Reported Speech

Learn how to transform sentences from direct speech to reported speech. Master the changes involved.

Video Lesson

Reported Speech (also called Indirect Speech) is used to report what someone else has said without quoting their exact words. It involves changing the tense, pronouns, and time expressions.

Remember: When converting to reported speech, tenses typically shift back one step!

Examples:

  • Direct Speech: "I like ice cream."
    Reported Speech: He said (that) he liked ice cream.
  • Direct Speech: "I am listening to music now."
    Reported Speech: He said (that) he was listening to music then.
  • Direct Speech: "I will come next week."
    Reported Speech: She said (that) she would come the following week.

Key Changes in Reported Speech

Tense & Modal Verb Changes

Direct Speech Reported Speech
Simple Present Simple Past
Present Continuous Past Continuous
Simple Past Past Perfect
Present Perfect Past Perfect
Will Would
Can Could
May Might
Must Had to
Would Would
Could Could
Might Might

Pronoun Changes

Direct Speech Reported Speech
I He/She
We They
My His/Her
Our Their

Time Expressions

Direct Speech Reported Speech
Today That day
Now Then
Yesterday The day before/The previous day
Last night The night before/The previous night
Last week The week before/The previous week
Tomorrow The following day
Next week The week after/The following week

Other Changes

Direct Speech Reported Speech
Here There
This That
These Those

Practice: Reported Speech

Instruction: Rewrite the following sentences in the reported speech form.

1. John said, "I love this town."

John said that

2. "Do you like soccer?" He asked me.

He asked me

3. "I can't drive a car," he said.

He said

4. "Be nice to your brother," he said.

He asked me

5. "Don't come tomorrow," he said.

He told me

6. "Where were you yesterday?" He asked me.

He asked me

7. "I will visit you next weekend," he said.

He informed me that

8. "Did you watch this movie before?" He wanted to know.

He wanted to know

9. "Are you busy now? she asked me.

She asked me

10. "I am doing my homework," he said.

He said that