Reported speech
"Shifting perspectives: Exploring the nuances of reported speech
Direct speech
Direct speech, also known as quoted speech or direct discourse, refers to the exact words spoken by a person, enclosed within quotation marks. It is used to convey conversations or statements verbatim, without any alteration or interpretation. In writing, direct speech is often indicated by enclosing the spoken words within quotation marks (” “) and attributing them to the speaker using verbs like “said,” “asked,” “shouted,” etc.
For example:
– Direct speech: “I love chocolate,” said Mary.
– Direct speech: “What time is the meeting?” he asked.
In direct speech, the speaker’s exact words are reproduced, allowing readers to directly experience the conversation as it occurred.
Reported speech
Reported speech, also known as indirect speech or indirect discourse, is the act of conveying what someone else has said without quoting their exact words. Instead of directly repeating the speaker’s words, reported speech provides a summary or paraphrase of the original statement or conversation. This summary is typically expressed from the perspective of the reporting speaker, who relays the information to another person.
In reported speech, several changes commonly occur:
1. **Pronouns:** The pronouns may change to reflect the perspective of the reporting speaker.
2. **Verb Tenses:** The verb tenses often shift to match the new time frame or context.
3. **Modals:** Modal verbs may change to reflect the reported speaker’s viewpoint or to fit the new context.
For example, consider the following direct speech:
– Direct speech: “I am studying English,” said Tom.
When converted to reported speech, it might become:
– Reported speech: Tom said (that) he was studying English.
Reported speech is widely used in writing, journalism, storytelling, and everyday conversation to summarize what others have said while still conveying the gist or essence of their message.
General rules for converting direct speech to reported speech:
Here are the general rules for converting direct speech to reported speech:
1. **Change in Pronouns and Verb Tenses**:
– Change pronouns to reflect the perspective of the speaker in reported speech.
– Change verb tenses as necessary:
– Present simple in direct speech usually changes to past simple in reported speech.
– Present continuous in direct speech usually changes to past continuous in reported speech.
– Present perfect in direct speech usually changes to past perfect in reported speech.
– Past simple in direct speech usually remains unchanged in reported speech.
– Future tenses in direct speech usually change to corresponding future tenses in reported speech (e.g., will becomes would).
2. **Change in Time and Place Expressions**:
– Adjust time and place expressions to match the context of the reported speech, if needed.
– Words like “here” and “now” might need to change to “there” and “then” respectively.
3. **Change in Modals, Adverbs, and Adjectives**:
– Modals (such as can, could, will, would, may, might, shall, should) may need to change depending on the context.
– Adverbs of time, place, manner, frequency, etc., may need to change.
– Adjectives may also need to change to reflect the speaker’s viewpoint in reported speech.
4. **Punctuation Changes**:
– Remove quotation marks.
– The reported speech is often introduced by conjunctions such as “that” or other reporting verbs like “said,” “told,” “asked,” etc.
5. **Reporting Verbs**:
– Choose appropriate reporting verbs based on the context, such as “said,” “told,” “asked,” “explained,” “suggested,” etc.
6. **Direct Questions and Commands**:
– Direct questions may need to change to indirect questions.
– Commands or requests may change to infinitive clauses.
7. **Changes for Imperatives and Exclamations**:
– Imperatives may change to infinitive clauses or other structures.
– Exclamations may need to change to statements.
8. **Indirect Speech within Direct Speech**:
– In complex cases where indirect speech is reported within direct speech, apply the rules of reported speech to both levels.
Remember that these rules may vary slightly depending on the context, but they provide a general framework for converting direct speech to reported speech accurately.
Pronoun change
When converting direct speech to reported speech, pronouns often change to reflect the perspective of the reporting speaker. Here’s an explanation of how various pronouns change:
1. **First Person Pronouns**:
– **I**: Changes based on the gender or identity of the speaker in reported speech. If the speaker is different, “I” changes to the appropriate pronoun (he/she/they/name).
– **We**: Changes based on the context of the reported speech. If the group being referred to changes, “we” becomes “they” or refers to a specific group mentioned.
– **Me, Myself**: “Me” and “myself” change similarly to “I” based on the identity or gender of the reporting speaker.
2. **Second Person Pronouns**:
– **You**: In reported speech, “you” usually changes to “he,” “she,” “they,” or the name of the person being referred to, depending on the context.
– **Your, Yours**: Similar to “you,” these possessive pronouns change based on the identity or gender of the reporting speaker and the context of the reported speech.
3. **Third Person Pronouns**:
– **He, She, It**: These pronouns usually remain unchanged in reported speech unless the reported speech involves a change in perspective.
– **They**: May change to reflect a specific group mentioned in reported speech or to refer to multiple individuals.
– **Him, Her, His, Hers, Their, Theirs**: These pronouns typically remain the same in reported speech unless there’s a change in perspective or context.
4. **Reflexive Pronouns**:
– **Myself, Yourself, Himself, Herself, Itself, Ourselves, Yourselves, Themselves**: These pronouns may change based on the perspective and identity of the reporting speaker, similar to other pronouns.
5. **Possessive Pronouns**:
– **Mine, Yours, His, Hers, Its, Ours, Theirs**: These pronouns may change based on the identity or gender of the reporting speaker and the context of the reported speech.
6. **Demonstrative Pronouns**:
– **This, That, These, Those**: In reported speech, these pronouns usually change based on the context and perspective of the reporting speaker, similar to other pronouns.
7. **Interrogative Pronouns**:
– **Who, Whom, Whose, Which**: These pronouns may change based on the context and perspective of the reporting speaker in reported speech.
It’s important to consider the context, perspective, and identity of the reporting speaker when changing pronouns in reported speech to ensure clarity and accuracy.
First person pronouns
First-person pronouns refer to the speaker or speakers themselves. Here’s how they typically change in reported speech:
1. **I**:
– In reported speech, “I” changes based on the identity or perspective of the reporting speaker.
– If the reporting speaker is different from the original speaker, “I” changes to the appropriate pronoun, such as “he,” “she,” “they,” or the name of the person speaking.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “I am happy.”
– Reported speech: “She said (that) she was happy.”
– Direct speech: “I will go.”
– Reported speech: “He said (that) he would go.”
2. **We**:
– The pronoun “we” refers to a group that includes the speaker.
– In reported speech, “we” changes based on the context of the reported speech.
– If the group being referred to changes, “we” becomes “they” or refers to a specific group mentioned.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “We are excited.”
– Reported speech: “They said (that) they were excited.”
– Direct speech: “We will attend the meeting.”
– Reported speech: “They said (that) they would attend the meeting.”
3. **Me, Myself**:
– Pronouns such as “me” and “myself” change similarly to “I” based on the identity or gender of the reporting speaker.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “She complimented me.”
– Reported speech: “He said (that) she had complimented him.”
– Direct speech: “I did it myself.”
– Reported speech: “He said (that) he had done it himself.”
In summary, first-person pronouns in reported speech change to reflect the perspective of the reporting speaker. This ensures that the reported speech accurately conveys the original speaker’s words in relation to the new speaker’s viewpoint.
Second person pronouns
Second-person pronouns refer to the person or people being directly addressed. Here’s how they typically change in reported speech:
1. **You**:
– In reported speech, “you” usually changes to reflect the perspective of the reporting speaker.
– It can change to “he,” “she,” “they,” or the name of the person being referred to, depending on the context.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “You look tired.”
– Reported speech: “She said (that) I looked tired.”
– Direct speech: “You should try it.”
– Reported speech: “He told me (that) I should try it.”
2. **Your, Yours**:
– Similar to “you,” these possessive pronouns change based on the identity or gender of the reporting speaker and the context of the reported speech.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “Is this your book?”
– Reported speech: “He asked me if that was my book.”
– Direct speech: “This pen is yours.”
– Reported speech: “He said (that) the pen was mine.”
In reported speech, second-person pronouns are adjusted to fit the perspective of the reporting speaker. This ensures clarity and accuracy in conveying the original speaker’s words.
Third person pronouns
Third-person pronouns refer to individuals or objects other than the speaker or the listener. Here’s how they typically change in reported speech:
1. **He, She, It**:
– These pronouns usually remain unchanged in reported speech unless there’s a change in perspective or context.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “He is happy.”
– Reported speech: “She said (that) he is happy.”
– Direct speech: “She bought a new car.”
– Reported speech: “He told me (that) she had bought a new car.”
2. **They**:
– “They” may change to reflect a specific group mentioned in reported speech or to refer to multiple individuals.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “They are coming tomorrow.”
– Reported speech: “He said (that) they were coming the next day.”
– Direct speech: “The students finished their assignments.”
– Reported speech: “She told me (that) the students had finished their assignments.”
3. **Him, Her, His, Hers, Its, Their, Theirs**:
– These pronouns typically remain the same in reported speech unless there’s a change in perspective or context.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “She showed me her new phone.”
– Reported speech: “He said (that) she had shown him her new phone.”
– Direct speech: “The cat licked its paw.”
– Reported speech: “He noticed (that) the cat was licking its paw.”
In reported speech, third-person pronouns are generally maintained unless there’s a shift in perspective or context, in which case they may be adjusted accordingly to ensure clarity and accuracy.
Reflexive pronouns
Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and the object of a verb are the same person or thing. Here’s how they typically change in reported speech:
1. **Myself, Yourself, Himself, Herself, Itself, Ourselves, Yourselves, Themselves**:
– These pronouns may change based on the perspective and identity of the reporting speaker, similar to other pronouns.
– However, they usually remain the same if the subject and object of the verb remain the same in reported speech.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “I hurt myself.”
– Reported speech: “He said (that) he had hurt himself.”
– Direct speech: “She enjoyed herself at the party.”
– Reported speech: “He told me (that) she had enjoyed herself at the party.”
In reported speech, reflexive pronouns are adjusted based on the perspective of the reporting speaker. If the subject and object remain the same, the reflexive pronouns stay unchanged. If there’s a shift in perspective or context, they may be adjusted accordingly.
Possessive pronouns
Possessive pronouns indicate ownership or possession. Here’s how they typically change in reported speech:
1. **Mine, Yours, His, Hers, Its, Ours, Theirs**:
– These pronouns may change based on the identity or gender of the reporting speaker and the context of the reported speech.
– However, they usually remain the same if the ownership remains unchanged in reported speech.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “This book is mine.”
– Reported speech: “He said (that) the book was his.”
– Direct speech: “Is this yours?”
– Reported speech: “He asked me if that was mine.”
In reported speech, possessive pronouns are adjusted based on the perspective of the reporting speaker and the context of the reported speech. If the ownership remains unchanged, the possessive pronouns stay the same. If there’s a change in perspective or context, they may be adjusted accordingly.
1. **Mine, Yours, His, Hers, Its, Ours, Theirs**:
– These pronouns typically remain the same in reported speech if the ownership or possession remains unchanged.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “This book is mine.”
– Reported speech: “He said (that) the book is mine.”
– Direct speech: “Is this yours?”
– Reported speech: “He asked if that was mine.”
2. **My, Your, His, Her, Its, Our, Their**:
– These possessive pronouns change to reflect the perspective of the reporting speaker.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “She showed me her new car.”
– Reported speech: “He said (that) she had shown him her new car.”
– Direct speech: “He praised his team’s efforts.”
– Reported speech: “She praised their team’s efforts.”
Demonstrative pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns are used to point to specific things or people. They include “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those.” Here’s how they typically change in reported speech:
1. **This, That, These, Those**:
– In reported speech, these pronouns usually change based on the context and perspective of the reporting speaker.
– If the reported speech involves a change in perspective, the demonstrative pronouns may change accordingly to maintain clarity.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “This is my favorite book.”
– Reported speech: “She said (that) that was her favorite book.”
– Direct speech: “Look at those flowers.”
– Reported speech: “He asked me to look at the flowers.”
In reported speech, demonstrative pronouns are adjusted based on the perspective of the reporting speaker and the context of the reported speech. This ensures that the reported speech accurately conveys the original speaker’s words in relation to the new speaker’s viewpoint.
Interrogative pronouns
Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions. They include “who,” “whom,” “whose,” “which,” and “what.” Here’s how they typically change in reported speech:
1. **Who, Whom, Whose, Which, What**:
– In reported speech, interrogative pronouns may change based on the context and perspective of the reporting speaker.
– If the reported speech involves a change in perspective, the interrogative pronouns may change accordingly to maintain clarity.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “Who is coming to the party?”
– Reported speech: “She asked who was coming to the party.”
– Direct speech: “Which book do you recommend?”
– Reported speech: “He asked which book I recommended.”
In reported speech, interrogative pronouns are adjusted based on the perspective of the reporting speaker and the context of the reported speech. This ensures that the reported speech accurately conveys the original question while fitting within the new speaker’s viewpoint.
Change of verb tenses
When converting direct speech to reported speech, verb tenses often need to be adjusted to reflect
the change in time perspective. Here’s how verb tenses typically change:
1. **Present Tense**:
– In reported speech, the present tense in direct speech usually changes to the past tense.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “I am happy.”
– Reported speech: “She said (that) she was happy.”
– However, if the reported speech is still relevant or true at the time of reporting, the present tense may be retained in reported speech.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “She says she loves chocolate.”
– Reported speech: “He says (that) she loves chocolate.”
2. **Present Continuous Tense**:
– The present continuous tense in direct speech typically changes to the past continuous tense in reported speech.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “He is studying for his exams.”
– Reported speech: “She said (that) he was studying for his exams.”
3. **Present Perfect Tense**:
– The present perfect tense in direct speech generally changes to the past perfect tense in reported speech.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “They have completed their work.”
– Reported speech: “He said (that) they had completed their work.”
4. **Past Tense**:
– The past tense in direct speech often remains unchanged in reported speech if the reporting verb is also in the past tense.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “She said, ‘I went to the store.'”
– Reported speech: “She said (that) she went to the store.”
– If the reporting verb is in the present tense, the past tense in direct speech changes to the past perfect tense in reported speech.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “She said, ‘I went to the store.'”
– Reported speech: “She says (that) she had gone to the store.”
5. **Future Tenses**:
– Future tenses in direct speech may change to corresponding future tenses or to past tenses in reported speech, depending on the context.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “She will visit her grandmother tomorrow.”
– Reported speech: “He said (that) she would visit her grandmother the next day.”
In reported speech, changes in verb tenses are essential to accurately reflect the time perspective and maintain grammatical correctness. These adjustments ensure that the reported speech aligns with the perspective of the reporting speaker and the timeline of the narration.
How modals change in reported speech?
When reporting speech, modal verbs often undergo changes to match the context and perspective of the reporting speaker. Here’s how modals typically change in reported speech:
1. **Can**:
– In reported speech, “can” often changes to “could” to indicate past ability, permission, or possibility.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “She said, ‘I can swim.'”
– Reported speech: “She said (that) she could swim.”
2. **Could**:
– “Could” remains “could” in reported speech unless the context requires a different tense or perspective.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “He said, ‘I could help.'”
– Reported speech: “He said (that) he could help.”
3. **May** and **Might**:
– “May” and “might” typically change to “might” or “could” in reported speech to indicate past possibility or permission.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “She said, ‘I may join the club.'”
– Reported speech: “She said (that) she might join the club.”
4. **Will**:
– “Will” often changes to “would” in reported speech to indicate future-in-past.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “He said, ‘I will come tomorrow.'”
– Reported speech: “He said (that) he would come the next day.”
5. **Would**:
– “Would” remains “would” in reported speech unless the context requires a different tense or perspective.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “She said, ‘I would like some tea.'”
– Reported speech: “She said (that) she would like some tea.”
6. **Shall**:
– “Shall” often changes to “would” in reported speech for statements, though it may remain unchanged in questions.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “He said, ‘I shall visit.'”
– Reported speech: “He said (that) he would visit.”
7. **Should**:
– “Should” usually remains “should” in reported speech, unless the context requires a different tense or perspective.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “She said, ‘You should try it.'”
– Reported speech: “She said (that) I should try it.”
8. **Must**:
– “Must” often changes to “had to” in reported speech to indicate past necessity.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “He said, ‘You must finish the report.'”
– Reported speech: “He said (that) I had to finish the report.”
In reported speech, modal verbs are adjusted to maintain accuracy and coherence while reflecting the changes in perspective and context introduced by the reporting speaker.
Time
When reporting speech, time periods, expressions, and adverbs often require adjustments to maintain accuracy and coherence in the reported speech. Here’s how time periods typically change:
1. **Today**:
– “Today” usually changes to “that day” or “the same day” in reported speech.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “She said, ‘I will finish it today.'”
– Reported speech: “She said (that) she would finish it that day.”
2. **Yesterday**:
– “Yesterday” typically changes to “the previous day” or “the day before” in reported speech.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “He said, ‘I went to the store yesterday.'”
– Reported speech: “He said (that) he had gone to the store the previous day.”
3. **Tomorrow**:
– “Tomorrow” usually changes to “the next day” or “the following day” in reported speech.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “She said, ‘I will meet you tomorrow.'”
– Reported speech: “She said (that) she would meet me the next day.”
4. **Last week/month/year**:
– “Last week,” “last month,” and “last year” typically change to “the previous week/month/year” in reported speech.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “He said, ‘I visited my parents last week.'”
– Reported speech: “He said (that) he had visited his parents the previous week.”
5. **Next week/month/year**:
– “Next week,” “next month,” and “next year” usually change to “the following week/month/year” in reported speech.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “She said, ‘I will start my new job next month.'”
– Reported speech: “She said (that) she would start her new job the following month.”
6. **Now**:
– “Now” typically changes to “then” or is omitted in reported speech.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “She said, ‘I am busy now.'”
– Reported speech: “She said (that) she was busy.”
7. **In a moment**:
– “In a moment” usually changes to “later” in reported speech.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “He said, ‘I will call you in a moment.'”
– Reported speech: “He said (that) he would call me later.”
8. **At the moment**:
– “At the moment” often changes to “at that moment” in reported speech.
– For example:
– Direct speech: “She said, ‘I am studying at the moment.'”
– Reported speech: “She said (that) she was studying at that moment.”
When reporting speech, adjustments to time periods ensure that the reported speech accurately reflects the original context and timeline, taking into account the perspective and perspective of the reporting speaker.
Example worksheet
Here’s a worksheet with 10 sentences for practicing reported speech:
1. Direct speech: “I like chocolate ice cream.”
Reported speech: He said (that) he liked chocolate ice cream.
2. Direct speech: “She is reading a book.”
Reported speech: He said (that) she was reading a book.
3. Direct speech: “They are playing football in the park.”
Reported speech: He said (that) they were playing football in the park.
4. Direct speech: “He will come to the party tonight.”
Reported speech: He said (that) he would come to the party that night.
5. Direct speech: “I can swim.”
Reported speech: He said (that) he could swim.
6. Direct speech: “She has a cat.”
Reported speech: He said (that) she had a cat.
7. Direct speech: “They went to the beach last weekend.”
Reported speech: He said (that) they had gone to the beach the previous weekend.
8. Direct speech: “We are going to watch a movie tomorrow.”
Reported speech: He said (that) they were going to watch a movie the next day.
9. Direct speech: “She is busy right now.”
Reported speech: He said (that) she was busy.
10. Direct speech: “I will call you later.”
Reported speech: He said (that) he would call me later.
Worksheet
Here’s a slightly more challenging worksheet with 10 sentences for practicing reported speech:
1. Direct speech: “I have been studying all day.”
2. Direct speech: “Where did you find that beautiful necklace?”
3. Direct speech: “She said, ‘I will never forget this moment.'”
4. Direct speech: “Why didn’t you tell me about the party?”
5. Direct speech: “Please bring me a glass of water.”
6. Direct speech: “He asked, ‘Can you help me with this difficult problem?'”
7. Direct speech: “She said, ‘Don’t worry, everything will be fine.'”
8. Direct speech: “What time does the concert start?”
9. Direct speech: “I will come to the office early tomorrow.”
10. Direct speech: “Would you mind closing the window?”
Answers
Here are the answers for converting the sentences into reported speech:
1. Reported speech: He said (that) he had been studying all day.
2. Reported speech: She asked where I had found that beautiful necklace.
3. Reported speech: She said (that) she would never forget that moment.
4. Reported speech: He asked why I hadn’t told him about the party.
5. Reported speech: He asked me to bring him a glass of water.
6. Reported speech: He asked if I could help him with that difficult problem.
7. Reported speech: She assured me not to worry, saying everything would be fine.
8. Reported speech: He asked what time the concert started.
9. Reported speech: He said (that) he would come to the office early the next day.
10. Reported speech: He asked if I would mind closing the window.
First person pronoun -
in-depth
Here’s a cheat sheet for converting first-person pronouns in reported speech:
**Direct Speech:** “I”
**Reported Speech:**
– If the reporting speaker is different from the original speaker:
– “I” changes to “he” or “she” if the original speaker is a third person.
– “I” changes to “you” if the original speaker is addressing the reporting speaker.
– If the reporting speaker is the same as the original speaker:
– “I” remains unchanged in reported speech.
**Examples:**
1. Direct Speech: “I am happy.”
– Reported Speech (Different reporting speaker): He/she said (that) he/she was happy.
– Reported Speech (Same reporting speaker): I said (that) I was happy.
2. Direct Speech: “I will come tomorrow.”
– Reported Speech (Different reporting speaker): He/she said (that) he/she would come the next day.
– Reported Speech (Same reporting speaker): I said (that) I would come the next day.
Remember, the changes depend on whether the reporting speaker is the same as the original speaker or not, and whether the original speaker is addressing the reporting speaker directly.
Second person pronoun -
in-depth
Here’s a cheat sheet for converting second-person pronouns in reported speech:
**Direct Speech:** “You”
**Reported Speech:**
– If the reporting speaker is different from the original speaker:
– “You” typically changes to “he/she” or the name of the person being addressed.
– If the reporting speaker is the same as the original speaker:
– “You” may remain unchanged in reported speech, especially in informal contexts.
**Examples:**
1. Direct Speech: “You are my friend.”
– Reported Speech (Different reporting speaker): He/she said (that) you were his/her friend.
– Reported Speech (Same reporting speaker): I said (that) you are my friend.
2. Direct Speech: “Are you coming to the party?”
– Reported Speech (Different reporting speaker): He/she asked if you were coming to the party.
– Reported Speech (Same reporting speaker): I asked if you are coming to the party.
Remember, when converting second-person pronouns, consider whether the reporting speaker is the same as the original speaker and adjust accordingly.
Third person pronoun -
in-depth
Here’s a cheat sheet for converting third-person pronouns in reported speech:
**Direct Speech:**
– “He” or “She” (singular)
– “They” (plural)
**Reported Speech:**
– If the reporting speaker is different from the original speaker:
– “He” or “She” changes to the appropriate third-person pronoun or the person’s name.
– “They” changes to “he/she” or “they,” depending on the context.
– If the reporting speaker is the same as the original speaker:
– “He,” “She,” or “They” may remain unchanged in reported speech, especially in informal contexts.
**Examples:**
1. Direct Speech: “He is studying.”
– Reported Speech (Different reporting speaker): She said (that) he was studying.
– Reported Speech (Same reporting speaker): He said (that) he is studying.
2. Direct Speech: “They are going to the beach.”
– Reported Speech (Different reporting speaker): He/she said (that) they were going to the beach.
– Reported Speech (Same reporting speaker): They said (that) they are going to the beach.
Remember, when converting third-person pronouns, consider whether the reporting speaker is the same as the original speaker and adjust accordingly.
In conclusion, reported speech plays a crucial role in communication by allowing us to convey what others have said accurately and effectively. Through the use of reported speech, we can summarize conversations, statements, and questions, while also incorporating changes in pronouns, verb tenses, and other linguistic elements to reflect the perspective of the reporting speaker. By mastering the conversion of direct speech into reported speech, individuals can enhance their writing, storytelling, and interpersonal communication skills. It’s important to remember that reported speech not only conveys the content of what was said but also provides insight into the relationship between the original and reporting speakers. Overall, reported speech serves as a valuable tool for conveying information, maintaining clarity, and enriching dialogue in various contexts of communication.
