Reported Speech

• Reported speech (also called indirect speech) is used to report what someone said without quoting their exact words.
• When converting direct speech to reported speech, several changes occur: tenses shift back one step (backshift), pronouns change according to the speaker's perspective, and time/place expressions are modified.
• The reporting verbs 'said', 'told', 'asked', and 'explained' introduce the reported clause.
• For statements, we use 'that' (often optional).
• Key tense changes include: Present Simple → Past Simple, Present Continuous → Past Continuous, Present Perfect → Past Perfect, Past Simple → Past Perfect, Will → Would, Can → Could.
• These changes reflect the time difference between the original statement and the reporting moment.

Reported questions and commands follow special patterns. For questions, use 'asked' or 'wanted to know', remove the question mark, and adjust word order to statement form (subject before verb). Yes/No questions use 'if' or 'whether' to introduce the reported clause.

Wh-questions keep the question word but change to statement word order. For commands and requests, use reporting verbs like 'told', 'ordered', 'asked', or 'requested' followed by object + infinitive (to + base verb). Negative commands use 'not to + verb'.

The infinitive form doesn't change tense. Modal verbs in questions follow standard backshift rules. Remember to change pronouns and time expressions appropriately in all reported questions and commands.