Grammar: Reported Speech vs. Direct Speech

What is Reported Speech?

• Also known as indirect speech
• A way of expressing what someone else has said, without quoting their exact words
• Used to convey the general meaning of a conversation or statement

Direct Speech vs. Reported Speech

• Direct Speech: exact words of the speaker, enclosed in quotation marks
• Reported Speech: summary of what was said, without quotation marks

Changing Verb Tenses in Reported Speech

• Present Simple → Past Simple
• Past Simple → Past Perfect
• Past Perfect → Past Perfect
• Future Simple → Conditional
• Can/Could → Could
• May/Might → Might
• Must → Must
• Shall/Should → Should

Changing Pronouns in Reported Speech

• I → he/she/it
• you → he/she/it
• he/she/it → he/she/it
• we → they
• they → they

Reporting Questions

• Yes/No questions: ask + if/whether
• Wh- questions: ask + question word (what, where, etc.)

Reporting Orders and Requests

• Imperatives: told + to
• Polite requests: asked + to

Reporting Exclamations

• Exclamatory sentences: exclaimed + that

Common Reporting Verbs

• say
• tell
• ask
• order
• request
• advise
• warn
• promise

Reported Speech

• Reported speech is a way of expressing what someone else has said without quoting their exact words.
• It is used to convey the general meaning of a conversation or statement.

Direct Speech vs. Reported Speech

• Direct speech involves the exact words of the speaker, enclosed in quotation marks.
• Reported speech is a summary of what was said, without quotation marks.

Verb Tenses in Reported Speech

• Present Simple changes to Past Simple in reported speech.
• Past Simple changes to Past Perfect in reported speech.
• Past Perfect remains the same in reported speech.
• Future Simple changes to Conditional in reported speech.
• Can/Could changes to Could in reported speech.
• May/Might changes to Might in reported speech.
• Must remains the same in reported speech.
• Shall/Should changes to Should in reported speech.

Pronouns in Reported Speech

• I changes to he/she/it in reported speech.
• you changes to he/she/it in reported speech.
• he/she/it remains the same in reported speech.
• we changes to they in reported speech.
• they remains the same in reported speech.

Reporting Different Sentences

Reporting Questions

• Yes/No questions are reported using ask + if/whether.
• Wh- questions are reported using ask + question word (what, where, etc.).

Reporting Orders and Requests

• Imperatives are reported using told + to.
• Polite requests are reported using asked + to.

Reporting Exclamations

• Exclamatory sentences are reported using exclaimed + that.

Reporting Verbs

• Common reporting verbs include say, tell, ask, order, request, advise, warn, and promise.