LoginReported Speech
In this lesson you will learn about complex reported speech, including changes in tense and perspective. Master the topic with advanced examples and exercises.
What Is Reported Speech?
Reported speech involves three participants. One says something and the other one delivers their speech to a third person.
Reported Speech: Uses
Reported speech is used to repeat what someone has said. Take a look at the examples:
She asked if I was invited to the party or not.
Her friend said, "my car is fancy and expensive".
Reported Speech: Types
There are two types of reported speech in English:
Direct Speech
Direct speech repeats somebody else's exact words. In written style, the quote is placed between quotation marks (" "). A direct reported speech does not change any of the declared words. For example:
She said, "I love you Jimmy."
"They will always be in my life." Hanna shouted
Direct Speech: Structure
Direct reported speech has two parts. The first part contains a reporting verb that is usually in the past simple tense, but can be in other tenses too. The second part is the exact words of the speech that is being reported.
"I am not alone." Sam cried.
Panni said, "My mother is a doctor."
Indirect Speech
Indirect reported speech involves using one's own words to repeat someone else's speech, instead of repeating the exact same words. For example
She said that she had been in Tokyo.
My dad said he was going to sell the car.
Indirect Speech: Structure
To report speech indirectly, a reporting verb is used which takes a that-clause as its object and the that-clause contains the reported speech. The verb in the that-clause undergoes a process called backshift and the subject might also need to change. Pay attention to the examples:
They promised that they would be there for me.
In this example the direct speech is "We will be there for you."
My sister said she could have finished the project if I had asked.
Backshift
To form reported speech, the verb in the reported clause usually shifts back one tense. This is called backshift. Check out the table below to see common forms of backshift:
direct | indirect |
|---|---|
past continuous | past perfect continuous |
Take a look at the form of verbs in the following sentences as the change from direct to indirect speech takes place:
"I am tired," she said. → She said she was tired.
"She left early," he said. → He said she had left early.
Here are the common forms of backshift in modals:
Here are some examples:
"They will come." → She said they would come.
"We must go." → They said they had to go.
Pronoun Shift
The reported speech also needs a shift in pronoun to reflect the change in perspective from the speaker to the person reporting the speech. This change typically depends on the context, but in general first-person singular and plural pronouns change to third-person singular and plural and second-person singular and plural change either to first-person or third-person pronouns depending on the context. Third-person pronouns typically remain unchanged. Look at the examples:
Mark said, "I love this book." → Mark said he loved that book.
first person singular → third person singular
John said, "You are my best friend." → John said I was his best friend.
second-person singular → first-person singular
John told Mary, "You are my best friend." → John told Mary she was his best friend.
second-person singular → third-person singular
They said, "She will call later." → They said she would call later.
third-person pronoun typically do not change
What Are Reporting Verbs?
Here is a list of some one of the most common reporting verbs in English:
say
tell
add
declare
admit
answer
ask
cry
Review
As the name suggests, reported speech is used to report someone's words. There are two kinds of reporting in English.
indirect speech
direct speech
Quiz:
Sort the word to form a direct reported speech.
Match each verb tense with the tense it changes to after backshift.
Which sentence uses the correct backshift for the modal verb?
Direct speech: "We must finish it," they said.
They said they must finish it.
They said they have to finish it.
They said they had to finish it.
They said they must have finished it.
Which sentence demonstrates proper pronoun shift in reported speech?
Direct speech: John told Mary, "You should help me with the project."
John told Mary you should help him with the project.
John told Mary she should help him with the project.
John told Mary you should help me with the project.
John told Mary she should help me with the project.
Fill in the blank with the direct or indirect reported speech.
He said, "I will go to the store." → He said that
.
"I know him very well," Anna said. → Anna said that
.
"
for years," John said. → John said that she had studied English for years.
"
with this task," he said. → He said that they had been helping him with this task.
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