Understanding Reported Speech
Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is used to convey what someone else has said without quoting their exact words. It often involves a change in tense, pronouns, and sometimes time expressions.
Key Rules for Converting to Reported Speech
- Change in Tense:
- Present Simple changes to Past Simple.
- Present Continuous changes to Past Continuous.
- Present Perfect changes to Past Perfect.
- Future Simple changes to Conditional (would).
- Pronoun Changes:
- Pronouns will often change based on the perspective of the speaker.
- For example, "I" may change to "he/she" depending on who is speaking.
- Time Expressions:
- Words like "now" change to "then."
- "Today" changes to "that day."
- "Tomorrow" becomes "the next day" or "the following day."
Examples of Conversion
- Direct Speech: She said, "I am studying."
- Reported Speech: She said that she was studying.
- Direct Speech: He said, "I will finish my homework tomorrow."
- Reported Speech: He said that he would finish his homework the next day.
Exceptions to Note
- Commands and Requests: These often use "to" + verb in reported speech.
- Example: "Close the door" becomes He told me to close the door.
- Questions: When converting questions, the structure changes.
- Example: "Where are you going?" becomes He asked where I was going.
Practice Makes Perfect
Converting to reported speech requires practice. Use exercises from resources like EduRev to enhance your understanding and mastery of this essential aspect of English grammar.