English practice: reported speech

A reported statement, question, and instruction need different grammar. Look at the direct words before you rewrite them. A statement gives information. A question asks for information. An instruction asks or tells someone to do something.

Mina said that the train was late.

This reports information, so it uses a reporting verb followed by a statement clause.

Mina asked when the train would arrive.

This reports a question, so when stays but the words after it follow statement order.

What should you identify before changing direct speech?

Decide whether the original words are a statement, question, or instruction.

After said, explained, or heard, use a clause with normal statement order. That can introduce the clause, although it is often optional. Use told when you include the person who received the message.

Jamal said that the keys were in his bag.

The clause gives the content of Jamal's statement. That makes the boundary easy to see.

Jamal told his sister that the keys were in his bag.

His sister is the listener. Tell normally needs a listener in this pattern.

Which reporting verb works when you name the listener?

Use told, as in Jamal told his sister that the keys were in his bag.

Reported questions do not keep direct-question word order. Keep what, where, when, why, who, or how, then use subject plus verb. For a yes-or-no question, use if or whether. Do not use do, does, or did inside the reported clause.

The visitor asked where the reception desk was.

Where begins the reported question, but the reception desk was follows normal statement order.

The visitor asked if the reception desk was open.

If introduces a reported yes-or-no question. The clause does not use question order.

Which words can introduce a reported yes-or-no question?

Use if or whether.

To report an instruction, name the listener and use to plus the main verb. Choose a reporting verb that fits the tone, such as told, asked, advised, reminded, or warned. Put not before to for a negative instruction.

The nurse told me to wait in the corridor.

Me is the listener, and to wait reports the instruction.

The nurse reminded me not to leave the building.

Not to leave reports the negative instruction.

Where does not go in a negative reported instruction?

Put not before to: The nurse reminded me not to leave.

Pronouns depend on who is speaking in the new sentence. I in direct speech may become he, she, or they. You may become me, us, or another person. Read the report as if you are explaining the message to someone who was not in the first conversation.

Eva said, "I need your help." Later, Martin reported that Eva needed his help.

I becomes Eva, then she in a full report. Your becomes his because Martin is the person Eva addressed.

The tutor told us, "You can use these notes." We reported that the tutor had told us we could use those notes.

The new report keeps us for the learners and changes these to those because the notes are being discussed later.

Why can I change to she in reported speech?

The pronoun changes to show who the original speaker is from the reporter's viewpoint.

A past reporting verb often moves a present tense one step into the past. Present simple can become past simple, and will can become would. Past perfect is useful when an action happened before the earlier speech. Keep a tense unchanged when the meaning is still current or always true.

Nora said, "I will email you tomorrow." The next day, I said that Nora would email me that day.

Will becomes would, tomorrow becomes that day, and you becomes me because the report happens later.

The teacher said, "Plants need light." We reported that plants need light.

Need remains present because the sentence states a general fact.

Must every present tense change after said?

No. Keep the present tense when the fact or situation is still true and the meaning is clear.