Reported Speech: How you as an English student can use it to win

Have you ever wanted to tell someone what somebody else said to you? Are you having trouble remembering how to use it correctly?

Well, this article is for you! Read on for some straightforward tips and explanations about the reported speech in English.

It is common to report what someone has said, rather than quote them directly. This is called reported speech. Reported speech can be direct or indirect.

Direct reported speech repeats the exact words that were spoken, while indirect reported speech changes some of the words and usually doesn’t include quotation marks.

For example, if someone says “I’m going to the store,” direct reported speech would repeat their exact words: “She said she was going to the store.” But if we use indirect reported speech, we might say something like “She said she needs to go to the store.”

Indirect reported speech often includes verbs like “tell,” “say,” “explain,” and “ask.” It can also include phrases like “according to,” and “as he put it.” Using these phrases helps to show that you are reporting what someone said, rather than quoting them directly.