"I've called an assembly," said Jack.

Jack said that he had called an assembly.

Direct Speech

-gives the quoted material as a separate quote, allowing the writing to focus on the quote and its original speaker

"I've called an assembly," said Jack.

Reported Speech

-takes the stand of a separate person, a reporter narrating the occurrence of someone speaking

Jack said that he had called an assembly.

Changing Direct Speech to

Reported Speech

How to change direct speech to reported

speech:

1. Delete the quotation marks and

introduce the reported statement with "that".

Example:

Direct: "I've called an assembly," said Jack.

Reported: Jack said that he had called an assembly.

2. If the introductory statement is in the past while

the verb in the direct statement is in the present, change the quoted verb to

the past.

Example:

Direct: "I drink coffee," she said.

Reported: She said that she drank coffee.

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

Simple Present Simple Past

"I drink coffee," she

said.

She said that she drank

coffee.

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

Present Continuous Past Continuous

"I am reading a book," John

explained.

John explained that

he was reading a

book.

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

Simple Past Past Perfect

"Bill arrived on Saturday,"

he said.

He said that Bill had

arrived on Saturday.

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

Present Perfect Past Perfect

"I have been to Spain," he

told.

He told me that he had

been to Spain.

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

Past Perfect Past Perfect

"I had just turned out the

light," he explained.

He explained that he had just turned

out the light.

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECHPresent Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect Continuous

They complained, "We have

been waiting for hours."

They complained

that they had been waiting

for hours.

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous

"We were living in

Paris," the children told

me.

The children told me that

they had been living in

Paris.

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

Simple Future Present Conditional

"I will be in Milan on

Saturday," she said.

She said that she would be in Milan on Saturday.

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

Future Continuous Conditional Continuous

Nikki said, "I'll be using the

car next Friday."

Nikki said that she would be using the car next Friday.

*When an imperative sentence is reported:

a. The reported verb is changed to infinitive.b. The introductory verb "said" is changed to "told".c. Words like "please" and "let me" are omitted.

Example:

Direct: The teacher told her students, "Please, keep quiet."

Reported: The teacher told her students to keep quiet.