Reported speech

Reported speech is an activity report or convey what was spoken by someone else. in other words reported speech also called direct speech but not delivered directly by the initial speaker

                Reported speech is usually introduce by a verb in the past tense.  verbs in the direct speech have then to be changed into corresponding past tense.

Exsample

direct speech:

·         Simple present tense : ‘I never  eat meat,’ he explained.

Indirect  speech:

·         Simple present tense: he explained that he never ate meat.

Statements

When transforming statements, check whether we have to change:

·         pronouns

·         present tense verbs (3rd person singular)

·         place and time expressions

·         tenses (backshift)

Type                                   Example

direct speech                ( “I speak English.”)

reported speech

(no backshift)                ( He says that he speaks English)

reported speech

(backshift)                      (He said that he spoke English)

When transforming questions, check whether kita have to change:

·         pronouns

·         present tense verbs (3rd person singular)

·         place and time expressions

·         tenses (backshift)

Also note that we have to:

    transform the question into an indirect question

    use the interrogative or if / whether

Type                                                                  Example

with interrogative direct speech               “Why don’t you speak English?”

reported speech                                            He asked me why I didn’t speak English.

without interrogative direct speech        “Do you speak English?”

reported speech                                           He asked me whether / if I spoke English.