Reported Speech – Notes

Rules to change direct speech to indirect speech

1. The main words of the direct speech remain the same when we change it to indirect speech
but the construction of the sentence is different.
2. The pronouns and tense change from direct speech to indirect speech.
Eg: Rita Ma’am said, “I am not taking class today.”
Rita Ma’am said that she was not taking class that day.
3. Inverted commas in direct speech are replaced by the word ‘that’ in declarative sentences
only in reported speech
4. The comma after the main verb (say/said) will disappear. Eg Tom said, “
5. If the direct speech has ‘said to’ it will change to ‘told’ in reported speech. If the direct
speech has ‘says to’ it will change to ‘tell’ in reported speech
Eg: Tom said to Bob, “I love football.”
Tom told Bob that he loved football.

Tom says to Bob, “I love skating.”

Tom tells Bob that he loves skating.

6. Reporting verb ‘said’ is in the past tense so we change the tense of the sentence. The
reporting verb ‘say/says’ is in present tense so we do not change the tense of the sentence.
Eg: He said, “Samarth is a clever boy.”
He said that Samarth was a clever boy.

He says, “Samarth is a clever boy.”

He says that Samarth is a clever boy.

7. Rules for changing the tense of the speech

i) Simple Present changes Simple Past
ii)Present Continuous changes to Past Continuous
iii)Simple Past changes to Past Perfect
Eg: Harry said, “I was late for the class.”
Harry said that he had been late for class.
iv) Past Perfect remains as Past Perfect
Eg: Harry said, ‘I had eaten my dinner.’
Harry said that he had eaten his dinner.
v) Past Perfect Cont also remains the same.
vi) Present Perfect changes to Past Perfect
Eg: Harry said, “I have done my homework.”
Harry said that he had done his homework.
vii) Present Perfect Cont changes to Past Perfect Cont
Eg: Harry said, “I have been watching the dog since morning.”
Harry said that he had been watching the dog that morning.
8. Universal truths, habitual actions, facts and characteristics of people remain the same in
indirect speech even if the reporting verb is in the past form (said)

Eg: He said, “I go to the park daily.”

He said that he goes to the park daily

Tom said, “The sun rises in the east.”

Tom said that sun rises in the east.

9. While reporting Imperative Sentences

i)When we give orders/instructions/commands to someone the reporting verbs can be
He ordered me, He instructed me, He commanded me, He told me
Or words like commanded, warned, ordered, asked,

ii)When we request/suggest/ask for permission to someone the reporting verbs can be

She requested me, She suggested me to, She advised me to do/not to do, She asked me for
permission to do/not to do

Eg: He said, “You need to finish your homework by today.”

He ordered me/ He instructed me/ He told me to finish my homework by that day.

“You need to get a haircut”, my mother said.

My mother told me/ My mother advised me/ My mother suggested to me that I needed a
haircut.

“Can you please get me a glass of water?” Ravi asked.

Ravi asked/requested/requested politely me to get him a glass of water.
Ravi asked me/requested me if I could get him a glass of water.

“Get me a glass of water just now.” said Ravi.

Ravi instructed me/asked me if I could get him a glass of water just then.
Ravi commanded me to get him a glass of water just then.

My mother said, “You will not go down to the park tomorrow.”

My mother asked me/instructed me/order me/told me that I would not go down to the park
the next day.
My mother asked me/instructed me/told me not to go down to the park the next day.

10. Rules to Report Interrogative Sentences

While reporting or changing questions/interrogative sentences from direct to indirect, we
have to make sure that the question is restructured so that it does not sound like a question
again (in the reported).
Eg: Ma’am asked a boy, “What is your name?”
Ma’am asked the boy what his name was.

I asked my brother, “What is the time?”

I asked my brother what the time was.
Rupa asked, “When is lunch time?”
Rupa asked when was lunch time.

Rupa asked, “What time is lunch?”

Rupa asked what time was lunch.

Simple Present – Simple Past

Present Cont – Past Cont
Present Perfect – Past Perfect (I have eaten my lunch – I had eaten my lunch)
Present Perf Cont – Past Perfect Cont

Simple Past – Past Perfect

Past Perfect – Past Perfect
Past Cont – Past Perfect Cont
Past Perfect Cont – Past Perfect Cont