20. Reported Speech: An In-Depth Guide

What is Reported Speech?

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is a way of conveying what someone else has said without quoting their exact words. It often involves a change in tense, pronouns, and sometimes the structure of the sentence.

Key Rules for Reported Speech

1. Changing Tenses:

   • The tense of the verb usually shifts back one tense when converting direct speech to reported speech.
   • Direct Speech: She said, "I am happy."
   • Reported Speech: She said that she was happy.

   Here’s a quick reference for tense changes:

   • Present Simple → Past Simple
   • Present Continuous → Past Continuous
   • Present Perfect → Past Perfect
   • Past Simple → Past Perfect
   • Will → Would

2. Pronoun Changes:

   • Pronouns often change according to the perspective of the reporting speaker.
   • Direct Speech: He said, "I like this movie."
   • Reported Speech: He said that he liked that movie.

3. Time and Place Changes:

   • Words indicating time and place may also change:
     • now → then
     • today → that day
     • tomorrow → the next day
     • yesterday → the day before
     • here → there

4. No Quotation Marks:

   • In reported speech, quotation marks are not used since the exact words are not being repeated.
   • Direct Speech: She said, "I will come."
   • Reported Speech: She said that she would come.

5. Use of 'that':

   • The word "that" is often used to introduce reported speech but can be omitted.
   • With 'that': He said that he was tired.
   • Without 'that': He said he was tired.

Common Errors with Reported Speech

1. Incorrect Tense Changes:
   • Error: She said she is happy.
   • Correction: She said she was happy.
2. Missing Pronoun Changes:
   • Error: He told me that I was late.
   • Correction: He told me that he was late.
3. Not Changing Time Expressions:
   • Error: She said she would see me tomorrow.
   • Correction: She said she would see me the next day.
4. Using Quotation Marks:
   • Error: He said, “I will go.”
   • Correction: He said that he would go.
5. Overusing 'that':
   • While "that" can be omitted, it's not incorrect to use it. However, overuse can make sentences cumbersome.
   • Example: He said that he was going to the store that day.

Practice Exercises

1. Convert to Reported Speech:
   • Direct Speech: "I am reading a great book," she said.
   • Reported Speech: She said that she was reading a great book.