Reported Speech

Start with the distinction

The note titled Reported Speech introduces direct speech and indirect speech. It contrasts repeating someone's words with reporting their meaning. Start there if you want a short introduction before looking at the changes shown in the mind maps.

The page also includes a mind map titled Reported Speech that brings together tense changes, expressions, questions, commands and statements. Its examples include changes from “here” to “there” and from “today” to “that day”. Use those branches to see which details can change when speech is reported.

Explore sentence types

Another reported speech mind map groups statements, questions, suggestions and commands. It distinguishes yes-or-no questions from questions beginning with a question word, and shows examples of suggestions. A separate mind map focuses on direct and reported questions, so it can be useful when questions need more attention.

For a different view, the page lists flashcards on direct and indirect speech and a deck on present simple and past simple transformations. These sit alongside the maps and notes, giving students and teachers a choice of formats.

Check your understanding

The quiz Reported speech asks students to choose between reporting verbs in sentences. Another quiz, Reported Speech, asks students to report sentences and includes an example using “can” and “could”. After studying a map, try a related quiz and return to the relevant branch when a question is difficult.

Use the topic page

Reported Speech is a section of Grammar Overview in English language. Within this section, the resources offer several ways to look at the same topic: an introductory note, visual maps, flashcards and quizzes. Choose the format that fits what you are working on, or combine them for practice.

Explore a mind map and follow it with a quiz from the page.