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Reported speech

Reported speech is how we represent the speech of other people or what we ourselves say. There are two main types of reported speech: direct speech and indirect speech.

Direct speech repeats the exact words the person used, or how we remember their words:

Barbara said, “I didn’t realise it was midnight.”

In indirect speech, the original speaker’s words are changed.

Barbara said she hadn’t realised it was midnight .

In this example, I becomes she and the verb tense reflects the fact that time has passed since the words were spoken: didn’t realise becomes hadn’t realised .

Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words:

“I’m sorry,” said Mark. (direct)
Mark apologised . (indirect: report of a speech act)

In a similar way, we can report what people wrote or thought:

‘I will love you forever,’ he wrote, and then posted the note through Alice’s door. (direct report of what someone wrote)
He wrote that he would love her forever , and then posted the note through Alice’s door. (indirect report of what someone wrote)
I need a new direction in life , she thought. (direct report of someone’s thoughts)
She thought that she needed a new direction in life . (indirect report of someone’s thoughts)

Reported speech: direct speech

Reported speech: indirect speech

Reported speech: reporting and reported clauses

Speech reports consist of two parts: the reporting clause and the reported clause. The reporting clause includes a verb such as say, tell, ask, reply, shout , usually in the past simple, and the reported clause includes what the original speaker said.

Reported speech: punctuation

Direct speech.

In direct speech we usually put a comma between the reporting clause and the reported clause. The words of the original speaker are enclosed in inverted commas, either single (‘…’) or double (“…”). If the reported clause comes first, we put the comma inside the inverted commas:

“ I couldn’t sleep last night, ” he said.
Rita said, ‘ I don’t need you any more. ’

If the direct speech is a question or exclamation, we use a question mark or exclamation mark, not a comma:

‘Is there a reason for this ? ’ she asked.
“I hate you ! ” he shouted.

We sometimes use a colon (:) between the reporting clause and the reported clause when the reporting clause is first:

The officer replied: ‘It is not possible to see the General. He’s busy.’

Punctuation

Indirect speech

In indirect speech it is more common for the reporting clause to come first. When the reporting clause is first, we don’t put a comma between the reporting clause and the reported clause. When the reporting clause comes after the reported clause, we use a comma to separate the two parts:

She told me they had left her without any money.
Not: She told me, they had left her without any money .
Nobody had gone in or out during the previous hour, he informed us.

We don’t use question marks or exclamation marks in indirect reports of questions and exclamations:

He asked me why I was so upset.
Not: He asked me why I was so upset?

Reported speech: reporting verbs

Say and tell.

We can use say and tell to report statements in direct speech, but say is more common. We don’t always mention the person being spoken to with say , but if we do mention them, we use a prepositional phrase with to ( to me, to Lorna ):

‘I’ll give you a ring tomorrow,’ she said .
‘Try to stay calm,’ she said to us in a low voice.
Not: ‘Try to stay calm,’ she said us in a low voice .

With tell , we always mention the person being spoken to; we use an indirect object (underlined):

‘Enjoy yourselves,’ he told them .
Not: ‘Enjoy yourselves,’ he told .

In indirect speech, say and tell are both common as reporting verbs. We don’t use an indirect object with say , but we always use an indirect object (underlined) with tell :

He said he was moving to New Zealand.
Not: He said me he was moving to New Zealand .
He told me he was moving to New Zealand.
Not: He told he was moving to New Zealand .

We use say , but not tell , to report questions:

‘Are you going now?’ she said .
Not: ‘Are you going now?’ she told me .

We use say , not tell , to report greetings, congratulations and other wishes:

‘Happy birthday!’ she said .
Not: Happy birthday!’ she told me .
Everyone said good luck to me as I went into the interview.
Not: Everyone told me good luck …

Say or tell ?

Other reporting verbs

The reporting verbs in this list are more common in indirect reports, in both speaking and writing:

Simon admitted that he had forgotten to email Andrea.
Louis always maintains that there is royal blood in his family.
The builder pointed out that the roof was in very poor condition.

Most of the verbs in the list are used in direct speech reports in written texts such as novels and newspaper reports. In ordinary conversation, we don’t use them in direct speech. The reporting clause usually comes second, but can sometimes come first:

‘Who is that person?’ she asked .
‘It was my fault,’ he confessed .
‘There is no cause for alarm,’ the Minister insisted .

Verb patterns: verb + that -clause

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Reported Speech – Rules, Examples & Worksheet

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| Candace Osmond

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Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond studied Advanced Writing & Editing Essentials at MHC. She’s been an International and USA TODAY Bestselling Author for over a decade. And she’s worked as an Editor for several mid-sized publications. Candace has a keen eye for content editing and a high degree of expertise in Fiction.

They say gossip is a natural part of human life. That’s why language has evolved to develop grammatical rules about the “he said” and “she said” statements. We call them reported speech.

Every time we use reported speech in English, we are talking about something said by someone else in the past. Thinking about it brings me back to high school, when reported speech was the main form of language!

Learn all about the definition, rules, and examples of reported speech as I go over everything. I also included a worksheet at the end of the article so you can test your knowledge of the topic.

What Does Reported Speech Mean?

Grammarist Article Graphic V3 2022 10 25T162134.388

Reported speech is a term we use when telling someone what another person said. You can do this while speaking or writing.

There are two kinds of reported speech you can use: direct speech and indirect speech. I’ll break each down for you.

A direct speech sentence mentions the exact words the other person said. For example:

  • Kryz said, “These are all my necklaces.”

Indirect speech changes the original speaker’s words. For example:

  • Kryz said those were all her necklaces.

When we tell someone what another individual said, we use reporting verbs like told, asked, convinced, persuaded, and said. We also change the first-person figure in the quotation into the third-person speaker.

Reported Speech Examples

We usually talk about the past every time we use reported speech. That’s because the time of speaking is already done. For example:

  • Direct speech: The employer asked me, “Do you have experience with people in the corporate setting?”

Indirect speech: The employer asked me if I had experience with people in the corporate setting.

  • Direct speech: “I’m working on my thesis,” I told James.

Indirect speech: I told James that I was working on my thesis.

Reported Speech Structure

A speech report has two parts: the reporting clause and the reported clause. Read the example below:

  • Harry said, “You need to help me.”

The reporting clause here is William said. Meanwhile, the reported clause is the 2nd clause, which is I need your help.

What are the 4 Types of Reported Speech?

Aside from direct and indirect, reported speech can also be divided into four. The four types of reported speech are similar to the kinds of sentences: imperative, interrogative, exclamatory, and declarative.

Reported Speech Rules

The rules for reported speech can be complex. But with enough practice, you’ll be able to master them all.

Choose Whether to Use That or If

The most common conjunction in reported speech is that. You can say, “My aunt says she’s outside,” or “My aunt says that she’s outside.”

Use if when you’re reporting a yes-no question. For example:

  • Direct speech: “Are you coming with us?”

Indirect speech: She asked if she was coming with them.

Verb Tense Changes

Change the reporting verb into its past form if the statement is irrelevant now. Remember that some of these words are irregular verbs, meaning they don’t follow the typical -d or -ed pattern. For example:

  • Direct speech: I dislike fried chicken.

Reported speech: She said she disliked fried chicken.

Note how the main verb in the reported statement is also in the past tense verb form.

Use the simple present tense in your indirect speech if the initial words remain relevant at the time of reporting. This verb tense also works if the report is something someone would repeat. For example:

  • Slater says they’re opening a restaurant soon.
  • Maya says she likes dogs.

This rule proves that the choice of verb tense is not a black-and-white question. The reporter needs to analyze the context of the action.

Move the tense backward when the reporting verb is in the past tense. That means:

  • Present simple becomes past simple.
  • Present perfect becomes past perfect.
  • Present continuous becomes past continuous.
  • Past simple becomes past perfect.
  • Past continuous becomes past perfect continuous.

Here are some examples:

  • The singer has left the building. (present perfect)

He said that the singers had left the building. (past perfect)

  • Her sister gave her new shows. (past simple)
  • She said that her sister had given her new shoes. (past perfect)

If the original speaker is discussing the future, change the tense of the reporting verb into the past form. There’ll also be a change in the auxiliary verbs.

  • Will or shall becomes would.
  • Will be becomes would be.
  • Will have been becomes would have been.
  • Will have becomes would have.

For example:

  • Direct speech: “I will be there in a moment.”

Indirect speech: She said that she would be there in a moment.

Do not change the verb tenses in indirect speech when the sentence has a time clause. This rule applies when the introductory verb is in the future, present, and present perfect. Here are other conditions where you must not change the tense:

  • If the sentence is a fact or generally true.
  • If the sentence’s verb is in the unreal past (using second or third conditional).
  • If the original speaker reports something right away.
  • Do not change had better, would, used to, could, might, etc.

Changes in Place and Time Reference

Changing the place and time adverb when using indirect speech is essential. For example, now becomes then and today becomes that day. Here are more transformations in adverbs of time and places.

  • This – that.
  • These – those.
  • Now – then.
  • Here – there.
  • Tomorrow – the next/following day.
  • Two weeks ago – two weeks before.
  • Yesterday – the day before.

Here are some examples.

  • Direct speech: “I am baking cookies now.”

Indirect speech: He said he was baking cookies then.

  • Direct speech: “Myra went here yesterday.”

Indirect speech: She said Myra went there the day before.

  • Direct speech: “I will go to the market tomorrow.”

Indirect speech: She said she would go to the market the next day.

Using Modals

Grammarist Article Graphic V3 2022 10 25T162624.255

If the direct speech contains a modal verb, make sure to change them accordingly.

  • Will becomes would
  • Can becomes could
  • Shall becomes should or would.
  • Direct speech: “Will you come to the ball with me?”

Indirect speech: He asked if he would come to the ball with me.

  • Direct speech: “Gina can inspect the room tomorrow because she’s free.”

Indirect speech: He said Gina could inspect the room the next day because she’s free.

However, sometimes, the modal verb should does not change grammatically. For example:

  • Direct speech: “He should go to the park.”

Indirect speech: She said that he should go to the park.

Imperative Sentences

To change an imperative sentence into a reported indirect sentence, use to for imperative and not to for negative sentences. Never use the word that in your indirect speech. Another rule is to remove the word please . Instead, say request or say. For example:

  • “Please don’t interrupt the event,” said the host.

The host requested them not to interrupt the event.

  • Jonah told her, “Be careful.”
  • Jonah ordered her to be careful.

Reported Questions

When reporting a direct question, I would use verbs like inquire, wonder, ask, etc. Remember that we don’t use a question mark or exclamation mark for reports of questions. Below is an example I made of how to change question forms.

  • Incorrect: He asked me where I live?

Correct: He asked me where I live.

Here’s another example. The first sentence uses direct speech in a present simple question form, while the second is the reported speech.

  • Where do you live?

She asked me where I live.

Wrapping Up Reported Speech

My guide has shown you an explanation of reported statements in English. Do you have a better grasp on how to use it now?

Reported speech refers to something that someone else said. It contains a subject, reporting verb, and a reported cause.

Don’t forget my rules for using reported speech. Practice the correct verb tense, modal verbs, time expressions, and place references.

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Biden says 'Putin and his thugs' caused Navalny's death

U.S. President Biden speaks about reported death of Alexei Navalny during remarks from the White House in Washington

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The wife of Alexei Navalny, Yulia Navalnaya, needs to keep her husband's voice alive, the widow of Alexander Litvinenko said on Saturday following the death of the prominent Kremlin critic.

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WATCH: Biden says Navalny’s reported death brings new urgency to the need for more aid to Ukraine

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Friday that the apparent death of Russian anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny brings new urgency to the need for Congress to approve tens of billions of dollars for Ukraine to stave off Moscow’s invasion.

Watch Biden’s remarks in the player above.

Speaking at the White House, Biden said that no matter the cause, he holds Russian President Vladimir Putin responsible for Navalny’s death. He added, “I hope to God it helps” push U.S. lawmakers to send more aid to Ukraine.

Biden said that “history is watching” lawmakers in the House, which hasn’t moved to take up a Senate-passed bill that would send funds and armaments to Ukraine, whose troops U.S. officials say are running out of critical munitions on the battlefield.

“The failure to support Ukraine at this critical moment will never be forgotten,” Biden said. “And the clock is ticking. This has to happen. We have to help now.”

Biden said the U.S. had not confirmed Navalny’s death in a Russian prison above the Arctic Circle, but that he had no reason to doubt it either.

The president sharply criticized House Republicans for letting the chamber enter a two-week recess without moving on the Ukraine funding.

READ MORE: World leaders blame Putin’s government in Russia for death of Alexei Navalny

“What are they thinking — my God,” Biden said. “This is bizarre and it’s just reinforcing all of the concern — I won’t say panic but real concern — about the United States being a responsible ally.”

Republican Speaker Mike Johnson earlier this week said the House won’t be “rushed” to pass the aid, but on Friday he said Putin was “a vicious dictator and the world knows he is likely directly responsible for the sudden death of his most prominent political opponent.”

“We must be clear that Putin will be met with united opposition,” Johnson, R-La., said in a statement. “As Congress debates the best path forward to support Ukraine, the United States, and our partners, must be using every means available to cut off Putin’s ability to fund his unprovoked war in Ukraine and aggression against the Baltic states.”

Lawmakers who have pushed for the Ukraine aid blamed the Republicans who have sided with former President Donald Trump as he has urged its defeat.

Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said, “Shame on the pro-Putin MAGA extremists who continue to block bipartisan national security legislation in the House,” referencing Trump’s “Make American Great Again” slogan.

North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, one of 22 Republicans who voted for the Senate-passed Ukraine aid package, said that Navalny laid down his life fighting for a country he loved and that “Putin is a murderous, paranoid dictator.”

“History will not be kind to those in America who make apologies for Putin and praise Russian autocracy,” Tillis posted on X, formerly Twitter. “Nor will history be kind to America’s leaders who stay silent because they fear backlash from online pundits.”

Biden, eyeing a likely general election rematch against Trump this November, said American presidents from Harry Truman on are “rolling over in their graves” hearing Trump’s comments suggesting that the U.S. might not defend its NATO allies who fail to meet their defense spending targets if attacked.

“As long as I’m president, America stands by its sacred commitment to our allies,” Biden said.

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Reported Speech: Rules, Examples, Exceptions

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👉 Quiz 1 / Quiz 2

Advanced Grammar Course

What is reported speech?

“Reported speech” is when we talk about what somebody else said – for example:

  • Direct Speech: “I’ve been to London three times.”
  • Reported Speech: She said she’d been to London three times.

There are a lot of tricky little details to remember, but don’t worry, I’ll explain them and we’ll see lots of examples. The lesson will have three parts – we’ll start by looking at statements in reported speech, and then we’ll learn about some exceptions to the rules, and finally we’ll cover reported questions, requests, and commands.

Reported Speech: Rules, Examples, Exceptions Espresso English

So much of English grammar – like this topic, reported speech – can be confusing, hard to understand, and even harder to use correctly. I can help you learn grammar easily and use it confidently inside my Advanced English Grammar Course.

In this course, I will make even the most difficult parts of English grammar clear to you – and there are lots of opportunities for you to practice!

Reported Speech: Rules, Examples, Exceptions Espresso English

Backshift of Verb Tenses in Reported Speech

When we use reported speech, we often change the verb tense backwards in time. This can be called “backshift.”

Here are some examples in different verb tenses:

Reported Speech (Part 1) Quiz

Exceptions to backshift in reported speech.

Now that you know some of the reported speech rules about backshift, let’s learn some exceptions.

There are two situations in which we do NOT need to change the verb tense.

No backshift needed when the situation is still true

For example, if someone says “I have three children” (direct speech) then we would say “He said he has three children” because the situation continues to be true.

If I tell you “I live in the United States” (direct speech) then you could tell someone else “She said she lives in the United States” (that’s reported speech) because it is still true.

When the situation is still true, then we don’t need to backshift the verb.

Reported Speech: Rules, Examples, Exceptions Espresso English

He said he HAS three children

But when the situation is NOT still true, then we DO need to backshift the verb.

Imagine your friend says, “I have a headache.”

  • If you immediately go and talk to another friend, you could say, “She said she has a headache,” because the situation is still true
  • If you’re talking about that conversation a month after it happened, then you would say, “She said she had a headache,” because it’s no longer true.

No backshift needed when the situation is still in the future

We also don’t need to backshift to the verb when somebody said something about the future, and the event is still in the future.

Here’s an example:

  • On Monday, my friend said, “I ‘ll call you on Friday .”
  • “She said she ‘ll call me on Friday”, because Friday is still in the future from now.
  • It is also possible to say, “She said she ‘d (she would) call me on Friday.”
  • Both of them are correct, so the backshift in this case is optional.

Let’s look at a different situation:

  • On Monday, my friend said, “I ‘ll call you on Tuesday .”
  • “She said she ‘d  call me on Tuesday.” I must backshift because the event is NOT still in the future.

Reported Speech: Rules, Examples, Exceptions Espresso English

Review: Reported Speech, Backshift, & Exceptions

Quick review:

  • Normally in reported speech we backshift the verb, we put it in a verb tense that’s a little bit further in the past.
  • when the situation is still true
  • when the situation is still in the future

Reported Requests, Orders, and Questions

Those were the rules for reported statements, just regular sentences.

What about reported speech for questions, requests, and orders?

For reported requests, we use “asked (someone) to do something”:

  • “Please make a copy of this report.” (direct speech)
  • She asked me to make a copy of the report. (reported speech)

For reported orders, we use “told (someone) to do something:”

  • “Go to the bank.” (direct speech)
  • “He told me to go to the bank.” (reported speech)

The main verb stays in the infinitive with “to”:

  • She asked me to make a copy of the report. She asked me  make  a copy of the report.
  • He told me to go to the bank. He told me  go  to the bank.

For yes/no questions, we use “asked if” and “wanted to know if” in reported speech.

  • “Are you coming to the party?” (direct)
  • He asked if I was coming to the party. (reported)
  • “Did you turn off the TV?” (direct)
  • She wanted to know if I had turned off the TV.” (reported)

The main verb changes and back shifts according to the rules and exceptions we learned earlier.

Notice that we don’t use do/does/did in the reported question:

  • She wanted to know did I turn off the TV.
  • She wanted to know if I had turned off the TV.

For other questions that are not yes/no questions, we use asked/wanted to know (without “if”):

  • “When was the company founded?” (direct)
  • She asked when the company was founded.” (reported)
  • “What kind of car do you drive?” (direct)
  • He wanted to know what kind of car I drive. (reported)

Again, notice that we don’t use do/does/did in reported questions:

  • “Where does he work?”
  • She wanted to know  where does he work.
  • She wanted to know where he works.

Also, in questions with the verb “to be,” the word order changes in the reported question:

  • “Where were you born?” ([to be] + subject)
  • He asked where I was born. (subject + [to be])
  • He asked where was I born.

Reported Speech: Rules, Examples, Exceptions Espresso English

Reported Speech (Part 2) Quiz

Learn more about reported speech:

  • Reported speech: Perfect English Grammar
  • Reported speech: BJYU’s

If you want to take your English grammar to the next level, then my Advanced English Grammar Course is for you! It will help you master the details of the English language, with clear explanations of essential grammar topics, and lots of practice. I hope to see you inside!

I’ve got one last little exercise for you, and that is to write sentences using reported speech. Think about a conversation you’ve had in the past, and write about it – let’s see you put this into practice right away.

Master the details of English grammar:

Reported Speech: Rules, Examples, Exceptions Espresso English

More Espresso English Lessons:

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Everyday Grammar: Mastering Reported Speech

Everyday Grammar: Quoted Speech

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We often need to tell others what someone else said. There are two ways to do this. One is to say the same words and use quotation marks. That is "direct speech." The other method is to summarize, or tell about what someone said. This is called "reported speech." Before we get into the rules for reporting speech, here are the terms we are using to explain it.

Rules for reporting speech

To get this kind of sentence right, there are four things you should keep in mind:

The first rule is to choose a reporting verb and tense .

When did the speech happen? With current, repeated or recent events, the reporting verb is in the present tense. "He says he is hungry, so let's go to lunch." A habitual or repeated statement is in the present tense: "Everyone says the water is safe to drink." For reporting less immediate speech, choose the past tense. The reporting verb is often said , but it can also be told , or other verbs like ordered , stated , or reported , depending on the situation. When reporting questions, you can use verbs like asked or requested .

The second rule is to change the perspective, or point of view.

That means I becomes he , she , or they .

"Mary said ' I ate the pie."' becomes "She said that she ate the pie."

"The boys said, ' We are coming tomorrow'" becomes "They said they are coming tomorrow."

Next, choose whether to include "that or "if."

You can say, "He says he is at home" or "He says that he is at home." That is a conjunction here, linking the two parts of the sentence. It is optional. Another conjunction, if , is required when reporting on a question: "He asked me if I knew how to play tennis."

The fourth rule is to "backshift" the tense.

This is the trickiest part of reported speech. When the reporting verb is in the past tense, the verb in the reported clause is in the past tense, too. The verb aspect , showing whether the action is completed, matches. Here are some examples:​

"I am buying my ticket." (present continuous) -> He said he was buying his ticket. (past continuous)

Ashley: "I have fixed my bicycle." (present perfect) -> She said she had fixed her bicycle. (past perfect)

Reporting speech in English would be easy if these rules were all learners needed to know. But as usual, there is more to learn. Let's look at what happens with questions and modals .

Reporting on questions

When we report questions, we have to pay attention to the auxiliary verb . These are words like do , be , and have . Yes or no questions begin with an auxiliary, such as

" Do you like pizza?"

To report that question, drop the auxiliary and add if :

He asked me if I liked pizza.

Learners often make the mistake of leaving the auxiliary verb in the reported speech: He asked me do I like pizza.

Information questions start with a question word:

"Where are you going?"

To report on these, simply change the pronoun and word order.

She asked me where I was going.

Here, learners often make the mistake of keeping the same word order: She asked me where was I going.

A similar word order switch appears with the verb "be" in questions.

They asked, "When is the party?" -> They asked me when the party was.

The question word "when" remains. "Be" moves from a position before the noun to after the noun.

Reporting speech with modals

Finally, pay attention to whether the speech you are reporting uses a modal verb. Will , can , and shall change to would , could , and should when reported. Will is used to make statements about the future in English. When reporting this kind of statement, will becomes would . Compare these sentences:

Kelly said, "I will pick up the sandwiches." -> Kelly said she would pick up the sandwiches.

Modal verbs may appear in questions, as well:

Caty asked, " Can you answer the phone while I'm out?" -> Caty asked me if I could answer the phone while she was out.

If the modal verb is already in its past form, it does not change when reported.

George stated, "I would not do that." -> George said he would not do that.

Test your knowledge

Let's try a few sentences. I'll say the direct speech, and you make a sentence in reported speech.

Our boss said, "You can all go home early today." -> Our boss said we could all go home early.

Anna asked "When is your birthday?" -> Anna asked me when my birthday was.

Adam said, "I am leaving on Tuesday." -> Adam said he was leaving on Tuesday.

Chris said, "I will bring the cake." -> Chris said he would bring the cake.

Reported speech in song

Reported speech sometimes shows up in popular songs. The singer Lisa Loeb begins the song "Stay" with a reported verb in the present tense to show that the action is a habit.

you say I only hear what I want to you say I talk so all the time so

Later she reports something in the past, so the reported speech verb is in the past tense.

you said that I was naive, and I thought that I was strong. I thought, "hey, I can leave, I can leave." but now I know that I was wrong, 'cause I missed you.

Follow these simple rules and you will be reporting speech like a pro.

She said that you would be reporting speech like a pro.

I'm Pete Musto.

And I'm Jill Robbins.

Dr. Jill Robbins wrote this story. Adam Brock was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

report – v. to tell people about (something)

aspect – grammar : the characteristic of a verb that expresses the way an action happens

auxiliary verb – n. a verb (such as have , be , may , do , shall , will , can , or must ) that is used with another verb to show the verb's tense, to form a question, etc.

modal verb – n. a verb (such as can, could, shall, should, ought to, will, or would) that is usually used with another verb to express ideas such as possibility, necessity, and permission

Now it's your turn. Try changing these sentences into reported speech. Write your sentences in the comments section and we will give you feedback.

Trung asked, "Did you eat dinner?" Pete said, "I have been looking for a new car." Ashley says, "Come into my office."

Everyday Grammar: Put Prepositions in Their Place

Everyday Grammar: Put Prepositions in Their Place

Simple Past and Present Perfect

Simple Past and Present Perfect

Can You Correct 'Her and I?'

Can You Correct 'Her and I?'

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The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500

Remarks by President   Biden on the Reported Death of Aleksey   Navalny

Roosevelt Room

12:37 P.M. EST THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon.  I — I’m heading off to East Palestine in — in a moment, but I wanted to say a few things this morning about Aleksey Navalny. You know, like millions of people around the world, I am literally both not surprised and outraged by the news — the reported death of Aleksey Navalny. He bravely stood up to the corruption, the violence, and the — the — all the — all the bad things that the Putin government was doing.  In response, Putin had him poisoned.  He had him arrested.  He had him prosecuted for fabricated crimes.  He sentenced him to prison.  He was held in isolation.  Even all that didn’t stop him from calling out Putin’s lies.  Even in prison, he was a powerful voice of the truth, which is kind of amazing when you think about it. And he could have lived safely in exile after the assassination attempt on him in 2020 — which nearly killed him, I might add.  And — but he — he was traveling outside the country at the time.  Instead, he returned to Russia.  He returned to Russia knowing he’d likely be imprisoned or even killed if he continued his work.  But he did it anyway, because he believed so deeply in his country — in Russia.   Reports of his death, if they’re true — and I have no reason to believe they’re not — Russian authorities are going to tell their own story.  But make no mistake — make no mistake, Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death.  Putin is responsible.   What has happened to Navalny is yet more proof of Putin’s brutality.  No one should be fooled — not in Russia, not at home, not anywhere in the world.  Putin does not only target  his  [the] citizens of other countries, as we’ve seen what’s going on in Ukraine right now, he also inflicts terrible crimes on his own people.  And as people across Russia and around the world are mourning Navalny today because he was so many things that Putin was not: He was brave.  He was principled.  He was dedicated to building a Russia where the rule of law existed and of — where it applied to everybody.  Navalny believed in that Russia — that Russia.  He knew it was a cause worth fighting for and, obviously, even dying for.   This tragedy reminds us of the stakes of this moment.  We have to provide the funding so Ukraine can keep defending itself against Putin’s vicious onslaughts and war crimes.  You know, there was a bipartisan Senate vote that passed overwhelmingly in the United States Senate to fund Ukraine.  Now, as I’ve said before, and I mean this in the literal sense: History is watching.  History is watching the House of Representatives.  The failure to support Ukraine at this critical moment will never be forgotten.  It’s going to go down in the pages of history.  It really is.  It’s consequential. And the clock is ticking.  And this has to happen.  We have to help now.  You know, we have to realize what we’re dealing with with Putin.  All of us should reject the dangerous statements made by the previous president that invited Russia to invade our NATO Allies if they weren’t paying up.  He said if an Ally did not pay their dues, he’d encourage Russia to, quote, “Do whatever the hell they want.”  I — let me — I guess I should clear my mind here a little bit and not say what I’m really thinking.  But let me be clear: This is an outrageous thing for a president to say.  I can’t fathom.  I can’t fathom.  From Truman on, they’re rolling over in their graves hearing this. As long as I’m President, America stands by our sacred commitment to our NATO Allies as they have stood by their commitments to us repeatedly.  Putin and the whole world should know: If any adversary were to attack us, our NATO Allies would back us.  And if Putin were to attack a NATO Ally, the United States will defend every inch of NATO territory.  Now is the time for even greater unity among our NATO Allies to stand up to the threat that Putin’s Russia poses. You know, I send my deepest condolences to Aleksey’s staff and supporters who are going to continue his work despite this loss, despite all of Putin’s desperate attempts to stamp out the opposition.  And most of all, to his family, especially to his wife, his daughter, and his son, who have already sacrificed so much for their family and a shared dream for a better future for Russia.  So, I just want to say God bless Aleksey Navalny.  His courage will not be forgotten.  And I’m sure it will not be the only courage we see coming out of Russia in the near term.  Thank you.  I’ll be happy to take a couple questions. Q    Sir, first, was this an assassination? THE PRESIDENT:  The answer is, I — we don’t know exactly what happened, but there is no doubt that the death of Navalny was a consequence of something that Putin and his — and his thugs did.  Q    And to be clear, you warned Vladimir Putin when you were in Geneva of “devastating” consequences if Navalny died in Russian custody.  What consequences should he and Russia face? THE PRESIDENT:  That was three years ago.  In the meantime, they faced a hell of a lot of consequences.  They’ve lost and/or had wounded over 350,000 Russian soldiers.  They’ve made it into a position where they’ve been subjected to great sanctions across the board.  And we’re contemplating what else could be done.  But the — the — what we were talking about at the time there were no actions being taken against Russia.  And that — look at all that’s transpired since then. Q    Can you say whether you’re — Q    How do you think this — Q    — whether you’re looking at increasing sanctions on Russia right now? THE PRESIDENT:  We’re looking at a whole number of options.  That’s all I’ll say right now. Q    Is there anything you can do to get ammunition to the Ukrainians without the supplemental from Congress? THE PRESIDENT:  No, but it’s about time they step up — don’t you think? — instead of going on a two-week vacation.  Two weeks they’re walking away.  Two weeks.  What are they thinking?  My God, this is bizarre.  And it’s just reinforcing all the concern and — and almost — I won’t say “panic,” but real concern about the United States being a reliable ally.  This is outrageous.  Q    Are you more confident now that you’ll get the Ukraine aid given what’s happened today? THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I hope to God it helps.  But I mean, the idea we need anything more to get the Ukraine aid — I mean, — I mean, this is — in light of a former president’s statement that — saying Russia, if — if they haven’t paid their dues to us, go get them.  Come on.  What are these guys doing?  What are they doing? Q    Sir, how concerned are you about the anti-satellite capability that Russia is developing?  And what is your administration planning to do in response? THE PRESIDENT:  First of all, there is no nuclear threat to the people of America or anywhere else in the world with what Russia is doing at the moment.  Number one. Number two, anything that they’re doing and/or they will do relates to satellites and space and damaging those satellites, potentially.  Number three, I — there is no evidence that they have made a decision to go forward with doing anything in space either.  So, what we found out: There was a capacity to launch a system into space that could theoretically do something that was damaging.  Hadn’t happened yet.  And my expect- — I — my hope is it will not.  Q    Mr. President, just quickly — AIDE:  Thank you all.  Thank you. (Cross-talk.)  Q    Quickly, Mr. President, have — THE PRESIDENT:  I’ll — I’ll take one more. Q    Thank you, Mr. President.  Switching gears for a moment.  Have the Israelis presented a credible evacuation plan for the nearly 1.5 million displaced Palestinians sheltering in Rafah?  And what would the consequences be for Israel if they move ahead with a full-scale ground invasion without clear measures to protect civilians there? THE PRESIDENT:  Well, first of all, I’ve had extensive conversations with the Prime Minister of Israel over the last several days — almost an hour each.  And I’ve made the case — and I feel very strongly about it — that there has to be a — a temporary ceasefire to get the prisoners out, to get the hostages out.  And that is underway.  I’m still hopeful that that can be done.  And in the meantime, I don’t anticipate — I’m hoping that that you — that the Israelis will not make any massive land invasion in the meantime.  So, it’s my expectation that’s not going to happen.  There has to be a ceasefire temporarily to get those hostages — and, by the way, there are — we’re in a situation where there are American hostages, American citizens that are being held hostage.  It’s not just — not just Israelis; it’s American hostages as well.  And, you know, my hope and expectation is that we’ll get this hostage deal.  We’ll bring the Americans home.  And the deal is been negotiated now, and we’re going to see where it takes us. (Cross-talk.) Q    An FBI — an FBI informant — an FBI informant at the center of the impeachment inquiry into you has been indicted for allegedly lying.  Your reaction to that, and should the inquiry be dropped? THE PRESIDENT:  He is lying, and it should be dropped.  And it’s just been a — it’s been an outrageous effort from the beginning.  What he did — (Cross-talk.)  THE PRESIDENT:  No, I’m serious. (Cross-talk.)  THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you, all.  See you in Ohio.  12:47 P.M. EST

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What is Reported Speech and how to use it? with Examples

Reported speech and indirect speech are two terms that refer to the same concept, which is the act of expressing what someone else has said. Reported speech is different from direct speech because it does not use the speaker's exact words. Instead, the reporting verb is used to introduce the reported speech, and the tense and pronouns are changed to reflect the shift in perspective. There are two main types of reported speech: statements and questions. 1. Reported Statements: In reported statements, the reporting verb is usually "said." The tense in the reported speech changes from the present simple to the past simple, and any pronouns referring to the speaker or listener are changed to reflect the shift in perspective. For example, "I am going to the store," becomes "He said that he was going to the store." 2. Reported Questions: In reported questions, the reporting verb is usually "asked." The tense in the reported speech changes from the present simple to the past simple, and the word order changes from a question to a statement. For example, "What time is it?" becomes "She asked what time it was." It's important to note that the tense shift in reported speech depends on the context and the time of the reported speech. Here are a few more examples: ●  Direct speech: "I will call you later." Reported speech: He said that he would call me later. ●  Direct speech: "Did you finish your homework?" Reported speech: She asked if I had finished my homework. ●  Direct speech: "I love pizza." Reported speech: They said that they loved pizza.

When do we use reported speech?

Reported speech is used to report what someone else has said, thought, or written. It is often used in situations where you want to relate what someone else has said without quoting them directly. Reported speech can be used in a variety of contexts, such as in news reports, academic writing, and everyday conversation. Some common situations where reported speech is used include: News reports: Journalists often use reported speech to quote what someone said in an interview or press conference. Business and professional communication: In professional settings, reported speech can be used to summarize what was discussed in a meeting or to report feedback from a customer. Conversational English: In everyday conversations, reported speech is used to relate what someone else said. For example, "She told me that she was running late." Narration: In written narratives or storytelling, reported speech can be used to convey what a character said or thought.

How to make reported speech?

1. Change the pronouns and adverbs of time and place: In reported speech, you need to change the pronouns, adverbs of time and place to reflect the new speaker or point of view. Here's an example: Direct speech: "I'm going to the store now," she said. Reported speech: She said she was going to the store then. In this example, the pronoun "I" is changed to "she" and the adverb "now" is changed to "then." 2. Change the tense: In reported speech, you usually need to change the tense of the verb to reflect the change from direct to indirect speech. Here's an example: Direct speech: "I will meet you at the park tomorrow," he said. Reported speech: He said he would meet me at the park the next day. In this example, the present tense "will" is changed to the past tense "would." 3. Change reporting verbs: In reported speech, you can use different reporting verbs such as "say," "tell," "ask," or "inquire" depending on the context of the speech. Here's an example: Direct speech: "Did you finish your homework?" she asked. Reported speech: She asked if I had finished my homework. In this example, the reporting verb "asked" is changed to "said" and "did" is changed to "had." Overall, when making reported speech, it's important to pay attention to the verb tense and the changes in pronouns, adverbs, and reporting verbs to convey the original speaker's message accurately.

How do I change the pronouns and adverbs in reported speech?

1. Changing Pronouns: In reported speech, the pronouns in the original statement must be changed to reflect the perspective of the new speaker. Generally, the first person pronouns (I, me, my, mine, we, us, our, ours) are changed according to the subject of the reporting verb, while the second and third person pronouns (you, your, yours, he, him, his, she, her, hers, it, its, they, them, their, theirs) are changed according to the object of the reporting verb. For example: Direct speech: "I love chocolate." Reported speech: She said she loved chocolate. Direct speech: "You should study harder." Reported speech: He advised me to study harder. Direct speech: "She is reading a book." Reported speech: They noticed that she was reading a book. 2. Changing Adverbs: In reported speech, the adverbs and adverbial phrases that indicate time or place may need to be changed to reflect the perspective of the new speaker. For example: Direct speech: "I'm going to the cinema tonight." Reported speech: She said she was going to the cinema that night. Direct speech: "He is here." Reported speech: She said he was there. Note that the adverb "now" usually changes to "then" or is omitted altogether in reported speech, depending on the context. It's important to keep in mind that the changes made to pronouns and adverbs in reported speech depend on the context and the perspective of the new speaker. With practice, you can become more comfortable with making these changes in reported speech.

How do I change the tense in reported speech?

In reported speech, the tense of the reported verb usually changes to reflect the change from direct to indirect speech. Here are some guidelines on how to change the tense in reported speech: Present simple in direct speech changes to past simple in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: "I like pizza." Reported speech: She said she liked pizza. Present continuous in direct speech changes to past continuous in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: "I am studying for my exam." Reported speech: He said he was studying for his exam. Present perfect in direct speech changes to past perfect in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: "I have finished my work." Reported speech: She said she had finished her work. Past simple in direct speech changes to past perfect in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: "I visited my grandparents last weekend." Reported speech: She said she had visited her grandparents the previous weekend. Will in direct speech changes to would in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: "I will help you with your project." Reported speech: He said he would help me with my project. Can in direct speech changes to could in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: "I can speak French." Reported speech: She said she could speak French. Remember that the tense changes in reported speech depend on the tense of the verb in the direct speech, and the tense you use in reported speech should match the time frame of the new speaker's perspective. With practice, you can become more comfortable with changing the tense in reported speech.

Do I always need to use a reporting verb in reported speech?

No, you do not always need to use a reporting verb in reported speech. However, using a reporting verb can help to clarify who is speaking and add more context to the reported speech. In some cases, the reported speech can be introduced by phrases such as "I heard that" or "It seems that" without using a reporting verb. For example: Direct speech: "I'm going to the cinema tonight." Reported speech with a reporting verb: She said she was going to the cinema tonight. Reported speech without a reporting verb: It seems that she's going to the cinema tonight. However, it's important to note that using a reporting verb can help to make the reported speech more formal and accurate. When using reported speech in academic writing or journalism, it's generally recommended to use a reporting verb to make the reporting more clear and credible. Some common reporting verbs include say, tell, explain, ask, suggest, and advise. For example: Direct speech: "I think we should invest in renewable energy." Reported speech with a reporting verb: She suggested that they invest in renewable energy. Overall, while using a reporting verb is not always required, it can be helpful to make the reported speech more clear and accurate.

How to use reported speech to report questions and commands?

1. Reporting Questions: When reporting questions, you need to use an introductory phrase such as "asked" or "wondered" followed by the question word (if applicable), subject, and verb. You also need to change the word order to make it a statement. Here's an example: Direct speech: "What time is the meeting?" Reported speech: She asked what time the meeting was. Note that the question mark is not used in reported speech. 2. Reporting Commands: When reporting commands, you need to use an introductory phrase such as "ordered" or "told" followed by the person, to + infinitive, and any additional information. Here's an example: Direct speech: "Clean your room!" Reported speech: She ordered me to clean my room. Note that the exclamation mark is not used in reported speech. In both cases, the tense of the reported verb should be changed accordingly. For example, present simple changes to past simple, and future changes to conditional. Here are some examples: Direct speech: "Will you go to the party with me?" Reported speech: She asked if I would go to the party with her. Direct speech: "Please bring me a glass of water." Reported speech: She requested that I bring her a glass of water. Remember that when using reported speech to report questions and commands, the introductory phrases and verb tenses are important to convey the intended meaning accurately.

How to make questions in reported speech?

To make questions in reported speech, you need to use an introductory phrase such as "asked" or "wondered" followed by the question word (if applicable), subject, and verb. You also need to change the word order to make it a statement. Here are the steps to make questions in reported speech: Identify the reporting verb: The first step is to identify the reporting verb in the sentence. Common reporting verbs used to report questions include "asked," "inquired," "wondered," and "wanted to know." Change the tense and pronouns: Next, you need to change the tense and pronouns in the sentence to reflect the shift from direct to reported speech. The tense of the verb is usually shifted back one tense (e.g. from present simple to past simple) in reported speech. The pronouns should also be changed as necessary to reflect the shift in perspective from the original speaker to the reporting speaker. Use an appropriate question word: If the original question contained a question word (e.g. who, what, where, when, why, how), you should use the same question word in the reported question. If the original question did not contain a question word, you can use "if" or "whether" to introduce the reported question. Change the word order: In reported speech, the word order of the question changes from the inverted form to a normal statement form. The subject usually comes before the verb, unless the original question started with a question word. Here are some examples of reported questions: Direct speech: "What time is the meeting?" Reported speech: She asked what time the meeting was. Direct speech: "Did you finish your homework?" Reported speech: He wanted to know if I had finished my homework. Direct speech: "Where are you going?" Reported speech: She wondered where I was going. Remember that when making questions in reported speech, the introductory phrases and verb tenses are important to convey the intended meaning accurately. Here you can find more examples of direct and indirect questions

What is the difference between reported speech an indirect speech?

In reported or indirect speech, you are retelling or reporting what someone said using your own words. The tense of the reported speech is usually shifted back one tense from the tense used in the original statement. For example, if someone said, "I am going to the store," in reported speech you would say, "He/she said that he/she was going to the store." The main difference between reported speech and indirect speech is that reported speech usually refers to spoken language, while indirect speech can refer to both spoken and written language. Additionally, indirect speech is a broader term that includes reported speech as well as other ways of expressing what someone else has said, such as paraphrasing or summarizing.

Examples of direct speech to reported

1. Direct speech: "I am hungry," she said. Reported speech: She said she was hungry. 2. Direct speech: "Can you pass the salt, please?" he asked. Reported speech: He asked her to pass the salt. 3. Direct speech: "I will meet you at the cinema," he said. Reported speech: He said he would meet her at the cinema. 4. Direct speech: "I have been working on this project for hours," she said. Reported speech: She said she had been working on the project for hours. 5. Direct speech: "What time does the train leave?" he asked. Reported speech: He asked what time the train left. 6. Direct speech: "I love playing the piano," she said. Reported speech: She said she loved playing the piano. 7. Direct speech: "I am going to the grocery store," he said. Reported speech: He said he was going to the grocery store. 8. Direct speech: "Did you finish your homework?" the teacher asked. Reported speech: The teacher asked if he had finished his homework. 9. Direct speech: "I want to go to the beach," she said. Reported speech: She said she wanted to go to the beach. 10. Direct speech: "Do you need help with that?" he asked. Reported speech: He asked if she needed help with that. 11. Direct speech: "I can't come to the party," he said. Reported speech: He said he couldn't come to the party. 12. Direct speech: "Please don't leave me," she said. Reported speech: She begged him not to leave her. 13. Direct speech: "I have never been to London before," he said. Reported speech: He said he had never been to London before. 14. Direct speech: "Where did you put my phone?" she asked. Reported speech: She asked where she had put her phone. 15. Direct speech: "I'm sorry for being late," he said. Reported speech: He apologized for being late. 16. Direct speech: "I need some help with this math problem," she said. Reported speech: She said she needed some help with the math problem. 17. Direct speech: "I am going to study abroad next year," he said. Reported speech: He said he was going to study abroad the following year. 18. Direct speech: "Can you give me a ride to the airport?" she asked. Reported speech: She asked him to give her a ride to the airport. 19. Direct speech: "I don't know how to fix this," he said. Reported speech: He said he didn't know how to fix it. 20. Direct speech: "I hate it when it rains," she said. Reported speech: She said she hated it when it rained.

What is Direct and Indirect Speech?

Direct and indirect speech are two different ways of reporting spoken or written language. Let's delve into the details and provide some examples. Click here to read more

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Reported Speech: Structures and Examples

Reported speech (Indirect Speech) is how we represent the speech of other people or what we ourselves say.

Reported Speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words

The structure of the independent clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question, or a command.

Table of Contents

Reported Speech Rules and Examples

Present tenses and reported speech, past tenses and reported speech, reported speech examples, reported speech and the simple present, reported speech and present continuous, reported speech and the simple past, reported speech and the past continuous, reported speech and the present perfect, reported speech and the past perfect, reported speech and ‘ can ’ and ‘can’t’, reported speech and ‘ will ’ and ‘ won’t ’, reported speech and could and couldn’t, reported speech and the future continuous, reported questions exercises online, interested in learning more.

To turn sentences into Indirect Speech, you have to follow a set of rules and this is what makes reported speech difficult for some.

To make reported speech sentences, you need to manage English tenses well.

  • Present Simple Tense changes into Past Simple Tense
  • Present Progressive Tense changes into Past Progressive Tense
  • Present Perfect Tense changes into Past Perfect Tense
  • Present Perfect Progressive Tense changes into Past Perfect Tense
  • Past Simple Tense changes into Past Perfect Tense
  • Past Progressive Tense changes into Perfect Continuous Tense
  • Past Perfect Tense doesn’t change
  • Past Perfect Progressive Tense doesn’t change
  • Future Simple Tense changes into would
  • Future Progressive Tense changes into “would be”
  • Future Perfect Tense changes into “would have·
  • Future Perfect Progressive Tense changes into “would have been”

These are some examples of sentences using indirect speech

The present simple tense usually changes to the past simple

The present continuous tense usually changes to the past continuous.

The past simple tense usually changes to the past perfect

The past continuous tense usually changes to the past perfect continuous.

The present perfect tense usually changes to the past perfect tense

The past perfect tense does not change

 ‘ Can ’ and ‘can’t’ in direct speech change to ‘ could ’ and ‘ couldn’t ’

‘ Will ’ and ‘ won’t ’ in direct speech change to ‘ would ’ and ‘ wouldn’t ’

Could and couldn’t doesn’t change

Will ’ and ‘ won’t ’ in direct speech change to ‘ would ’ and ‘ wouldn’t ’

These are some online exercises to learn more about reported questions

  • Present Simple Reported Yes/No Question Exercise
  • Present Simple Reported Wh Question Exercise
  • Mixed Tense Reported Question Exercise
  • Present Simple Reported Statement Exercise
  • Present Continuous Reported Statement Exercise

These are some posts that you might be interested in

  • The 20 Best Resources to Pass the TOEIC Test
  • 200 ESL Conversation Questions
  • 70 Music Conversation Questions
  • 50 Have You Ever Conversation Questions
  • 6 Best Pronunciation Websites
  • Pronunciation: List of Minimal Pairs
  • Full Guide to English Pronunciation

Manuel Campos, English Professor

I am Jose Manuel, English professor and creator of EnglishPost.org, a blog whose mission is to share lessons for those who want to learn and improve their English

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  • B1-B2 grammar

Reported speech

Daisy has just had an interview for a summer job. 

Instructions

As you watch the video, look at the examples of reported speech. They are in  red  in the subtitles. Then read the conversation below to learn more. Finally, do the grammar exercises to check you understand, and can use, reported speech correctly.

Sophie:  Mmm, it’s so nice to be chilling out at home after all that running around.

Ollie: Oh, yeah, travelling to glamorous places for a living must be such a drag!

Ollie: Mum, you can be so childish sometimes. Hey, I wonder how Daisy’s getting on in her job interview.

Sophie: Oh, yes, she said she was having it at four o’clock, so it’ll have finished by now. That’ll be her ... yes. Hi, love. How did it go?

Daisy: Well, good I think, but I don’t really know. They said they’d phone later and let me know.

Sophie: What kind of thing did they ask you?

Daisy: They asked if I had any experience with people, so I told them about helping at the school fair and visiting old people at the home, that sort of stuff. But I think they meant work experience.

Sophie: I’m sure what you said was impressive. They can’t expect you to have had much work experience at your age.

Daisy:  And then they asked me what acting I had done, so I told them that I’d had a main part in the school play, and I showed them a bit of the video, so that was cool.

Sophie:  Great!

Daisy: Oh, and they also asked if I spoke any foreign languages.

Sophie: Languages?

Daisy: Yeah, because I might have to talk to tourists, you know.

Sophie: Oh, right, of course.

Daisy: So that was it really. They showed me the costume I’ll be wearing if I get the job. Sending it over ...

Ollie: Hey, sis, I heard that Brad Pitt started out as a giant chicken too! This could be your big break!

Daisy: Ha, ha, very funny.

Sophie: Take no notice, darling. I’m sure you’ll be a marvellous chicken.

We use reported speech when we want to tell someone what someone said. We usually use a reporting verb (e.g. say, tell, ask, etc.) and then change the tense of what was actually said in direct speech.

So, direct speech is what someone actually says? Like 'I want to know about reported speech'?

Yes, and you report it with a reporting verb.

He said he wanted to know about reported speech.

I said, I want and you changed it to he wanted .

Exactly. Verbs in the present simple change to the past simple; the present continuous changes to the past continuous; the present perfect changes to the past perfect; can changes to could ; will changes to would ; etc.

She said she was having the interview at four o’clock. (Direct speech: ' I’m having the interview at four o’clock.') They said they’d phone later and let me know. (Direct speech: ' We’ll phone later and let you know.')

OK, in that last example, you changed you to me too.

Yes, apart from changing the tense of the verb, you also have to think about changing other things, like pronouns and adverbs of time and place.

'We went yesterday.'  > She said they had been the day before. 'I’ll come tomorrow.' >  He said he’d come the next day.

I see, but what if you’re reporting something on the same day, like 'We went yesterday'?

Well, then you would leave the time reference as 'yesterday'. You have to use your common sense. For example, if someone is saying something which is true now or always, you wouldn’t change the tense.

'Dogs can’t eat chocolate.' > She said that dogs can’t eat chocolate. 'My hair grows really slowly.' >  He told me that his hair grows really slowly.

What about reporting questions?

We often use ask + if/whether , then change the tenses as with statements. In reported questions we don’t use question forms after the reporting verb.

'Do you have any experience working with people?' They asked if I had any experience working with people. 'What acting have you done?' They asked me what acting I had done .

Is there anything else I need to know about reported speech?

One thing that sometimes causes problems is imperative sentences.

You mean like 'Sit down, please' or 'Don’t go!'?

Exactly. Sentences that start with a verb in direct speech need a to + infinitive in reported speech.

She told him to be good. (Direct speech: 'Be good!') He told them not to forget. (Direct speech: 'Please don’t forget.')

OK. Can I also say 'He asked me to sit down'?

Yes. You could say 'He told me to …' or 'He asked me to …' depending on how it was said.

OK, I see. Are there any more reporting verbs?

Yes, there are lots of other reporting verbs like promise , remind , warn , advise , recommend , encourage which you can choose, depending on the situation. But say , tell and ask are the most common.

Great. I understand! My teacher said reported speech was difficult.

And I told you not to worry!

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  • B1-B2 grammar

Reported speech: questions

Reported speech: questions

Do you know how to report a question that somebody asked? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see how we can tell someone what another person asked.

direct speech: 'Do you work from home?' he said. indirect speech: He asked me if I worked from home. direct speech: 'Who did you see?' she asked. indirect speech: She asked me who I'd seen. direct speech: 'Could you write that down for me?' she asked. indirect speech: She asked me to write it down.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar B1-B2: Reported speech 2: 1

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

A reported question is when we tell someone what another person asked. To do this, we can use direct speech or indirect speech.

direct speech: 'Do you like working in sales?' he asked. indirect speech: He asked me if I liked working in sales.

In indirect speech, we change the question structure (e.g. Do you like ) to a statement structure (e.g. I like ).

We also often make changes to the tenses and other words in the same way as for reported statements (e.g. have done → had done , today → that day ). You can learn about these changes on the Reported speech 1 – statements page.

Yes / no questions

In yes / no questions, we use if or whether to report the question. If is more common.

'Are you going to the Helsinki conference?' He asked me if I was going to the Helsinki conference. 'Have you finished the project yet?' She asked us whether we'd finished the project yet.

Questions with a question word

In what , where , why , who , when or how questions, we use the question word to report the question.

'What time does the train leave?' He asked me what time the train left. 'Where did he go?' She asked where he went.

Reporting verbs

The most common reporting verb for questions is ask , but we can also use verbs like enquire , want to know or wonder .

'Did you bring your passports?' She wanted to know if they'd brought their passports. 'When could you get this done by?' He wondered when we could get it done by.

Offers, requests and suggestions

If the question is making an offer, request or suggestion, we can use a specific verb pattern instead, for example offer + infinitive, ask + infinitive or suggest + ing.

'Would you like me to help you?' He offered to help me. 'Can you hold this for me, please?' She asked me to hold it. 'Why don't we check with Joel?' She suggested checking with Joel.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar B1-B2: Reported speech 2: 2

Language level

She offered me to encourage studying English. She asked us if we could give her a hand.

  • Log in or register to post comments

He said, "I wished she had gone."

How to change this sentence into indirect speech?

Hello bhutuljee,

'He said that he wished she had gone.'

Best wishes, Kirk LearnEnglish team

He said, "I wish she went."

How to change the above sentence into indirect speech?

Hi bhutuljee,

It would be: "He said that he wished she had gone."

LearnEnglish team

He said , "She wished John would succeed."

This is the third sentence you've asked us to transform in this way. While we try to offer as much help as we can, we are not a service for giving answers to questions which may be from tests or homework so we do limit these kinds of answers. Perhaps having read the information on the page above you can try to transform the sentence yourself and we will tell you if you have done it correctly or not.

The LearnEnglish Team

Hi, I hope my comment finds you well and fine. 1- reported question of "where did he go?"

Isn't it: She asked where he had gone?

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/b1-b2-grammar/reported-…

2- how can I report poilte questions with( can I, May I) For example: She asked me" Can I borrow some money?"

Your reply will be highly appreciated.

Hello alrufai,

1) The version of the sentence you suggest is also correct. In informal situations, we often don't change the past simple into the past perfect, but in formal situations we do so more often.

2) 'can', 'may' and 'might' all become 'could' in reported questions like these: 'She asked if she could borrow some money.'

I wonder if there are any occasions we can't use "Why" for reported speech? I'm not sure for this one. Thank you

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How to use Reported Speech

reported speech of did

We use reported speech when we want to repeat what someone had previously said.

Let's look at the difference between direct speech and reported speech:

Direct Tomie said = ' I am tired.'

Reported Speech = 'Tomie said (that) she was tired.'

In reported speech we need to use the past tense form of the verb. In direct speech the present tense is used. As you can see, in the above sentence 'am' changes to 'was' when we use reported speech.

changing to the past tense to make reported speech

Here are some of the important verb changes we use when making reported speech:

am becomes was

Direct John: 'I am going.' Reported : 'John said that he was going.'

is becomes was

Direct John: 'She is tall.' Reported : 'John said that she was tall.'

do becomes did

Direct John: 'I always do my homework.' Reported : 'John said that he always did his homework.'

does becomes did

Direct John: 'My mother does the cleaning.' Reported : 'John said that his mother did the cleaning.'

have becomes had

Direct John: 'I have your number.' Reported : 'John said that he had my number.'

has becomes had

Direct John: 'He has caught a cold.' Reported : 'John said that he had caught a cold.'

go becomes went

Direct John: 'I go shopping on Sunday.' Reported : 'John said that he went shopping on Sunday.'

will becomes would

Direct John: 'I will call Frank.' Reported : 'John said that he would call Frank.'

can becomes could

Direct John: 'I can ride a horse.' Reported : 'John said that he could ride a horse.'

want becomes wanted

Direct John: 'I want a girlfriend.' Reported : 'John said that he wanted a girlfriend.'

When not to change the verb tense

When direct speech uses the past tense we do not need to make a change:

Direct John: 'I broke my arm.' Reported : 'John said that he broke his arm.'

It is also OK to change the past tense to the past perfect :

Direct John: 'I broke my arm.' Reported : 'John said that he had broken his arm.'

using reported speech for questions

So far we have looked at using 'said' in reported speech . When a question is asked we do not use 'said'. Instead we use 'asked'. We also need to use an interrogative (wh- word) or if / whether. Take a look at the examples:

questions using interrogatives

Direct John: 'What is your name?' Reported : 'John asked me what my name was.'

Direct John: ' Where does she live?' Reported : 'John asked me where she lived.'

questions using if / whether

Direct John: 'Does he play golf?' Reported : 'John asked if he played golf.' Reported : 'John asked whether he played golf.'

using reported speech for requests

As we have seen, 'said' is used for statements and 'asked' is used for requests. We use 'told' for requests and 'to' before the clause:

Direct John: 'Go home' Reported : 'John told me to go.'

Direct John: 'Stop crying' Reported : 'John told me to stop crying.'

using suggestions in reported speech

When someone gives us advice in direct speech we use 'suggested' or 'recommended' in reported speech:

Direct John: 'You should take a holiday' Reported : 'John suggested that I took a holiday.'

Direct John: 'You should take a holiday' Reported : 'John recommended that I took a holiday.'

For stronger language we can use 'insist' or 'demand':

Direct John: 'You must see a doctor.' Reported : 'John insisted that I saw a doctor.' Reported : 'John demanded that I saw a doctor.'

  • 'My brothers are taller than me.' He told me that his brothers are tall than him. He said me his brothers were taller than him. He said that brothers are taller than him. He said that his brothers were taller than him.
  • 'I will see you soon.' He asked if he would see me soon. He said he would see me soon. He said I will see me soon. He said would see me soon.
  • 'I have a cold.' She said has a cold. She said that she had a cold. She asked if I had a cold. She said had a cold.
  • 'I know the way.' He said he know the way. He told me he know the way. He asked me the way. He said that he knew the way.
  • 'He lost his phone.' He said he losts his phone. He said that he had lost his phone. He said that lost his phone. He said he has loses his phone.
  • 'Do you want a coffee?' He asked if I wants a coffee. He said if I wanted a coffee. He asked if I wanted a coffee. He asked I wanted a coffee.
  • 'Are you Simon?' She asked whether if I was Simon. She asked whether I was Simon. She asked whether I Simon. She asked whether am simon.
  • 'Why do you like Jazz?' She ask why I like Jazz. She asked why I likes Jazz. She asked if I like Jazz. She asked why I liked Jazz.
  • 'Bring your ball.' He tells me to bring my ball. He told me to bring my ball. He asked me if I brought my ball. He told me bring a ball.
  • 'You must come to my party.' She said that I come to her party. She recommended that I come to her party. She asked me to come her party. She insisted that I came to her party.

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Reported Speech: Definition, Rules, Usage with Examples, Tips, Exercises for Students

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  • Updated on  
  • Jan 10, 2024

Reported Speech

Reported Speech: Reported Speech or also known as indirect speech, is typically used to convey what has been said by someone at a particular point of time. However, owing to the nuances of the systems involved, English grammar may be a complicated language to learn and understand. But once you get hold of the grammar fundamentals , you can be a pro. It’s these fundamentals that will help you create a solid base. The rest of the journey becomes much easier once you get a good grip on the english grammar for competitive exams . So, today, we’re going to talk about one of those basics that is an important part of English grammar, i.e., Reported Speech with multiple definition, usage with examples and numerous practise exercicses.

This Blog Includes:

What is reported speech, definition of reported speech, reported speech rules, rules for modal verbs, rules for pronouns, rules for change in tenses, rules for changing statements into reported speech, rules for changing interrogative sentences into reported speech, rules for changing commands and requests into indirect speech, tips to practise reported speech, fun exercises for reported speech with answers.

When we use the exact words spoken by someone, it is known as Direct Speech or Reported Speech. Reporting speech is a way to effectivley communication something that has been spoken, usually in the past, by the speaker. It is also possible to describe it from the speaker’s perspective from the third person. Since you are only communicating the message and are not repeating the speaker’s exact words, you do not need to use quotation marks while using this type of speaking.

For example: Rita said to Seema, “ I am going to bake a cake ”

Here we are using the exact words spoken by Rita, however, reported or Indirect speech is used when we are reporting something said by someone else but we do not use the exact words. So, we use this form of speech to talk about the past. For example:

Rita told Seema that she was going to bake a cake

In this case, we haven’t used the exact words of Rita but conveyed her message.

Difference Between Reporting Clause and Reported Speech

The words that come before the inverted commas are known as the reporting clause, in the example given above, the reporting clause will be – Rita said to Seema, where ‘said’ is the verb and is known as the reporting clause/verb . The words written within the inverted commas are known as the Reported speech, in the above example, the reported speech is “I am going to bake a cake” .

Also Read:  55+ Phrases with Meaning to Boost Your Vocabulary

Here are some common definitions of reported speech for your reference:

➡️ An Oxford Learner’s Dictionary definition of reported speech is “a report of what somebody has said that does not use their exact words.”

➡️ Reporter speech is described as “speech which tells you what someone said but does not use the person’s actual words” by the Collins Dictionary.

➡️ “The act of reporting something that was said, but not using the same words,” according to the Cambridge Dictionary.

➡️ Reported speech is defined as “the words that you use to report what someone else has said” by the Macmillan Dictionary.

Also Read: Adjective: Definition, Usage, Example, Forms, Types

Now let us take a look at the rules for changing direct speech to indirect or reported speech –

➡️ First and foremost, we do not use inverted commas in reported speech which must be clear from the example given above.

➡️ We use conjunctions like ‘if’, and ‘whether’ after the reporting verb in reported speech

➡️ The reporting verb’s tense is never altered.

➡️ The verb of reporting varies according to sense: it can be told, inquired, asked, etc.

For example: Direct : Mohan said to Sohan, “I am going to school” Reported : Mohan told Sohan that he is going to school

Also Read:  Useful Idioms for IELTS Exams That Will Boost Your Score

Modal words are used to show a sense of possibility, intent, necessity or ability. Some common examples of verbs can include should, can and must. These words are used to express hypothetical conditions. Check the table of contents below for rules with examples of modal verbs.

Also Read: Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises With Answers for Class 12

Listed below are some common rules followed in pronouns using reported speech:

✏️ We change the first-person pronouns (I, my, us, our, me, we) as per the subject of the reporting verb in the reported speech. ✏️ We change the second-person pronouns (you, your, yourself) as per the object of the reporting verb in the reported speech. ✏️ There is no change in the third-person pronouns.

For example:

Direct : Rita said, “I like the book.” Reported : Rita said that she likes the book.

Direct : Arun said to me, “Do you like to eat cakes?” Reported : Arun asked me if I liked eating cakes.

Direct : Ravi said, “I enjoy fishing.” Reported : Ravi said that he enjoys fishing.

Also Read: Reported Speech Interrogative: Rules, Examples & Exercise

Here are some common ruled used for change in tenses:

✏️ The tense of the reported speech is not changed if the reporting verb is in the present or the future tense. ✏️ If a historical fact, a universal reality or a habitual fact is conveyed in a direct speech. The indirect speech tense will not change. ✏️ If the reporting verb is in the past tense, then it will change the tense of the reported speech as follows:

Direct : Reema says, “I am going out.” Reported : Reema says that she is going out.

Direct : Ramesh said, “Honesty is the best policy.” Reported : Ramesh said that honesty is the best policy.

Direct : Vishnu said that, “India gained independence in 1947.” Reported : Vishnu said that India gained independence in 1947.

Direct : Akshat will say, “I want a slice of cake.” Reported : Akshat will say that he wants a slice of cake.

Direct : Reena said, “I am writing a novel.” Reported : Reena said that she was writing a novel.

Direct : Ayushi said, “I was working on my project.” Reported : Ayushi said that she had been working on her project.

Also Read: Exploring the Types of Reported Speech: A Complete Guide

Here are some common rules for changing statements into reported speech:

✏️ The “said to” reporting verb is changed to “told,” “replied,” “remarked,” ✏️ We do not change the object i.e., the reporting verb is not followed by an object. ✏️ We drop the inverted commas and use a conjunction to join the reporting clause and speech/ ✏️ The laws are followed for the changing of pronouns, tenses, etc.

Direct: Ramu said, “I saw a lion in the forest.” Indirect: Ramu said that he had seen a lion in the forest.

Direct : Satish said to me, “I am very happy here.” Indirect : Satish told me that he was very happy there.

Direct : He said, “I can do this work.” Indirect: He said that he could do that work.

50 Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech Interrogative Sentences

Here are some common rules followed for changing interrogative sentences into reported speech:

✏️ The reporting verb “say” is transformed into “ask, inquire,” ✏️ By inserting the subject before the verb, the interrogative clause is converted into a declaration and the full stop is inserted at the end of the sentence. ✏️ The wh-word is repeated in the sentence if the interrogative sentence has a wh-word (who, where, where, how, why, etc). This works as a conjunction. ✏️ If the asking phrase is a yes-no answer style phrase (with auxiliary verbs are, were, were, do, did, have, shall, etc.), then if or whether is used as a conjunction. ✏️ In the reported speech, the auxiliaries do, did, does drop in a positive question. ✏️ The conjunction after the reporting clause is not used.

Direct: I said to him, “Where are you going?” Indirect: Tasked him where he was going.

Direct: He said to me, “Will you go there?” Indirect: He asked me if I would go there.

Direct: My friend said to Deepak, “Have you ever been to Agra?” Indirect: My friend asked Deepak if he had ever been to Agra.

How to Change Sentences into Indirect Speech

The reporting verb is changed into command, order, say, enable, submit, etc. in imperative sentences that have commands.

✏️ By positioning it before the verb, the imperative mood is converted into the infinitive mood. The auxiliary ‘do’ is dropped in the case of negative sentences, and ‘to’ is substituted after ‘not

Direct: She said to me, “Open the window.” Indirect: She ordered me to open the window.

Direct: The captain said to the soldiers, “Attack the enemy.” Indirect: The captain commanded the soldiers to attack the enemy.

Direct: I said to him, “Leave this place at once.” Indirect: I told him to leave that place at once.

Also Read: Direct And Indirect Speech Questions

Indirect speech, sometimes referred to as reported speech, is used to communicate ideas without directly quoting another person. The following advice will help you become proficient in reported speech:

👉 Understand the Basics : Ensure you have a solid understanding of direct speech (quoting exact words) before moving on to reported speech.

👉 Identify Reporting Verbs : Recognize common reporting verbs such as “say,” “tell,” “ask,” “inform,” etc. These verbs are often used to introduce reported speech.

👉 Practice with Various Tenses : Work on reported speech with different tenses (present, past, future) to become comfortable with each.

👉 Use Reporting Words Appropriately : Experiment with different reporting words to convey the speaker’s attitude or emotion accurately. For example, “complain,” “admit,” “suggest.”

👉 Write Dialogues : Create dialogues and convert them into reported speech. This will help you practice both creating and transforming speech.

👉 Use Authentic Materials : Practice reported speech by reading books, articles, or watching videos. Try to convert the direct speech in these materials into reported speech.

Here are a few exercises for reported speech along with answers:

Change the following sentences from direct speech to reported speech.

  • Answer: She said that she loved watching movies.
  • Answer: He told me not to forget to buy some milk on my way home.
  • Answer: Peter said that he would visit his grandparents the following weekend.
  • Answer: She announced that she had finished her homework.
  • Answer: They exclaimed that they were going to the beach the next day.

Reported Speech Exercises For Class 9

Combine the following sentences into reported speech.

  • Answer: Mary said that she was going to the store because she needed some groceries.
  • Answer: He remarked that it was raining outside.
  • Answer: She explained that she couldn’t attend the meeting because she had a doctor’s appointment.
  • Answer: They assured us that they would finish the project by Friday.
  • Answer: He admitted that he had never been to Paris.

Transform the sentences into reported speech.

  • Answer: She asked why I was late.
  • Answer: He requested me to help him with that heavy box.
  • Answer: She inquired if I could pass her the salt.
  • Answer: The guide told the visitors not to touch the paintings.
  • Answer: He said that he must finish that report that day.

Direct And Indirect Speech Questions: Comprehensive Guide with Examples

Reporting speech is the way we present our own or other people’s words. Direct speech and indirect speech are the two primary categories of reported speech. Direct communication restates the speaker’s precise words or their words as we recall them: “I didn’t realize it was midnight,” Barbara remarked.

The speech that is being reported may be declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, or imperative.

Quote marks are not used when putting the speaker’s words or ideas into a sentence in reported speech. Typically, noun clauses are employed. When reading a reported speech, the reader should not assume that the words are exactly what the speaker said; frequently, they are paraphrased.

The reported speech can be Assertive/Declarative, Imperative, Interrogative, and Exclamatory.

We hope that this blog helped you learn about the basics of Reported Speech. Planning for English proficiency exams like IELTS or TOEFL ? Our Leverage Edu experts are here to guide you through your exam preparation with the best guidance, study materials and online classes! Sign up for a free demo with us now!

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  • English Grammar
  • Reported Speech

Reported Speech - Definition, Rules and Usage with Examples

Reported speech or indirect speech is the form of speech used to convey what was said by someone at some point of time. This article will help you with all that you need to know about reported speech, its meaning, definition, how and when to use them along with examples. Furthermore, try out the practice questions given to check how far you have understood the topic.

reported speech of did

Table of Contents

Definition of reported speech, rules to be followed when using reported speech, table 1 – change of pronouns, table 2 – change of adverbs of place and adverbs of time, table 3 – change of tense, table 4 – change of modal verbs, tips to practise reported speech, examples of reported speech, check your understanding of reported speech, frequently asked questions on reported speech in english, what is reported speech.

Reported speech is the form in which one can convey a message said by oneself or someone else, mostly in the past. It can also be said to be the third person view of what someone has said. In this form of speech, you need not use quotation marks as you are not quoting the exact words spoken by the speaker, but just conveying the message.

Now, take a look at the following dictionary definitions for a clearer idea of what it is.

Reported speech, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a report of what somebody has said that does not use their exact words.” The Collins Dictionary defines reported speech as “speech which tells you what someone said, but does not use the person’s actual words.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, reported speech is defined as “the act of reporting something that was said, but not using exactly the same words.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines reported speech as “the words that you use to report what someone else has said.”

Reported speech is a little different from direct speech . As it has been discussed already, reported speech is used to tell what someone said and does not use the exact words of the speaker. Take a look at the following rules so that you can make use of reported speech effectively.

  • The first thing you have to keep in mind is that you need not use any quotation marks as you are not using the exact words of the speaker.
  • You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech.
  • You can use verbs like said, asked, requested, ordered, complained, exclaimed, screamed, told, etc. If you are just reporting a declarative sentence , you can use verbs like told, said, etc. followed by ‘that’ and end the sentence with a full stop . When you are reporting interrogative sentences, you can use the verbs – enquired, inquired, asked, etc. and remove the question mark . In case you are reporting imperative sentences , you can use verbs like requested, commanded, pleaded, ordered, etc. If you are reporting exclamatory sentences , you can use the verb exclaimed and remove the exclamation mark . Remember that the structure of the sentences also changes accordingly.
  • Furthermore, keep in mind that the sentence structure , tense , pronouns , modal verbs , some specific adverbs of place and adverbs of time change when a sentence is transformed into indirect/reported speech.

Transforming Direct Speech into Reported Speech

As discussed earlier, when transforming a sentence from direct speech into reported speech, you will have to change the pronouns, tense and adverbs of time and place used by the speaker. Let us look at the following tables to see how they work.

Here are some tips you can follow to become a pro in using reported speech.

  • Select a play, a drama or a short story with dialogues and try transforming the sentences in direct speech into reported speech.
  • Write about an incident or speak about a day in your life using reported speech.
  • Develop a story by following prompts or on your own using reported speech.

Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written. Check them out.

  • Santana said that she would be auditioning for the lead role in Funny Girl.
  • Blaine requested us to help him with the algebraic equations.
  • Karishma asked me if I knew where her car keys were.
  • The judges announced that the Warblers were the winners of the annual acapella competition.
  • Binsha assured that she would reach Bangalore by 8 p.m.
  • Kumar said that he had gone to the doctor the previous day.
  • Lakshmi asked Teena if she would accompany her to the railway station.
  • Jibin told me that he would help me out after lunch.
  • The police ordered everyone to leave from the bus stop immediately.
  • Rahul said that he was drawing a caricature.

Transform the following sentences into reported speech by making the necessary changes.

1. Rachel said, “I have an interview tomorrow.”

2. Mahesh said, “What is he doing?”

3. Sherly said, “My daughter is playing the lead role in the skit.”

4. Dinesh said, “It is a wonderful movie!”

5. Suresh said, “My son is getting married next month.”

6. Preetha said, “Can you please help me with the invitations?”

7. Anna said, “I look forward to meeting you.”

8. The teacher said, “Make sure you complete the homework before tomorrow.”

9. Sylvester said, “I am not going to cry anymore.”

10. Jade said, “My sister is moving to Los Angeles.”

Now, find out if you have answered all of them correctly.

1. Rachel said that she had an interview the next day.

2. Mahesh asked what he was doing.

3. Sherly said that her daughter was playing the lead role in the skit.

4. Dinesh exclaimed that it was a wonderful movie.

5. Suresh said that his son was getting married the following month.

6. Preetha asked if I could help her with the invitations.

7. Anna said that she looked forward to meeting me.

8. The teacher told us to make sure we completed the homework before the next day.

9. Sylvester said that he was not going to cry anymore.

10. Jade said that his sister was moving to Los Angeles.

What is reported speech?

What is the definition of reported speech.

Reported speech, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a report of what somebody has said that does not use their exact words.” The Collins Dictionary defines reported speech as “speech which tells you what someone said, but does not use the person’s actual words.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, reported speech is defined as “the act of reporting something that was said, but not using exactly the same words.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines reported speech as “the words that you use to report what someone else has said.”

What is the formula of reported speech?

You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech. Subject said that (report whatever the speaker said)

Give some examples of reported speech.

Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written.

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  • Reported Speech

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Reported Speech How does it Work?

Indirect speech or Reported speech is just a way of expressing your intent in questions, statements or other phrases, without essentially quoting them outrightly as the way it is done in indirect speech.

Reported Speech Rules

To understand Reported Speech Grammar and Reported Verbs, you need to first understand reported speech rules and how it works. Here are some types of reported speech:

Reported Statements

Reported speech is used when someone says a sentence, like, "I'm going to the movie tonight". Later, we want to tell a 3rd person what the first person is doing.

It works like this:

We use a reporting verb i.e 'say' or 'tell'. In the present tense, just put in 'he says.

Direct Speech: I like burgers.

Reported Speech: He says (that) he likes burgers.

You don't need to change the tense, but you do need to switch the 'person' from 'I' to 'he’. You also need to change words like 'my' and 'your'.

But, in case the reporting verb is in the past tense, then change the tenses in the reported speech itself.

Reported Questions

Reported questions to go like 

Direct Speech: Where do you reside?

We make the change to reported speech by-

It is similar to reported statements. The tense changes are exact, and we keep the question’s word. But we need to change the grammar of that normal sentence into positive. For eg:

Reported Speech: He asked me where I resided.

The direct speech question is in the present simple tense. We make a present simple question with 'do' or 'does'. For that, I need to take that away. Then change the verb to the past simple. 

Direct Speech: Where is Jolly?

Reported Speech: He asked me where Jolly was.

The direct question is the present simple of 'be'. We change the question form of the present simple of being by changing the position of the subject and the verb. So, change them back before putting the verb into the past simple.

Here Are Some More Examples

Reported Requests

The reported speech goes a long way. What if a person asks you to do something politely or make a request? It’s called a reported request. For example

Direct Speech: Close the door, please / Could you close the door please? / Would you mind closing the door, please?

All these requests mean the same, so we don't need to report every word there when we tell a 3rd person about it. 

We can simply use 'ask me + to + infinitive':

Reported Speech: They asked me to close the door.

Direct Speech: Please be punctual.

Reported Speech: They asked us to be punctual.

Reported Orders

And lastly, how about when someone doesn't ask that politely? This is known as an 'order' in English, which is when someone tells you to do something pretty much directly. This is called a reported order. For example

Direct Speech: Stand up right now!

We make this into a reported speech in the same way as that for a request. Just use 'tell' rather than 'ask':

Reported Speech: She told me to stand up right now.

Time Expressions within the Ambit of Reported Speech

Sometimes when we want to change the direct speech into reported speech, we will have to change the time expressions too. We don't necessarily always have to do that. However, It depends on when we heard the speech in indirect form and when we said the speech in reported form. 

For Example,

It's Sunday. Kiran Ma’am says "I'm leaving today".

If You tell someone on Sunday, You will say "Kiran Ma’am said she was leaving today".

If you tell someone on Tuesday, You will say "Kiran Ma’am said she was leaving yesterday".

If you tell someone on Friday, you will say "Kiran Ma’am said she was leaving on Sunday ".

If you tell someone a month later, you will say "Kiran Ma’am said she was leaving that day".

So, technically there's no easy way to convert. You need to put in real effort and have to think about it when the direct speech is said.

Here's a Table of How Some Conversions can be Made 

now can be converted to then / at that time

today can be converted to yesterday / that day / Tuesday / the 27 th of June

yesterday can be converted to the day before yesterday / the day before / Wednesday / the 5th of December

last night can be converted to the night before, Thursday night

last week can be converted to the week before / the previous week

tomorrow can be converted to today / the next day / the following day / Friday

Now Let us Check our Understanding Through this Table

This is all about reported speech. English grammar is a tricky thing given both the rules and practice. Reading these rules solely will not help you to get a strong grasp of them. You also have to practice reported speech sentences in practical life to know how and when they can be used.

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FAQs on Reported Speech

1. How to convert present tenses to reported speech and give some examples.

There are certain rules to follow while converting sentences to reported speech. We need to manage tenses also.

Usually, the present sentences change to simple past tense.

Ex: I do yoga every morning

She said that she did yoga every morning.

I play cricket a lot

He said that he played cricket a lot 

Usually The present continuous tense changes to the past continuous tense. 

Ex: My friend is watching a movie.

She said that her friend was watching a movie.

We are eating dinner

They said that they were eating dinner.

Usually, the  Present Perfect Tense changes into Past Perfect Tense

Ex: I have been to the USA

She told me that she had been to the USA.

She has finished her task.

She said that she had finished her task.

Usually the Present Perfect Progressive Tense changes into Past Perfect Tense

2. How to convert present tenses to reported speech and give some examples.

Usually the Past Simple Tense changes into the Past Perfect Tense.

Ex: He arrived on Friday

He said that he had arrived on Friday.

My mom enjoyed the stay here

He said that his mom had enjoyed the stay there.

Usually, the Past Progressive Tense changes into the Perfect Continuous Tense

Ex: I was playing the cricket

He said that he had been playing cricket.

My husband was cooking

She said that her husband had been cooking.

Usually, the Past Perfect Tense doesn’t change.

Ex: She had worked hard.

She said that she had worked hard.

And also the Past Perfect Progressive Tense doesn’t change.

3. State the rules for conversion of future tenses into reported speech

There are rules to follow while converting the future tenses to reported speech.

In general, the Future Simple Tense changes into would. And also the future Progressive Tense changes into “would be”. The Future Perfect Tense changes into “would have”. The Future Perfect Progressive Tense changes into “would have been”.

Ex: I will be attending the wedding.

She said that she would be attending the wedding.

4. Give examples for conversion of  ‘can ‘, ‘can’t’ and ‘will’,’’won’t’ 

5. Give some examples for reported requests and reported orders.  

Time and Place in Reported Speech

When we report something, we may need to make changes to:

  • time (now, tomorrow)
  • place (here, this room)

If we report something around the same time, then we probably do not need to make any changes to time words . But if we report something at a different time, we need to change time words. Look at these example sentences:

  • He said: "It was hot yesterday ." → He said that it had been hot the day before .
  • He said: "We are going to swim tomorrow ." → He said they were going to swim the next day .

Here is a list of common time words, showing how you change them for reported speech:

Place words

If we are in the same place when we report something, then we do not need to make any changes to place words . But if we are in a different place when we report something, then we need to change the place words. Look at these example sentences:

  • He said: "It is cold in here ." → He said that it was cold in there .
  • He said: "How much is this book ?" → He asked how much the book was.

Here are some common place words, showing how you change them for reported speech:

Contributor: Josef Essberger

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reported speech: did not / had not

  • Thread starter AskLang
  • Start date Jul 9, 2011

Senior Member

  • Jul 9, 2011

Rep. Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo clarified that he and his wife Angela Montenegro have not separated. (source: Yahoo!news) As I understand it, this is how reported speech works: Direct speech: We have not separated. Reported speech: He clarified that they did not separate. Direct speech: We did not separate. Reported speech: He clarified that they had not separated. Am I right on my take about reported speech? As I'm not sure which direct speech would be proper, how would the reconstruction of the example sentence be? Thanks for your replies!  

eni8ma

AskLang said: Direct speech: We have not separated. Reported speech: He clarified that they had not separated. Direct speech: We did not separate. Reported speech: He clarified that they did not separate. Click to expand...

natkretep

Moderato con anima (English Only)

The rules generally tell us that tense needs to be back-shifted in reported (indirect) speech. However, there are occasions when this is not done, if there is a strong desire to emphasise the state being described is still true. Have a look at some earlier discussions: She understood that education <is/was> important I didn't know she 'loves' vs 'loved'  

Thomas Tompion

Member emeritus.

Hi, AskLang. I'd say: Direct speech: We have not separated. Reported speech: He said that we had not separated. Direct speech: We did not separate. Reported speech: He said that we had not separated. As you can see, I don't think we distinguish in reported speech between the two. In the second case, He said that they did not separate isn't out of the question, and would probably be what people for whom the distinction is important would say.  

  • Reported Speech

Reported Speech: Whenever you are quoting someone else’s words , you use two kinds of speeches – Direct or Indirect speech . In this chapter, we will learn all about Direct and Indirect speech and how to convert one into another.

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Reported speech- how does it work.

Reported speech

Whenever you report a speech there’s a reporting verb used like “say” or “tell”. For example:

Direct speech: I love to play football .

Reported speech: She said that she loves to play football. (Note 1 : Assume a gender if not mentioned already. Note 2: Using “that” is optional. This sentence could also have been written as “She said she loves to play football.”)

The tense doesn’t have to be changed in this case of reported speech. But of the reporting verb is in the past tense , we do change the tense of the sentence.

Browse more Topics under Transformation Sentences

  • Active and Passive Voice
  • Parts of Speech
  • Types of Sentences

Reported speech- Play of the tenses:

Learn more about  Parts of Speech here in detail

This is a summary table that will be crystal clear to you as you read further. Just come back to this table after this section and use this as a summary table:

Some word transitions from direct to reported speech that will come in handy:

  • Will becomes would
  • Can becomes could
  • would stays would
  • should stays should
  • must stays must or had to(matter of choice)
  • shall becomes should

Exception : A present tense in direct speech may not become a past tense in the reported speech if it’s a fact or something generic we are talking about in the sentence. For example-

Direct speech: The sun rises from the East.

Reported speech: She said that the sun rises/rose from the East.

Reported speech- Handling questions:

What happens when the sentence we are trying to report was actually a question? That’s something we are going to deal with in this section. Reported questions- It’s quite interesting. let’s get into it:

Well the good news is that the tense change you learnt above stays the same in reported speech for questions. The only difference is that when you report a question, you no more report it in the form of a question but in the form of a statement. For example:

Direct speech: Where do you want to eat?

Reported speech: She asked me where I wanted to eat.

Notice how the question mark is gone from the reported speech. The reported speech is a statement now. Keep that in mind as you read further.

Remember the tense change? Let’s apply that to a few questions now.

Now these are questions that have wordy answers to them. What about the questions that has yes/no answers to them? In these type of questions just add “if” before asking the question. For example:

  • Direct speech: Would you like to eat some cupcakes?
  • Reported speech: He asked me if i would like to eat some cupcakes.
  • Direct speech: Have you ever seen the Van Gogh paintings?
  • Reported speech: She asked me if I had ever seen the Van Gogh paintings.
  • Direct speech: Are you eating your vegetables?
  • Reported speech: She asked if I was eating my vegetables.

Reported speech- Reported requests:

Well not all questions require answers. Some questions are polite requests. Remember? Could you please try to remember? And then there are request statements. Let’s see how do we convert these into reported speech.

Reported request = ask me + to + verb or requested me + to +verb

Just add this rule to your reported speech and you have what is called a reported request.

Reported speech- Reported orders:

Well, not everyone is going to be polite. Sometimes, we get orders. Now how will you report them? Unlike the request, the reporting verb isn’t ask but told or tell. Also, when in orders, sometimes subjects are omitted but while reporting we have to revive the subjects. Let’s see a few examples:

  • Direct speech: Sit down!
  • Reported speech: She told  me to sit down.
  • Direct speech: don’t worry!
  • Reported speech: She told me not to worry.

Reported speech- Time transitions:

With that, you have everything it takes to understand reported speech. you are all se to change the direct to reported speech. Go ahead and try a few examples. All the best!

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Transformation of Sentences

  • Active and Passive voice

37 responses to “Active and Passive voice”

Simple but very nice explanation and helpfull too.

What is the voice change of ” I have endeavoured to understand the fundamental truths.”

ENDEAVOUR HAS BEEN MADE BY ME TO UNDERSTAND THE FUNDAMENTAL TRUTH.

The fundamental truths have been endeavoured to be understood by me

The fundamental truths to understand had been endeavoured by him

The fundamental truths have endeavoured to be understood by me

The fundamental truths has been understood endeavoured to by me

How to change the voice for the following sentence – the books will be received by tomorrow

By whom? We need a subject. If the subject was for example “The library”, then the sentence in active voice would read “The library will receive the books by tomorrow”.

You will receive the books by tomorrow.

Tomorrow you will receive the book

You will receive the books (by) tomorrow.

Someone will receive the books by tomorrow

Tomorrow will be receive the books

HE WILL RECEIVE THE BOOKS BY TOMORROW.

By tomorrow the books will be received.

By tomorrow, you will receive the books

Tomorrow received the book

Change this “take right and turn left” into passive voice

Let the right be taken amd left be turned

‘amd’ is “and” 😅

You are advised to take right and turn left

Very helpful information thanks

Very well explained all basics that can lead to gain further knowledge very easily

What is in this box change into passive

what is the voice change of,” some people think nuclear is the best, because it doesnt add to global warming “….

Brilliant stuff!! – Rishabh

A kite was made by Ravi . What is the active form of this statement???

how to change into passive this sentence “when they were shifting the patient to the I.C.U.,he died

change into passive voice this sentence “when they were shifting the patient to I.C.U.,he died .

May you tell us tense conversion in voice.

Sentences without action like…. Jim is a doctor . Is it active or passive and if any how would you decide without having a main verb ?

It is named after the name of its principal tree ‘sundari'(passive)

how can ocean be object 🙄???

They made a bag

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Biden attacked Hur for asking him when Beau died. That didn't happen, sources say.

President Joe Biden responds to a question

President Joe Biden lashed out at Robert Hur last week over one particular line in the special counsel's report on his handling of classified documents : that Biden "did not remember, even within several years, when his son Beau died."

“How in the hell dare he raise that?” Biden told reporters in an impromptu White House press conference. “Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself, it wasn’t any of their damn business.”

But Hur never asked that question, according to two people familiar with Hur’s five-hour interview with the president over two days last October. It was the president, not Hur or his team, who first introduced Beau Biden’s death, they said.

Biden raised his son’s death after being asked about his workflow at a Virginia rental home from 2016 to 2018, the sources said, when a ghost writer was helping him write a memoir about losing Beau to brain cancer in 2015. Investigators had a 2017 recording showing that Biden had told the ghost writer he had found “classified stuff” in that home, the report says.

Biden began trying to recall that period by discussing what else was happening in his life, and it was at that point in the interview that he appeared confused about when Beau died, the sources said. Biden got the date — May 30 — correct, but not the year.

Hur's 345-page report absolved Biden of criminal wrongdoing while pointing to evidence that he took home and kept highly classified material. Even though Biden was found to have disclosed classified information to the ghost writer on three occasions, prosecutors concluded that they could not prove that the president knew it was classified information at the time.

Fiery criticism of the report from Biden supporters, though, has focused on Hur’s characterizations of  the president’s memory. They say the report was filled with gratuitous details about Biden’s memory issues, including that the president misremembered the year Beau died. They have also seized on Biden’s statement that the special counsel asked him about the date of Beau’s death.

“Why in the hell are you asking that question?” former Attorney General Eric Holder, a Democrat,  said Monday on MSNBC , suggesting that Hur was "a rube, perhaps," who had "shaded" what he put in the report. “What does that have to do with the retention of classified documents?”

First lady Jill Biden questioned in a fundraising letter whether Hur was using “our son’s death to score political points.”

Sources familiar with Biden's view of the interview say Hur induced the president to bring up his son by asking a series of personal questions related to Beau. They included questions about Biden's memoir, “Promise Me, Dad,” in which he writes about his son’s battle with cancer and death in 2015. Hur also asked about Biden’s work for the Biden Cancer Initiative, founded in Beau’s memory.

These sources did not dispute that it was Biden, not Hur, who first mentioned a date for Beau’s death. But they said Biden felt betrayed by the comments in Hur's report about his memory and mental state. During the interview, Hur asked him to recall events years in the past as best he could, and Biden agreed to speak freely and expansively, rather than in the clipped and careful manner of a typical witness.

Exactly what Biden said about his son’s death and other issues may ultimately become public. The two-day interview was audio-recorded and transcribed, and congressional committees are expected to push for its release.

The Justice Department, the special counsel’s office and the White House declined to comment for this article.  

Two people who know Hur well said that he had set out to write a balanced and thorough narrative that would explain why, despite significant evidence, he had concluded that no criminal charges would be warranted for Biden. Over the course of a yearlong investigation, Hur's team examined 7 million documents and spoke with 147 witnesses, according to his report.  

Associates of Hur say that Biden 's claim that the special counsel quizzed the president, unprompted, about his son’s death from cancer is an effort to take the focus off the special counsel's findings regarding how Biden handled classified documents and his struggle to recall certain facts.

The line of questioning about the memoir was directly relevant to the central issue of the investigation, the people familiar with the interview said. Hur’s team had learned that Biden was recorded in 2017 telling the ghost writer that he “found all the classified stuff downstairs,” at the Virginia rental home where the two were working on the book.

In the interview, Biden told Hur that he didn’t remember saying in 2017 that he had found classified documents in the home.

Hur’s investigation determined that the documents Biden mentioned in 2017 were never turned over to the FBI and, in fact, were likely the same ones found in Biden’s Delaware garage in 2022.

Biden’s struggle to recall the period when he worked with the ghost writer were among several exchanges during the two-day interview where he appeared to forget important facts, according to the report. Hur's report also states that Biden’s memory appeared to be significantly limited in the 30 hours of recorded interviews he conducted with the ghost writer in 2017.

Hur stated that those memory lapses were one reason he concluded that it would be difficult to convince a jury to convict Biden of intentionally mishandling classified information.

But Hur has come under criticism for his descriptions of what he viewed as Biden’s “diminished facilities.” Holder said on X that there were too many "gratuitous remarks" in Hur's report that were "flatly inconsistent with long standing DOJ traditions.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland has also been criticized by Democrats for releasing the full, unredacted version of the report. Special counsel rules require them to write confidential reports to the attorney general detailing and explaining their decisions on whether to file criminal charges in a case.

In an effort at transparency, Garland has pledged to make all special counsel reports public, consistent with the Justice Department track record of releasing most special counsel reports since the office came into being in 1999.

William Barr, who was attorney general in the Trump administration, was harshly criticized for initially releasing his own two-page summary of special counsel Robert Mueller's Trump-Russia report in 2018. Several weeks later, Barr released the full document.

People familiar with the matter say Garland first saw Hur's report Feb. 5, three days before its release. Had the attorney general ordered any changes, he would have had to disclose those to Congress, as required by the special counsel regulations.  

In a letter to Congress when he released the report, Garland said that he took no action to block any investigative steps by Hur, because nothing the special counsel did was “so inappropriate or unwarranted under established Departmental practices that it should not be pursued.”

Asked whether Garland has confidence in Biden’s fitness for office, a DOJ spokeswoman replied, “Of course.”

It was Garland who selected Hur, a longtime Republican and former federal prosecutor, as Biden special counsel. After graduating from Harvard University and Stanford Law School, Hur held multiple positions in the Justice Department, including serving as counsel to Christopher Wray, now the director of the FBI, when Wray was in charge of the department’s criminal division. 

During the Trump administration, Hur was a top adviser to then-Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who was overseeing Mueller’s Trump-Russia investigation. Rosenstein said Hur is neither an ardent Trump supporter nor a partisan activist

“Rob plays it straight,” Rosenstein said in an interview. “I think he wrote in that report what he believed to be the relevant facts in play as to whether or not to bring criminal charges.”

From 2018 to 2021, Hur served as the U.S. attorney for Maryland, and won plaudits from the state's Democratic senators, Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, who praised his “excellent service” and said he "faithfully followed the facts and the law.”

According to federal campaign filings, Hur has donated to at least three Republican political campaigns, including $500 to former U.S. Attorney Christina Nolan, a Republican, in January 2022, when she was in the GOP Senate primary in Vermont, which she later lost.

Public records show Hur also donated $200 to Maryland GOP Gov. Larry Hogan in 2017 and $201 to GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona during his presidential campaign in 2008. All three of those politicians are by today’s standards moderate Republicans, and none were ardent Trump supporters.

NBC News legal contributor Chuck Rosenberg says it’s fair to question some of the language Hur used about Biden's memory in his report, but not his decision to explore and explain Biden’s memory issues.

“If Hur was going to tell the attorney general that he declined to prosecute President Biden, then I believe he was also obligated to explain his rationale,” Rosenberg  wrote for the website Lawfare . 

"Would Biden come across as forgetful? As sympathetic? As willful? As dissembling? As honest? These are crucial determinations prosecutors make all the time about witnesses and defendants," he added. "Indeed, I cannot imagine writing a report to the attorney general and not including these assessments.”

People who know Hur say he did not anticipate how his descriptions of the president’s memory would resonate across the political landscape. They say he believed that when his report was released, he would likely come under immediate attack from Republicans who would accuse him of going soft on Biden.

Instead, one line in Hur's 345-page report will likely live on in American presidential and political history: the special counsel's assessment that Biden would come across to jurors as a “sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”

reported speech of did

Ken Dilanian is the justice and intelligence correspondent for NBC News, based in Washington.

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Navalny’s Wife Makes Dramatic Appearance After Reports of His Death

In a surprise address in Munich, Yulia Navalnaya said that if her husband, Aleksei A. Navalny, was dead, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia would “bear responsibility,” and she called on the world to “defeat this evil.”

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By Peter Baker

Reporting from Munich

  • Feb. 16, 2024

This was not the speech she expected to give, at least not on this day. Yulia Navalnaya had come to a gathering of world leaders in Munich to press them to remember her imprisoned husband and her troubled country.

And then just as the conference opened on Friday morning came word from Russian state media that her husband, the crusading, defiant dissident Aleksei A. Navalny, was dead in one of President Vladimir V. Putin’s prisons.

By her own admission, her first thought was to fly away, to join her grown children to mourn in private a man who had already survived a horrific poisoning and years behind bars . But before she did, she decided she had to speak out. Because he would have wanted her to.

Ms. Navalnaya stunned the presidents, prime ministers, diplomats and generals at the Munich Security Conference when she strode into the hall on Friday afternoon, took the stage and delivered an unflinching condemnation of Mr. Putin, vowing that he and his circle would be brought to justice. Her dramatic appearance electrified a conference already consumed with the threat posed by a revanchist Russia .

“I don’t know whether to believe the news or not, the awful news that we receive only from government sources in Russia,” she told the high-powered audience, which hung on her every word. “We cannot believe Putin and Putin’s government. They’re always lying.”

“But if this is true,” she went on, speaking in Russian, “I want Putin and everyone around him, Putin’s friends, his government, to know that they will bear responsibility for what they have done to our country, to my family and to my husband. And this day will come very soon.”

“And I want to call on the world community,” she continued, “everyone in this room and people around the world to come together to defeat this evil, defeat this horrible regime that is now in Russia.”

Ms. Navalnaya spoke clearly and calmly, with no notes but remarkable composure, her face etched with evident pain. Standing at the lectern, she clasped her hands in front of her and stared straight ahead as if willing herself to focus on her message. She was dressed in the professional pantsuit she had brought for what she thought would be a couple of days of lobbying, her hair pulled back, her makeup perfect. She appeared determined to show no weakness.

She spoke for just two minutes, but it captivated the audience, which included Vice President Kamala Harris sitting in the front row and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken up in the balcony. The crowd rose to its feet to give her an emotional standing ovation, and Representative Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker, reached out as Ms. Navalnaya left the stage to kiss her as a couple of senators looked on.

“On what must be the worst day of her life, she was so strong, and a reminder that Russians who believe in freedom will continue to fight for as long as it takes to hold Putin accountable for his barbaric crimes,” Michael A. McFaul, a former ambassador to Russia, said of Ms. Navalnaya after her speech.

In the annals of international meetings, it would be hard to remember a more riveting moment, when the careful choreography and scripted speeches laden with diplomatic jargon fall to the wayside as life-or-death questions play out in such personal fashion. The leaders gathered in Munich were already consumed about what to do about Russia, but the news added fresh urgency to the conversations.

Pictures of Alexei Navalny amid flowers and lighted candles.

Ms. Harris had come to give a speech about the dangers of going soft on Russia at a time when House Republicans are blocking aid to Ukraine and former President Donald J. Trump is boasting that he would “encourage” Russia to attack NATO allies that do not spend enough on their own militaries.

In the minutes before her address, she and her staff heard the news about Mr. Navalny, scrambled to learn what they could and quickly updated her text to reflect outrage.

“If confirmed, this would be a further sign of Putin’s brutality,” she told the conference, words later echoed by President Biden back in Washington . “Whatever story they tell, let us be clear: Russia is responsible.”

She went on to deliver the message she had hoped to impart, that the United States remains committed to its allies and to American leadership in the world. Without naming him, she castigated Mr. Trump for seeking “to isolate ourselves from the world,” “to embrace dictators and adopt their repressive tactics” and to “abandon commitments to our allies.”

“Let me be clear,” she said. “That worldview is dangerous, destabilizing and, indeed, shortsighted. That view would weaken America and would undermine global stability and undermine global prosperity.”

Afterward, Ms. Harris and Mr. Blinken each met separately with Ms. Navalnaya to express their condolences and commitment.

Ms. Navalnaya had come to Munich along with Leonid Volkov, her husband’s longtime chief of staff, to keep world leaders focused on her husband’s case and the clampdown on dissent by Mr. Putin’s government. She mingled on Thursday evening with conference attendees, seeing them at dinner and describing how conditions had worsened for her husband since they transferred him to a different prison in the Arctic .

“He had hardly any contact with other people,” Mr. McFaul said she told him. “His outdoor walking space was actually just another cell adjacent to him with no roof. They limited severely what he could read and piped in Putin speeches on a radio channel that had only one channel. It sounded like horrific torture.”

Over the years, many Russians hoped that Ms. Navalnaya might step in to become an alternative leading figure in the opposition. While fiercely outspoken in defending her husband and criticizing the many forms of oppression that he faced, however, she has never ventured directly into opposition politics — and rarely took to a podium as she did in Munich.

During Mr. Navalny’s time in Germany, where he was treated after his poisoning in 2020, she remained private, posting only occasional photos of the two of them together during his treatment and recovery, but never speaking publicly.

She became familiar to tens of millions around the world last year, however, when she appeared at the Academy Awards ceremony , where the documentary “Navalny” won an Oscar. In an interview afterward with Der Spiegel , the German news outlet, she expressed worry for her husband’s health in prison and lamented that she might never get to see him in person again.

“We all understand that it is Putin personally who is keeping Aleksei in prison,” she said then, “and as long as he stays in power, it is hard to imagine that Aleksei will be released.”

Mr. Navalny had continued to post on social media from prison by passing messages to his visiting lawyers. His most recent Instagram post was on Wednesday — Valentine’s Day — and it was a message to Yulia: We may be separated by “blue blizzards and thousands of kilometers,” he wrote, “but I feel that you are near me every second, and I keep loving you even more.”

Anton Troianovski and Melissa Eddy contributed reporting.

Peter Baker is the chief White House correspondent for The Times. He has covered the last five presidents and sometimes writes analytical pieces that place presidents and their administrations in a larger context and historical framework. More about Peter Baker

Watch CBS News

Biden blames Putin for Alexey Navalny's reported death in Russian prison

By Caitlin Yilek

Updated on: February 16, 2024 / 7:50 PM EST / CBS News

Washington — President Joe Biden on Friday blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for the reported death of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny , saying he was "outraged" but "not surprised" by the news. 

"Make no mistake, Putin is responsible for Navalny's death," Mr. Biden said from the White House, adding that is was "more proof of Putin's brutality."

Navalny died in a  Russian penal colony , prison authorities said Friday. The prison authority said Navalny "felt unwell" after going for a walk on Friday and "almost immediately" lost consciousness. Resuscitation measures were attempted, but emergency doctors confirmed his death. He had survived at least two previous suspected poisoning attempts. 

When asked whether Navalny, Russia's most prominent opposition leader, was assassinated, Mr. Biden replied, "We don't know exactly what happened." 

"But there is no doubt that the death of Navalny was a consequence of something that Putin and his thugs did," he said. 

Mr. Biden said Navalny was a "powerful voice for the truth," who "bravely stood up to the corruption" of Putin's government. 

He accused Putin of having Navalny poisoned, arrested and held in isolation, and said it didn't stop Navalny "from calling out all those lies." The president noted that Navalny might have lived out his life "safely in exile," but instead returned to Russia because of his belief in his country and his people, even though he knew he might be imprisoned or killed.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who is in Germany for the Munich Security Conference, said if the reports of his death were confirmed, "this would be a further sign of Putin's brutality. Whatever story they tell, let us be clear: Russia is responsible."

Secretary of State Antony Blinken also blamed Putin and said that if the reports are accurate, "[Navalny's] death in a Russian prison and the fixation and fear of one man only underscores the weakness and rot at the heart of the system that Putin has built. Russia is responsible for this."

Mr. Biden also invoked Russia's war against Ukraine , saying Navalny's death "reminds us of the stakes of this moment," and he urged Congress to provide more funding to its ally. 

"We have to provide the funding so Ukraine can keep defending itself against Putin's vicious onslaughts and war crimes," he said. "There was a bipartisan Senate vote that passed overwhelmingly in the United States Senate to fund Ukraine. Now, as I've said before, and I mean this in a literal sense, history is watching. History is watching the House of Representatives." 

The president also criticized former President Donald Trump, who recently said he would allow Russia to invade NATO allies that haven't paid 2% of their gross domestic product to the mutual defense pact. 

"This is an outrageous thing for a president to say. I can't fathom," Mr. Biden said. "As long as I'm president, America stands by our sacred commitment to our NATO allies, as they have stood by their commitments to us repeatedly." 

  • Alexey Navalny
  • Vladimir Putin

Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter at cbsnews.com and is based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill, and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation.

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IMAGES

  1. Reported Speech: A Complete Grammar Guide ~ ENJOY THE JOURNEY

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  2. How to Use Reported Speech in English

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  3. Reported Speech: A Complete Grammar Guide ~ ENJOY THE JOURNEY

    reported speech of did

  4. Reported speech

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  5. Reported Speech: How To Use Reported Speech

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  6. Reported Speech: A Complete Grammar Guide ~ ENJOY THE JOURNEY

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VIDEO

  1. The Reported Speech Rap

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  3. Reported speech

  4. Reported speech

  5. Reported speech presentation By Anojan

  6. Reported Speech Part 6

COMMENTS

  1. Reported speech

    from English Grammar Today Reported speech is how we represent the speech of other people or what we ourselves say. There are two main types of reported speech: direct speech and indirect speech. Direct speech repeats the exact words the person used, or how we remember their words: Barbara said, "I didn't realise it was midnight."

  2. Reported Speech

    | Grammar They say gossip is a natural part of human life. That's why language has evolved to develop grammatical rules about the "he said" and "she said" statements. We call them reported speech. Every time we use reported speech in English, we are talking about something said by someone else in the past.

  3. Reported Speech

    Here's how it works: We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. ( Click here for more about using 'say' and 'tell' .) If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence: Direct speech: I like ice cream. Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.

  4. Biden says 'Putin and his thugs' caused Navalny's death

    [1/3] U.S. President Joe Biden speaks after it was reported Alexei Navalny, Russian President Vladimir Putin's most formidable domestic opponent, fell unconscious and died at the "Polar Wolf ...

  5. Reported speech

    (verb + to -infinitive) He suggested stopping and having a picnic. (verb + - ing form) See reporting verbs with that, wh- and if clauses, verbs followed by the infinitive, verbs followed by the -ing form. Reporting and summarising 1 Reporting and summarising 2 Tenses in reported speech

  6. WATCH: Biden says Navalny's reported death brings new urgency ...

    President Joe Biden said Friday that the apparent death of Russian anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny brings new urgency to the need for Congress to approve tens of billions of dollars for ...

  7. Reported Speech: Rules, Examples, Exceptions

    Shayna Oliveira Grammar 👉 Quiz 1 / Quiz 2 Advanced Grammar Course What is reported speech? "Reported speech" is when we talk about what somebody else said - for example: Direct Speech: "I've been to London three times." Reported Speech: She said she'd been to London three times.

  8. Indirect speech

    1 'I work in a bank.' ⇒ He said that he in a bank. 2 'I am working today.' ⇒ She told us she that day. 3 'I've been ill for a couple of weeks.' ⇒ He told me he for a couple of weeks. 4 'I was at the doctor all morning.' ⇒ She told me that she at the doctor all morning. 5 'I'll lend you the money .' ⇒ He told me he me the money.

  9. Everyday Grammar: Mastering Reported Speech

    February 01, 2018 0:00 0:02:00 Everyday Grammar: Quoted Speech 0:09:58 We often need to tell others what someone else said. There are two ways to do this. One is to say the same words and use...

  10. Remarks by President Biden on the Reported Death of Aleksey Navalny

    Roosevelt Room 12:37 P.M. EST THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon. I — I'm heading off to East Palestine in — in a moment, but I wanted to say a few things this morning about Aleksey Navalny. You ...

  11. Reported Speech: Important Grammar Rules and Examples • 7ESL

    We do it almost every day, in conversation and in writing. The problem is, sometimes there can be some confusion around the topic. So today we'll take a look at reported speech: what it is, how to use it, and we'll give some interactive exercises of reported speech too, so you can see how it looks in everyday conversations or writing.

  12. What is Reported Speech and How to Use It? with Examples

    1. Change the pronouns and adverbs of time and place: In reported speech, you need to change the pronouns, adverbs of time and place to reflect the new speaker or point of view. Here's an example: Direct speech: "I'm going to the store now," she said. Reported speech: She said she was going to the store then.

  13. Reported Speech: Structures and Examples

    Reported speech (Indirect Speech) is how we represent the speech of other people or what we ourselves say. Reported Speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words. The structure of the independent clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question, or a command.

  14. Reported speech

    She said she was having the interview at four o'clock. (Direct speech: 'I'm having the interview at four o'clock.') They said they'd phone later and let me know. (Direct speech: 'We'll phone later and let you know.') OK, in that last example, you changed you to me too.

  15. Reported speech: statements

    Grammar explanation Reported speech is when we tell someone what another person said. To do this, we can use direct speech or indirect speech. direct speech: 'I work in a bank,' said Daniel. indirect speech: Daniel said that he worked in a bank.

  16. Reported speech: questions

    Grammar test 1 Read the explanation to learn more. Grammar explanation A reported question is when we tell someone what another person asked. To do this, we can use direct speech or indirect speech. direct speech: 'Do you like working in sales?' he asked. indirect speech: He asked me if I liked working in sales.

  17. How to use Reported Speech

    Tue, 09/30/2008 - 00:00 — Chris McCarthy Grammar We use reported speech when we want to repeat what someone had previously said. Let's look at the difference between direct speech and reported speech: Direct Tomie said = ' I am tired.' Reported Speech = 'Tomie said (that) she was tired.'

  18. Reported Speech: Definition, Rules, Usage with Examples, Tips

    Jan 10, 2024 10 minute read Reported Speech: Reported Speech or also known as indirect speech, is typically used to convey what has been said by someone at a particular point of time. However, owing to the nuances of the systems involved, English grammar may be a complicated language to learn and understand.

  19. Reported Speech

    50,232 Table of Contents What Is Reported Speech? Definition of Reported Speech Rules to be Followed When Using Reported Speech Transforming Direct Speech into Reported Speech Table 1 - Change of Pronouns Table 2 - Change of Adverbs of Place and Adverbs of Time Table 3 - Change of Tense Table 4 - Change of Modal Verbs

  20. Question forms and reported speech

    1. Normal word order is used in reported questions, that is, the subject comes before the verb, and it is not necessary to use 'do' or 'did': "Where does Peter live?" —> She asked him where Peter lived. 2. Yes / no questions: This type of question is reported by using 'ask' + 'if / whether + clause: "Do you speak English ...

  21. Reported Speech

    Reported speech is used when someone says a sentence, like, "I'm going to the movie tonight". Later, we want to tell a 3rd person what the first person is doing. It works like this: We use a reporting verb i.e 'say' or 'tell'. In the present tense, just put in 'he says. Direct Speech: I like burgers.

  22. Reported Speech

    Reported Speech. 'I regularly exercise,' he said. He said that he exercises regularly. 'I am repairing the car,' said John. John said that he was repairing the car. 'He ate his dinner,' said Mum. Mum said that he had eaten his dinner. 'I have been shopping,' said my wife. My wife told me that she had been shopping.

  23. Time and Place in Reported Speech

    Time and Place in Reported Speech. She said, "I saw Mary yesterday." She said she had seen Mary the day before. He said: "My mother is here." He said that his mother was there. Don't confuse time with tense. "Tense" is the grammatical form of the verb that in the reported clause we sometimes shift back (backshift).

  24. reported speech: did not / had not

    #1 Rep. Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo clarified that he and his wife Angela Montenegro have not separated. (source: Yahoo!news) As I understand it, this is how reported speech works: Direct speech: We have not separated. Reported speech: He clarified that they did not separate. Direct speech: We did not separate.

  25. Reported Speech: Direct and Indirect speech

    Whenever you report a speech there's a reporting verb used like "say" or "tell". For example: Direct speech: I love to play football. Reported speech: She said that she loves to play football. (Note 1 : Assume a gender if not mentioned already. Note 2: Using "that" is optional.

  26. Biden attacked Hur for asking him when Beau died. That didn't happen

    President Joe Biden lashed out at Robert Hur last week over one particular line in the special counsel's report on his handling of classified documents: that Biden "did not remember, even within ...

  27. Navalny's Wife Says Putin Will 'Bear Responsibility' if Husband Is Dead

    In a surprise address in Munich, Yulia Navalnaya said that if her husband, Aleksei A. Navalny, was dead, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia would "bear responsibility," and she called on ...

  28. Biden blames Putin for Alexey Navalny's reported death in Russian

    The life and impact of Alexey Navalny 02:33. Vice President Kamala Harris, who is in Germany for the Munich Security Conference, said if the reports of his death were confirmed, "this would be a ...