REPORTED SPEECH STEP BY STEP

Reported Speech

Reported Speech

It is used to express what someone said without saying their exact words.

Get rid of quotation marks

Get rid of quotation marks

Use reporting verbs and check the punctuation that you need.

"A wise girl knows her limits, but a smart girl knows that she has none."

Marylin Monroe

"A wise girl knows her limits, but a smart girl knows that she has none."

Marylin Monroe

Marylin Monroe said (that) a wise girl knows her limits, but a smart girl knows that she has none.

Backshift the verb

Backshift the verb

Go one step backward in time.

If the reporting verb is in the present tense, we do not backshift the verbs.

Exception!

If the reporting verb is in the present tense, we do not backshift the verbs. "How do you handle stress?", she asks.

Exception!

If the reporting verb is in the present tense, we do not backshift the verbs. "How do you handle stress?", she asks. She wants to know how I handle stress.

Exception!

If the sentence expresses a general truth, we do not change the verb tense.

Exception!

If the sentence expresses a general truth, we do not change the verb tense. "We all learn from mistakes," our teacher said.

Exception!

If the sentence expresses a general truth, we do not change the verb tense. "We all learn from mistakes," our teacher said. Our teacher said that we all learn from mistakes.

Exception!

Check the point of view

Check the point of view

Context matters. Pronouns, time and place expressions might change.

Marylin Monroe

"I don't mind making jokes, but I don't want to look like one."

Marylin Monroe

"I don't mind making jokes, but I don't want to look like one."

Marylin Monroe said (that) she didn't mind making jokes, but she didn't want to look like one.

Time & Place

"I am watching Game of Thrones here tonight," she said.

Time & Place

"I am watching Game of Thrones here tonight," she said.

She said (that) she was watching Game of Thrones there that night.

"Have you seen this movie?" my sister asked.

"Have you seen this movie?" my sister asked.

My sister asked me IF / WHETHER I had seen that movie.

Why? Who? What? When? Where? How?

"What are you waiting for?", he asked.

Why? Who? What? When? Where? How?

"What are you waiting for?", he asked.

He asked me WHAT I was waiting for.

"Please stop the car," the policeman said.

ORDERS or REQUESTS

"Please stop the car," the policeman said.

ORDERS or REQUESTS

The policeman ordered me to stop the car.

"You should take yoga classes," the teacher said.

SUGGESTIONS

"You should take yoga classes," the teacher said.

SUGGESTIONS

The teacher recommended taking yoga classes.

"You should take yoga classes," the teacher said.

SUGGESTIONS

The teacher recommended taking yoga classes.The teacher recommended that I take yoga classes.