Reported Speech: Definition and Examples

Reported speech in English grammar is used to share what someone else has said. Learn reported speech definition with examples to understand how to change direct speech into reported speech.

Amit Lingwal6 Sept, 2025

Reported speech: A major part of English communication includes storytelling and narratives, where you express what others have said, without directly quoting their words but indirectly suggesting what they mean to say. The concept of reported speech begins here.

Reported speech is suitably used to formally communicate others’ views and express any statement, question, or request clearly and effectively. We have thoroughly discussed reported speech with examples to help students master this essential grammar skill and communicate more effectively.

Reported Speech Definition

Reported speech is the way of expressing what someone else has said, without quoting their exact words. Reported speech clearly communicates what someone said but doesn’t repeat the speaker’s original statement word-for-word. We usually adjust the tense, pronouns, and time expressions of direct speech to make the reported speech while keeping the meaning of the statement unchanged.

For example:

Direct speech: He said, “I study in Class 5.”

Reported speech: He said that he studied in Class 5.

Reported Speech Meaning

The meaning of the reported speech is to convey information that was spoken by someone else using a different sentence structure. It is like reframing others’ words in your own way and communicating the message clearly.

Reported speech is commonly used in different situations as follows:

Daily conversations: My mother told me that dinner was ready.
Academic writing: The expert stated that the results were accurate.
News reporting: The minister announced that new tax policies would be effective from the next financial year.

Why is Reported Speech Important for Students?

Reported speech makes communication clearer and simpler in writing and conversations. An understanding of how to write a reported speech can help your child in:

Writing essays, stories, and reports with proper sentence constructions
Academic writing with grammatical accuracy
Formal communication in writing and spoken English

Reported Speech Rules

Students must be aware of the rules when converting direct speech to reported speech. We will explain below how different rules apply for writing reported speech in English:

No Quotation Marks

The first rule for writing reported speech is to remove the quotation marks and restructure the sentence.

For example,

Direct: He said, "I live in Kolkata."

Reported: He said that he lived in Kolkata.

Use of "That" Clause

In the reported speech, "that" is used to start the statement of the speaker while removing the quotation marks.

For example,

Direct: He said, "I am happy."

Reported: He said that he was happy.

Change of Pronouns

In reported speech, the suitable pronoun for the speaker is used while communicating the information.

For example,

Direct: Ajay said, "I do not smoke."

Indirect: Ajay said that he did not smoke.

Change of Verb Tense

In the reported speech, the verb tense is changed according to the tense of the reporting verb in the direct speech.

For example,

Direct: She said, “I will visit your place tomorrow.”

Reported: She said that she would visit my place the next day.

Change of Time and Place References

Words referring to time and place usually change in reported speech according to the rules mentioned below:

Today—that day

Tomorrow—the next day

Yesterday—the previous day

Now - then

For example,

Direct: She said, “The climate is very hot and humid here.”

Reported: She said that the climate was very hot and humid there.

Reported Speech Examples with Rules

Writing a reported speech based on a particular type of direct speech follows certain rules. Let's look into the different types of direct speech and corresponding reported speech examples:

Statements

For converting direct statements to the corresponding reported speech, remove quotations, change the verbs, and add 'that' to restructure the sentence.

Direct: He said, "My mother works in a bank."
Indirect: He said that his mother worked in a bank.

Questions

In case of writing a reported speech for any questions asked by a speaker, we use "if," "whether," etc., before stating the speaker’s queries. The reported sentence ends with a period (.) instead of the question mark.

For example,

Direct: He asked, "Do you know Mr. Roy?"
Indirect: He asked whether I knew Mr. Roy.

Commands and Requests

When there is a command, instruction, or request in the direct speech, verbs like 'told,' 'asked,' 'ordered,' 'warned,' 'requested', etc., are used, followed by 'to’. The verb form doesn’t change tense in the reported speech.

For example,

Direct: The teacher said, "Don't make any noise."

Indirect: The guide ordered students not to make any noise.

Exclamations and Wishes

While converting exclamatory sentences to reported speech, use verbs like "exclaimed," "wished," "hoped," etc., and remove the exclamatory mark.

For example,

Direct: He said, "We have won the match!"

Indirect: He exclaimed that they had won the match.

Reported Speech Rule Exceptions

There are some exceptions to the standard rules for reported speech that students must be aware of. Let’s explain with the following examples:

If the direct speech is in simple present tense, the verbs in the reported speech will remain the same as in direct speech.

For example,

Direct: She says, "I like fictional stories."

Indirect: She says that she likes fictional stories.

General facts stated as a quoted text do not change tense when converted to reported speech.

For example,

Direct: The teacher said, "The Earth revolves around the Sun."

Indirect: The teacher said that the Earth revolves around the Sun.

Modal verbs like might, could, should, would usually remain the same in the reported speech.

For example,

Direct: The policeman said, “I could help you”.

Reported: The policeman said that he could help me.

How to Write Reported Speech?

Writing a reported speech can be easier for your child if they follow some simple methods. The steps as mentioned below will help students learn how to write reported speech in English accurately and effectively.

Let’s take the direct speech:

She said, “I am working on the geography project now.”

Step 1: Identify the reporting verb (said).

Step 2: Check the tense of the original sentence (am learning—present continuous).

Step 3: Change the tense to past continuous (am learning – was learning).

Step 4: Adjust pronouns (I - she).

Step 4: Change time expressions (now - then).

Step 5: Rewrite the sentence without quotation marks.

Final reported speech: She said that she was working on the geography project then.

Construction of reported speech properly and accurately can make your child’s communication clearer and more expressive. With a knowledge of definitions, rules, and examples, young learners can confidently write the reported speech without worrying about grammatical mistakes.

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Reported Speech FAQ

What is the best use of a reported speech?

Reported speech can be used effectively in formal communications, especially in academic and professional writing.

When is direct speech typically used?

Direct speech is suitably used when reporting the speaker's exact words such as character's dialogue, a direct quote from a celebrity, or any legal statement made by the judiciary.