Reported speech is the method by which we convey what someone else said without quoting them directly. It involves two primary forms: Direct Speech and Indirect Speech.

Direct Speech

Direct Speech is when the speaker’s exact words are quoted. It involves the use of quotation marks to enclose what the speaker has said. The reporting verb (e.g., said, told, asked) introduces the exact words of the speaker.

Examples

1. Mwansa said, “I didn’t find the house I was looking for in Mansa.”
2. “I’m going to the cinema tonight,” John said.
3. The teacher said, “You have done a great job in your assignments.”

Indirect Speech

Indirect Speech is used to report what someone else has said, but the words are not quoted exactly as they were spoken. Instead, we use our own words to convey the message. Quotation marks are not used in indirect speech.

Important changes in Indirect Speech

• Tense Shift: Verbs usually move back a tense (e.g., present tense becomes past tense).
• Pronouns: The pronouns change based on the perspective of the speaker and the listener.
• Time Expressions: Words indicating time often change (e.g., today becomes that day, tomorrow becomes the next day).

Examples

• Direct: “I am working on a new project,” said Lucy. Indirect: Lucy said that she was working on a new project.
• Direct: “We will attend the meeting tomorrow,” they said. Indirect: They said that they would attend the meeting the next day.
• Direct: “She has already left for school,” said her mother. Indirect: Her mother said that she had already left for school.

Reported Questions

When reporting questions, we follow the same rules as reported statements with some specific changes. The question structure (e.g., Do you like → I like) changes to a statement structure. Additionally, we often use reporting verbs like asked, inquired, wondered, and so on.

Yes/No Questions:

When reporting yes/no questions, if or whether is used to introduce the reported question.

Examples

• Direct: “Do you live in Lusaka?” he asked. Indirect: He asked if I lived in Lusaka.
• Direct: “Did she pass the exam?” they asked. Indirect: They asked if she had passed the exam.
• Direct: “Can you help me with this problem?” he asked. Indirect: He asked if I could help him with that problem.

Wh- Questions:

When reporting wh- questions (who, what, where, when, why, how), we keep the question word but change the structure to a statement.

Examples

Direct: “Where are you going?” she asked. Indirect: She asked where I was going.
Direct: “Why did you miss the class?” the teacher asked. Indirect: The teacher asked why I had missed the class.
Direct: “How did you solve the problem?” he asked. Indirect: He asked how I had solved the problem.

Changes in Tenses, Pronouns, and Time Expressions

When converting from direct to indirect speech, several changes often occur:

Tense Changes:

1. Present simple → Past simple

• Direct: “I like coffee.”
• Indirect: She said that she liked coffee.

2. Present continuous → Past continuous

• Direct: “I am reading a book.”
• Indirect: “He said that he was reading a book”

3. Present perfect → Past perfect

• Direct: “I have finished my homework.”
• Indirect: She said that she had finished her homework.

4. Past simple → Past perfect

• Direct: “She went to the market.”
• Indirect: He said that she had gone to the market.

5. Will → Would

• Direct: “I will call you tomorrow.”
• Indirect: She said that she would call me the next day.

Pronoun Changes:

Pronouns change depending on who is reporting the speech and who the speech is directed at.

• Direct: “I am happy to help you,” he said.
• Indirect: He said that he was happy to help me.

Time and Place Expressions:

Certain expressions related to time and place also change.

Examples:

1. Direct: “I will see you tomorrow.” Indirect: He said that he would see me the next day.
2. Direct: “We met here last week.” Indirect: They said that they had met there the week before.
3. Direct: “I am busy now.” Indirect: She said that she was busy then.

Reporting Imperatives

When reporting commands, orders, or requests, we often use the verbs told or asked followed by an infinitive.

Positive Imperatives:

Examples

1. Direct: “Close the door!” she said. Indirect: She told me to close the door.
2. Direct: “Please help me with this task,” he said. Indirect: He asked me to help him with that task.
3. Direct: “Turn off the lights when you leave,” the teacher said. Indirect: The teacher told us to turn off the lights when we left.

Negative Imperatives:

Examples:

1. Direct: “Don’t talk during the movie,” she said. Indirect: She told us not to talk during the movie.
2. Direct: “Don’t touch the exhibits,” the guide said. Indirect: The guide told us not to touch the exhibits.
3. Direct: “Don’t forget your homework,” the teacher said. Indirect: The teacher reminded us not to forget our homework.

Reporting Modal Verbs

Modal verbs like can, could, will, would, may, might also change in reported speech.

Examples:

Direct: “I can finish the report today.” Indirect: He said that he could finish the report that day.
Direct: “I may travel to South Africa next month.” Indirect: She said that she might travel to South Africa the following month.
Direct: “You must complete the project by Friday.” Indirect: The manager said that we had to complete the project by Friday.

Conclusion

In reported speech, careful attention is given to the transformation of tenses, pronouns, and time expressions. By understanding the rules governing these changes, we can effectively report what others say with clarity and precision.