Explanation of Reported Speech

Definition:

Reported speech, also called indirect speech, is used to

convey what someone else said without quoting them
directly. Instead of using the speaker s exact words, you
paraphrase or summarize what they said, making changes to
pronouns, tense, and time expressions as needed.

Key Changes in Reported Speech:

1. Pronouns:
• Pronouns often change to match the perspective of
the reporter. For example:
• Direct: He said, “I am tired.”
• Reported: He said that he was tired.
2. Tenses:
• The tense usually shifts one step back in time:
• Present Simple → Past Simple
Direct: “I eat lunch at 2 PM.”
Reported: He said that he ate lunch at 2 PM.
• Present Continuous → Past Continuous
Direct: “I am reading a book.”
Reported: She said she was reading a book.
• Present Perfect → Past Perfect
Direct: “I have finished the work.”
Reported: He said he had finished the work.
• Past Simple → Past Perfect
Direct: “I watched the movie.”
Reported: She said she had watched the movie.
• Past Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous
Direct: “I was singing.”
Reported: He said he had been singing.
3. Time and Place Changes:
• Words indicating time and place often change:
• “Now” → “then”
• “Today” → “that day”
• “Tomorrow” → “the next day / the following day”
• “Yesterday” → “the day before / the previous day”
• “Here” → “there”
• “This” → “that”
4. Questions:
• In reported questions, the word order changes to a
statement form (subject before the verb). The question mark
is removed.
• Direct: “Where are you going?”
Reported: He asked where I was going.
• Direct: “Do you like this book?”
Reported: She asked if I liked that book.
5. Commands and Requests:
• For commands, use asked/told + object + to-
infinitive.
• Direct: “Please close the door.”
Reported: He asked me to close the door.
• Direct: “Don t speak so loudly.”
Reported: She told him not to speak so loudly.
6. Reporting Modals:
• Some modals change in reported speech:
• “Can” → “could”
• “Will” → “would”
• “May” → “might”
• “Must” (for obligation) → “had to”
• “Shall” → “should”
• Some remain the same: “could,” “would,” “might,”
“should,” “ought to.”

Example Analysis:

Example 1:

• Direct: Rhea asked, “Have you finalised the

magazine content to be submitted tomorrow?”
• Reported: Rhea asked if he had finalised the
magazine content to be submitted the next day.

Explanation:

• “Have you finalised” (Present Perfect) changes to

“had finalised” (Past Perfect).
• “Tomorrow” changes to “the next day.”

Example 2:

•
Direct: Sana said, “I ll have the presentation ready
for you very soon today.”
• Reported: Sana apologised for having forgotten and
said she would have the presentation ready for her that day.

Explanation:

• “I ll” (will) changes to “would.”

• “Today” changes to “that day.”

Worksheet: Reported Speech (50 Questions)

Section A: Sentence Conversion

1. Rhea asked Deepak, “Have you finalised the

magazine content to be submitted tomorrow?”
• Convert to reported speech.
2. Sana said, “I m sorry I forgot, ma am. I ll have the
presentation ready for you very soon today.”
• Complete the sentence: Sana apologised for having
forgotten and said…
3. The student asked the teacher, “Do we all
understand the new assignment?”
• Report the dialogue.
4. Teacher: “How do you think social media influences
our perceptions of reality?”
Jagrit: “I believe it distorts our perception of reality by only
showing the highlight reels of people s lives.”
• Report Jagrit s response.
5. “Please submit your projects by Monday,” said the
manager.
• Report the manager s instruction.

Section B: Questions in Reported Speech

6. “Where is the nearest hospital?” asked the tourist.

• Report the tourist s question.
7. “Did you complete the assignment on time?” the
teacher asked.
• Convert to reported speech.
8. “Can you help me with my homework?” she asked
her friend.
• Report her request.
9. “Will you attend the meeting tomorrow?” asked his
boss.
• Convert to reported speech.
10. “Have you ever been to New York?” asked my
cousin.

• Report the question.

Section C: Commands and Requests

11. “Open the window, please,” said the teacher.

• Report the teacher s request.
12. “Don t touch that button!” warned the technician.
• Report the warning.
13. “Let s go for a walk,” he suggested.
• Convert to reported speech.
14. “Finish your dinner,” mother said to the children.
• Report the mother s command.
15. “Please don t disturb me,” she said to him.
• Convert to reported speech.

Worksheet: Reported Speech (50 Questions)

Section A: Sentence Conversion

1. Direct: Rhea asked Deepak, “Have you finalised the

magazine content to be submitted tomorrow?”
Reported: Rhea asked if Deepak had finalised the magazine
content to be submitted the next day.
Explanation: The question is in the Present Perfect tense
(“Have you finalised”), which changes to Past Perfect (“had
finalised”) in reported speech. The word “tomorrow” is
replaced with “the next day.”
2. Direct: Sana said, “I m sorry I forgot, ma am. I ll have
the presentation ready for you very soon today.”
Reported: Sana apologised for having forgotten and said she
would have the presentation ready for her that day.
Explanation: “I ll” (will) changes to “would” in reported
speech. The word “today” is replaced with “that day”
because the time reference changes.
3. Direct: The student asked the teacher, “Do we all
understand the new assignment?”
Reported: The teacher asked if everyone had understood the
new assignment.
Explanation: The question in Present Simple (“Do we
understand”) changes to Past Simple (“had understood”).
The reporting verb “asked” is used since it s a question.
4. Direct: Teacher: “How do you think social media
influences our perceptions of reality?”
Jagrit: “I believe it distorts our perception of reality by only
showing the highlight reels of people s lives.”
Reported: Jagrit remarked that he believed it distorted their
perception of reality by only showing the highlight reels of
people s lives.
Explanation: The present simple “believe” and “distorts” are
both shifted to past tense “believed” and “distorted.” The
pronouns are adjusted accordingly.
5. Direct: “Please submit your projects by Monday,”
said the manager.
Reported: The manager requested the team to submit their
projects by Monday.
Explanation: The direct command “submit your projects” is
changed to an indirect request using “requested” followed by
“to submit.”

Section B: Questions in Reported Speech

6.Direct: “Where is the nearest hospital?” asked the

tourist.
Reported: The tourist asked where the nearest hospital was.
Explanation: The question “Where is” shifts to a statement
format “where…was.” The verb “is” (Present Simple) changes
to “was” (Past Simple).
7. Direct: “Did you complete the assignment on time?”
the teacher asked.
Reported: The teacher asked if the student had completed
the assignment on time.
Explanation: The question in Past Simple (“Did you
complete”) changes to Past Perfect (“had completed”) in
reported speech.
8. Direct: “Can you help me with my homework?” she
asked her friend.
Reported: She asked her friend if he/she could help her with
her homework.
Explanation: The modal “can” changes to “could” in reported
speech, and the pronoun is adjusted to reflect the speaker s
point of view.
9. Direct: “Will you attend the meeting tomorrow?”
asked his boss.
Reported: His boss asked if he would attend the meeting the
next day.
Explanation: The future tense “will” changes to “would,” and
“tomorrow” is replaced with “the next day.”
10. Direct: “Have you ever been to New York?” asked
my cousin.
Reported: My cousin asked if I had ever been to New York.
Explanation: The Present Perfect question (“Have you been”)
changes to Past Perfect (“had been”).

Section C: Commands and Requests

11. Direct: “Open the window, please,” said the teacher.

Reported: The teacher asked the student to open the
window.
Explanation: The command is changed to a polite request
using “asked” and the “to-infinitive” structure (“to open”).
12. Direct: “Don t touch that button!” warned the
technician.
Reported: The technician warned them not to touch that
button.
Explanation: The negative command is reported using
“warned” and “not to touch.”
13. Direct: “Let s go for a walk,” he suggested.
Reported: He suggested that they go for a walk.
Explanation: The suggestion is reported using “suggested
that” and the base form of the verb (“go”).
14. Direct: “Finish your dinner,” mother said to the
children.
Reported: The mother told the children to finish their dinner.
Explanation: The direct command changes to reported
speech using “told” and the “to-infinitive” form (“to finish”).
15. Direct: “Please don t disturb me,” she said to him.
Reported: She requested him not to disturb her.
Explanation: The polite request is converted using
“requested” and the “not to” structure.
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