Reported speech, also called indirect speech, is a fundamental concept in English grammar. It allows us to convey what someone else has said without using their exact words. Unlike direct speech, which uses quotation marks and repeats the speaker's exact words, reported speech transforms the original statement to fit the context of our own sentence. For example, if John says 'I am happy', we can report this as 'John said that he was happy', changing the pronoun and tense to match the reporting context.
The basic structure of reported speech follows three essential rules. First, pronouns must change to match the new perspective - 'I' becomes 'he' or 'she', and 'you' becomes 'I' or 'they' depending on context. Second, tenses shift backward in time - present tense becomes past tense, and past tense becomes past perfect. Third, we use reporting verbs like 'said', 'told', or 'asked' to introduce the reported statement. Let's see these rules in action with examples showing the systematic transformation from direct to reported speech.
Tense backshifting is a crucial aspect of reported speech. The general rule is that tenses move backward in time when we report what someone said. Present simple becomes past simple, present continuous becomes past continuous, and present perfect becomes past perfect. Past simple typically becomes past perfect, and future with 'will' becomes conditional with 'would'. Additionally, time expressions change to reflect the new temporal perspective - 'today' becomes 'that day', 'tomorrow' becomes 'the next day', and 'here' becomes 'there'. These systematic changes ensure that the reported speech accurately reflects the time relationship between the original statement and the moment of reporting.
Reporting different types of speech requires specific structural patterns. For yes-no questions, we use 'if' or 'whether' to introduce the reported question, while wh-questions retain their question words like 'what', 'where', or 'when'. Commands and requests are reported using infinitive structures with verbs like 'told' or 'asked' followed by the person and 'to' plus the base verb. Suggestions and offers use specific reporting verbs such as 'suggested' or 'offered' with appropriate grammatical structures. Each type maintains the tense backshifting rules we learned earlier while adapting to its specific reporting pattern.
Advanced reported speech involves important exceptions and specialized applications. Universal truths like 'the earth is round' don't require tense changes, and recent speech may optionally maintain its original tense if still relevant. Advanced reporting verbs such as 'apologize', 'promise', 'complain', and 'warn' each follow specific grammatical patterns beyond simple 'said' or 'told'. In professional contexts, reported speech is essential for news reporting, academic writing, legal documentation, and business communication. Understanding these advanced applications and exceptions allows for more precise and contextually appropriate use of reported speech in real-world situations.