Reported Speech
Reported speech is a key topic in ICSE English grammar, appearing regularly in board exams and class assessments from Class 8 through Class 10. This article covers every rule, tense shift, and conversion pattern you need to score full marks; with clear examples and practice exercises aligned to the ICSE syllabus.
Table of Contents
What Is Reported Speech?
Reported speech, also called indirect speech or reported speech, is a way of telling someone what another person said, without using their exact words.
In everyday life, we rarely quote people word-for-word. Instead, we report what they said. In writing, this means converting quotation marks and first-person language into a smoother, third-person narrative form.
Direct Speech: "I am studying for my exam today." said Sarah
Reported Speech: Sarah said that she was studying for her exam that day.
Notice what changed?
The quotation marks disappeared, the pronoun shifted from "I" to "she," the verb tense moved back, and "today" became "that day." These are the core mechanics of reported speech.
Why Does It Matter?
Reported speech is essential in academic essays, journalism, professional reports, and everyday storytelling. Whenever you write an essay and need to reference what a researcher argued, a character declared, or a witness described, you're using reported speech. It lets you weave other people's ideas into your own narrative seamlessly, making your writing more fluid and professional.
It is a core part of the ICSE English Language board exam pattern. So, it is virtual for ICSE students to know and learn reported speech (direct and indirect speech).
The Core Rules
- Remove quotation marks.
- Add a reporting verb (said, told, explained, claimed, asked, etc.).
- Shift verb tenses back by one step (present → past, past → past perfect, etc.).
- Change pronouns to match the new point of view.
- Adjust time and place references.
- Optionally add the connector "that" after the reporting verb.
Tense Shift Table
The most important rule: when the reporting verb is in the past tense (e.g. "said"), the tense inside the reported clause shifts back one step.
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Present (is / work) | Simple Past (was / worked) | "I work here." He said he worked there. |
| Present Continuous (am working) | Past Continuous (was working) | "I am working." She said she was working. |
| Simple Past (worked) | Past Perfect (had worked) | "I finished it." He said he had finished it. |
| Present Perfect (have worked) | Past Perfect (had worked) | "I have seen it." She said she had seen it. |
| Will (will work) | Would (would work) | "I will call you." He said he would call me. |
| Can (can work) | Could (could work) | "I can help." She said she could help. |
| May (may work) | Might (might work) | "I may leave." He said he might leave. |
| Must (must work) | Had to (had to work) | "I must go." She said she had to go. |
Note: Would, could, should, might, and ought to do not change further. If the direct speech already uses "could," it stays "could" in reported speech.
Pronoun Shifts
| Direct | Reported |
|---|---|
| I | he / she / they |
| we | they |
| my | his / her / their |
| our | their |
| me | him / her / them |
| you (object of "told") | me / us |
Time and Place Shifts
| Direct | Reported |
|---|---|
| today | that day |
| tonight | that night |
| yesterday | the day before / the previous day |
| tomorrow | the next day / the following day |
| last week | the week before / the previous week |
| next year | the following year |
| now | then / at that time |
| here | there |
| this | that |
| these | those |
| ago | before / earlier |
Reporting Questions
Questions follow the same tense and pronoun rules, but with a few extra structural changes.
Yes/No Questions
Use "if" or "whether" as the connector. Change the word order from question form back to statement form (subject before verb).
Direct: "Are you coming to the party?" asked Tom
Reported: Tom asked if/whether I was coming to the party.
Wh- Questions
Keep the question word (who, what, where, when, why, how) but switch to statement word order. Do not use "if" or "whether."
Direct: "Where do you live?" asked Mia
Reported: Mia asked where I lived.
Common Mistake:
Never keep question marks or inverted word order in reported questions.
Reporting Commands and Requests
Commands and requests use infinitive structures instead of tense backshift.
Commands
Use reporting verbs like told, ordered, or instructed followed by object + to + infinitive.
Direct: "Sit down!" said teacher.
Reported: The teacher told the students to sit down.
Negative Commands
Add "not" before the infinitive.
Direct: "Don't touch that!" he commanded.
Reported: He told me not to touch that.
Requests
Use verbs like asked, begged, or requested with the same to + infinitive structure.
Direct: "Could you please help me?"
Reported: She asked me to help her.
Direct to Indirect Speech: Step-by-Step Process
Follow these five steps every time you convert direct speech to reported speech.
Step 1
Identify the speaker and reporting verb.
Who said it? Choose an appropriate verb: said, told, asked, explained, claimed, admitted, warned, insisted, etc.
Remember: "told" needs an object ("told me"), while "said" does not.
Step 2
Remove quotation marks and add the connector "that" (optional for statements) or "if/whether" (for yes/no questions).
Step 3
Shift the tense back one step using the tense table above. If the reporting verb is in the present tense, skip this step.
Step 4
Change pronouns so they make sense from the reporter's point of view, not the original speaker's.
Step 5
Adjust time and place words.
today → that day
here → there
this → that, and so on
Pro Tip: Vary your reporting verbs. Instead of repeating "said" over and over, try: argued, pointed out, insisted, admitted, denied, mentioned, suggested, reminded, promised, warned, complained, announced, revealed, noted.
Each verb adds nuance and makes your writing richer.
Practice Exercises
Try writing your own version for each sentence below.
1. "I love this restaurant," said Emma.
2. "We will finish the project tomorrow," they promised.
3. "Have you ever been to Japan?" she asked me.
4. "Don't open the window," he said.
5. "Where did you buy that jacket?" asked Liam.
6. "I have been waiting here since morning," she complained.
7. "You must submit your essays by Friday," the professor announced.