Reported speech: passing on what someone said — 11–13
Reported speech helps you tell another person’s words without quoting every sentence exactly.
The message stays, the viewpoint moves
Direct speech gives the exact words: “Maya said, ‘I am tired.’” Reported speech gives the message from your viewpoint: “Maya said that she was tired.” The idea is still Maya’s, but “I” becomes “she” because you are now telling it, not Maya.
Why people report speech
People often need to pass on information when the original speaker is not there: a friend’s plan, a teacher’s instruction or a message from a team. Quoting everything exactly is slow and can sound clumsy. Reported speech lets you preserve the important meaning while fitting it into a new conversation.
Changing one message carefully
The direct message is: Leo said, “I will meet you here tomorrow.” Step 1: “I” becomes “he”, because Leo is the person being reported. Step 2: “you” becomes “me”, if Leo was speaking to me. Step 3: “here” and “tomorrow” may become “there” and “the next day”: Leo said that he would meet me there the next day.
Changing every word automatically
It is tempting to move every verb one step into the past: “She said she was tired yesterday” can become “She said she had been tired the day before.” But that may change the meaning. If she is still tired now, “was tired” may be right; first check the time and meaning, then choose the form.
Messages, news and group plans
You use reported speech when you tell a friend what someone texted, explain a rule you heard or summarise a news report. “Sam said the match starts at six” is quicker than repeating Sam’s whole message. It also shows whose information it is, which helps you separate a fact from a rumour.
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