Reported speech
What Is Reported Speech?
Reported speech (also called indirect speech) is when you tell someone what another person said, thought, or asked without using their exact words. Instead of putting quotation marks around their words, you weave their message into your own sentence structure.
Key transformations happen:
- Pronouns change (I → he/she, you → I, we → they)
- Verb tenses usually shift backward (present → past, past → past perfect)
- Time expressions adjust (today → that day, tomorrow → the next day)
- Questions become statements with changed word order
Why This Matters to You
In Your Daily Life:
You use reported speech constantly without realizing it:
- "Mom said I could stay out until 10 PM"
- "The teacher announced that the test was postponed"
- "My friend told me she was moving to another state"
- "He asked if I wanted to go to the movies"
In Academic and Professional Settings:
Reported speech is essential for:
- Research papers: Summarizing what experts have said about your topic
- News writing: Reporting on interviews and press conferences
- Business communication: Relaying information from meetings and conversations
- Literary analysis: Discussing what characters said or thought in stories
Real-World Applications
In Literature: Authors use reported speech to reveal character thoughts and advance plot without constant dialogue.
In Journalism: Reporters use it to summarize interviews and press conferences efficiently.
In History: Historians use it to describe what historical figures said or believed.
In Everyday Conversation: You use it to share gossip, relay instructions, or tell stories about your day.
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2025-07-22 16:30
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