50 Examples of Reported Speech

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is a fundamental aspect of the English language. It enables us to convey the words, thoughts, and opinions of others without quoting them verbatim. This linguistic technique finds applications in various contexts, from everyday conversations to formal writing. In this article, we will delve into 50 unique examples of reported speech, showcasing its versatility and significance in effective communication.

Basic Structure of Reported Speech

Before we dive into the examples, let’s establish a clear understanding of reported speech. It serves as a means to report or convey someone else’s expressions while maintaining grammatical correctness and context.

Reported speech typically involves a shift in verb tense and pronoun usage. Here’s the fundamental structure to illustrate this shift:

Direct Speech: She said, “I am going to the store.”

Reported Speech: She said that she was going to the store.

Examples of Reported Speech in Different Tenses

Now, let’s explore examples of reported speech in various tenses, demonstrating how the original statements transform into reported speech.

Present Simple

1. He says, “I love ice cream.”He says that he loves ice cream.
2. She says, “They live in New York.”She says that they live in New York.

Past Simple

3. John said, “I visited Paris last summer.”John said that he visited Paris last summer.
4. Maria said, “We watched a movie yesterday.”Maria said that they watched a movie yesterday.

Present Continuous

5. Tom says, “I am working on a project.”Tom says that he is working on a project.

Past Continuous

6. Sarah said, “I was studying all night.”Sarah said that she was studying all night.

Present Perfect

7. Alex says, “I have never been to Asia.”Alex says that he has never been to Asia.

Past Perfect

8. Lisa said, “They had already left.”Lisa said that they had already left.

Future Simple

9. Sam says, “I will call you tomorrow.”Sam says that he will call you tomorrow.

Conditional Statements

Reported speech can convey conditional statements. Let’s explore some examples.

Zero Conditional

10. Jane said, “If it rains, I stay indoors.”Jane said that if it rains, she stays indoors.

First Conditional

11. Mark says, “If I finish early, I will join the party.”Mark says that if he finishes early, he will join the party.

Second Conditional

12. Emily said, “If I were you, I would study harder.”Emily said that if she were me, she would study harder.

Third Conditional

13. David said, “If they had known, they would have come.”David said that if they had known, they would have come.

Reporting Questions

Reported speech extends to reporting questions. Here are some examples:

Yes/No Questions

14. Lily asked, “Are you coming to the party?”Lily asked if I was coming to the party.
15. Mike asked, “Is she feeling better?”Mike asked if she was feeling better.

Wh-Questions

16. Sarah asked, “Where is the nearest bookstore?”Sarah asked where the nearest bookstore was.
17. Tom asked, “What time does the concert start?”Tom asked what time the concert started.

Imperative Sentences

The reported speech also conveys imperative sentences, where commands or requests are reported. Examples:

Commands

18. Mom said, “Clean your room!”Mom told me to clean my room.

Requests

19. The teacher said, “Please submit your assignments.”The teacher requested that we submit our assignments.

Expressing Desires and Opinions in Reported Speech

Reported speech extends to conveying desires and opinions.

Desires

20. He said, “I want a new car.”He said that he wanted a new car.

Opinions

21. She said, “I think the movie was excellent.”She said that she thought the movie was excellent.

Reporting Speech Acts

Reported speech reports various speech acts, such as promises, offers, and suggestions. Here are some examples:

Promises

22. John said, “I promise to help you with your project.”John promised to help me with my project.

Offers

23. Mary said, “I can lend you my notes.”Mary offered to lend me her notes.

Suggestions

24. David said, “You should visit the museum.”David suggested that I should visit the museum.

Reporting Speech Thoughts and Beliefs

Reported speech also conveys what someone thinks or believes.

Thoughts

25. She said, “I believe in the power of positive thinking.”She said that she believed in the power of positive thinking.

Beliefs

26. He said, “I am convinced that climate change is real.”He said that he was convinced that climate change is real.

Reporting Statements with Modals

Modal verbs play a significant role in reported speech. Examples:

Can

27. Tom said, “I can swim.”Tom said that he could swim.

Must

28. Lisa said, “You must finish your homework.”Lisa said that I must finish my homework.

Should

29. Sarah said, “You should exercise regularly.”Sarah said that I should exercise regularly.

Reporting Advice and Warnings

Reported speech is used to convey advice and warnings. Examples:

Advice

30. Mark said, “You should read that book; it’s fantastic.”Mark advised me to read the book, as it was fantastic.

Warnings

31. The lifeguard said, “Be careful; the waves are strong.”The lifeguard warned us to be careful, as the waves were strong.

Changing Time Expressions

In reported speech, time expressions often change to match the new context. Examples:

Today becomes That day

32. She said, “I will call you today.”She said that she would call me that day.

Tomorrow becomes The next day

33. John said, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”John said that he would see me the next day.

Now becomes Then

34. Maria said, “I’m busy now.”Maria said that she was busy then.

Reporting with Modifying Verbs

Modifying verbs are used in reported speech to convey different shades of meaning. Examples:

Suggests

35. She said, “Let’s go for a walk.”She suggested that we go for a walk.

Insists

36. He said, “I want to pay for dinner.”He insisted on paying for dinner.

Reporting Multiple Sentences

Reported speech can involve reporting multiple sentences. Here’s an example:

37. She said, “I had a long day at work. Then I went shopping.”She said that she had had a long day at work and then had gone shopping.

Reporting Questions with If

In reported speech, questions with ‘if’ can be tricky. Let’s look at an example:

38. Tom asked, “If you see her, will you tell her to call me?”Tom asked if I would tell her to call him if I saw her.

Reporting Imperative Sentences with ‘To’

Imperative sentences with ‘to’ can also be reported:

39. The coach said, “To win, you must work as a team.”The coach said that to win, we must work as a team.

Reporting Speech in Literature

Reported speech is widely used in literature to convey character dialogues and thoughts. Here’s an example from a famous novel:

40. Atticus said, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.”Atticus said that you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.

Reporting Speech in News

Reported speech is essential in journalism to relay statements made by individuals or authorities. Example:

41. (News report): The president said, “We are committed to economic reforms.”The president stated that they were committed to economic reforms.

Reporting Speech in Business

In the business world, reported speech is used in meetings, emails, and presentations. Example:

42. (In a business meeting): The CEO said, “We need to focus on innovation.”The CEO emphasized the need to focus on innovation.

Reporting Speech in Everyday Conversations

Reported speech is a common feature of everyday conversations. Examples:

43. She said, “I’ll meet you at the cafe at 3 PM.”She mentioned that she would meet me at the cafe at 3 p.m.
44. He said, “They have the best pizza in town.”He praised their pizza, mentioning that they had the best in town.

Reporting Speech in Academic Writing

In academic writing, reported speech is used to cite sources and present research findings. Example:

45. (Academic paper): The researcher stated, “Our findings suggest a strong correlation.”The researcher’s statement indicated a strong correlation.

Reporting Speech in Legal Documents

Legal documents often rely on precise reporting of statements. Example:

46. (Legal contract): The parties agree, “This contract shall be binding.”The contract states that it shall be binding.

Reporting Speech in Diplomacy

In international diplomacy, reported speech is vital for conveying diplomatic messages. Example:

47. (Diplomatic statement): The ambassador said, “We seek peaceful negotiations.”The ambassador expressed the intention to seek peaceful negotiations.

Reporting Speech in Entertainment

Even in the world of entertainment, reported speech is used for interviews and behind-the-scenes insights. Example:

48. (Interview): The actor said, “Filming this scene was challenging.”The actor revealed that filming that scene had been challenging.

Reporting Speech in Social Media

Social media platforms often involve sharing reported speech. Example:

49. (Social media post): She posted, “Just had the best vacation ever!”She shared that she had just had the best vacation ever.

Reporting Speech in Technology

In the tech industry, reported speech is used to convey announcements and product updates. Example:

50. (Tech announcement): The company CEO said, “We are launching a new software update.”The company CEO announced the launch of a new software update.

• Reported speech serves as a valuable tool for clear and effective communication, enabling us to engage in diverse conversations, convey information accurately, and participate in various fields, from literature to business and beyond.

• Incorporating these 50 examples into your language repertoire will undoubtedly elevate your communication skills. Whether you’re engaging in everyday conversations, academic writing, or business meetings, reported speech remains a valuable skill for effective communication.