Chapter 11 · English Grammar

Reported Speech — Introduction

Intermediate ⏱ 40–50 minutes 🎓 Grade 7

What you will be able to do

  • Tell direct speech apart from reported (indirect) speech
  • Change statements into reported speech with tense back-shift
  • Report questions and commands correctly
  • Change pronouns and time/place words appropriately
  • Choose the right reporting verb
Builds on / Related chapters
Grade 6 · The Simple Tenses Grade 7 · Types of Sentences

1 Quick Introduction

English

When we repeat someone's words exactly, with quotation marks, that is direct speech. When we report the meaning in our own words, without quotation marks, that is reported (indirect) speech. Changing one to the other follows clear rules — for tense, pronouns and time words.

हिन्दी

जब हम किसी के शब्द हू-ब-हू, उद्धरण-चिह्नों के साथ दोहराते हैं, वह प्रत्यक्ष कथन (direct speech) है। जब हम अर्थ अपने शब्दों में, बिना उद्धरण-चिह्नों के बताते हैं, वह अप्रत्यक्ष कथन (reported/indirect speech) है। एक को दूसरे में बदलने के स्पष्ट नियम हैं — काल, सर्वनाम और समय-शब्दों के लिए।

2 A Real-Life Situation

Imagine this

You pass on a message:

Direct: Riya said, "I am busy today."

Reported: Riya said that she was busy that day.

Why this form? Notice three changes: 'I' became 'she' (pronoun), 'am' became 'was' (tense back-shift), and 'today' became 'that day' (time word). These three changes are the core of reported speech.

3 The Grammar Rule

Rule & Formula
DirectReported
am/is/arewas/were
do/doesdid
willwould
cancould
todaythat day
tomorrowthe next day
Reporting verb (past) + that + clause with one tense back-shift
He said, "I will come." → He said that he would come.

4 Reporting Statements — Tense, Pronoun & Time Changes

To report a statement, drop the quotation marks, add that, and shift the tense one step into the past (if the reporting verb is past).

Direct tenseReported tense
Simple presentSimple past
Present continuousPast continuous
Present perfect / Simple pastPast perfect
will / can / maywould / could / might

Pronouns change to match the new speaker (I → he/she, we → they, my → his/her).

Time and place words change: now → then, today → that day, tomorrow → the next day, here → there, this → that.

Exception: a universal truth stays in the present — The teacher said that the sun rises in the east.

Visual — Reporting Statements — Tense, Pronoun & Time Changes
"I am busy today."direct speech→…that she was busy that day.reported speech
1
Worked Example
Report: She said, "I am tired."
Solution

She said that she was tired. — 'I'→'she', 'am'→'was'.

2
Worked Example
Report: He said, "I will help you tomorrow."
Solution

He said that he would help me the next day. — 'will'→'would', 'tomorrow'→'the next day'.

Key Points

  • Add 'that' and shift the tense one step back
  • Change pronouns to match the new speaker
  • Change time/place words (today→that day, here→there)

5 Reporting Questions & Commands

Questions: change the reporting verb to asked (or enquired), and turn the question into a statement (no inversion, no question mark).

  • Yes/No questions use if / whether: He asked, "Are you ready?" → He asked if I was ready.
  • Wh- questions keep the wh- word: She asked, "Where do you live?" → She asked where I lived.

Commands and requests: use a reporting verb like told, ordered, asked, requested, advised + to + verb (infinitive).

  • "Sit down," he said. → He told me to sit down.
  • "Please help me," she said. → She requested me to help her.
  • Negative command: "Don't run." → He told me not to run.
1
Worked Example
Report: He asked, "Do you like tea?"
Solution

He asked if I liked tea. — yes/no question uses 'if', verb shifts to 'liked'.

2
Worked Example
Report: The teacher said, "Open your books."
Solution

The teacher told us to open our books. — command → told + infinitive.

Key Points

  • Questions → 'asked' + statement order (no '?')
  • Yes/No → if/whether; Wh- → keep the wh- word
  • Commands → told/asked + to + verb (negative: not to + verb)

6 Vocabulary Builder

WordMeaningहिन्दी
Direct speechexact words quotedप्रत्यक्ष कथन
Reported speechthe meaning retoldअप्रत्यक्ष कथन
Back-shiftmoving the tense backकाल-परिवर्तन
Reporting verbsaid/asked/told etc.कथन-क्रिया
Inversionsubject-verb swap in questionsउलटफेर
✎ Vocabulary Quick Test0 / 1
Q.In reported speech, a yes/no question is introduced by:
Explanation: Yes/No questions in reported speech use 'if' or 'whether'.

7 Common Mistakes to Avoid

✗ IncorrectShe said that she is tired.
✓ CorrectShe said that she was tired.
Shift the tense back after a past reporting verb.
✗ IncorrectHe asked that where I lived.
✓ CorrectHe asked where I lived.
Don't use 'that' with a wh- question.
✗ IncorrectHe asked if was I ready.
✓ CorrectHe asked if I was ready.
No inversion in reported questions.
✗ IncorrectHe told to sit down.
✓ CorrectHe told me to sit down.
'tell' needs an object (me/us/them).

8 Practice Exercises

Fill in the BlanksLevel 1
Change the verb to its reported (back-shifted) form.
  1. am →
  2. will →
  3. can →
  4. do →
  5. has gone →
Answer Key
  1. was
  2. would
  3. could
  4. did
  5. had gone
Fill in the BlanksLevel 2
Report each sentence.
  1. She said, "I am happy."
  2. He said, "I will call you."
  3. "Where are you going?" she asked.
  4. "Close the door," he said.
  5. "Do you like ice cream?" he asked.
Answer Key
  1. She said that she was happy.
  2. He said that he would call me.
  3. She asked where I was going.
  4. He told me to close the door.
  5. He asked if I liked ice cream.
Error Detection
  1. She said that she is tired.
  2. He asked that where I lived.
  3. He told to wait.
  4. She asked if was I coming.
Answer Key
  1. She said that she was tired. (error: is)
  2. He asked where I lived. (error: that)
  3. He told me to wait. (error: told to)
  4. She asked if I was coming. (error: was I)
Sentence Correction
  1. He said that he will come tomorrow.
  2. She asked me that what I wanted.
  3. The teacher told open the books.
Answer Key
  1. He said that he would come the next day.
  2. She asked me what I wanted.
  3. The teacher told us to open the books.
Rearrange the Words
  1. tired / she / was / said / that / she
  2. me / to / he / told / wait
  3. I / asked / where / he / lived
Answer Key
  1. She said that she was tired.
  2. He told me to wait.
  3. He asked where I lived.
Match the Following
Column AColumn B
1. said that …a. wh- question
2. asked if …b. command
3. asked where …c. statement
4. told … to …d. yes/no question
Answer Key
said that … → statementasked if … → yes/no questionasked where … → wh- questiontold … to … → command

9 Micro Quiz

✎ Quick Check — 5 questions0 / 5
Q1.Report: 'She said, "I am ill."'
Explanation: Back-shift: 'am'→'was', 'I'→'she'.
Q2.'will' becomes ___ in reported speech.
Explanation: will → would.
Q3.Report: 'He said, "Open the window."'
Explanation: Command → told + object + to + verb.
Q4.A wh- question is reported with:
Explanation: Keep the wh- word (where, what, why).
Q5.'today' changes to ___ in reported speech.
Explanation: today → that day.

10 Reading Practice

Before the trip, the teacher gave instructions. She said that the bus would leave at seven and told everyone to be on time. "Do you have your permission slips?" she asked. Rahul replied that he had brought his. "Don't forget your water bottles," she added, reminding us to stay hydrated.

Comprehension Questions
  1. Rewrite 'the bus would leave at seven' in direct speech.
  2. How is the yes/no question reported?
  3. Find a negative command reported in the passage.
Answer Key
  1. She said, "The bus will leave at seven."
  2. It would become: She asked if we had our permission slips ('if' + statement order).
  3. "Don't forget your water bottles" → reported as telling/reminding us not to forget our water bottles.

11 Speaking, Writing & Daily Use

Say these aloud
  • She said that she was busy.
  • He told me to wait outside.
  • They asked where the station was.
  • I said that I would help.
  • The guard asked if we had tickets.
Write a short conversation in direct speech (3 lines), then rewrite all of it in reported speech.
Example: Direct: Mum said, "Dinner is ready." Reported: Mum said that dinner was ready.

12 Challenge Zone

🔥 Higher-Level Questions — 30 / 3
Q1.Report correctly: 'He said, "I saw her yesterday."'
Explanation: Simple past → past perfect; 'yesterday' → 'the previous day'.
Q2.Report: 'She asked, "Why are you crying?"'
Explanation: Wh- word kept, no inversion, 'are'→'was'.
Q3.Which keeps the present tense in reported speech?
Explanation: A universal truth does not back-shift.

13 Chapter Mind Map

Mind Map
       REPORTED SPEECH
                |
   +--------+---+----+---------+
   |        |        |         |
 STATEMENTS QUESTIONS COMMANDS CHANGES
 said that  asked if/  told+to  tense back
 tense      wh- word   not to   pronouns
 back-shift no '?'      verb     time words

14 One-Minute Revision

Remember these

  • Direct = exact words in quotes; reported = meaning retold
  • After a past reporting verb, shift the tense one step back
  • Change pronouns and time/place words (today→that day, here→there)
  • Questions: 'asked' + statement order (yes/no → if/whether; wh- → keep word)
  • Commands: told/asked + to + verb (negative: not to + verb)