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Understanding Reported Speech Rules

Reported speech is used to convey what someone said without quoting them directly, requiring changes in verb tense, pronouns, and time expressions. Key changes include backshifting tenses, adjusting pronouns, and modifying time/place references. An exception occurs when the reporting verb is in present tense, where no tense change is needed.

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29 views1 page

Understanding Reported Speech Rules

Reported speech is used to convey what someone said without quoting them directly, requiring changes in verb tense, pronouns, and time expressions. Key changes include backshifting tenses, adjusting pronouns, and modifying time/place references. An exception occurs when the reporting verb is in present tense, where no tense change is needed.

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sxahzz0
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© © All Rights Reserved
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2.

Reported Speech

Reported speech (also called indirect speech) is used when we report what someone said
without quoting them directly. It often requires changes in verb tense, pronouns, and time
expressions.

✅ Changes in Reported Speech:


1️⃣ Tense Changes (Backshifting)

 Simple Present → Simple Past (e.g., "I like ice cream." → He said he liked ice cream.)

 Present Continuous → Past Continuous (e.g., "I am reading." → She said she was
reading.)

 Present Perfect → Past Perfect (e.g., "I have finished." → He said he had finished.)

 Will → Would (e.g., "I will go." → She said she would go.)

2️⃣ Pronoun Changes

 "I" → "He/She" (e.g., "I am tired." → He said he was tired.)

 "We" → "They" (e.g., "We love football." → They said they loved football.)

3️⃣ Time & Place Changes

 "Today" → "That day"

 "Tomorrow" → "The next day"

 "Yesterday" → "The previous day"

 "Here" → "There"

✅ Examples:

 Direct Speech: She said, "I am studying."

 Reported Speech: She said she was studying.

💡 Exception: If the reporting verb is in present tense (e.g., "says," "tells"), the tense does not
change

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