Reported speech?

Reported speech is when someone reports or recounts what another person has said, without quoting their exact words. It is often used in writing and conversation to convey information or relay a message from one person to another. Reported speech typically involves changing the tense, pronouns, and other elements of the original statement to fit the context in which it is being reported.

Reported speech is an indirect way of reporting what someone said. Instead of using the exact words the person spoke, you paraphrase their words and use reporting verbs such as "said," "told," "asked," and "replied."

For example, instead of saying "He said, 'I'm going to the store,'" you would say "He said he was going to the store."

There are two main types of reported speech:

- Direct reported speech: This is when you report someone's words exactly as they said them. You use quotation marks to indicate the start and end of the quotation.
- Indirect reported speech: This is when you paraphrase someone's words and use your own grammar and vocabulary. You do not use quotation marks.

Here is a table summarizing the key differences between direct and indirect reported speech:

| Feature | Direct Reported Speech | Indirect Reported Speech |
|---|---|---|
| Use of quotation marks | Yes | No |
| Grammar | Present tense | Past tense |
| Vocabulary | Exact words used by the speaker | Paraphrased words |

Examples of reported speech:

- Direct reported speech: "I'm going to the store," he said.
- Indirect reported speech: He said he was going to the store.
- Direct reported speech: "Can you help me?" she asked.
- Indirect reported speech: She asked if I could help her.
- Direct reported speech: "I don't know," he replied.
- Indirect reported speech: He said he didn't know.

Reported speech is a useful tool for summarizing and paraphrasing what someone said. It can also be used to create more objective and formal reports of conversations.