Reported Speech

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Direct speech

We use direct speech when we report someone's words by repeating them. 'I'll go and heat some milk,' said Agnes.

Indirect speech

Instead of repeating the exact words, we can give the meaning in our own words and from our own point of view.

Agnes said she would go and heat some milk.

We can report thoughts as well as speech. Louise thought Wayne was a complete fool.

Verbs of reporting

We use verbs of reporting to report statements, thoughts, questions, requests, apologies and so on.

These are verbs of reporting.

accept confess guarantee pray snap

add confirm hear predict state

admit consider imagine promise suggest

advise continue inform propose thank

agree cry inquire read swear

answer decide insist reassure tell

apologize declare instruct recommend

argue demand invite record think

ask deny know refuse threaten

assure doubt learn remark

beg enquire mention remind urge

believe expect murmur repeat

blame explain mutter reply warn

call feel notify report whisper

claim forbid object request wonder

command forecast observe say write

comment groan offer scream

complain growl order shout

conclude grumble point out smile want to know understand suppose

Changes in indirect speech

1 People, place and time: Electrician: I'll be at your house at nine tomorrow morning. Kate: The electrician says he'll be here at nine tomorrow morning. Kate: You said you would be here at nine this morning.

2 Adverbials of time: Direct speech Indirect speech

now then/at that time/immediately

today yesterday/that day/on Tuesday etc

yesterday the day before/the previous day/on Monday etc

tomorrow the next day/the following day/on Wednesday etc

this week last week/ that week

last year the year before/the previous year/in 1990etc

next month the month after/the following month/in August etc

an hour ago an hour before/an hour earlier/at two b o 'clock etc.

The meaning of the tense change

When the verb of reporting is in a past tense, we sometimes change the tense in indirect speech from present to past.

a If the statement is still relevant, we do not usually change the tense, although we can do.

'I'm hungry.' Robert said he's/he was hungry, so we're going to eat.

b We can change the tense when it is uncertain if the statement is true. Compare these examples.

We'd better not go out. The forecast said it's going to rain.

c We use the past tense when we are reporting objectively, when we do not want to suggest that the information is necessarily true.

'I'm not interested in money.' Tom told me he wasn't interested in money.

d When a statement is untrue or out of date, then we change the tense.

Karen told me she knew the way, but she took the wrong turning.