**Reported Speech**

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is used to report what someone else has said or to convey information or statements in a more polite or indirect manner. In reported speech, the exact words spoken by the original speaker are not quoted directly but are reported using various reporting verbs and changes in pronouns, tenses, and other grammatical elements.

**Rules for Reported Speech:**

1. **Reporting verb**: The reported speech is often introduced by a reporting verb such as said, told, asked, etc. The reporting verb is usually followed by the conjunction 'that', but in some cases, it can be omitted.

2. **Pronoun changes**: In reported speech, the pronouns used in the reported statement are often changed to reflect the perspective of the reported speaker. For example, 'I' becomes 'he/she', 'you' becomes 'they', etc.

3. **Tense changes**: The tense of the reported speech is often shifted back in time to reflect when the original statement was made. For example, present tense becomes past tense, past tense becomes past perfect, etc.

4. **Time and place changes**: When reporting speech, the time and place expressions may also need to be changed to reflect the perspective of the reported speaker. For example, 'today' becomes 'that day', 'here' becomes 'there', etc.

5. **Modals and adverbs**: Modals, adverbs, and other expressions related to the time and manner of speaking may also need to be adjusted accordingly. For example, 'can' becomes 'could', 'now' becomes 'then', etc.

**Example:**

Direct speech: "I will go to the party tonight," she said.

Reported speech: She said that she would go to the party that night.

**Explanation:**

In the example above, the direct speech is reported using the reporting verb 'said'. The pronoun 'I' is changed to 'she', and the tense of the verb 'will' is changed to 'would' to reflect the past. The time expression 'tonight' is changed to 'that night' to maintain consistency.

By following these rules, we can accurately report what someone has said while making necessary grammatical changes to match the context and perspective of the reported speaker. Practice and understanding of these rules will help students effectively use reported speech in their writing and communication.