What is It

When changing direct speech to reported speech, the

following should be observed:

1. The quotation mark and the comma are no longer used in

the reported speech.
Example:

Direct Speech Reported Speech

“Grandmother teaches me Sheila said that her
how to cook,” Sheila said. grandmother taught her
how to cook.
 Examples:

Direct Speech Reported Speech

2. Follow the format of the introductory words in the

Reported Speech: “Dad teaches me how to Sheila said that her dad
swim,” Sheila said. taught her how to swim.
noun/ pronoun + said
Example: “The child knows the Betty said that the child
answer,” Betty said. knew the answer.
Direct Speech Reported Speech
“The fisherman catches The boatman said that the
“Grandmother teaches me Sheila said that her fish,” The boatman said. fisherman caught fish.
how to cook,” Sheila said. grandmother taught her
how to cook.
“Grandmother teaches me
how to cook, “she said. She said that her
grandmother taught her
how to cook. b. Past Tense to Past Perfect Tense

Examples:
3. The word that is used to introduce the reported
statement. Direct Speech Reported Speech
Example:

“Grandmother taught me Sheila said that her

Direct Speech Reported Speech how to cook,” Sheila said. grandmother had taught
her how to cook.
“Grandmother teaches me Sheila said that her
“The child knew the
how to cook,” Sheila said. grandmother taught her
answer,” Betty said. Betty said that the child
how to cook.
had known the answer.
“The fisherman caught
fish,” the boatman said. The boatman said that the
4. The verb form is changed in the direct speech to the fisherman had caught
reported speech. fish.

a. Present tense to Past tense

 c. Present or future modals to past modals
Examples:
Direct Speech
“I can dance,” the girl said.
“The visitor may come in
our school,” the teacher
said.
“They will clean the
classroom,” Peter said.
. “Our friend is sick and he Jay said that their
stays at home,” Jay said. classmate was sick and
he stayed at home.
Reported Speech “We visited our classmate
in the hospital,” Ben said. Ben said that they had
visited their classmate in
The girl said that she “You can do this,” my the hospital.
could dance. classmate said.
My classmate said that he
The teacher said that the could do that.
visitor might come in their
school.
Peter said that they would
clean the room.
When changing the reported speech back to its direct
speech, follow the steps below:

Refer to the table below which shows present or

future modals to past modals: 1. Analyze the sentence first. Underline the thought of the
sentence.

Example: The class monitor said that the students were all
Direct Speech Reported Speech present.
can could
may might The underlined words is the thought of the sentence.
will would
shall should 2. Capitalize the letter of the first word of the underlined
words. Enclose quotations marks (“”) and put comma before
the close quotation.
5. The pronoun also changes:
Example: “The students were all present,”
Examples:
3. a. Change the verb: past tense to present tense; past
Direct Speech Reported Speech perfect tense to past tense.
 Example: “The students were all present,”

Answer: “The students are all present,”

b. Change also the modal: from past to present

or future modal.

Example: The girl said that she could dance

Answer: The girl said that she can dance.

Note: Replace the pronoun she with a pronoun I in

the sentence.

Example: The girl said that she could dance.

“I can dance,”

4. After doing all the steps, add: noun/ pronoun + said then
put a period.

Examples: “The students are all present,” the class monitor

said.

“I can dance,” the girl said.