Reported Speech Rules

What is Reported Speech?

Reported speech simply refers to statements that recount what someone else has already said or
asked. For example, let’s say that you and your two friends went to the movies. As you’re leaving the
movie theater, the following conversation takes place:

Friend #1: That movie was really scary!

You: I know, right?
Friend #2: What did he say?
You: He said that the movie was really scary.

The last sentence is what is known as “reported speech,” because you reported something that
someone else said. In most cases, a statement of reported speech uses verbs like “say” or “tell,”
though you can also use verbs like “state,” “proclaim,” or “announce,” depending on the context of the
original statement.

How to Change Tenses in Reported Speech

Procedure of changing direct speech into indirect speech

1. Remove comma and inverted commas.

2. Put "that" between the reporting and reported speeches. (it is optional to put

"that" between the reporting and reported speech).

3. Change the 1st letter of reported speech into small letter except for "I".
4. Change the pronoun of the direct speech according to the situation in the reported speech.

5. Change the tense of the direct speech appropriately according to rules.

6. Change adverbs of time or places of the direct speech into its appropriate words expressing
distance.

Statements in Reported Speech

From (Original Statement ) To (Reported Speech)

Simple Present Simple Past

Nancy told Reem, “I like your dress.” Nancy told Reem that she liked her dress.

Present Continuous  Past Continuous

"I am reading a book", he explained. He explained that he was reading a book.

Present Perfect Past Perfect

I have seen the movie. He said that he had seen the movie.

Simple Past Past Perfect

"Bill arrived on Saturday", he said. He said that Bill had arrived on Saturday.

Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous

“I was looking for the train station”, Jane He said that she had been looking for the train
said. station.

Past Perfect Past Perfect ( No Change )

“I had finished the letter before their She said that she had finished the letter before their
arrival”, she said. arrival.

Simple Future  “will” becomes “would”


“I will move to New York”, he said.  He said that he would move to New York.

Future Continuous  “will” becomes “would”


She said, "I'll be using the car next Friday". She said that she would be using the car
next Friday.

 “will” becomes “would”
Future Perfect 
 He said that he would have forgotten about
“I will have forgotten about it by tomorrow”, it by the next day.
he said.

Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous

They complained, "We have been They complained that they had been waiting for
waiting for hours". hours.

Past Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous ( No Change )

“I had been exercising more often”, John John said that he had been exercising more often.
said.

Future Perfect Continuous  Future Perfect Continuous

Will you have been travelling? He asked if I would have been travelling.
These modal verbs do not change in reported speech: might, could, would, should, ought to

Changes in Adverbs

Changes in Pronouns
Imperative Sentences in Reported Speech
Reported speech imperatives differ in structure to other reported speech sentences.

Imperatives are:

 Commands: Keep quiet!
 Requests: Please close the window.
 Advice: Go and rest.
 Suggestions: Take the test next year instead.

This is the structure that we use:

Reported Speech Imperatives

Structure: reporting verb (e.g. ask, tell)  + noun/pronoun + to infinitive 

Example: She asked me to come later.

Here are some further examples using the imperative sentences above, showing them in direct
speech and indirect speech.

1. She said, "Keep quiet!" reported to She instructed me to keep quiet.

2. He told her, "Go and rest." reported to He told her to go and rest.

3.The doctor said, "Don't over eat."  The doctor advised me not to over eat.

Questions in Reported Speech

Word order
Normal word order is used in reported questions, that is, the subject comes before the verb.

1. Wh-Q

Examples

Direct speech Indirect speech

"Where does Peter She asked him where Peter lived.

 Direct speech Indirect speech

live?"

"Where are you going?" She asked where I was going.

"Why is she crying?" He asked why she was crying.

2. Yes / No Questions
This type of question is reported by using 'ask' + 'if / whether' + clause:
Examples

Direct speech Indirect speech

"Do you speak English?" He asked me if I spoke English.

"Are you British or American?" He asked me whether I was British or American.

"Is it raining?" She asked if it was raining.

"Have you got a computer?" He wanted to know whether I had got a

computer.
Put the sentences\ questions into reported speech.

1. She told him, "Shut the door!"

She told him-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

2. He said, "I am going home now."

He said (that) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

3. Sam asked her, "Have you got 20 pounds?"

Sam asked her -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

4. He wanted to know, "Which picture is the most famous one?"

He wanted to know -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

5. She said, "I was biking yesterday."

She said (that) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

6. He was told, "Fill in the form!"

He was told ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

7. She said, "I am doing my homework.”

She said (that) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

8. They asked me, "Did Paul lose the match?"

They asked me --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

9. He told her, "Don't call me before 7 o'clock!”

He told her ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
10. Mother: "I will buy that book for you."

Mother told me (that) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

11. Cathy asked me, "Is the movie interesting or boring?"

Cathy asked me -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

12. She said to him, "I have invited you to my party."

She told him (that) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

13. They wanted to know, "When is your birthday?"

They wanted to know -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

14. Susan: "I like classical music."

Susan said (that) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

15. She asked: "Where did you meet her?"

She asked me ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

16. Peter asked: "Why are you so late John?"

Peter asked John -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

Key Answers
1. She told him to shut the door.
2. He said (that) he was going home then.
3. Sam asked her if she had got 20 pounds.
4. He wanted to know which picture was the most famous one.
5. She said (that) she had been biking the day before.
6. He was told to fill in the form.
7. She said (that) she was doing her homework.
8. They asked me if Paul had lost the match.
9. He told her not to call him before 7 o'clock.
10. Mother said to me (that) she would buy that book for me.
11. Cathy asked me if the movie was interesting or boring.
12. She said to him (that) she had invited him to her party.
13. They wanted to know when my birthday was.
14. Susan said (that) she liked classical music.
15. She asked me where I had met her.
16. Peter asked John why he was so late.