Rules and usage
Reported speech, also called indirect speech, is when we tell someone what another person said without using their exact words. Instead of repeating their words word-for-word, we report the meaning of what they said. This requires changing several elements of the original sentence, including the verb tense, pronouns, and sometimes time expressions.
When We Use Reported Speech
We use reported speech when we want to communicate someone's message after they have spoken, rather than quoting them directly. Common situations include telling others about a conversation you had, reporting what someone told you, or sharing information from a meeting or phone call. For example, instead of saying "He said, 'I am tired,'" we might say "He said he was tired." Reported speech is more common in everyday conversation than direct speech, especially when we are not trying to emphasize the speaker's exact words.
✅ Positive sentence examples
| English | English |
|---|
| She said she was tired. | |
| He told me he loved this song. | |
⛔ Negative sentence examples
| English | English |
|---|
| He said he wasn't coming to the party. | |
| She told me she didn't like coffee. | |
❓ Question sentence examples
| English | English |
|---|
| He asked if she was coming tomorrow. | |
| She wanted to know whether he had finished his homework. | |