Chapter 2 · English Grammar

Reported Speech — Advanced

Intermediate ⏱ 40–50 minutes 🎓 Grade 8

What you will be able to do

  • Apply the full table of tense back-shift
  • Know when NOT to back-shift the tense
  • Change pronouns and time/place words precisely
  • Report statements, questions, commands, requests and exclamations
  • Handle mixed narration passages
Builds on / Related chapters
Grade 7 · Reported Speech — Introduction

1 Quick Introduction

English

In Grade 7 you met the basics of reported speech. Now we go all the way: the complete back-shift table, the cases where the tense does not change, and how to report every kind of sentence — including exclamations and wishes. Master this and narration questions in any exam become routine.

हिन्दी

कक्षा 7 में आपने reported speech की मूल बातें सीखीं। अब हम पूरा करते हैं: संपूर्ण back-shift तालिका, वे स्थितियाँ जहाँ काल नहीं बदलता, और हर प्रकार के वाक्य को कैसे report करें — exclamation और wish सहित। इसे समझ लें तो किसी भी परीक्षा के narration प्रश्न आसान हो जाते हैं।

2 A Real-Life Situation

Imagine this

You retell a heated moment:

Direct: "Don't touch my things!" she shouted. "Have you taken my pen?"

Reported: She angrily told me not to touch her things and asked whether I had taken her pen.

Why this form? A command became 'told … not to', and a yes/no question became 'asked whether … had taken', with the tense shifted back. Real conversations mix all these types — advanced narration is about handling them smoothly in one report.

3 The Grammar Rule

Rule & Formula
DirectReported
Simple PresentSimple Past
Present ContinuousPast Continuous
Present PerfectPast Perfect
Simple PastPast Perfect
will / shallwould / should
can / may / mustcould / might / had to
Reporting verb (past) → shift tense one step back + change pronouns & time words
He said, "I have done it." → He said that he had done it.

4 Tense Back-Shift & the No-Shift Cases

When the reporting verb is in the past (said, told, asked), shift the reported tense one step further back, as in the table above. Modals also shift: will→would, can→could, may→might, must→had to.

Do NOT back-shift when:

  • The statement is a universal truth: She said that water boils at 100°C.
  • It is still true now: He said that he lives in Delhi (and still does).
  • The reporting verb is in the present/future: She says she is busy.
  • It is a historical fact: The guide said that India became free in 1947.

Some modals never change: would, could, might, should, ought to, used to.

Visual — Tense Back-Shift & the No-Shift Cases
One step back in timeis → wasdoes → didhas done → had donewill → wouldbut NOT for universal truths or still-true facts
1
Worked Example
Report: She said, "I can drive a car."
Solution

She said that she could drive a car. — can → could.

2
Worked Example
Report: The teacher said, "The earth is round."
Solution

The teacher said that the earth is round. — a universal truth does not back-shift.

Key Points

  • Past reporting verb → shift the reported tense one step back
  • Modals shift: will→would, can→could, may→might, must→had to
  • No shift for universal truths, still-true facts, or present-tense reporting verbs

5 Reporting Questions, Commands & Exclamations

Questions → reporting verb 'asked/enquired', statement order, no question mark.

  • Yes/No: use if/whether — He asked, "Are you ready?" → He asked whether I was ready.
  • Wh-: keep the wh- word — She asked, "Why are you late?" → She asked why I was late.

Commands & requests → reporting verb (told, ordered, requested, advised, forbade) + to + verb (negative: not to + verb).

  • "Be quiet," he said. → He told us to be quiet.
  • "Please wait," she said. → She requested me to wait.

Exclamations & wishes → use 'exclaimed with joy/sorrow that …' or 'wished that …':

  • "Hurray! We won!" → He exclaimed with joy that they had won.
  • "What a pity!" she said. → She exclaimed with sorrow that it was a great pity.
1
Worked Example
Report: "Where do you live?" he asked.
Solution

He asked where I lived. — wh- word kept, no inversion, tense shifted.

2
Worked Example
Report: "Alas! I have failed," he said.
Solution

He exclaimed with sorrow that he had failed.

Key Points

  • Questions: asked + statement order (yes/no→if/whether; wh-→keep word)
  • Commands/requests: told/requested + (not) to + verb
  • Exclamations: exclaimed with joy/sorrow that …

6 Vocabulary Builder

WordMeaningहिन्दी
Back-shiftmoving the tense backकाल-परिवर्तन
Narrationreporting speechकथन
Universal truthan always-true factसार्वभौमिक सत्य
Exclamationa cry of feelingविस्मयादिबोधक
Reporting verbsaid/asked/told etc.कथन-क्रिया
✎ Vocabulary Quick Test0 / 1
Q.Which of these does NOT back-shift in reported speech?
Explanation: Universal truths keep their present tense even after a past reporting verb.

7 Common Mistakes to Avoid

✗ IncorrectShe said that she is coming. (past report)
✓ CorrectShe said that she was coming.
Back-shift after a past reporting verb.
✗ IncorrectHe asked that why I was late.
✓ CorrectHe asked why I was late.
No 'that' with a wh- question.
✗ IncorrectHe told to sit down.
✓ CorrectHe told me to sit down.
'tell' needs an object.
✗ IncorrectShe asked if had she finished.
✓ CorrectShe asked if she had finished.
No inversion in a reported question.

8 Practice Exercises

Fill in the BlanksLevel 1
Give the back-shifted form.
  1. is →
  2. has gone →
  3. will →
  4. may →
  5. must →
Answer Key
  1. was
  2. had gone
  3. would
  4. might
  5. had to
Fill in the BlanksLevel 2
Report each sentence.
  1. He said, "I have finished my work."
  2. "Are you coming with us?" she asked.
  3. "Don't make noise," the teacher said.
  4. She said, "The sun sets in the west."
  5. "What a beautiful day!" he said.
Answer Key
  1. He said that he had finished his work.
  2. She asked whether I was coming with them.
  3. The teacher told us not to make noise.
  4. She said that the sun sets in the west.
  5. He exclaimed that it was a very beautiful day.
Error Detection
  1. She said that she is tired.
  2. He asked that where I was going.
  3. She told to close the door.
  4. He asked whether was I ready.
Answer Key
  1. She said that she was tired. (error: is)
  2. He asked where I was going. (error: that)
  3. She told me to close the door. (error: told to)
  4. He asked whether I was ready. (error: was I)
Sentence Correction
  1. He said that he will help me tomorrow.
  2. She asked me that what I wanted.
  3. He exclaimed that what a goal it was.
Answer Key
  1. He said that he would help me the next day.
  2. She asked me what I wanted.
  3. He exclaimed that it was a wonderful goal.
Rearrange the Words
  1. had / he / said / finished / that / he
  2. me / not / told / to / he / go
  3. I / asked / where / she / lived
Answer Key
  1. He said that he had finished.
  2. He told me not to go.
  3. She asked where I lived.
Match the Following
Column AColumn B
1. said that … wasa. command
2. asked whether …b. wh- question
3. asked why …c. statement (back-shifted)
4. told … to …d. yes/no question
Answer Key
said that … was → statement (back-shifted)asked whether … → yes/no questionasked why … → wh- questiontold … to … → command

9 Micro Quiz

✎ Quick Check — 5 questions0 / 5
Q1.Report: 'He said, "I am busy."'
Explanation: Back-shift: am→was, I→he.
Q2.'must' usually becomes ___ in reported speech.
Explanation: must (obligation) → had to.
Q3.Report: 'She asked, "Where is the station?"'
Explanation: Wh- word kept, no inversion.
Q4.Which does NOT back-shift?
Explanation: A universal truth keeps the present tense.
Q5.Report: 'He said, "Sit down."'
Explanation: Command → told + object + to + verb.

10 Reading Practice

The captain gathered the team. He said that they had trained hard and that victory was within reach. "Do you believe in yourselves?" he asked. The players replied that they did. He reminded them not to panic and told them to play as one. "We will win," he declared, and everyone cheered.

Comprehension Questions
  1. Rewrite 'they had trained hard' in direct speech.
  2. How is the yes/no question reported, and how would you write it?
  3. Find a command reported in the passage.
Answer Key
  1. He said, "We have trained hard."
  2. It would be: He asked whether they believed in themselves ('whether' + statement order, back-shifted).
  3. "told them to play as one" (and 'reminded them not to panic') — command with 'to + verb' / 'not to + verb'.

11 Speaking, Writing & Daily Use

Say these aloud
  • She said that she had already eaten.
  • He asked whether I could help him.
  • The guard told us not to enter.
  • They said that honesty is the best policy.
  • He exclaimed with joy that he had won.
Write a short dialogue with a statement, a question and a command in direct speech, then report the whole thing as one smooth paragraph in reported speech.
Example: Direct: "I'm tired," she said. "Can we rest?" / Reported: She said that she was tired and asked whether they could rest.

12 Challenge Zone

🔥 Higher-Level Questions — 30 / 3
Q1.Report: 'She said, "I saw him yesterday."'
Explanation: Simple past → past perfect; 'yesterday' → 'the previous day'.
Q2.Report: 'He said, "What a shame we lost!"'
Explanation: Exclamation of sorrow → 'exclaimed with sorrow that …'.
Q3.Report: 'The teacher said, "India gained independence in 1947."'
Explanation: A historical fact keeps the simple past.

13 Chapter Mind Map

Mind Map
     REPORTED SPEECH (ADVANCED)
                |
   +--------+---+----+---------+
   |        |        |         |
 BACK-SHIFT NO-SHIFT TYPES   CHANGES
 is>was    universal stmts   pronouns
 has>had   truth     Q: if/wh time words
 will>would still-true cmd:to  here>there
 must>hadto present-rv excl:that today>that

14 One-Minute Revision

Remember these

  • Past reporting verb → shift the reported tense one step back
  • Modals: will→would, can→could, may→might, must→had to
  • No back-shift for universal truths, still-true facts, or present-tense reporting verbs
  • Questions: asked + statement order; commands: told/asked + (not) to + verb
  • Exclamations: exclaimed with joy/sorrow that …