reported speech

If we report what another person has said, we usually do not use the speaker’s exact words (direct speech), but reported (indirect) speech.

Direct Speech / Quoted Speech

Saying exactly what someone has said is called direct speech (sometimes called quoted speech)

Here what a person says appears within quotation marks ("...") and should be word for word.

Indirect Speech / Reported Speech

Indirect speech (sometimes called reported speech), doesn't use quotation marks to enclose what the person said and it doesn't have to be word for word.

When reporting speech the tense usually changes. This is because when we use reported speech, we are usually talking about a time in the past (because obviously the person who spoke originally spoke in the past). The verbs therefore usually have to be in the past too.

For example:

Direct speech / Quoted speech                                  Indirect speech / Reported speech

"I'm going to the cinema," he said                            He said he was going to the cinema

"We could go to the cinema," he thought.              He thought we could go to the cinema.

Reporting verb

1. SAY
Let's look first at the verbs we've already talked about. The basic verb pattern for using 'say' for reported speech is:
say + (that) + clause

She said (that) she had already eaten.

(The direct speech for this is "I've already eaten".)

2. TELL
On the other hand, with 'tell' we need to use an object, a person who we tell the information to. See also my page about the difference between 'say' and 'tell' here.
tell + someone + (that) + clause

I told John (that) I had seen the new film.

(The direct speech for this is "I've seen the new film".)

When we are reporting orders, we can also use another pattern with 'tell':

tell + someone + to + infinitive

She told the children to go to bed.

3 ASK
We use 'ask' to report questions or requests. For questions we use the pattern:
ask + someone + if / question word + clause

I asked my boss if I could leave early.

She asked them where the station was.

For requests we use the pattern:
ask + someone + to + infinitive

I asked Lucy to pass me the salt.

(Remember, my first two examples with 'ask' are no longer real questions, so we use the normal sentence word order. We don't use inversion. We say 'she asked them where the station was', NOT 'she asked them where was the station'. You can read more about this on my page about indirect questions and on my page about reported speech.)

Other reporting verbs follow a variety of patterns. I'm afraid there aren't any rules about which verbs follow which patterns. You need to learn each one.

4: ADVICE
(= Give someone advice. Notice the different spelling for the verb and the noun.)
Advise + someone + to + infinitive

She advised him to see a doctor.

Advise + (that) + clause

The staff advise that you carry water at all times.

Advise + against + verb-ing

I'd advise against leaving early.

5: AGREE
Agree + to + infinitive

We agreed to meet the following day.

Agree + (that) + clause

I agreed that the children could do their homework later.

6: APOLOGIZE
Apologize + (to + someone) + for + verb-ing

They apologized to us for being late.

She apologized for forgetting the book.

Apologize (+ to + someone) + for + noun

She apologized for the delay.

7: DECIDE
Decide + to + infinitive

They decided to go to the cinema.

Decide + (that) + clause

They decided that they would go to the cinema.

8: ENCOURAGE
Encourage + someone + to + infinitive

She encouraged him to take the exam again.

The teacher encouraged the students to ask questions.

9: EXPLAIN
Explain + (that) + clause

The teacher explained that the course was finished.

Explain + noun + to + someone

She explained the grammar to the students.

NOT: She explained me the grammar.

Explain + question word + to + infinitive

They explained how to buy a train ticket on the internet.

John explained where to find the restaurant.

Explain + question word + clause

We explained what the exams would cover.

10: INSIST*
Insist + on + verb-ing

He insisted on paying.

Insist + (that) + clause

He insisted that we sit down.

11: PROMISE
Promise + to + infinitive

He promised to arrive early.

Promise + (someone) + (that) + clause

I promised him that I wouldn't do it again.

12: RECOMMEND*
Recommend + verb-ing

I recommend visiting the British Museum while you're in London.

Recommend + (that) + clause

I recommend that you visit the British Museum

13: REMIND
Remind + someone + to + infinitive

She reminded him to take his keys.

Remind + someone + (that) + clause

They reminded me that there is a party tonight.

14: SUGGEST*
Suggest + verb-ing

I suggest leaving soon

Suggest + (that) + clause

I suggest that you come as soon as you can.

NOT: I suggest him to come.

15: WARN
Warn + someone + (not) + to + infinitive

I warned them not to go in the water.

Warn + someone + about + something

She warned us about the dangerous roads

Time Expressions with Reported Speech

Sometimes when we change direct speech into reported speech we have to change time expressions too. We don't always have to do this, however. It depends on when we heard the direct speech and when we say the reported speech.

For example:
It's Monday. Julie says "I'm leaving today".
If I tell someone on Monday, I say "Julie said she was leaving today".
If I tell someone on Tuesday, I say "Julie said she was leaving yesterday".
If I tell someone on Wednesday, I say "Julie said she was leaving on Monday".
If I tell someone a month later, I say "Julie said she was leaving that day".

So, there's no easy conversion. You really have to think about when the direct speech was said.

Here's a table of some possible conversions:

now	then / at that time
today	yesterday / that day / Tuesday / the 27th of June
yesterday	the day before yesterday / the day before / Wednesday / the 5th of December
last night	the night before, Thursday night
last week	the week before / the previous week
tomorrow	today / the next day / the following day / Friday

kinds of direct and indirect

That

He said, “we will go to Singapore tomorrow”
He said that they would go to Singapore the next day.
Bob said, ” I’m a university student”
Bob said that he was a university student.

negative

Direct speech                                                                 reported speech

he said “ i want to meet your sister tonight”          he said he wanted to meet my sister that night

they said “ we aren’t studying today                         they said they weren’t studying that day.

Question

Ina asked me, “Do you really love me?”
Ina asked me if/whether I really loved her.

Indirect speech of imperative sentence.

A sentence which expresses command, request, advice or suggestion is called imperative sentence.
For example,
     •  Open the door.
     •  Please help me.
     •  Learn your lesson.

To change such sentences into indirect speech, the word “ordered” or “requested” or “advised” or “suggested” or “forbade” or “not to do” is added to reporting verb depending upon nature of imperative sentence in reported speech.

Examples.
           Direct speech: He said to me, “please help me”
           Indirect Speech: He requested me to help him.

exercise

Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note the change of pronouns and tenses.

1. “ where is my umbrella?”she asked.

She asked……………………………………..

2. “ how are you?”Martin asked us.

Martin asked us…………………………

3. he asked,”Do I have to do it?”

he asked………………………………

4. “ where have you been?”the mother asked her daughter.

The mother asked her daughter………………………………………

5. “ which dress do you like best?”she asked her boyfriend.

She asked her boyfriend…………………………………………………

http://www.edufind.com/english-grammar/tense-changes-when-using-reported-speech/

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/reported.htm

https://learningenglishgrammar.wordpress.com/direct-and-indirect-speech-positive-and-negative-questions/

http://triicecsfabregas.blogspot.co.id/2012/03/direct-and-indirect-speech.html