Reported Speech

Reported Speech

The rules of informed speech

Reported speech is also called indirect style. And so is the opposite of direct style, which uses quotes.

The short version: direct style is exactly - verbatim - what someone says. Reported speech is a way to tell someone else.

To example:

·         Direct style: “I’m on my way”, said Tom.

·         Indirect style/ reported speech: Tom said he was on his way.

Other rules:  the indirect style uses a "step back" in time. In other words, we change the verb tense to the past.

So…

• Simple present changes to simple past.
• Can changes to could
• Will changes to would
• Present perfect changes to past perfect
• Simple past changes to perfect past

     You have to handle verb tenses well. Note that we are not using any new or super difficult rules. We are simply applying the usual rules for verb tenses to a new situation.

 

here the video:

Examples of reported speech

Here are the examples, first in direct style and then indirectly…we also change pronouns, expressions of time and sometimes the verb.

Simple present changes to simple past

• Direct: “I’m on my way”, said Tom. 
• Indirect: Tom said he was on his way.
• Direct: “I like the idea.”
• Indirect: He said he liked the idea.
• Direct: “I know what to do.”
• Indirect: She said she knew what to do.

 Can changes to could and Will changes to would

1. “I can’t hear you.”
2. He said he couldn’t hear me.
3. “I can’t come to the meeting”. 
4. He said he couldn’t come to the meeting.
5. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
6. She said she would see me the next day.
7. “I’ll be there at 9 o’clock.”
8. She said she’d be here at 9 o’clock.