English grammar
Reported Speech
Reported speech, also called indirect speech, is how we describe what someone said without quoting them directly. It involves tense backshift, pronoun changes, and time expression changes.
Textbook Reported Speech
The standard forms taught in English courses worldwide, illustrated with real clips from native speakers, not invented examples.
Reported Statements
Subject + said (that) + reported clause
"She said she was going to go home." Reported statements repeat what someone said, shifting tenses back and changing pronouns.
Reported Questions
Subject + asked + if/whether / wh-word + reported clause
"He asked whether she was coming." Reported questions use statement word order and no question mark, a common point of confusion for learners.
Reported Commands & Requests
Subject + told/asked + object + to + base verb
"She told him to wait." Reported commands and requests use an infinitive structure rather than a quoted imperative.