If we want to avoid mentioning the generalised agents we, they, people, everybody, one etc. with reporting verbs, we can use the following passive patterns:
In this pattern, the generalised agent + active reporting verb is replaced with it + passive reporting verb:
Everybody knows that my grandfather likes red wine. It is known that my grandfather likes red wine.
In this pattern we start with the subject of the reported clause, which is followed by the passive reporting verb and the to -infinitive form of the verb in the reported clause:
Everybody knows that my grandfather likes red wine. My grandfather is known to like red wine.
The reporting verb ( is known ) is in the same tense as it was in the active sentence ( knows ). The type of to -infinitive we use ( to like ) corresponds to the temporal relationship between the action of reporting and the reported event. This temporal relationship can be of two basic types:
The reporting and the reported event happen simultaneously (as in the example above).
The reported event happens before the reporting.
The following table shows examples of reporting verbs which can be used with the patterns above:
Examples of reporting verbs used in the passive voice
Reporting a simultaneous event in the passive voice
Reporting an earlier event in the passive voice
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Related topics.
For timeline diagrams, quotes and exercises, check out our e-book The Grammaring Guide to English Grammar
back in time: from present to past, from past to past perfect, from future to conditional.
Remember:
For the , change the main verb.
For , change the first auxiliary.
From active to
From direct to
You .
.
' also forgetting something important', he said.
He told also forgetting something important. He told also forgetting something important.
Remember that in English you can also use the as the passive subject:
I back.
back. back .
Remember to check the context for information about who and what pronouns and possessives refer to:
' soon give money back', he said.
He told soon give money back. He told soon give money back.
We now.
now.
' beginning to study your problem ,' he said.
He told me beginning to study problem . He told us beginning to study problem .
Get some advanced extra practice turning the sentences below into the passive voice and reported speech (drag the mouse over the space between the square brackets to see the correct answers). Sometimes it is not strictly necessary to change the tenses in reported speech, because the sentences are still true a long time after they were said.
] Reported speech: They said [ ]
] Reported speech: She said [ ]
] Reported speech: The scientist said [ ]
] Reported speech: The minister claimed [ ]
] Reported speech: She asked [ ]
] Reported speech: He asked them [ ]
] Reported speech: He wondered [ ]
] Reported speech: He said [ ]
] Reported speech: The priest said [ ]
] Reported speech: He declared [ ] �������������
In this sentence we should not begin with "If his girlfriend..." because we do not know who is yet. There is also a more natural way of starting rather than "If a girlfriend..."
In the last sentence we cannot use "didn't have to" because "not have to" (= it is not necessary) is not the same as "must not" (= it is not allowed / advisable). The closest modal verb we can use here is "should", because the sentence is really a piece of advice rather than a prohibition.
When to use the passive in english grammar, how to form the passive in english grammar, how to change a sentence from active to passive, the passive in sentences with two objects, personal & impersonal passive, have/get something done, what is the passive voice.
The passive voice in English grammar allows us to make the recipient of the action the focus of the sentence; the person or thing performing the action is unknown, unimportant or obvious. The passive is formed as follows: form of be + past participle .
Learn the difference between the active and passive voice with Lingolia, then put your knowledge to the test in the exercises.
My bike was stolen last night.
The cellar in our building was broken into and several bikes were taken .
I called the police earlier, but they had already been informed by my neighbour.
An investigation is being conducted , but the thief has not been arrested yet.
Any information should be reported to the police.
Active sentences usually follow the subject-verb-object word order and focus on the person or thing performing the action.
In contrast, the passive voice focuses on the action itself. Passive sentences tell us what happens to the recipient of the action.
We use the passive when the person or thing performing the action (known as the agent ) is unknown, unimportant or obvious.
If we want to include the agent of a passive sentence, we use the preposition by .
Passive sentences are formed as follows: form of be + past participle of the main verb .
Only the form of the verb be changes depending on the tense that we are using; the past participle remains the same in every tense.
The table below provides an overview of the passive voice in all of the English tenses .
Tense
Example
The thief .
The thief .
The thief .
The thief .
The thief .
The thief .
The thief .
The thief .
The thief .
The thief should . The thief would
The thief should . The thief would .
The present perfect progressive and the past perfect progressive do not exist in the passive. Instead, we use the simple forms ( present perfect simple and past perfect simple ).
When transforming a sentence from active to passive, we can take a step-by-step approach.
Step 1: identify the object of the sentence and bring it to the front
Step 2: identify the tense and conjugate the verb be accordingly
Step 3: find the past participle of the main verb
Step 4: decide if you need to include the agent
Step 5: if the agent is important, we introduce it using the preposition by .
Because the direct object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence, we can only use transitive verbs in the passive voice (e.g., steal a car, write a book, make a mistake … ). Intransitive verbs do not take a direct object (e.g., arrive, die, go … ) so cannot be used in the passive.
Learn more about the difference between transitive and intransitive verbs.
Table of English Tenses in Active and Passive
Check out the table below to learn how to change active sentences into the passive voice in every tense.
Tense
Active
Passive
Simple Present
Someone my bike.
My bike .
Present Progressive
Someone my bike.
My bike .
Present Perfect
Someone my bike.
My bike .
Simple Past
Someone my bike.
My bike .
Past Progressive
Someone my bike.
My bike .
Past Perfect
Someone my bike.
My bike .
Will Future
Someone my bike.
My bike .
Future with going to
Someone my bike.
My bike .
Future Perfect
Someone my bike.
My bike .
Infinitive
Someone would my bike. Someone can my bike.
My bike would . My bike can .
Perfect infinitive
Someone would my bike. Someone might my bike.
My bike would . My bike might .
Certain verbs like ask, give, offer, pay, send, show etc. are used with two objects. Usually, one is a person (indirect object) and the other is a thing (direct object).
In the active voice, these sentences can be expressed in two different ways:
This is the same in the passive voice; either object can become the subject of the passive sentence.
Changing object pronouns to subject pronouns
When the indirect object of an active sentence is an object pronoun (me, you, him, her …), we must change it to a subject pronoun in the passive voice.
Active Voice
Object Pronoun
Subject Pronoun
Passive Voice
They told about the crime.
me
I
was told about the crime.
They told about the crime.
you
you
were told about the crime.
They told her about the crime.
her
she
She was told about the crime.
They told him about the crime.
him
he
He was told about the crime.
They reported it to the police.
it
it
It was reported to the police.
They told us about the crime.
us
we
We were told about the crime.
They told them about the crime.
them
they
They were told about the crime.
In formal situations such as news reports or academic articles, we use reporting verbs and verbs of speech and thought in the passive voice to express information in a neutral, unbiased way.
Common verbs: agree, announce, assume, believe, claim, consider, declare, expect, feel, find, know, mention, say, suppose, think, and understand .
Such sentences can start with it (impersonal passive) or with the subject (personal passive) .
Impersonal Passive
Sentences in the impersonal passive begin with it: it is said/believed/agreed etc. + that + clause.
Note: in the impersonal form, only the reporting verb is formed in the passive voice; the rest of the sentence stays the same.
Personal Passive
Sentences in the personal passive begin with the subject and contain an infinitive clause: subject + is said/believed/thought etc. + to + infinitive.
We use the perfect infinitive (have + past participle ) after the reporting verb to refer to the past.
We can also form the passive with have/get + object + past participle . (Note: g et is more informal than have).
We use this form when someone else does something for us, particularly in the context of paid services.
Like with a standard passive, the agent of the action is unknown or unimportant; the focus is on the action itself.
If we want to include the agent, we use by .
We can use this structure in every tense:
This passive structure is a type of causative.
You can learn more on our page all about causative structures with have and get .
Passive with have
In addition to services, the passive with have has an extra meaning.
We use have + object + past participle to express an experience that was negative, painful or unpleasant.
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English Grammar
Reported Speech
Reported Speech - Definition, Rules and Usage with Examples
Reported speech or indirect speech is the form of speech used to convey what was said by someone at some point of time. This article will help you with all that you need to know about reported speech, its meaning, definition, how and when to use them along with examples. Furthermore, try out the practice questions given to check how far you have understood the topic.
Table of Contents
Definition of reported speech, rules to be followed when using reported speech, table 1 – change of pronouns, table 2 – change of adverbs of place and adverbs of time, table 3 – change of tense, table 4 – change of modal verbs, tips to practise reported speech, examples of reported speech, check your understanding of reported speech, frequently asked questions on reported speech in english, what is reported speech.
Reported speech is the form in which one can convey a message said by oneself or someone else, mostly in the past. It can also be said to be the third person view of what someone has said. In this form of speech, you need not use quotation marks as you are not quoting the exact words spoken by the speaker, but just conveying the message.
Now, take a look at the following dictionary definitions for a clearer idea of what it is.
Reported speech, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a report of what somebody has said that does not use their exact words.” The Collins Dictionary defines reported speech as “speech which tells you what someone said, but does not use the person’s actual words.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, reported speech is defined as “the act of reporting something that was said, but not using exactly the same words.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines reported speech as “the words that you use to report what someone else has said.”
Reported speech is a little different from direct speech . As it has been discussed already, reported speech is used to tell what someone said and does not use the exact words of the speaker. Take a look at the following rules so that you can make use of reported speech effectively.
The first thing you have to keep in mind is that you need not use any quotation marks as you are not using the exact words of the speaker.
You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech.
Subject said that (report whatever the speaker said)
You can use verbs like said, asked, requested, ordered, complained, exclaimed, screamed, told, etc. If you are just reporting a declarative sentence , you can use verbs like told, said, etc. followed by ‘that’ and end the sentence with a full stop . When you are reporting interrogative sentences, you can use the verbs – enquired, inquired, asked, etc. and remove the question mark . In case you are reporting imperative sentences , you can use verbs like requested, commanded, pleaded, ordered, etc. If you are reporting exclamatory sentences , you can use the verb exclaimed and remove the exclamation mark . Remember that the structure of the sentences also changes accordingly.
Furthermore, keep in mind that the sentence structure , tense , pronouns , modal verbs , some specific adverbs of place and adverbs of time change when a sentence is transformed into indirect/reported speech.
Transforming Direct Speech into Reported Speech
As discussed earlier, when transforming a sentence from direct speech into reported speech, you will have to change the pronouns, tense and adverbs of time and place used by the speaker. Let us look at the following tables to see how they work.
I
He, she
Me
Him, her
We
They
Us
Them
You
He, she, they
You
Him, her, them
My
His, her
Mine
His, hers
Our
Their
Ours
Theirs
Your
His, her, their
Yours
His, hers, theirs
This
That
These
Those
Here
There
Now
Then
Today
That day
Tomorrow
The next day / The following day
Yesterday
The previous day
Tonight
That night
Last week
The week before
Next week
The week after
Last month
The previous month
Next month
The following month
Last year
The previous year
Next year
The following year
Ago
Before
Thus
So
Simple Present
Example: Preethi said, “I cook pasta.”
Simple Past
Example: Preethi said that she cooked pasta.
Present Continuous
Example: Preethi said, “I am cooking pasta.”
Past Continuous
Example: Preethi said that she was cooking pasta.
Present Perfect
Example: Preethi said, “I have cooked pasta.”
Past Perfect
Example: Preethi said that she had cooked pasta.
Present Perfect
Example: Preethi said, “I have been cooking pasta.”
Past Perfect Continuous
Example: Preethi said that she had been cooking pasta.
Simple Past
Example: Preethi said, “I cooked pasta.”
Past Perfect
Example: Preethi said that she had cooked pasta.
Past Continuous
Example: Preethi said, “I was cooking pasta.”
Past Perfect Continuous
Example: Preethi said that she had been cooking pasta.
Past Perfect
Example: Preethi said, “I had cooked pasta.”
Past Perfect (No change)
Example: Preethi said that she had cooked pasta.
Past Perfect Continuous
Example: Preethi said, “I had been cooking pasta.”
Past Perfect Continuous (No change)
Example: Preethi said that she had been cooking pasta.
Will
Would
May
Might
Can
Could
Shall
Should
Has/Have
Had
Here are some tips you can follow to become a pro in using reported speech.
Select a play, a drama or a short story with dialogues and try transforming the sentences in direct speech into reported speech.
Write about an incident or speak about a day in your life using reported speech.
Develop a story by following prompts or on your own using reported speech.
Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written. Check them out.
Santana said that she would be auditioning for the lead role in Funny Girl.
Blaine requested us to help him with the algebraic equations.
Karishma asked me if I knew where her car keys were.
The judges announced that the Warblers were the winners of the annual acapella competition.
Binsha assured that she would reach Bangalore by 8 p.m.
Kumar said that he had gone to the doctor the previous day.
Lakshmi asked Teena if she would accompany her to the railway station.
Jibin told me that he would help me out after lunch.
The police ordered everyone to leave from the bus stop immediately.
Rahul said that he was drawing a caricature.
Transform the following sentences into reported speech by making the necessary changes.
1. Rachel said, “I have an interview tomorrow.”
2. Mahesh said, “What is he doing?”
3. Sherly said, “My daughter is playing the lead role in the skit.”
4. Dinesh said, “It is a wonderful movie!”
5. Suresh said, “My son is getting married next month.”
6. Preetha said, “Can you please help me with the invitations?”
7. Anna said, “I look forward to meeting you.”
8. The teacher said, “Make sure you complete the homework before tomorrow.”
9. Sylvester said, “I am not going to cry anymore.”
10. Jade said, “My sister is moving to Los Angeles.”
Now, find out if you have answered all of them correctly.
1. Rachel said that she had an interview the next day.
2. Mahesh asked what he was doing.
3. Sherly said that her daughter was playing the lead role in the skit.
4. Dinesh exclaimed that it was a wonderful movie.
5. Suresh said that his son was getting married the following month.
6. Preetha asked if I could help her with the invitations.
7. Anna said that she looked forward to meeting me.
8. The teacher told us to make sure we completed the homework before the next day.
9. Sylvester said that he was not going to cry anymore.
10. Jade said that his sister was moving to Los Angeles.
What is reported speech?
What is the definition of reported speech.
Reported speech, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a report of what somebody has said that does not use their exact words.” The Collins Dictionary defines reported speech as “speech which tells you what someone said, but does not use the person’s actual words.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, reported speech is defined as “the act of reporting something that was said, but not using exactly the same words.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines reported speech as “the words that you use to report what someone else has said.”
What is the formula of reported speech?
You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech. Subject said that (report whatever the speaker said)
Give some examples of reported speech.
Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written.
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Reported Speech: Important Grammar Rules and Examples
Reported speech is a very common aspect of the English language. You use it nearly every day, both in conversations and in writing. This reference covers key sections about reported speech, including what it is, examples, rules, and verb tense changes. You’ll also learn about modal verbs, changes in time and place, and different reporting verbs.
Reported Speech
What Is Reported Speech?
Reported speech is simply when you tell somebody what someone else said. You can do this in your writing, or in speech. Reported speech is very different from direct speech , which is when you show what somebody said in the exact way that they said it . In reported speech though, you do not need to quote somebody directly.
Instead, you use a reporting verb, such as ‘say’ or ‘ask’. These reporting verbs are used to report the speech to someone else. There are many different reporting verbs that can be used.
In short, reported speech is the linguistic technique that you use to tell somebody what someone else’s direct speech was. In reported speech though, you may need to make certain changes to the grammar to make the sentence make sense. Some examples below highlight what needs to be changed.
Reported Speech Examples
When using reported speech, you are usually talking about the past. The verbs, therefore, usually have to be in the past too.
For example :
Direct speech: I’ve lost my umbrella .
Reported speech: He said (that) he had lost his umbrella.
Another example :
Direct speech: She is doing her homework .
Reported speech: He said (that) she was doing her homework.
Table of Changes :
Direct Speech
Reported Speech
I am
He said he was
I have
She said she had
I will
They said they would
Reported Speech Rules
Verb tense changes in reported speech.
When the reporting verb is in the present tense, only small changes are needed.
Direct speech: I like dogs.
Reported speech: She says she likes dogs.
When the reporting verb is in the past tense, you need to change the tense of both the reporting verb and the main verb.
Reported speech: She said she liked dogs.
The tenses generally move backward as follows:
Direct Speech
Reported Speech
Past Simple
Present Continuous
Past Continuous
Past Perfect
Past Simple
Past Perfect
Past Continuous
Past Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect
Past Perfect (remains unchanged)
For sentences about the future, you also need to change the future verbs.
Direct speech: I shall leave in a moment.
Reported speech: She said that she would leave in a moment.
Here are the changes for future tenses:
Direct Speech
Reported Speech
Will
Would
Will be
Would be
Will have
Would have
Will have been
Would have been
Modal Verbs and Reported Speech
Modal verbs also change when used in reported speech.
Direct Speech
Reported Speech
Can
Could
Could
Could (unchanged)
Have to
Had to
Must
Must/Had to
May
Might
Might
Might (unchanged)
Should
Should (unchanged)
Direct speech: Will I see you later?
Reported speech: He asked if he would see me later.
Some modal verbs do not need to change tense because they fit naturally.
Direct speech: I should go to the park.
Reported speech: He told me he should go to the park.
Here are both correct and incorrect examples of reported speech for clarity:
Reported speech: He told me he should go to the park.
Reported speech: He said he should go to the park.
Incorrect reported speech: He told he should go to the park.
Incorrect reported speech: He said me he should go to the park.
To correct these:
Add ‘me’: He told me he should go to the park.
Remove ‘me’ or add ‘to’: He said he should go to the park or He said to me he should go to the park.
Direct and Indirect Speech
Changes in time and place in reported speech.
References to time and place often need to change when you use indirect speech. Here is a useful guide to these changes:
Direct Speech
Indirect Speech
Now
Then
Today
That day
Here
There
This
That
Tomorrow
The following day/ The next day
Next week
The following week/ The week after
Yesterday
The previous day/ The day before
Last week
The previous week/ The week before
Ago
Previously/ Before
Tonight
That night
No Change in Verb Tenses in Reported Speech
In some cases, verb tenses do not change when you report speech indirectly. Here are the key instances:
When the introductory verb is in the present , present perfect , or future .
When the reported sentence deals with a fact or general truth .
When the reported sentence contains a time clause .
If the verb of the sentence is in the unreal past (the second or the third conditional ).
The subjunctive stays unchanged in the subordinate clause .
Had better , could , would , used to , should , might , ought to , and mustn’t remain unchanged.
If the speaker reports something immediately or soon after it was said .
Reporting Verbs in Indirect Speech
Reporting verbs are crucial in indirect speech. Here is a list categorized by their usage:
Verb + “ing” form : Admit (to), accuse somebody of, apologize for, boast about/of, complain to somebody of, deny, insist on, suggest
Verb + how : Explain to somebody
Reported Questions
When converting questions from direct to indirect speech, you follow rules similar to those for statements. Verbs used include inquire, wonder, want to know, ask.
Reported Commands and Requests
Commands and requests in Indirect Speech are formed using the to-infinitive and not to-infinitive . Common reporting verbs include order, shout, demand, warn, beg, command, tell, insist, beseech , threaten, implore, ask, propose, forbid.
Pronoun and tense changes are needed when shifting from direct to indirect speech.
Reported Speech Video
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We can use the passive of a reporting verb in a sentence after an introductory it: It + passive reporting verb + (that) + clause (subject + verb) It is believed that the murderer is no longer in the country.
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1) A passive reporting structure can take this form: It + passive reporting verb + that-clause. For example: It is known that the sky is blue; It is known that the criminal escaped
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What is the passivevoice? In general, the active voice makes your writing stronger, more direct, and, you guessed it, more active. The subject is something, or it does the action of the verb in the sentence. With the passive voice, the subject is acted upon by some other performer of the verb.
Passive voice VS reported speech - IES MODESTO NAVARRO
---> reportedspeech we repeat someone's words, but not literally. (We can also transform a sentence in the passivevoice into reportedspeech, or viceversa; the result is the same: Donald Trump said Jerusalem had been declared the capital of Israel.) Let's revise how these transformations are done. In the example below, there is only one verb:
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Reporting and summarising. When we want to report what people say, we don't usually try to report their exact words. We usually give a summary, for example: Direct speech (exact words): Mary: Oh dear. We've been walking for hours!
The passive with reporting verbs - Test-English
Reporting verbs are verbs of saying or believing, such as agree, announce, believe, claim, consider, expect, hope, know, report, say, suggest, think, understand, etc. And we can use their passive form for distancing in two different ways. Check the examples below: It is said that they are in Las Vegas. They are said to be in Las Vegas.
Passive Voice in English Grammar - Lingolia
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Reported Speech - Definition, Rules and Usage with Examples
Reportedspeech or indirect speech is the form of speech used to convey what was said by someone at some point of time. This article will help you with all that you need to know about reportedspeech, its meaning, definition, how and when to use them along with examples.
Reported Speech: Important Grammar Rules and Examples • 7ESL
SHARES. Reportedspeech is a very common aspect of the English language. You use it nearly every day, both in conversations and in writing. This reference covers key sections about reported speech, including what it is, examples, rules, and verb tense changes.
COMMENTS
Learn how to use passive voice with reporting verbs in indirect speech. See examples of different patterns and reporting verbs with passive voice.
We can use the passive of a reporting verb in a sentence after an introductory it: It + passive reporting verb + (that) + clause (subject + verb) It is believed that the murderer is no longer in the country.
1) A passive reporting structure can take this form: It + passive reporting verb + that-clause. For example: It is known that the sky is blue; It is known that the criminal escaped
What is the passive voice? In general, the active voice makes your writing stronger, more direct, and, you guessed it, more active. The subject is something, or it does the action of the verb in the sentence. With the passive voice, the subject is acted upon by some other performer of the verb.
---> reported speech we repeat someone's words, but not literally. (We can also transform a sentence in the passive voice into reported speech, or viceversa; the result is the same: Donald Trump said Jerusalem had been declared the capital of Israel.) Let's revise how these transformations are done. In the example below, there is only one verb:
Reporting and summarising. When we want to report what people say, we don't usually try to report their exact words. We usually give a summary, for example: Direct speech (exact words): Mary: Oh dear. We've been walking for hours!
Reporting verbs are verbs of saying or believing, such as agree, announce, believe, claim, consider, expect, hope, know, report, say, suggest, think, understand, etc. And we can use their passive form for distancing in two different ways. Check the examples below: It is said that they are in Las Vegas. They are said to be in Las Vegas.
In English grammar, we use the passive to avoid saying who or what performed an action. It is conjugated with the formula: form of be + past participle. Learn the rules for conjugating the passive voice online with Lingolia. In the free exercises, you can practise writing the passive voice.
Reported speech or indirect speech is the form of speech used to convey what was said by someone at some point of time. This article will help you with all that you need to know about reported speech, its meaning, definition, how and when to use them along with examples.
SHARES. Reported speech is a very common aspect of the English language. You use it nearly every day, both in conversations and in writing. This reference covers key sections about reported speech, including what it is, examples, rules, and verb tense changes.