Reported Speech: Rules of Pronouns

In reported speech, also known as indirect speech, we express someone else's words or thoughts. When we report someone's speech, we often need to change the pronouns to make the sentence grammatically correct. Here are the rules for using pronouns in reported speech:

1. First Person Pronouns:
When reporting a sentence where the speaker refers to themselves, we usually change the pronoun according to the subject of the reporting verb. For example:
- Direct speech: "I am happy."
- Reported speech: He said he was happy.

2. Second Person Pronouns:
When reporting a sentence where the speaker refers to the person they are speaking to, we change the pronoun according to the subject of the reporting verb. For example:
- Direct speech: "You should study."
- Reported speech: He said I should study.

3. Third Person Pronouns:
When reporting a sentence where the speaker refers to someone other than themselves or the person they are speaking to, we generally do not change the pronoun. For example:
- Direct speech: "She is going to the party."
- Reported speech: He said she is going to the party.

4. Possessive Pronouns:
In reported speech, possessive pronouns also need to be changed according to the subject of the reporting verb. For example:
- Direct speech: "This is my book."
- Reported speech: He said that was his book.

5. Reflexive Pronouns:
When reporting reflexive pronouns, we change them according to the subject of the reporting verb. For example:
- Direct speech: "I hurt myself."
- Reported speech: He said he had hurt himself.

6. Demonstrative Pronouns:
In reported speech, demonstrative pronouns are often changed to reflect the speaker's perspective. For example:
- Direct speech: "That is a nice car."
- Reported speech: He said that was a nice car.

It is important to note that the above rules may vary depending on the context and tense of the reported speech. It is always advisable to analyze the sentence and apply the appropriate rules to ensure accurate reporting of speech.