Reported Speech (Direct & Indirect Speech)
1. Introduction
Reported speech (also called indirect speech) is a way of reporting
someone else’s words without quoting them exactly. It is widely used in
English to share information about what others have said, asked, or
requested.
🔑 Key Terms
Direct Speech: Quoting the exact words of the speaker within quotation
marks.
o Example: He said, “I am hungry.”
Indirect Speech / Reported Speech: Reporting the meaning of the
speaker’s words without quotation marks.
o Example: He said that he was hungry.
📝 Why We Use Reported Speech
To summarize what someone said.
To make conversations shorter.
To avoid repeating exact words.
To write news reports, essays, and formal communication.
, 2. Structure of Reported Speech
Components:
Reporting Clause – tells who is speaking (e.g., He said, She asked).
Reported Speech – the message itself (e.g., “I am hungry.”).
Example:
Direct: Riya said, “I love music.”
Reporting Clause: Riya said
Reported Speech: “I love music.”
Indirect: Riya said that she loved music.
3. Rules for Conversion (Direct ➝ Indirect)
3.1 Changes in Tense (Backshifting Rules)
* Backshifting is a grammatical rule, most often seen in reported speech,
where a verb's tense is shifted to a past form to reflect that the original
statement was made in the past.
Direct Speech (Tense) Indirect Speech (Tense)
Simple Present → Simple Past
Present Continuous → Past Continuous
Present Perfect → Past Perfect
Present Perfect Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous
Simple Past → Past Perfect
Past Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous
1. Introduction
Reported speech (also called indirect speech) is a way of reporting
someone else’s words without quoting them exactly. It is widely used in
English to share information about what others have said, asked, or
requested.
🔑 Key Terms
Direct Speech: Quoting the exact words of the speaker within quotation
marks.
o Example: He said, “I am hungry.”
Indirect Speech / Reported Speech: Reporting the meaning of the
speaker’s words without quotation marks.
o Example: He said that he was hungry.
📝 Why We Use Reported Speech
To summarize what someone said.
To make conversations shorter.
To avoid repeating exact words.
To write news reports, essays, and formal communication.
, 2. Structure of Reported Speech
Components:
Reporting Clause – tells who is speaking (e.g., He said, She asked).
Reported Speech – the message itself (e.g., “I am hungry.”).
Example:
Direct: Riya said, “I love music.”
Reporting Clause: Riya said
Reported Speech: “I love music.”
Indirect: Riya said that she loved music.
3. Rules for Conversion (Direct ➝ Indirect)
3.1 Changes in Tense (Backshifting Rules)
* Backshifting is a grammatical rule, most often seen in reported speech,
where a verb's tense is shifted to a past form to reflect that the original
statement was made in the past.
Direct Speech (Tense) Indirect Speech (Tense)
Simple Present → Simple Past
Present Continuous → Past Continuous
Present Perfect → Past Perfect
Present Perfect Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous
Simple Past → Past Perfect
Past Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous
