Reported Speech

Reported Speech

There are two ways of reporting what people say: direct speech and indirect speech. If the words spoken are repeated exactly as they were spoken and they are written within inverted commas, the way of reporting is called direct speech.

He said to me, “I’ll come to you.”

If the words spoken are not repeated exactly as they were spoken and are reported making some necessary changes in tenses, pronouns, adverbs, etc., the way of reporting is called indirect speech.

He told me that he’d come to me.

Change of Persons:

We have to change the persons in the indirect form to show who was being reported.

1^st person – (I, we, me, our, my, ours)- Change according to the subject.

2^nd person- (you, your, yourself)- change according to the object.

3^rd person- (he, she, they, them) – Do not change.

Change of Verbs:

The tenses of direct speech are changed into indirect speech as follows:

[V1/ V5 – V2] [V2- had+ V3] [has/ have – had] [is/am/are- was/were] [was/were- had been] [shall- should] [will- would] [must- had to] [may- might] [can- could]

Change of Adverbs/ Adverbial Phrases/ Other Words:

[today- that day] [yesterday- the day before] [the day before yesterday- two days before] [tomorrow- the following day] [the day after tomorrow- in two days’ time]

[next day/week/ month- the following day/ week/ month] [last day/ week/ month- the previous day/ week/ month] [ago- before] [now / just- then] [hence- thence] [thus- so]

[here- there] [this- that] [these-  those]

(Time adverbials do not change if the reporting verb is in present or future tense.)

Assertive Sentences:

Raju says, “He died an hour ago.”- Raju says that he died an hour ago.

Rajesh said, “I’m living in Kathmandu now.”-  Rajesh said that he was living in Kathmandu then.

She said to me, “You will play tomorrow.”-  She told me that I would play the following day.

Father said, “The sun is very hot.”- Father said that the sun is very hot.

Interrogative Sentences:

She said to me, “Does he help you?”- She asked me if/whether he helped me.

He said to me, “When will you sleep?”- He asked me when I would sleep.

Imperative Sentences:

He said to me, “Sit down.”- He told me to sit down.

The teacher said to me, “Don’t make a noise.”- The teacher told me not to make a noise.

Optative sentences:

He said to him, “May you both be happy!”- He wished him that they both might be happy.

Sangita said to me, “Good night.”- Sangit wished me good night.

Exclamatory Sentences:

He said, “What a dreadful creature!”- He said that it was a dreadful creature.

Bhim said, “Alas! I am ruined.”- Bhim exclaimed with sorrow that he was ruined.

Other Examples:

1.    He said, “Thank you!” - He thanked me.

2.    She said, “Curse this rain.” – She cursed the rain.

3.    He said, “Congratulations!” – He congratulated me.

4.    He said, “Welcome!” – He welcomed me.

5.    He said, “Goodbye!” – He bade goodbye.

6.    Raju said, “Yes, I shall wait.” – Raju said that he would wait. Or Raju agreed to wait.

7.    He said, “Let’s carry the bag.” – He suggested that they/ we should carry the bag.

8.    She said to me, “Let him go.” – She told me to let him go.

9.    I said, “If I were you, I would stop selling books.”- I advised him to stop selling books.

10.   I said to her, “Do not go.” – I forbade her to go. Or I told her not to go.

11.   She said, “You had better start, Rita! – She advised Rita to start.

12.   She said, “Will you help me, please!” – She requested me to help her.

13.   He said, “Would you like tea? -  He offered me tea.

The tense is not changed in the following contexts:

a.    If the sentences express universal truth, general truth, etc.

He said, “Honesty is the best policy.” – He said that honesty is the best policy.

b.    If the reporting verb is in present or future tense.

He says to me, “I will come to meet you.” – He tells me that he will come to meet me.
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