COMMENTS

  1. Changes in Indirect Speech

    However, indirect speech implicitly shares the content of the person's original words. Example: Direct Speech: He said, "I am hungry." Indirect Speech: He said that he was hungry. Notably, an essential component of indirect speech is the change in verb tense. In the direct speech example, the speaker uses the present tense "am."

  2. Reported speech: indirect speech

    Reported speech: indirect speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary

  3. Changes of Pronouns in Reported Speech: Rules & Examples

    Rule #1. First person pronoun in direct speech (i.e. I, we) is changed according to the pronoun of reporting verb if pronoun in reporting verb is third person pronoun (i.e. he, she) For example: Direct speech: He said, " I don't want to shock people ". Reported speech: He said that he didn't want to shock people.

  4. Indirect Speech: Formula And Rules

    In indirect speech, we change let's to to suggest. For example: She says, "let's do that!" She suggested to do that. In indirect speech, we put a noun after the verb that expresses an order or request. The noun is the one to whom this request or order is addressed. Then we use the infinitive. She says, "Replace him, John"

  5. Direct and Indirect Speech: Useful Rules and Examples

    Differences between Direct and Indirect Speech. Change of Pronouns. Change of Tenses. Change of Time and Place References. Converting Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech. Step 1: Remove the Quotation Marks. Step 2: Use a Reporting Verb and a Linker. Step 3: Change the Tense of the Verb. Step 4: Change the Pronouns.

  6. Reported Speech in English Grammar

    Introduction. In English grammar, we use reported speech to say what another person has said. We can use their exact words with quotation marks, this is known as direct speech, or we can use indirect speech. In indirect speech, we change the tense and pronouns to show that some time has passed. Indirect speech is often introduced by a reporting ...

  7. Transformation of Sentence: Direct & Indirect Speech

    Verbs of Reported speech (if the reporting verb is in past tense) (list 2) Direct speech → Indirect speech Am / is / are → was / were Was / were → had been Has / have → had Had → had had Shall / will → would Can → could May → might Must, should → must, should Verb1 → verb2 Verb2 → had + verb3 Change of time and place expressions in past tense (list 3) now → then ago → ...

  8. Changes in indirect speech

    In order to understand changes in indirect speech, we must bear in mind that words are always spoken in context: somebody says something to someone at a specific place and time. When we report something, changes are made to the original words if there are changes in the context (people, place or time). Changes in place, time and person in ...

  9. Rules for changing Direct Speech into Indirect

    When we change direct speech into indirect speech, we change the pronouns, where necessary. Pronouns are changed according to the following rules: 1 s t Person (I, we) changes according to Subject of reporting verb. 2 n d Person (you) changes according to Object of reporting verb. 3 r d Person (he, she, it, they) does not change.

  10. Tense changes in indirect speech

    Tenses change in indirect speech if: the reported words are no longer true or are out-of-date; this is often the case when we report something after the reference point of the original statement and the reporting verb is in a past tense: Philip in 1980: I have never been to Brunei, but I'm thinking about going there.

  11. 100 Reported Speech Examples: How To Change Direct Speech Into Indirect

    Direct: "I will help you," she promised. Reported: She promised that she would help me. Direct: "You should study harder," he advised. Reported: He advised that I should study harder. Direct: "I didn't take your book," he denied. Reported: He denied taking my book. Direct: "Let's go to the cinema," she suggested.

  12. Changes in place, time and person in indirect speech

    Changes are made if there are changes in place, time or people: Dimitrios: I'll meet you here. Dimitrios said he would meet me at the café. (reported at a different place) Cara: My train leaves at 9.30 tomorrow. Cara said her train leaves at 9.30 today. (reported on the next day) Richard: I can help you, Stephanie.

  13. 19 Direct and Indirect Speech Rules Examples (Updated 2025)

    The following rules are used to change an optative sentence from direct speech to indirect speech. (a) Reporting verbs changed to ' wish ', ' pray', and ' bless ' in Indirect Speech. (b) Linker, ' that ' is placed before Reported speech in Indirect Narration. Example: Direct: The monk said to me, " May God bless you.".

  14. Indirect speech

    What is indirect speech or reported speech? When we tell people what another person said or thought, we often use reported speech or indirect speech. To do that, we need to change verb tenses (present, past, etc.) and pronouns (I, you, my, your, etc.) if the time and speaker are different.For example, present tenses become past, I becomes he or she, and my becomes his or her, etc.

  15. Indirect speech

    In linguistics, speech or indirect discourse is a grammatical mechanism for reporting the content of another utterance without directly quoting it. For example, the English sentence Jill said she was coming is indirect discourse while Jill said "I'm coming" would be direct discourse.In fiction, the "utterance" might amount to an unvoiced thought that passes through a stream of consciousness ...

  16. Reported Speech: Important Grammar Rules and Examples • 7ESL

    When we change from direct to indirect speech, the pronoun and tense changes are also needed. Reported Speech Video . About; Latest Posts; 7ESL. We at 7ESL are dedicated to empowering English learners with cutting-edge AI technology. Our innovative applications assist users in speaking English fluently and enhancing their writing skills.

  17. How do the words change when you change direct speech to reported

    'I'll leave here at 8.30 on Friday.' She says that she will leave home at 8.30 on Friday. 'I'm looking forward to seeing you.' She says she's looking forward to seeing us.

  18. Reported Speech

    Watch my reported speech video: Here's how it works: We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. ( Click here for more about using 'say' and 'tell' .) If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence: Direct speech: I like ice cream. Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.

  19. Direct and Indirect Speech • 7ESL

    Here are the steps on how to do so: 1. Eliminate the quotation marks that enclose the relayed text. The quotation marks are the primary indication of a direct speech. Therefore, it is crucial to take them out if you are forming an indirect one. 2. Retain the tense of the reporting verb and add the word "that" after it.

  20. Time and Place in Reported Speech

    Time and Place in Reported Speech. When we report something, we may need to make changes to: time (now, tomorrow) place (here, this room) direct speech. reported speech. She said, "I saw Mary yesterday." She said she had seen Mary the day before. He said: "My mother is here."

  21. Tense changes in reported speech

    In indirect speech, the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command. Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech: She said, "I am tired." = She said that she was tired. Phrase in Direct Speech. Equivalent in Reported Speech.