech, they got a point for their team. I repeated the process until I had covered all the responses from the activity. The team with the most points won the game and was rewarded with cream eggs!

I have students make 10 questions they would ask their favourite actor or actress. Then, they use these questions to interview another partner who pretends to be that famous person. He or she will answer those questions the same way the famous person would. Students end up reporting their answers to the teacher. In that way, they can practice reported speech in an interesting form.

If you have the resources, you can play a short listening/video about an important event, news, etc. Students then have to report to the teacher what they heard.

I show them some debate shows on the Internet after advising them to make notes of the main points. Then I ask them to report what different participants opined. SBS insight has nice discussions to be used for this purpose.

I showed some slides about a fire at a petrol station and the group had to make up a conversation between two witnesses to the fire. We then wrote it as a newspaper report.

I put students in groups of three. Two in the group are a couple quarrelling, but who will not speak to each other. The middle man/woman receives information from one and uses reported speech to relay the message(s).

I ask students to think of a fun sentence. I put them all in a line and the student at the end whispers their sentence to the one beside them, this student then reports the sentence to the following student, and so on. The last student says the sentence aloud and we see if they did it correctly… it is like the “telefono descompuesto” in Spanish.

I ask students to tell their partner three secrets. Then, this student tells other students in the class (a good way to explain the word: gossip!). This activity helps students practice reporting but in a fun way!

I give the students comic strips from the funny pages, and they have to summarize the direct speech. There are always lots of questions, and that makes especially good practice.

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Reported commands and requests in English

1. reported commands.

affirmative commands → to + infinitive
negative commands → not + to + infinitive

1.1. Affirmative commands

Direct Speech → Dad, “Do your homework.”
Reported Speech → Dad told me to do my homework.

1.2. Negative commands

Direct Speech → Teacher, “Do n't talk to your friend.”
Reported Speech → The teacher told me not to talk to my friend.

1.3. The introductory sentence in commands

The word tell in introductory sentences in Reported Commands can be substituted with other words, e.g.

There is no backshift of tenses, no matter which tense is used in the introductory sentence.

Direct Speech

Dad, “Do your homework.”
Reported Speech
Dad tells me to do my homework.
Dad told me to do my homework.

2. Suggestions

Father, “Let's watch a film.”
Father suggested watching a film.
Father suggested that they should watch a film

Do not use the infintive after suggest . Father suggested to watch a film.

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Grammar Explanations

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.

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.

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

Learn how to use reported speech in English. Reported speech is also known as indirect speech and is used to tell somebody else what another person said. Using reported speech in English can sometimes be difficult for non-native speakers as we (usually) change the verbs, pronouns and specific times.

Keep reading to understand how to use reported speech and download this free English lesson!

Let’s study reported speech !

Reported speech vs. direct speech.

When we want to tell somebody else what another person said, we can use either direct speech or reported speech .

When we use d irect speech, we use the same words but use quotation marks, “_”. For example:

Scott said, “I am coming to work. I will be late because there is a lot of traffic now.”

When we use r eported speech, we usually change the verbs, specific times, and pronouns. For example:

Scott said that he was coming to work. He said that he would be late because there was a lot of traffic at that time.

How do we use reported speech ?

Since reported speech is usually talking about the past, we usually change the verbs into the past. It is always necessary to change the verbs when the action has finished or is untrue.

We do not always change the verbs. When you are reporting an action that is still current or true, it is not necessary to change the verb tense. For example:

How old are you? “ I am twenty-seven years old .” She said she is twenty-seven years old.

We usually follow the rules below. When we are reporting speech, we are usually talking about the past; therefore, we change the verbs into the past.

Reporting Questions

We use a special form when we report questions:

WH-Questions:

Where is + Tom’s house ? He asked where Tom’s house + was.

Where does Tom live? He asked where Tom lived.

Yes/No Questions:

Does Tom live in Miami? She asked if Tom lived in Miami.

Is Tom happy? She asked if Tom was happy.

Say vs. Tell

Say Something

June: “I love English .”

June said (that) she loved English.

Tell Someone Something

June: “I love English.”

June told me (that) she loved English.

Modal Verbs and Reported Speech

Must, might, could, would, should , and ought to stay the same in re ported s peech . We usually change may to might .

Infinitives and Reported Speech

Infinitives stay the same in reported speech:

“ I am going to the store to buy milk.” He said he was going to the store to buy milk.

We also use infinitives when reporting orders and commands, especially when using tell .

“ Do your homework. Don’t use a dictionary!!” He told me to do to my homework and not to use a dictionary.

Reporting Suggestions

When we are reporting another speakers suggestions, we can use a special form with suggest, recommend, or propose .

SUGGEST/ RECOMMEND/PROPOSE + (*THAT) + SUBJECT PRONOUN + **V1

SUGGEST/ RECOMMEND/PROPOSE + V1 + ING

“I think you should visit Viscaya.” → He suggested we visit Viscaya. He suggested visiting Viscaya.

“Try to get there early to get good seats.” → He recommended we get there early to get good seats.

*That is often omitted in speech.

**The verb is always in the base form. We do not use third person.

Reporting Statements

A reported statement begins with an introductory clause and is followed by the ‘information’ clause. The speaker may choose different words, but the meaning remains unchanged. Some formal words to introduce a reported statement or response are: declared, stated, informed, responded, replied, etc.

“I don’t agree with these new rules. I am not going to accept this change!” → He declared that he was in disagreement with the new rules and stated that he would not accept the changes.

Free English Lesson PDF Download

Reported Speech ~ Exercises and Practice

A. Change each direct speech example into the reported speech . The first one has been done for you.

Michelle said, “I love my Chihuahua, Daisy.”

Michelle said that she loved her Chihuahua, Daisy.

2. Republicans said, “We don’t support Obama’s plan to raise taxes.”

__________________________________________________________.

3.With her mouth full, Sarah said, “I am eating mashed potatoes.”

4. John Lee said, “This year, I will not pay my taxes.”

5. Lebron said, “I am going to win the championship next year.”

6. Patty said, “I can’t stomach another hamburger. I ate one yesterday.”

B. Rewrite the sentences/questions below using reported / indirect speech . Always change the tense, even though it is not always necessary. You can use ‘said’, ‘told me’ , or ‘asked’ .

1. Sarah: “I am in the shower right now.”

_____________________________________________________________________________

2. John: “I dropped my son off at school this morning.”

3. Samuel: “I am going to the beach with my sister this afternoon.”

4. John: “Jessica will call you later.”

5. The girls: “Who does John live with?”

6. Our classmate: “Did we have any homework last night?”

7. Sarah: “I am moving to Tokyo because I want to learn Japanese.”

8. John: “Why do you have an umbrella?”

9. The students: “Our teacher can’t find her books anywhere.”

10. Sarah and Jillian: “Is John British?”

11. Steve: “I’m going to the beach so that I can play volleyball.”

__________________________________________________________________________________

12. Ann: “Where is the bathroom?”

13. My parents: “What are you going to do with your life?”

14. Sarah: “I ate breakfast before I came to school.”

C. Your friend Megan is very nosy (she always wants to know what’s going on) so she constantly asks questions about your life and the lives of your friends. Rewrite her questions using the reported questions form. The first one has been done for you .

1. Why do you date Ryan?

She asked me why I dated Ryan.

2. How much money do you make at your new job?

________________________________________________________________________________

3. Does Ryan think I’m pretty?

4. Where is your favorite restaurant?

5. Do I look good in these jeans?

6. Can I borrow some twenty bucks?

D. Your American grandfather is telling you about how things used to be. Using the reported speech , tell your friends what he said.

“In the 1930s, people were very poor. They ate watery soup and hard bread. Many people lost their jobs. To make matters worse, a horrible drought ruined most of the farmland in the American midwest. People went to California to look for a better life. They picked strawberries in the hot California sun.”

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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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Reported Speech / Indirect Speech

Direct speech:

Indirect speech / reported speech:, convert direct speech to indirect speech, indirect speech statements, mixed types, common verbs used with reported speech.

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English Notes

English notes latest questions, ram said to me, “did you do your homework” change into indirect speech.

Indirect Speech: Ram asked me if I had done my homework.

Explanation: When the reporting verb is in the past (said) and the direct speech is in the past indefinite tense, then the indirect (reported) speech will change into the past perfect tense.

Past Indefinite Tense > Past Perfect Tense. And if the sentence is interrogative, we use the reporting verbs – asked, enquired, etc.

Note: While answering to “yes or no questions”, we use if or whether.

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Transform the following from direct to reported speech: The teacher said to me, "Do your homework." The teacher said to me to do my homework. The teacher said to me do your homework. The teacher told me to do your homework. The teacher told me to do my homework.

Indirect speech is used to report something in our own words. in case of order, the pattern for converting direct speech to reported speech is verb + indirect object + to-clause. the indirect object is the person spoken to. verbs in case of order can be command, order, warn. hence, option b is the correct answer..

Trump booed and jeered at Libertarian National Convention

WASHINGTON — Insults were hurled at former President Donald Trump when he took to the stage Saturday night to address the Libertarian National Convention .

The crowd’s hostility to the former president was especially pronounced when Trump directly solicited their votes. Each time Trump asked attendees at the Washington Hilton for their votes or the party’s nomination, he was met with loud boos.

“I’m asking for the Libertarian Party’s endorsement, or at least lots of your votes, lots and lots of Libertarian votes,” Trump said as the audience booed in response.

At times, Trump turned on the crowd, criticizing libertarians’ turnout in previous elections.

“You can keep going the way you have for the last long decades and get your 3% and meet again, get another 3%,” Trump said following jeers from the crowd.

The 2020 Libertarian Party nominee, Jo Jorgensen, won just over 1% of the votes in several swing states including Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Georgia. But in a tight race , these voters could have the power to swing the election between major-party nominees.

The audience yelled at Trump throughout his speech as well, a stark contrast to his typical crowds filled with adoring fans decked out in MAGA gear. At one point during Saturday’s speech, punches were thrown in the audience.

One member of the crowd shouted, “Lock him up!” and another yelled, “Donald Trump is a threat to democracy!” Moments later, someone yelled at Trump, “You had your shot!”

Others yelled at Trump, “F--- you” and “You already had four years, you a--hole.”

Twice, people chanting “We want Trump” were drowned out by boos and chants of “End the Fed.”

After Trump’s Saturday speech, a Libertarian candidate who took the stage called the former president a war criminal, citing his use of drone strikes and actions in Syria.

Libertarian delegates jeer Donald Trump as he speaks

On Friday night, the libertarian crowd was also hostile to mentions of Trump, and the audience booed when Vivek Ramaswamy brought up the former president. Separately, the crowd cheered one Libertarian Party member’s suggestion that “we go tell Donald Trump to go f--- himself.”

Ahead of Saturday’s speech, many members of the audience had already made up their minds about Trump. Libertarian Caryn Ann Harlos balked at the prospect of being swayed by Trump’s remarks.

“I would rather eat my own foot out of a bear trap,” Harlos said. “I only vote Libertarian.”

The Trump campaign argued it was important for the former president to venture into less-than-friendly territory to appeal to “nontraditional Republican votes.”

“What he’s really trying to do is to show that he can be a president for all Americans,” a Trump campaign official said ahead of the former president’s remarks. “If you want to compete for nontraditional Republican votes, then you got to go where they are. You can’t expect them to just show up to you.”

Trump himself referenced the unexpected decision, saying, “A lot of people ask why I came to speak at this Libertarian convention, and, you know, it’s an interesting question, isn’t it? But we’re going to have — but we’re going to have a lot of fun.”

But there were moments when Trump received cheers, like when he touted his record of starting no news wars and his administration’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization , which Biden later rejoined. Trump was also cheered when he called for pardoning Jan. 6 defendants .

One of the loudest cheers from the audience came when Trump announced his intention to commute the life sentence of “Silk Road” website operator Ross Ulbricht.

“If you vote for me, on Day One I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht,” he said.

“We’re going to get him home,” he added later.

Ulbricht was sentenced to life in federal prison in 2015 for creating and operating a hidden website known as “Silk Road” that people used to buy and sell drugs, among other illegal goods and services.

Many libertarians have called for Ulbricht’s release. At the convention on Saturday, the crowd was filled with “Free Ross” signs and took up chants in support of Ulbricht.

Preet Bharara, who was U.S. attorney for Manhattan when Ulbricht was sentenced in 2015, said in a press release at the time that Ulbricht’s actions contributed to at least six deaths. Bharara a lso ca lled Ulbricht “a drug dealer and criminal profiteer.”

“While in operation, Silk Road was used by thousands of drug dealers and other unlawful vendors to distribute hundreds of kilograms of illegal drugs and other unlawful goods and services to more than 100,000 buyers, and to launder hundreds of millions of dollars deriving from these unlawful transactions,” Immigration and Customs Enforcement said a 2015 press release announcing Ulbricht’s sentencing.

However, Trump’s previous comments about drug dealers are in conflict with his Saturday vow to commute Ulbricht’s sentence.

The former president has said that the death penalty should be instituted for certain drug dealers, depending on the severity of the crime.

And given that history, libertarians seemed to view the vow to commute Ulbricht’s sentence as calculated.

“Do you think Donald Trump even knew Ross Ulbricht’s name before he decided to come here and pander to us?” Libertarian politician Chase Oliver asked the crowd following Trump’s remarks.

Abigail Brooks reported from the Washington Hilton. Megan Lebowitz reported from Washington, D.C.

Abigail Brooks is a producer for NBC News.

Megan Lebowitz is a politics reporter for NBC News.

Trump Tells Libertarians to Nominate Him, and Mocks Them When They Boo

Former President Donald J. Trump’s appearance before the Libertarian Party on Saturday was without modern precedent: the presumptive nominee of one party addressing the convention of another.

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By Michael Gold and Rebecca Davis O’Brien

Reporting from Washington

May 25, 2024

Early in his speech at the Libertarian Party’s national convention on Saturday, Donald J. Trump told the party’s delegates bluntly that they should nominate him as its candidate for president. He was vigorously booed.

When the jeers died down, Mr. Trump, visibly frustrated with the rowdy reception he had received ever since taking the stage, dug in and went a step further, seeming to insult the very group that had invited him.

“Only do that if you want to win,” he said of nominating him. “If you want to lose, don’t do that. Keep getting your three percent every four years.”

The boos began anew, only louder.

Mr. Trump’s speech was without modern precedent: the presumptive nominee of a major political party giving a prime-time address at another party’s convention.

But as Mr. Trump tried to urge Libertarians to unite behind him in a shared effort to defeat President Biden, he was greeted with a hostility absent from the friendly crowds at his rallies, which overshadowed his appeals to their common cause.

Mr. Trump’s speech was delivered to an audience that included supporters wearing red MAGA hats, as well as Libertarians who were resentful of his presence at the convention where they will select their own presidential nominee.

Throughout his remarks, the room’s warring factions tried to drown each other out, a dynamic that immediately emerged when Mr. Trump was called to the stage.

Practically every time Mr. Trump was booed, his supporters responded by chanting, “We want Trump.” If those in MAGA hats cheered on a policy pronouncement, many of those opposed to Mr. Trump’s presence booed or shouted insults.

Often, the cycle ended only when someone began chanting, “End the Fed,” a unifying policy plank that everyone in attendance seemed to agree on.

Mr. Trump appeared irked by the chaotic atmosphere. He seemed to rush through his speech, appearing to stick to prepared remarks and avoiding the digressions or banter that often characterizes his rallies.

Still, the reception was not entirely negative, with Mr. Trump able to find shared ground with the Libertarian Party on a number of issues.

Central to the Libertarian Party platform is a belief in limited government and unfettered individual liberties. Libertarians tend to lean to the right on fiscal issues, opposing taxes, far-reaching regulatory agencies and government spending on defense.

As he often does, Mr. Trump railed against government bureaucracy and regulation, remarks that were largely well received. He promised that, if elected, he would put Libertarians in his cabinet and in senior positions, a vow that elicited some of the night’s loudest cheers.

Mr. Trump also promised to commute the life sentence of Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the black-market website Silk Road who was sentenced to life in prison in 2015. His release has been a major demand of Libertarians, and many of those in attendance waved “Free Ross” signs.

But by and large, any moments of concord were eclipsed by raucous dissent. After speaking for 35 minutes, Mr. Trump offered a closing note: “You can either nominate us and put us in the position, or give us your votes.” Another chorus of boos provided the night’s final moment.

Well ahead of his speech, the Libertarian Party’s decision to invite Mr. Trump to its convention prompted acute outrage among some members, who said it undermined the party’s integrity and gave a platform to a candidate who is, in many ways, utterly at odds with their beliefs.

D’Anne Welch, a delegate from Texas, said she was stunned that Mr. Trump, a Republican, was given time to speak that effectively delayed the party’s decision on its nominee, adding that she was deeply opposed to his efforts to secure the party’s support.

“He’s going to make himself sound Libertarian,” Ms. Welch said. “But he’s the ultimate authoritarian.”

Mr. Trump’s efforts to engage with the Libertarian Party date back months. Richard Grenell, a former acting director of national intelligence, has been key in trying to build Mr. Trump’s support among some Libertarian activists and donors.

After the speech, Mr. Grenell suggested in a post on social media that he had arranged Mr. Trump’s attendance at the convention, and he blasted liberal critics of his appearance. “Donald Trump doesn’t fear dissenting views,” he wrote. “Only your team does.”

The disagreements over Mr. Trump’s invitation were evident throughout the convention. During votes on official party proceedings on Friday, one attendee shouted, “I would like to propose that we go tell Donald Trump” to get lost, using an expletive. A vulgar chant incorporating Mr. Trump’s name broke out.

On Saturday, hours before his speech, a number of Libertarian delegates — who had paid to attend the convention — arrived in the ballroom to find that Trump supporters had taken reserved seats in the front of the room.

“I don’t want to fight with people or beg and plead,” Angela McArdle, the party’s chair, told the Trump supporters. “Let’s just make room for the delegates, because those are the people you’re trying to persuade.”

After the speech, Senator Mike Lee of Utah, a Republican with libertarian leanings who was in attendance, said Mr. Trump’s speech was a success regardless of whether he received the party’s nomination. “The speech was a home run,” he said, “because there are Libertarians all over the country watching this.”

Both Democrats and Republicans have argued at times that third-party candidates hurt their chances in the last two presidential elections. The Libertarian candidate in 2020, Jo Jorgensen, won 1.2 percent of the national vote. In Arizona, she won more than 50,000 votes. Mr. Trump lost that state to Mr. Biden by just over 10,000 votes.

Some Libertarian leaders and delegates resented the notion that Mr. Trump or Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the independent presidential candidate who spoke to the convention on Friday , might court their vote, calling those invitations a play for news media attention.

And then there was the incident that exemplified the tension surrounding Mr. Trump’s presence: the mystery of the sticker.

The campaign for one of the party’s presidential candidates, Lars Mapstead, said it spent $20,000 on ads to place around the lobby of the Washington Hilton, where the convention is taking place, including a large floor decal that read: “Let’s Deny Trump & Biden Victory on Election Night.”

Mr. Mapstead has been a vocal critic of Mr. Trump, particularly his role in increasing the national debt. In an interview with The New York Times on Friday, he said: “We reject everything about him.”

Daniel Johnson, an aide to Mr. Mapstead, said that on Thursday a man who identified himself as a representative of the Libertarian Party demanded that the advertisements be removed.

Mr. Johnson said he physically prevented the man from removing the ads after learning that he worked for an event coordinator for Mr. Trump. A video on Friday appeared to show hotel security pulling the decal off the floor.

The Trump campaign denied any involvement in the episode. A person at the Washington Hilton identified as a manager said she was not aware of ads being removed.

Mr. Mapstead blamed the Trump campaign. “It leads to that whole rigged system,” he said. “A more powerful candidate can suppress a less powerful candidate.”

Michael Gold is a political correspondent for The Times covering the campaigns of Donald J. Trump and other candidates in the 2024 presidential elections. More about Michael Gold

Rebecca Davis O’Brien covers campaign finance and money in U.S. elections. She previously covered federal law enforcement, courts and criminal justice. More about Rebecca Davis O’Brien

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President Biden paid tribute to veterans who died in America’s wars at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day as Donald Trump posted an angry and incendiary message on his social media site.

The Libertarian Party chose one of its own as its presidential nominee , capping a boisterous four-day event, where both Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unsuccessfully sought to court the group’s backing.

The verdict in Trump’s criminal trial remains a mystery, at least for a few more days. Less of a mystery is what he will say and do , with his history of attacking investigators, blaming Biden and seeking vengeance on those who cross him.

Sowing Election Doubt: Trump has baselessly and publicly cast doubt about the fairness of the 2024 election about once a day, on average, since he announced his candidacy.

Bringing Trump Into Focus: For all the news that Trump makes, the Biden campaign is struggling to make the 2024 race about the former president .

Trump’s Bygone Era: The greed-is-good era of the 1980s was the last time Trump's preferred public image was intact, and he’s been returning there in ways large and small .

Lawlessness as an Election Issue: In most U.S. cities, rates of homicide and violent assault are down significantly from pandemic-era highs. But property crimes have risen, fueling voter anxiety .

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Changes in Time and Place in Reported Speech
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Reported Speech: Important Grammar Rules and Examples
Reported Speech

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What is Reported Speech and How to Use It? with Examples
Reported speech: She said she was going to the store then. In this example, the pronoun "I" is changed to "she" and the adverb "now" is changed to "then.". 2. Change the tense: In reported speech, you usually need to change the tense of the verb to reflect the change from direct to indirect speech. Here's an example:
Homework: Reported Speech
This handy homework sheet helps students to practise Reported Speech in a number of different ways. After downloading your PDF: print it immediately or save and print later. Answers are provided for teachers on the second page. Make your own worksheets with the free EnglishClub Worksheet Maker! Printable downloadable PDF homework on Reported ...
Reported Speech
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.
100 Reported Speech Examples: How To Change Direct Speech ...
Direct: "I will help you," she promised. Reported: She promised that she would help me. Direct: "You should study harder," he advised. Reported: He advised that I should study harder. Direct: "I didn't take your book," he denied. Reported: He denied taking my book. Direct: "Let's go to the cinema," she suggested.
Reported speech
Reported speech. Daisy has just had an interview for a summer job. Instructions. 0:00 / 2:20. 720p. Transcript. We use reported speech when we want to tell someone what someone said. We usually use a reporting verb (e.g. say, tell, ask, etc.) and then change the tense of what was actually said in direct speech.
Reported Speech: Rules, Examples, Exceptions
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.".
Direct Speech and Indirect Speech (Reported Speech)
Reporting verbs like "tell," "ask," "request," "command," or "order" are used to introduce the reported command. Direct Speech: "Do your homework." Reported Speech: He ordered me to do my homework. Adapting Time References: Time references may need to be adapted in reported commands. Direct Speech: "Call me later."
How to use Reported Speech in English Grammar, with examples
We use reported speech to tell someone what another person said: Jim says to you: "I don't feel well.". "I can't drive.". "My parents have gone on holiday.". "I'm going out now so you will have to wait until I get back.". "I'll help you.". Later, you tell your friend what Jim said:
Reported commands and requests in English
Reported Speech → Dad told me to do my homework. 1.2. Negative commands. Direct Speech → Teacher, "Do n't talk to your friend." Reported Speech → The teacher told me not to talk to my friend. 1.3. The introductory sentence in commands. The word tell in introductory sentences in Reported Commands can be substituted with other words, e ...
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. Q2.
Reported speech
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.
Reported Speech Exercise 2
English grammar exercise about reported speech - in this case reported questions. Login Contact Courses Membership Speaking Explanations Exercises Method. Reported Speech Exercise 2. Perfect English Grammar. Here's an exercise about reported questions. Review reported questions here;
Reported Speech Exercise 3
Reported Requests and Orders 1. Make reported requests or orders. Start each sentence with 'she asked me' or 'she told me'. It's the same day, so you don't need to change the time expressions. 1) "Please help me carry this." [ . 2) "Please come early." [ . 3) "Please buy some milk."
Reported Speech or Indirect Speech
He told me to do to my homework and not to use a dictionary. Reporting Suggestions. When we are reporting another speakers suggestions, we can use a special form with suggest, ... Using the reported speech, tell your friends what he said. "In the 1930s, people were very poor. They ate watery soup and hard bread. Many people lost their jobs.
Reported speech: indirect speech
Reported speech: indirect speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary
Reported speech worksheet
Sentences are given in direct speech. Change them into indirect speech. 1. The teacher said to the boys, 'Have you done your homework?' 2. The little girl asked the man, 'Will you help me?' 3. Janaki said, 'I have been reading this book.' 4. Mother said to the daughter, 'Go and change your dress.' 5.
Indirect speech
What is indirect speech or reported speech? When we tell people what another person said or thought, we often use reported speech or indirect speech. To do that, we need to change verb tenses (present, past, etc.) and pronouns (I, you, my, your, etc.) if the time and speaker are different.For example, present tenses become past, I becomes he or she, and my becomes his or her, etc.
Reported Speech
a) Direct speech b) Indirect speech Direct speech: We repeat the speaker's words. He said, "I have lost my key." (no tense shift) Indirect speech / Reported Speech: We give the exact meaning of a speech without necessarily using the speaker's exact words. If we want to mention who the speaker talked to, we use told, otherwise we use said.
Ram said to me, "Did you do your homework?" Change into Indirect Speech
1 Answer. Indirect Speech: Ram asked me if I had done my homework. Explanation: When the reporting verb is in the past (said) and the direct speech is in the past indefinite tense, then the indirect (reported) speech will change into the past perfect tense. Past Indefinite Tense > Past Perfect Tense. And if the sentence is interrogative, we use ...
Transform the following from direct to reported speech:
Transform the following from direct to reported speech: The teacher said to me, "Do your homework." The teacher said to me to do my homework. The teacher said to me do your homework. The teacher told me to do your homework. The teacher told me to do my homework.
Voters know they will regret supporting Labour, but they're going to do
Perhaps they will ask whether a country whose taxes are already at a 70-year high can afford Labour's promises. Perhaps they will notice Starmer's proposal to scrap the Rwanda scheme and, in ...
Trump booed and jeered at Libertarian National Convention
Jose Luis Magana / AP. On Friday night, the libertarian crowd was also hostile to mentions of Trump, and the audience booed when Vivek Ramaswamy brought up the former president. Separately, the ...
Trump's Bronx rally looked very different than the usual MAGA crowd
THE SOUTH BRONX, N.Y. — Former President Trump's rally on Thursday night drew a crowd that looked very different than the typical MAGA flock. Why it matters: The unusual sight of Trump speaking to several thousand people in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood in deep blue New York is a sign of the realignment happening between the two parties.
Trump Tells Libertarians to Nominate Him, and Mocks Them When They Boo
Reporting from Washington. May 25, 2024. Early in his speech at the Libertarian Party's national convention on Saturday, Donald J. Trump told the party's delegates bluntly that they should ...

What is Reported Speech and how to use it? with Examples

When do we use reported speech?

How to make reported speech?

How do I change the pronouns and adverbs in reported speech?

How do I change the tense in reported speech?

Do I always need to use a reporting verb in reported speech?

How to make questions in reported speech?

What is the difference between reported speech an indirect speech?

Examples of direct speech to reported

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100 Reported Speech Examples: How To Change Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech

Reported Speech: Changing Pronouns

Reported Speech: Reporting Verbs

Reported Speech: Tense Shifts

Reported Speech: Changing Time and Place References

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Reported Speech: Omitting Quotation Marks

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Reported speech

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Reported Speech: Rules, Examples, Exceptions

What is reported speech?

Backshift of Verb Tenses in Reported Speech

Reported Speech (Part 1) Quiz

No backshift needed when the situation is still true

No backshift needed when the situation is still in the future

Review: Reported Speech, Backshift, & Exceptions

Reported Requests, Orders, and Questions

Reported Speech (Part 2) Quiz

Master the details of English grammar:

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Shayna Oliveira

Direct Speech and Indirect Speech (Reported Speech)

A. Changes in Tenses and Passive Voice in Reported Speech

B. Changes in Pronouns in Reported Speech

Changing Pronouns:

First Person to Third Person:

Second Person to Third Person:

Third Person to Third Person:

Possessive Pronouns:

Maintaining Consistency:

Adapting Demonstrative Pronouns:

Changing Reflexive Pronouns:

Adjusting Indirect Object Pronouns:

C. Changes in Modals in Reported Speech

D. Changes in Place References in Reported Speech

E. Changes in Questions in Reported Speech

F. Converting Time References in Reported Speech

G. Changes in Commands in Reported Speech

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Reported commands and requests in English

1.1. Affirmative commands

1.2. Negative commands

1.3. The introductory sentence in commands

Direct Speech

2. Suggestions

Reported Speech - Definition, Rules and Usage with Examples

Table of Contents

Transforming Direct Speech into Reported Speech

What is reported speech?

What is the formula of reported speech?

Give some examples of reported speech.

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