reported speech unit 14

English Grammar Step by Step

     UNIT 26 - The key      REPORTED SPEECH

1 a The man said (that) the train left in ten minutes b He said (that) that evening they played at home, but (that) the following/next week 1 they played away c They said (that) it was no use investing more money in the company d She said (that) she was astounded to hear such remarks e She said (that) stress underlay many diseases of modern times

2 a He said to me/He told me (that) they were going from bad to worse b She said that things were looking up c He said to them/He told them (that) they were always moaning and groaning d He said (that) she was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a black blouse e She said (that) she was having an important appointment in fifteen minutes

3 a She told me/She said to me (that) she had purchased a mansion b They answered (that) they had run ten kilometres so far c She said (that) she hadn't finished reading the book yet d He told Mrs Smith/He said to Mrs Smith (that) her daughter had not come to class that day e He added that it was the second time she hadn't come to class that week

4 a He remarked that they had been trafficking in stolen good for over ten years b They said (that) they had been walking for two hours without stopping c His mother said (that) he had been learning Arabic for two years d He said (that) it had been snowing for the last two hours e She said angrily that they had been pulling her leg since they (had) arrived there

5 a She said (that) that morning she had been late because she had got stuck in heavy traffic b He said (that) they had suffered a defeat against Germany, since/as/because Germany had won by two goals to one c They said (that) he had set his vicious dog on them d They admitted (that) they had learnt a sharp lesson from the/that experience e He declared that he hadn't committed the crime

6 a He said (that) she was sitting on a bench when he saw her b He said (that) he was sunbathing when it started to cloud over c He said (that) he had gone/went out of the cinema before the film had been/was over, as/since/because he hadn't liked the film at all d They said (that) the reason why they hadn't bought the house was because it was in ruins e They added that it was also too far from the city centre

7 a He said (that) he had never done such a thing in his life b They said (that) they had always known that/it c I said (that) I had just left them at home d He said that he had always wanted a car like that e She said (that) they had always longed for a house of their own

8 a They said (that) they had been picking apples for over a month b He said that somebody had been eating his homemade pastries c Their mother said (that) they had been taking driving recently d The colonel said that somebody had been giving secret information to the enemy e She said (that) she had been teaching French for a long time

9 a My employer said (that) I could take the day off b He admmitted (that) I might be right c They promised (that) they wouldn't do it again d The old man said angrily that they would pay for it e He told his wife (that) he couldn't live without her

10 a She said (that) she wouldn't have left her car unlocked b She said (that) I might have been hurt c His mother said (that) they ought to have phoned them up d He said (that) they could have got lost e They said (that) they used to play truant

11 a He added that we are a past result b He said (that) he had broken my beer glass c She said (that) she couldn't abide him, as/since/because he was so/very selfish d He said (that) it was no good talking about the/that issue e We told John/We said to John (that) we would go with him f Her husband said (that) after taking two glasses of whisky, she (had) unbent a little g He said (that) he had had a hunch that she would come with him h She said (that) it/that would create a precedent i I assure you that what I have just done will establish a precedent j He remarked that he had been thinking of getting rid of his cottage, but that he (had) changed his mind when he realised that it would double its value in a few years k He said that when he mentioned his boss that he was very left, it was like a red rag to a bull, as/since/because he is/was a right-wing extremist l He pointed out that it was getting late m He told me (that) he was of humble birth, but (that) his girl-friend was of noble birth n I said to John/I told John (that) the previous year/the year before I was still at the high school o He remarked that it had gone ten p She said (that) she was sorry, but (that) she would be on duty then q He said (that) she would like to cash some traveller's cheques r He said (that) he had switched on the ignition, but (that) the car wouldn't start s She said (that) she would have to go to Germany the next/following summer to polish up her German t She said (that) she had bought it in a DIY shop the previous week/the week before u They said (that) they had never seen the sea before v They said (that) they couldn't come then/at that moment, as/since/because they were very busy w She said (that) they had no time to lose, as/since/because time was pressing x She said (that) she had had a terrible backache the previous night/the night before, but (that) she had rubbed some medicinal oil that she had just bought into her back, and (that) then/at that moment the pain had worn off y He said (that) his heart was/had been in his mouth when he received their letter, as/since/because he had been waiting for an answer to his application for the job z I said to him/I told him (that) I had taken his by mistake

12 a She asked (me) what was wrong with me/She wanted to know 2 what was wrong with me b They asked (me) if/whether I had ever been to Alaska c He enquired/asked where I had picked up that bit of information d She asked (me) if/whether I had seen her eyeliner anywhere e She asked who lived next door

13 a They asked (us) what we were talking about b We answered (that) we were talking about politics c She said (that) the death penalty should be abolished everywhere d He inquired/asked what the purpose of our stay there was e I asked (her) when she was going to tell him f She said (that) her dog had been run over by a lorry the night before/the previous night g He asked his secretary if/whether she could bring him the files he needed h They said (that) they used to live in a large house when they were in Glasgow i He said that when he entered the house, he found her tied up in the kitchen, so he unbound her j She said (that) they might have heard me k They asked us if/whether we could direct them to Piccadilly Circus l They asked if/whether there was a bank near there m He asked where Park Lane was n He wondered if/whether there was any use his explaining everything to them o She said (that) asking her father to give you money was like trying to get blood out of a stone p He asked what the use of insulting them was, as/since/ because it would only make things worse q She asked (me) what had happened to me two days before r He wondered how many hours of hard work would be needed s He inquired/asked how many cans of beer she had bought t She answered that twenty u She said (that) she had just got cramp in her leg/She said (that) she had got cramp in her leg a moment before v He said (that) his foot had gone to sleep w He asked what time it was/He asked the time x He told Delia/He said to Delia (that) they couldn't do without her the following/next day y He asked (me) how I had got away with the money z He said angrily that they had been playing that horrendous music for hours on end, and (that) he wished they would stop playing it

14 a The priest told his parishioner to say five Hail Marys and two Our Fathers for his/her sins b The dying man warned us to beware of vampires c The captain ordered his men to cease fire d She advised/told me not to give up e He pleaded with her not to kill him

15 a She ordered me to take them there at once b He said (that) he hadn't slept a wink the previous night/the night before, as/since/because he had had an awful stomack-ache the whole night c He begged/told me not to put on the TV, as/since/because he had a terrible headache d She told Peter/She said to Peter that his shoelace had come lose, and advised him to do it up before he had an accident e He inquired/asked how much milk was produced there f She warned him not to go there all on his own g He asked (me) if/whether I could tell him where the post office was h He said to them/He told them (that) she had snuffed it the previous year/the year before, and (that) they should have come to see her as soon as they received her letter, as/since/because she would have like to talk to them before kicking the bucket i She said (that) she had lost the top of her pen, and asked (me) if/whether I had seen it anywhere j She begged her mother to sit down k He told/advised me not to drink any more l My mother told/advised me to stop eating chocolates, as/since/because I was putting on weight m He asked them how long they had been in New York n She said (that) her husband had been knocked over by a van two days before, but (that), fortunately, he hadn't been seriously hurt o He inquired/asked how many people came/went to the/that place every day p They asked her if/whether she was attending evening classes q She asked him to stop nosing around in her room r He said (that) he could smell of burning, and asked if/whether there was anything on the stove s They said (that) she had miracously vanished when they looked for her/They said that when they looked for her, she had miracously vanished t He warned/told me not wash the/that beige blouse in hot water, as/since/because it would fade u She responded that it was easier said than done v They said (that) their car had seen better days, but (that) they hadn't/didn't have enough money to buy a new one, so they would have to do with it w She begged/asked/told me to bring/take her some water x He said (that) they wouldn't be coming the following/next morning, as/since/because their father was terribly ill y They told me not to pry into their affairs z He asked whose the/that lighter was/whose lighter it/that was

16 a She asked me my age b His father reminded him to phone them when he arrived c She invited me to come to the theatre with her d She suggested going to the zoo/She suggested that we should go to the zoo e He advised her not to take sleeping pills

17 a He said (that) it was time they went home b They said to/told her (that) they would rather she stayed there c They said (that) she behaved as if she were going to win the beauty constest d He said (that) he wished he could change her mind e She said (that) she wished they hadn't closed the/that street

18 a She said to/She told them (that) if she had had the money, she would have lent it to them b She said (that) if they gave her the grant, she would lend me the money I needed c He said (that) if she were put behind bars, he would wait for her d He said (that) if he hadn't had such a bad cough, he wouldn't have stayed in bed e They asked her what she would do if she were to win the lottery

19 a The sergeant said (that) they had to/must/would have to reatreat as their men were falling like flies b She asked her mother if/whether she was to do/had to do the shopping c The teacher said that I was not to skip/must not skip any classes from then on/The teacher told me not to skip any classes from then on d He said (that) I needn't have washed the dishes, as/since/because the dishwasher could have done it e Her grandmother said that when her father came, she was to/must/would have to tell him what she had just told her

20 a He thanked me (effusively) b She suggested going for a swim in the sea/She suggested that they should go for a swim in the sea c She asked Paul for a cigarette/She asked Paul if he could give her a cigarette, as/since/because she had run out d She said to/She told her pupils (that) they needn't do/didn't need to do/didn't have to do all the exercises for the following/next day e They said (that) their morale was fading away as they were getting further ahead f She advised them to take things easy/She said to them/She told them that they ought to take things easy g She reminded them (that) the/that street had been blocked off that afternoon h She said (that) I looked as if a monster had attacked me i She asked a man in the street (if he had) the time j She said (that) she wished she could stop time, as/since/because it went by too quickly k She said (that) her husband ate like a horse and drank like a fish, and advised me not to invite him for dinner at that restaurant, as/since/because it would cost me a fortune l His mother reminded him to meet her at the airport m She pointed out that she would like to find out what lay behind all the/that matter n She whispered in her girlfriend's ear that he was really good-looking o She said (that) she would marry him if he asked her to/She said that if she asked her to marry, she would, as/since/because she was head over heels in love with him p She offered me a coke q He asked (her) for advice/He asked her advice r She asked her father if she had to/was to do the cooking that night s He wanted me/He asked me to give him another chance, but I said (that) I couldn't, as/since/because it was already too late t Her doctor advised her not to overeat/Her doctor said that she must not/was not to overeat, as/since/because she needed to lose weight urgently u He advised her to go to university/He said to her/He told her that if he were in her shoes, he would go to university v Alan said that if she did not turn up soon, they would have to/must continue without her w He said (that) I needn't/didn't have to/didn't need to answer him that day, as/since/because I could do it the following/next day x He said (that) his wife's physical beauty might have faded, but not her inner beauty, as/since/because she would always be the most beautiful person on earth y They told him not to be such a wimp z She said (that) it was time she gave them a piece of her mind

Author: Miquel Molina i Diez

Pages: Page 1">1 , Page 2">2 , and the key

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    Contents

    Introduction

    Notes

1    Negative and interrogative sentences ( Page 2">Page 2 and the key">the key )

2    Short answers ( Page 2">Page 2 and the key">the key )

3    Question tags ( Page 2">Page 2 and the key">the key )

4    Questions and exclamations ( Page 2">Page 2 and the key">the key )

5    So, neither, nor, either ( the key">the key )

6    Be, used to, would, be/get/become used to, dare, have, get, become, grow, go, turn, fall and feel ( Page 2">Page 2 and the key">the key )

7    Verb tenses: forms ( Page 2">Page 2 and the key">the key )

8    Irregular verbs

9    Verb tenses: uses ( Page 2">Page 2 , Page 3">Page 3 , Page 4">Page 4 , Page 5">Page 5 and the key">the key )

10   Personal pronouns, possessives and reflexive pronouns ( Page 2">Page 2 and the key">the key )

11   The genitive case ( the key">the key )

12   Singular and plural nouns ( Page 2">Page 2 and the key">the key )

13   Gender ( the key">the key )

14   A, an, some, any, no, not, none, each, every and the; compounds of some, any, no and every ( Page 2">Page 2 , Page 3">Page 3 and the key">the key )

15   Neither, not...either, none, not...any, both and all ( the key">the key )

16   A few, few, a lot, lots, a little, little, many, much, no and plenty ( the key">the key )

17   Enough, too, so and such ( the key">the key )

18   Comparative and superlative sentences ( Page 2">Page 2 and the key">the key )

19   Adjective order ( the key">the key )

20   Relative clauses ( Page 2">Page 2 and the key">the key )

21   Do and make ( the key">the key )

22   Modal verbs ( Page 2">Page 2 , Page 3">Page 3 and the key">the key )

23   Infinitives, gerunds and present participles ( Page 2">Page 2 and the key">the key )

24   Conditional sentences ( Page 2">Page 2 and the key">the key )

25   Passive sentences ( the key">the key )

26   Reported speech ( Page 2">Page 2 and the key">the key )

27   Purpose ( the key">the key )

28   Word order ( the key">the key )

29   Inversion ( the key">the key )

30   Connectors ( Page 2">Page 2 and the key">the key )

31   Prepositions ( Page 2">Page 2 , Page 3">Page 3 and the key">the key )

32   Phrasal verbs ( the key">the key )

Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)

Exercises on 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. Therefore, you need to learn how to transform direct speech into reported speech. The structure is a little different depending on whether you want to transform a statement, question or request.

When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:

• present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
• place and time expressions
• tenses (backshift)

→ more on statements in reported speech

When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:

Also note that you have to:

• transform the question into an indirect question
• use the interrogative or if / whether

→ more on questions in reported speech

→ more on requests in reported speech

Additional Information and Exeptions

Apart from the above mentioned basic rules, there are further aspects that you should keep in mind, for example:

• main clauses connected with and / but
• tense of the introductory clause
• reported speech for difficult tenses
• exeptions for backshift
• requests with must , should , ought to and let’s

→ more on additional information and exeptions in reported speech

Statements in Reported Speech

• no backshift – change of pronouns
• no backshift – change of pronouns and places
• with backshift
• with backshift and change of place and time expressions

Questions in Reported Speech

Requests in reported speech.

• Exercise 1 – requests (positive)
• Exercise 2 – requests (negative)
• Exercise 3 – requests (mixed)

Mixed Exercises on Reported Speech

• Exercise on reported speech with and without backshift

Grammar in Texts

• „ The Canterville Ghost “ (highlight direct speech and reported speech)

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Reported Speech in English

“Reported speech” might sound fancy, but it isn’t that complicated.

It’s just how you talk about what someone said.

Luckily, it’s pretty simple to learn the basics in English, beginning with the two types of reported speech: direct (reporting the exact words someone said) and indirect (reporting what someone said without using their exact words ).

Read this post to learn how to report speech, with tips and tricks for each, plenty of examples and a resources section that tells you about real world resources you can use to practice reporting speech.

How to Report Direct Speech

How to report indirect speech, reporting questions in indirect speech, verb tenses in indirect reported speech, simple present, present continuous, present perfect, present perfect continuous, simple past, past continuous, past perfect, past perfect continuous, simple future, future continuous, future perfect, future perfect continuous, authentic resources for practicing reported speech, novels and short stories, native english videos, celebrity profiles.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Direct speech refers to the exact words that a person says. You can “report” direct speech in a few different ways.

To see how this works, let’s pretend that I (Elisabeth) told some people that I liked green onions.

Here are some different ways that those people could explain what I said:

Direct speech: “I like green onions,” Elisabeth said.

Direct speech: “I like green onions,” she told me. — In this sentence, we replace my name (Elisabeth) with the pronoun she.

In all of these examples, the part that was said is between quotation marks and is followed by a noun (“she” or “Elisabeth”) and a verb. Each of these verbs (“to say,” “to tell [someone],” “to explain”) are ways to describe someone talking. You can use any verb that refers to speech in this way.

You can also put the noun and verb before what was said.

Direct speech: Elisabeth said, “I like spaghetti.”

The example above would be much more likely to be said out loud than the first set of examples.

Here’s a conversation that might happen between two people:

1: Did you ask her if she liked coffee?

2: Yeah, I asked her.

1: What did she say?

2. She said, “Yeah, I like coffee.” ( Direct speech )

Usually, reporting of direct speech is something you see in writing. It doesn’t happen as often when people are talking to each other. 

Direct reported speech often happens in the past. However, there are all kinds of stories, including journalism pieces, profiles and fiction, where you might see speech reported in the present as well.

This is sometimes done when the author of the piece wants you to feel that you’re experiencing events in the present moment.

For example, a profile of Kristen Stewart in Vanity Fair  has a funny moment that describes how the actress isn’t a very good swimmer:

Direct speech: “I don’t want to enter the water, ever,” she says. “If everyone’s going in the ocean, I’m like, no.”

Here, the speech is reported as though it’s in the present tense (“she says”) instead of in the past (“she said”).

In writing of all kinds, direct reported speech is often split into two or more parts, as it is above.

Here’s an example from Lewis Carroll’s “ Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland ,” where the speech is even more split up:

Direct speech: “I won’t indeed!” said Alice, in a great hurry to change the subject of conversation. “Are you—are you fond—of—of dogs?” The Mouse did not answer, so Alice went on eagerly: “There is such a nice little dog near our house I should like to show you!”

Reporting indirect speech is what happens when you explain what someone said without using their exact words.

Let’s start with an example of direct reported speech like those used above.

Direct speech: Elisabeth said, “I like coffee.”

As indirect reported speech, it looks like this:

Indirect speech: Elisabeth said she liked coffee.

You can see that the subject (“I”) has been changed to “she,” to show who is being spoken about. If I’m reporting the direct speech of someone else, and this person says “I,” I’d repeat their sentence exactly as they said it. If I’m reporting this person’s speech indirectly to someone else, however, I’d speak about them in the third person—using “she,” “he” or “they.”

You may also notice that the tense changes here: If “I like coffee” is what she said, this can become “She liked coffee” in indirect speech.

However, you might just as often hear someone say something like, “She said she likes coffee.” Since people’s likes and preferences tend to change over time and not right away, it makes sense to keep them in the present tense.

Indirect speech often uses the word “that” before what was said:

Indirect speech: She said that she liked coffee.

There’s no real difference between “She said she liked coffee” and “She said that she liked coffee.” However, using “that” can help make the different parts of the sentence clearer.

Let’s look at a few other examples:

Indirect speech: I said I was going outside today.

Indirect speech: They told me that they wanted to order pizza.

Indirect speech: He mentioned it was raining.

Indirect speech: She said that her father was coming over for dinner.

You can see an example of reporting indirect speech in the funny video “ Cell Phone Crashing .” In this video, a traveler in an airport sits down next to another traveler talking on his cell phone. The first traveler pretends to be talking to someone on his phone, but he appears to be responding to the second traveler’s conversation, which leads to this exchange:

Woman: “Are you answering what I’m saying?”

Man “No, no… I’m on the phone with somebody, sorry. I don’t mean to be rude.” (Direct speech)

Woman: “What was that?”

Man: “I just said I was on the phone with somebody.” (Indirect speech)

When reporting questions in indirect speech, you can use words like “whether” or “if” with verbs that show questioning, such as “to ask” or “to wonder.”

Direct speech: She asked, “Is that a new restaurant?”

Indirect speech: She asked if that was a new restaurant. 

In any case where you’re reporting a question, you can say that someone was “wondering” or “wanted to know” something. Notice that these verbs don’t directly show that someone asked a question. They don’t describe an action that happened at a single point in time. But you can usually assume that someone was wondering or wanted to know what they asked.

Indirect speech: She was wondering if that was a new restaurant.

Indirect speech: She wanted to know whether that was a new restaurant.

It can be tricky to know how to use tenses when reporting indirect speech. Let’s break it down, tense by tense.

Sometimes, indirect speech “ backshifts ,” or moves one tense further back into the past. We already saw this in the example from above:

Direct speech: She said, “I like coffee.”

Indirect speech: She said she liked coffee.

Also as mentioned above, backshifting doesn’t always happen. This might seem confusing, but it isn’t that difficult to understand once you start using reported speech regularly.

What tense you use in indirect reported speech often just depends on when what you’re reporting happened or was true.

Let’s look at some examples of how direct speech in certain tenses commonly changes (or doesn’t) when it’s reported as indirect speech.

To learn about all the English tenses (or for a quick review), check out this post .

Direct speech: I said, “I play video games.”

Indirect speech: I said that I played video games (simple past) or I said that I play video games  (simple present).

Backshifting into the past or staying in the present here can change the meaning slightly. If you use the first example, it’s unclear whether or not you still play video games; all we know is that you said you played them in the past.

If you use the second example, though, you probably still play video games (unless you were lying for some reason).

However, the difference in meaning is so small, you can use either one and you won’t have a problem.

Direct speech: I said, “I’m playing video games.”

Indirect speech: I said that I was playing video games (past continuous) or I said that I’m playing video games (present continuous).

In this case, you’d likely use the first example if you were telling a story about something that happened in the past.

You could use the second example to repeat or stress what you just said. For example:

Hey, want to go for a walk?

Direct speech: No, I’m playing video games.

But it’s such a nice day!

Indirect speech: I said that I’m playing video games!

Direct speech: Marie said, “I have read that book.”

Indirect speech: Marie said that she had read that book (past perfect) or Marie said that she has read that book (present perfect).

The past perfect is used a lot in writing and other kinds of narration. This is because it helps point out an exact moment in time when something was true.

The past perfect isn’t quite as useful in conversation, where people are usually more interested in what’s true now. So, in a lot of cases, people would use the second example above when speaking.

Direct speech: She said, “I have been watching that show.”

Indirect speech: She said that she had been watching that show (past perfect continuous) or She said that she has been watching that show (present perfect continuous).

These examples are similar to the others above. You could use the first example whether or not this person was still watching the show, but if you used the second example, it’d probably seem like you either knew or guessed that she was still watching it.

Direct speech: You told me, “I charged my phone.”

Indirect speech: You told me that you had charged your phone (past perfect) or You told me that you charged your phone (simple past).

Here, most people would probably just use the second example, because it’s simpler, and gets across the same meaning.

Direct speech: You told me, “I was charging my phone.”

Indirect speech: You told me that you had been charging your phone (past perfect continuous) or You told me that you were charging your phone (past continuous).

Here, the difference is between whether you had been charging your phone before or were charging your phone at the time. However, a lot of people would still use the second example in either situation.

Direct speech: They explained, “We had bathed the cat on Wednesday.”

Indirect speech: They explained that they had bathed the cat on Wednesday. (past perfect)

Once we start reporting the past perfect tenses, we don’t backshift because there are no tenses to backshift to.

So in this case, it’s simple. The tense stays exactly as is. However, many people might simplify even more and use the simple past, saying, “They explained that they bathed the cat on Wednesday.”

Direct speech: They said, “The cat had been going outside and getting dirty for a long time!”

Indirect speech: They said that the cat had been going outside and getting dirty for a long time. (past perfect continuous)

Again, we don’t shift the tense back here; we leave it like it is. And again, a lot of people would report this speech as, “They said the cat was going outside and getting dirty for a long time.” It’s just a simpler way to say almost the same thing.

Direct speech: I told you, “I will be here no matter what.”

Indirect speech: I told you that I would be here no matter what. (present conditional)

At this point, we don’t just have to think about tenses, but grammatical mood, too. However, the idea is still pretty simple. We use the conditional (with “would”) to show that at the time the words were spoken, the future was uncertain.

In this case, you could also say, “I told you that I will be here no matter what,” but only if you “being here” is still something that you expect to happen in the future.

What matters here is what’s intended. Since this example shows a person reporting their own speech, it’s more likely that they’d want to stress the truth of their own intention, and so they might be more likely to use “will” than “would.”

But if you were reporting someone else’s words, you might be more likely to say something like, “She told me that she would be here no matter what.”

Direct speech: I said, “I’ll be waiting for your call.”

Indirect speech: I said that I would be waiting for your call. (conditional continuous)

These are similar to the above examples, but apply to a continuous or ongoing action.

Direct speech: She said, “I will have learned a lot about myself.”

Indirect speech: She said that she would have learned a lot about herself (conditional perfect) or She said that she will have learned a lot about herself (future perfect).

In this case, using the conditional (as in the first example) suggests that maybe a certain event didn’t happen, or something didn’t turn out as expected.

However, that might not always be the case, especially if this was a sentence that was written in an article or a work of fiction. The second example, however, suggests that the future that’s being talked about still hasn’t happened yet.

Direct speech: She said, “By next Tuesday, I will have been staying inside every day for the past month.”

Indirect speech: She said that by next Tuesday, she would have been staying inside every day for the past month (perfect continuous conditional) or She said that by next Tuesday, she will have been staying inside every day for the past month (past perfect continuous).

Again, in this case, the first example might suggest that the event didn’t happen. Maybe the person didn’t stay inside until next Tuesday! However, this could also just be a way of explaining that at the time she said this in the past, it was uncertain whether she really would stay inside for as long as she thought.

The second example, on the other hand, would only be used if next Tuesday hadn’t happened yet.

Let’s take a look at where you can find resources for practicing reporting speech in the real world.

One of the most common uses for reported speech is in fiction. You’ll find plenty of reported speech in novels and short stories . Look for books that have long sections of text with dialogue marked by quotation marks (“…”). Once you understand the different kinds of reported speech, you can look for it in your reading and use it in your own writing.

Writing your own stories is a great way to get even better at understanding reported speech.

One of the best ways to practice any aspect of English is to watch native English videos. By watching English speakers use the language, you can understand how reported speech is used in real world situations.

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Celebrity profiles, which you can find in print magazines and online, can help you find and practice reported speech, too. Celebrity profiles are stories that focus on a famous person. They often include some kind of interview. The writer will usually spend some time describing the person and then mention things that they say; this is when they use reported speech.

Because many of these profiles are written in the present tense, they can help you get used to the basics of reported speech without having to worry too much about different verb tenses.

While the above may seem really complicated, it isn’t that difficult to start using reported speech.

Mastering it may be a little difficult, but the truth is that many, many people who speak English as a first language struggle with it, too!

Reported speech is flexible, and even if you make mistakes, there’s a good chance that no one will notice.

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What is Reported Speech and how to use it? with Examples

Reported speech and indirect speech are two terms that refer to the same concept, which is the act of expressing what someone else has said. Reported speech is different from direct speech because it does not use the speaker's exact words. Instead, the reporting verb is used to introduce the reported speech, and the tense and pronouns are changed to reflect the shift in perspective. There are two main types of reported speech: statements and questions. 1. Reported Statements: In reported statements, the reporting verb is usually "said." The tense in the reported speech changes from the present simple to the past simple, and any pronouns referring to the speaker or listener are changed to reflect the shift in perspective. For example, "I am going to the store," becomes "He said that he was going to the store." 2. Reported Questions: In reported questions, the reporting verb is usually "asked." The tense in the reported speech changes from the present simple to the past simple, and the word order changes from a question to a statement. For example, "What time is it?" becomes "She asked what time it was." It's important to note that the tense shift in reported speech depends on the context and the time of the reported speech. Here are a few more examples: ●  Direct speech: "I will call you later." Reported speech: He said that he would call me later. ●  Direct speech: "Did you finish your homework?" Reported speech: She asked if I had finished my homework. ●  Direct speech: "I love pizza." Reported speech: They said that they loved pizza.

When do we use reported speech?

Reported speech is used to report what someone else has said, thought, or written. It is often used in situations where you want to relate what someone else has said without quoting them directly. Reported speech can be used in a variety of contexts, such as in news reports, academic writing, and everyday conversation. Some common situations where reported speech is used include: News reports: Journalists often use reported speech to quote what someone said in an interview or press conference. Business and professional communication: In professional settings, reported speech can be used to summarize what was discussed in a meeting or to report feedback from a customer. Conversational English: In everyday conversations, reported speech is used to relate what someone else said. For example, "She told me that she was running late." Narration: In written narratives or storytelling, reported speech can be used to convey what a character said or thought.

How to make reported speech?

1. Change the pronouns and adverbs of time and place: In reported speech, you need to change the pronouns, adverbs of time and place to reflect the new speaker or point of view. Here's an example: Direct speech: "I'm going to the store now," she said. Reported speech: She said she was going to the store then. In this example, the pronoun "I" is changed to "she" and the adverb "now" is changed to "then." 2. Change the tense: In reported speech, you usually need to change the tense of the verb to reflect the change from direct to indirect speech. Here's an example: Direct speech: "I will meet you at the park tomorrow," he said. Reported speech: He said he would meet me at the park the next day. In this example, the present tense "will" is changed to the past tense "would." 3. Change reporting verbs: In reported speech, you can use different reporting verbs such as "say," "tell," "ask," or "inquire" depending on the context of the speech. Here's an example: Direct speech: "Did you finish your homework?" she asked. Reported speech: She asked if I had finished my homework. In this example, the reporting verb "asked" is changed to "said" and "did" is changed to "had." Overall, when making reported speech, it's important to pay attention to the verb tense and the changes in pronouns, adverbs, and reporting verbs to convey the original speaker's message accurately.

How do I change the pronouns and adverbs in reported speech?

1. Changing Pronouns: In reported speech, the pronouns in the original statement must be changed to reflect the perspective of the new speaker. Generally, the first person pronouns (I, me, my, mine, we, us, our, ours) are changed according to the subject of the reporting verb, while the second and third person pronouns (you, your, yours, he, him, his, she, her, hers, it, its, they, them, their, theirs) are changed according to the object of the reporting verb. For example: Direct speech: "I love chocolate." Reported speech: She said she loved chocolate. Direct speech: "You should study harder." Reported speech: He advised me to study harder. Direct speech: "She is reading a book." Reported speech: They noticed that she was reading a book. 2. Changing Adverbs: In reported speech, the adverbs and adverbial phrases that indicate time or place may need to be changed to reflect the perspective of the new speaker. For example: Direct speech: "I'm going to the cinema tonight." Reported speech: She said she was going to the cinema that night. Direct speech: "He is here." Reported speech: She said he was there. Note that the adverb "now" usually changes to "then" or is omitted altogether in reported speech, depending on the context. It's important to keep in mind that the changes made to pronouns and adverbs in reported speech depend on the context and the perspective of the new speaker. With practice, you can become more comfortable with making these changes in reported speech.

How do I change the tense in reported speech?

In reported speech, the tense of the reported verb usually changes to reflect the change from direct to indirect speech. Here are some guidelines on how to change the tense in reported speech: Present simple in direct speech changes to past simple in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: "I like pizza." Reported speech: She said she liked pizza. Present continuous in direct speech changes to past continuous in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: "I am studying for my exam." Reported speech: He said he was studying for his exam. Present perfect in direct speech changes to past perfect in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: "I have finished my work." Reported speech: She said she had finished her work. Past simple in direct speech changes to past perfect in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: "I visited my grandparents last weekend." Reported speech: She said she had visited her grandparents the previous weekend. Will in direct speech changes to would in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: "I will help you with your project." Reported speech: He said he would help me with my project. Can in direct speech changes to could in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: "I can speak French." Reported speech: She said she could speak French. Remember that the tense changes in reported speech depend on the tense of the verb in the direct speech, and the tense you use in reported speech should match the time frame of the new speaker's perspective. With practice, you can become more comfortable with changing the tense in reported speech.

Do I always need to use a reporting verb in reported speech?

No, you do not always need to use a reporting verb in reported speech. However, using a reporting verb can help to clarify who is speaking and add more context to the reported speech. In some cases, the reported speech can be introduced by phrases such as "I heard that" or "It seems that" without using a reporting verb. For example: Direct speech: "I'm going to the cinema tonight." Reported speech with a reporting verb: She said she was going to the cinema tonight. Reported speech without a reporting verb: It seems that she's going to the cinema tonight. However, it's important to note that using a reporting verb can help to make the reported speech more formal and accurate. When using reported speech in academic writing or journalism, it's generally recommended to use a reporting verb to make the reporting more clear and credible. Some common reporting verbs include say, tell, explain, ask, suggest, and advise. For example: Direct speech: "I think we should invest in renewable energy." Reported speech with a reporting verb: She suggested that they invest in renewable energy. Overall, while using a reporting verb is not always required, it can be helpful to make the reported speech more clear and accurate.

How to use reported speech to report questions and commands?

1. Reporting Questions: When reporting questions, you need to use an introductory phrase such as "asked" or "wondered" followed by the question word (if applicable), subject, and verb. You also need to change the word order to make it a statement. Here's an example: Direct speech: "What time is the meeting?" Reported speech: She asked what time the meeting was. Note that the question mark is not used in reported speech. 2. Reporting Commands: When reporting commands, you need to use an introductory phrase such as "ordered" or "told" followed by the person, to + infinitive, and any additional information. Here's an example: Direct speech: "Clean your room!" Reported speech: She ordered me to clean my room. Note that the exclamation mark is not used in reported speech. In both cases, the tense of the reported verb should be changed accordingly. For example, present simple changes to past simple, and future changes to conditional. Here are some examples: Direct speech: "Will you go to the party with me?" Reported speech: She asked if I would go to the party with her. Direct speech: "Please bring me a glass of water." Reported speech: She requested that I bring her a glass of water. Remember that when using reported speech to report questions and commands, the introductory phrases and verb tenses are important to convey the intended meaning accurately.

How to make questions in reported speech?

To make questions in reported speech, you need to use an introductory phrase such as "asked" or "wondered" followed by the question word (if applicable), subject, and verb. You also need to change the word order to make it a statement. Here are the steps to make questions in reported speech: Identify the reporting verb: The first step is to identify the reporting verb in the sentence. Common reporting verbs used to report questions include "asked," "inquired," "wondered," and "wanted to know." Change the tense and pronouns: Next, you need to change the tense and pronouns in the sentence to reflect the shift from direct to reported speech. The tense of the verb is usually shifted back one tense (e.g. from present simple to past simple) in reported speech. The pronouns should also be changed as necessary to reflect the shift in perspective from the original speaker to the reporting speaker. Use an appropriate question word: If the original question contained a question word (e.g. who, what, where, when, why, how), you should use the same question word in the reported question. If the original question did not contain a question word, you can use "if" or "whether" to introduce the reported question. Change the word order: In reported speech, the word order of the question changes from the inverted form to a normal statement form. The subject usually comes before the verb, unless the original question started with a question word. Here are some examples of reported questions: Direct speech: "What time is the meeting?" Reported speech: She asked what time the meeting was. Direct speech: "Did you finish your homework?" Reported speech: He wanted to know if I had finished my homework. Direct speech: "Where are you going?" Reported speech: She wondered where I was going. Remember that when making questions in reported speech, the introductory phrases and verb tenses are important to convey the intended meaning accurately. Here you can find more examples of direct and indirect questions

What is the difference between reported speech an indirect speech?

In reported or indirect speech, you are retelling or reporting what someone said using your own words. The tense of the reported speech is usually shifted back one tense from the tense used in the original statement. For example, if someone said, "I am going to the store," in reported speech you would say, "He/she said that he/she was going to the store." The main difference between reported speech and indirect speech is that reported speech usually refers to spoken language, while indirect speech can refer to both spoken and written language. Additionally, indirect speech is a broader term that includes reported speech as well as other ways of expressing what someone else has said, such as paraphrasing or summarizing.

Examples of direct speech to reported

1. Direct speech: "I am hungry," she said. Reported speech: She said she was hungry. 2. Direct speech: "Can you pass the salt, please?" he asked. Reported speech: He asked her to pass the salt. 3. Direct speech: "I will meet you at the cinema," he said. Reported speech: He said he would meet her at the cinema. 4. Direct speech: "I have been working on this project for hours," she said. Reported speech: She said she had been working on the project for hours. 5. Direct speech: "What time does the train leave?" he asked. Reported speech: He asked what time the train left. 6. Direct speech: "I love playing the piano," she said. Reported speech: She said she loved playing the piano. 7. Direct speech: "I am going to the grocery store," he said. Reported speech: He said he was going to the grocery store. 8. Direct speech: "Did you finish your homework?" the teacher asked. Reported speech: The teacher asked if he had finished his homework. 9. Direct speech: "I want to go to the beach," she said. Reported speech: She said she wanted to go to the beach. 10. Direct speech: "Do you need help with that?" he asked. Reported speech: He asked if she needed help with that. 11. Direct speech: "I can't come to the party," he said. Reported speech: He said he couldn't come to the party. 12. Direct speech: "Please don't leave me," she said. Reported speech: She begged him not to leave her. 13. Direct speech: "I have never been to London before," he said. Reported speech: He said he had never been to London before. 14. Direct speech: "Where did you put my phone?" she asked. Reported speech: She asked where she had put her phone. 15. Direct speech: "I'm sorry for being late," he said. Reported speech: He apologized for being late. 16. Direct speech: "I need some help with this math problem," she said. Reported speech: She said she needed some help with the math problem. 17. Direct speech: "I am going to study abroad next year," he said. Reported speech: He said he was going to study abroad the following year. 18. Direct speech: "Can you give me a ride to the airport?" she asked. Reported speech: She asked him to give her a ride to the airport. 19. Direct speech: "I don't know how to fix this," he said. Reported speech: He said he didn't know how to fix it. 20. Direct speech: "I hate it when it rains," she said. Reported speech: She said she hated it when it rained.

What is Direct and Indirect Speech?

Direct and indirect speech are two different ways of reporting spoken or written language. Let's delve into the details and provide some examples. Click here to read more

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• B1-B2 grammar

Reported speech

Daisy has just had an interview for a summer job. 

Instructions

As you watch the video, look at the examples of reported speech. They are in  red  in the subtitles. Then read the conversation below to learn more. Finally, do the grammar exercises to check you understand, and can use, reported speech correctly.

Sophie:  Mmm, it’s so nice to be chilling out at home after all that running around.

Ollie: Oh, yeah, travelling to glamorous places for a living must be such a drag!

Ollie: Mum, you can be so childish sometimes. Hey, I wonder how Daisy’s getting on in her job interview.

Sophie: Oh, yes, she said she was having it at four o’clock, so it’ll have finished by now. That’ll be her ... yes. Hi, love. How did it go?

Daisy: Well, good I think, but I don’t really know. They said they’d phone later and let me know.

Sophie: What kind of thing did they ask you?

Daisy: They asked if I had any experience with people, so I told them about helping at the school fair and visiting old people at the home, that sort of stuff. But I think they meant work experience.

Sophie: I’m sure what you said was impressive. They can’t expect you to have had much work experience at your age.

Daisy:  And then they asked me what acting I had done, so I told them that I’d had a main part in the school play, and I showed them a bit of the video, so that was cool.

Sophie:  Great!

Daisy: Oh, and they also asked if I spoke any foreign languages.

Sophie: Languages?

Daisy: Yeah, because I might have to talk to tourists, you know.

Sophie: Oh, right, of course.

Daisy: So that was it really. They showed me the costume I’ll be wearing if I get the job. Sending it over ...

Ollie: Hey, sis, I heard that Brad Pitt started out as a giant chicken too! This could be your big break!

Daisy: Ha, ha, very funny.

Sophie: Take no notice, darling. I’m sure you’ll be a marvellous chicken.

We use reported speech when we want to tell someone what someone said. We usually use a reporting verb (e.g. say, tell, ask, etc.) and then change the tense of what was actually said in direct speech.

So, direct speech is what someone actually says? Like 'I want to know about reported speech'?

Yes, and you report it with a reporting verb.

He said he wanted to know about reported speech.

I said, I want and you changed it to he wanted .

Exactly. Verbs in the present simple change to the past simple; the present continuous changes to the past continuous; the present perfect changes to the past perfect; can changes to could ; will changes to would ; etc.

She said she was having the interview at four o’clock. (Direct speech: ' I’m having the interview at four o’clock.') They said they’d phone later and let me know. (Direct speech: ' We’ll phone later and let you know.')

OK, in that last example, you changed you to me too.

Yes, apart from changing the tense of the verb, you also have to think about changing other things, like pronouns and adverbs of time and place.

'We went yesterday.'  > She said they had been the day before. 'I’ll come tomorrow.' >  He said he’d come the next day.

I see, but what if you’re reporting something on the same day, like 'We went yesterday'?

Well, then you would leave the time reference as 'yesterday'. You have to use your common sense. For example, if someone is saying something which is true now or always, you wouldn’t change the tense.

'Dogs can’t eat chocolate.' > She said that dogs can’t eat chocolate. 'My hair grows really slowly.' >  He told me that his hair grows really slowly.

What about reporting questions?

We often use ask + if/whether , then change the tenses as with statements. In reported questions we don’t use question forms after the reporting verb.

'Do you have any experience working with people?' They asked if I had any experience working with people. 'What acting have you done?' They asked me what acting I had done .

Is there anything else I need to know about reported speech?

One thing that sometimes causes problems is imperative sentences.

You mean like 'Sit down, please' or 'Don’t go!'?

Exactly. Sentences that start with a verb in direct speech need a to + infinitive in reported speech.

She told him to be good. (Direct speech: 'Be good!') He told them not to forget. (Direct speech: 'Please don’t forget.')

OK. Can I also say 'He asked me to sit down'?

Yes. You could say 'He told me to …' or 'He asked me to …' depending on how it was said.

OK, I see. Are there any more reporting verbs?

Yes, there are lots of other reporting verbs like promise , remind , warn , advise , recommend , encourage which you can choose, depending on the situation. But say , tell and ask are the most common.

Great. I understand! My teacher said reported speech was difficult.

And I told you not to worry!

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Reported speech: indirect speech

Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words. In indirect speech , the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command.

Indirect speech: reporting statements

Indirect reports of statements consist of a reporting clause and a that -clause. We often omit that , especially in informal situations:

The pilot commented that the weather had been extremely bad as the plane came in to land. (The pilot’s words were: ‘The weather was extremely bad as the plane came in to land.’ )

I told my wife I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday. ( that -clause without that ) (or I told my wife that I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday .)

Indirect speech: reporting questions

Reporting yes-no questions and alternative questions.

Indirect reports of yes-no questions and questions with or consist of a reporting clause and a reported clause introduced by if or whether . If is more common than whether . The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:

She asked if [S] [V] I was Scottish. (original yes-no question: ‘Are you Scottish?’ )

The waiter asked whether [S] we [V] wanted a table near the window. (original yes-no question: ‘Do you want a table near the window? )

He asked me if [S] [V] I had come by train or by bus. (original alternative question: ‘Did you come by train or by bus?’ )

Questions: yes-no questions ( Are you feeling cold? )

Reporting wh -questions

Indirect reports of wh -questions consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a wh -word ( who, what, when, where, why, how ). We don’t use a question mark:

He asked me what I wanted.

Not: He asked me what I wanted?

The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:

She wanted to know who [S] we [V] had invited to the party.

Not: … who had we invited …

Who , whom and what

In indirect questions with who, whom and what , the wh- word may be the subject or the object of the reported clause:

I asked them who came to meet them at the airport. ( who is the subject of came ; original question: ‘Who came to meet you at the airport?’ )

He wondered what the repairs would cost. ( what is the object of cost ; original question: ‘What will the repairs cost?’ )

She asked us what [S] we [V] were doing . (original question: ‘What are you doing?’ )

Not: She asked us what were we doing?

When , where , why and how

We also use statement word order (subject + verb) with when , where, why and how :

I asked her when [S] it [V] had happened (original question: ‘When did it happen?’ ).

Not: I asked her when had it happened?

I asked her where [S] the bus station [V] was . (original question: ‘Where is the bus station?’ )

Not: I asked her where was the bus station?

The teacher asked them how [S] they [V] wanted to do the activity . (original question: ‘How do you want to do the activity?’ )

Not: The teacher asked them how did they want to do the activity?

Questions: wh- questions

Indirect speech: reporting commands

Indirect reports of commands consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a to -infinitive:

The General ordered the troops to advance . (original command: ‘Advance!’ )

The chairperson told him to sit down and to stop interrupting . (original command: ‘Sit down and stop interrupting!’ )

We also use a to -infinitive clause in indirect reports with other verbs that mean wanting or getting people to do something, for example, advise, encourage, warn :

They advised me to wait till the following day. (original statement: ‘You should wait till the following day.’ )

The guard warned us not to enter the area. (original statement: ‘You must not enter the area.’ )

Verbs followed by a to -infinitive

Indirect speech: present simple reporting verb

We can use the reporting verb in the present simple in indirect speech if the original words are still true or relevant at the time of reporting, or if the report is of something someone often says or repeats:

Sheila says they’re closing the motorway tomorrow for repairs.

Henry tells me he’s thinking of getting married next year.

Rupert says dogs shouldn’t be allowed on the beach. (Rupert probably often repeats this statement.)

Newspaper headlines

We often use the present simple in newspaper headlines. It makes the reported speech more dramatic:

JUDGE TELLS REPORTER TO LEAVE COURTROOM

PRIME MINISTER SAYS FAMILIES ARE TOP PRIORITY IN TAX REFORM

Present simple ( I work )

Reported speech

Reported speech: direct speech

Indirect speech: past continuous reporting verb

In indirect speech, we can use the past continuous form of the reporting verb (usually say or tell ). This happens mostly in conversation, when the speaker wants to focus on the content of the report, usually because it is interesting news or important information, or because it is a new topic in the conversation:

Rory was telling me the big cinema in James Street is going to close down. Is that true?

Alex was saying that book sales have gone up a lot this year thanks to the Internet.

‘Backshift’ refers to the changes we make to the original verbs in indirect speech because time has passed between the moment of speaking and the time of the report.

In these examples, the present ( am ) has become the past ( was ), the future ( will ) has become the future-in-the-past ( would ) and the past ( happened ) has become the past perfect ( had happened ). The tenses have ‘shifted’ or ‘moved back’ in time.

The past perfect does not shift back; it stays the same:

Modal verbs

Some, but not all, modal verbs ‘shift back’ in time and change in indirect speech.

We can use a perfect form with have + - ed form after modal verbs, especially where the report looks back to a hypothetical event in the past:

He said the noise might have been the postman delivering letters. (original statement: ‘The noise might be the postman delivering letters.’ )

He said he would have helped us if we’d needed a volunteer. (original statement: ‘I’ll help you if you need a volunteer’ or ‘I’d help you if you needed a volunteer.’ )

Used to and ought to do not change in indirect speech:

She said she used to live in Oxford. (original statement: ‘I used to live in Oxford.’ )

The guard warned us that we ought to leave immediately. (original statement: ‘You ought to leave immediately.’ )

No backshift

We don’t need to change the tense in indirect speech if what a person said is still true or relevant or has not happened yet. This often happens when someone talks about the future, or when someone uses the present simple, present continuous or present perfect in their original words:

He told me his brother works for an Italian company. (It is still true that his brother works for an Italian company.)

She said she ’s getting married next year. (For the speakers, the time at the moment of speaking is ‘this year’.)

He said he ’s finished painting the door. (He probably said it just a short time ago.)

She promised she ’ll help us. (The promise applies to the future.)

Indirect speech: changes to pronouns

Changes to personal pronouns in indirect reports depend on whether the person reporting the speech and the person(s) who said the original words are the same or different.

Indirect speech: changes to adverbs and demonstratives

We often change demonstratives ( this, that ) and adverbs of time and place ( now, here, today , etc.) because indirect speech happens at a later time than the original speech, and perhaps in a different place.

Typical changes to demonstratives, adverbs and adverbial expressions

Indirect speech: typical errors.

The word order in indirect reports of wh- questions is the same as statement word order (subject + verb), not question word order:

She always asks me where [S] [V] I am going .

Not: She always asks me where am I going .

We don’t use a question mark when reporting wh- questions:

I asked him what he was doing.

Not: I asked him what he was doing?

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help and advice that a company makes available to customers when they have bought something

Searching out and tracking down: talking about finding or discovering things

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Reported Speech Exercises

Perfect english grammar.

Here's a list of all the reported speech exercises on this site:

( Click here to read the explanations about reported speech )

Reported Statements:

• Present Simple Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here)
• Present Continuous Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here)
• Past Simple Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here)
• Present Perfect Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here)
• Future Simple Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here)
• Mixed Tense Reported Statement Exercise (intermediate) (in PDF here)
• 'Say' and 'Tell' (quite easy) (in PDF here)

Reported Questions:

• Present Simple Reported Yes/No Question Exercise (intermediate) (in PDF here)
• Present Simple Reported Wh Question Exercise (intermediate) (in PDF here)
• Mixed Tense Reported Question Exercise (intermediate) (in PDF here)

Reported Orders and Requests:

• Reported Requests and Orders Exercise (intermediate) (in PDF here)
• Reported Speech Mixed Exercise 1 (difficult) (in PDF here)
• Reported Speech Mixed Exercise 2 (difficult) (in PDF here)

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Free Intermediate English Course - CEFR B2 - Lesson 21 of 25

Reported Speech

Watch four videos using reported speech in conversation.

Conversation 1

Woman : Where is Susan? She told me she was coming over. Man : She just texted me. She said she would be a little late. Woman : Oh, really? What was the reason she gave? Man : She said she is stuck in traffic. Woman : Did she say how much longer it would take? Man : She said it might take about 30 minutes. Woman : Well, I hope she gets here soon. I'm starving. Man : Me, too. She did say we could start without her. Woman : No, we can wait. We can have a snack to hold us over. Man : Good idea. I'll go get some crackers.

Conversation 2

Man : Have you heard? Beth got a promotion at work. Woman : Really? Where did you hear that? Man : Beth told me about it last night at dinner. Woman : I heard that someone was getting promoted, I just didn't know who. Man : Yeah, the company told her that she was being promoted last Friday. Woman : That's great news. Did she say what her new role would be? Man : She said that she would be leading a new team. Woman : Wow. That's a big responsibility. Did she seem happy about it? Man : Yes, she sounded thrilled for the opportunity. Woman : I'm happy for her. Did she mention when she starts her new position? Man : She said she would begin next month. Woman : Well, when you see her, tell her I said congratulations. Man : Will do.

Conversation 3

Man : I was talking to Yuki yesterday, and she said she's dropping out of school. Woman : Wow! Why is she doing that? Man : She said that she wants to take some time off to travel. Woman : Really? Did she say where she's planning to go? Man : She said that she wanted to visit Europe. Woman : That sounds exciting. Did she say which country specifically? Man : She mentioned Italy, France, and Spain as her top choices. Woman : Those are beautiful destinations. I am so jealous. Man : Me, too. She said she'd be thinking of us. Woman : Funny.

Conversation 4

Man : I was told you were dating Jason. Congratulations! Woman : Who told you that? Man : Carol mentioned it to me yesterday. Woman : What? I told her not to tell anyone. Man : Well, she didn't say it was a secret. Woman : Well, it was. Now everyone will know. Man : I promise I won't tell anyone. Woman : Thanks. If you see Carol, tell her I said to keep it quiet. Man : I will. But maybe you better tell her yourself. Woman : You're right. I'll text her right now. She has such a big mouth.

Grammar Notes

• I heard that someone was getting promoted
• She say that you are leaving.
• Bill told me you are going back to school.
• Did she mention when she is coming back?
• He said that he would be late.
• The newspaper reported that there will be a parade next week.
• He told me that he is not coming.
• He claimed that he had spent all of this money.
• He said he would be late.
• The newspaper reported there will be a parade next week.
• He told me he is not coming.
• He claimed he had spent all of this money.
• When is he coming to the party?
• Why is he mad?
• He said he was angry.
• She questioned if I a was tired.

Grammar Listening Practice

Looking for More?

Get more grammar conversations here.

• 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.
• 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.

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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UBER to Acquire German Firm's Food Delivery Unit in Taiwan

Uber Technologies ( UBER Quick Quote UBER - Free Report ) reached an agreement with Delivery Hero, a Germany-based firm, for taking over the latter’s foodpanda business in Taiwan for $950 million in cash. The deal to acquire foodpanda Taiwan is expected to close in the first half of 2025 subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions. Until then, Delivery Hero will continue to operate its foodpanda business. The deal is one of the largest-ever international acquisitions in Taiwan.

Separately, the companies agreed on Uber purchasing $300 million in newly issued ordinary shares of Delivery Hero. Post-closure, foodpanda’s local consumers, merchants and delivery partners will be transitioned to Uber Eats, the company’s food delivery unit.  After the completion of this buyout, both entities’ complementary merchant, delivery partner and consumer bases will feature in a single app.

With Uber’s ridesharing businesses struggling particularly in the United States and Latin America, the decision to expand its food delivery business in Asia is a prudent one.  We remind investors that during the pandemic, when ride volumes were very low, Uber’s delivery business had kept it afloat. Even in the post-pandemic scenario, the company’s food delivery unit remains in good shape as the thirst for placing order online is rampant among people.

In first-quarter 2024, UBER, currently carrying Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), reported loss .Its guidance for second-quarter 2024 gross bookings was disappointing. You can see  the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here .

Let’s take a look at the first-quarter performances of other companies from the same  industry .

Lyft Inc.  ( LYFT Quick Quote LYFT - Free Report ) reported earnings of 15 cents per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 9 cents and improved year over year. Revenues of $1,277.2 million also outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1,170.1 million and grew year over year.

Lyft’s adjusted EBITDA was $59.4 million, up from $22.7 million in the year-ago quarter. The adjusted EBITDA margin (calculated as the percentage of gross bookings) in the reported quarter was 1.6%.

Alphabet’ s ( GOOGL Quick Quote GOOGL - Free Report ) earnings of $1.89 per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 26.8%. The figure rose 61.5% year over year. Revenues of $80.54 billion increased 15% year over year (16% at constant currency).

Net revenues, excluding total traffic acquisition costs (the portion of revenues shared with Google’s partners, and the amount paid to distribution partners and others who direct traffic to Google’s website), were $67.6 billion, which surpassed the consensus mark of $66.04 billion. The figure rose 16.4% on a year-over-year basis.

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BSO detectives search for missing teen from North Lauderdale

Ryan Mackey , Digital Journalist

NORTH LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Broward Sheriff’s Office Missing Persons Unit asked for the public’s help Tuesday with locating a 13-year-old girl who they say was reported missing from North Lauderdale over the weekend.

According to detectives, Aniyah Saillant was last seen around 10 p.m. Sunday near the 700 block of Belmont Lane.

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Anyone with information on Saillant’s whereabouts is urged to contact BSO Detective Leonard Charla at 954-321-4274 or BSO’s non-emergency number at 954-764-4357.

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Ukraine war latest: Russia's troops 'partially pushed back' from key town, Ukraine claims - as Putin's offensive 'appears to slow'

The Ukrainian president has cancelled visits to Spain and Portugal after Moscow's forces began a new offensive in the northeast of the country. Submit your question on the war for our experts to answer in the box below.

Wednesday 15 May 2024 21:46, UK

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• Ukraine 'partially pushes back' Russian troops from Kharkiv town
• Russian offensive in Ukraine 'going to plan', Putin says
• Analysts say Russian offensive 'appears to have slowed'
• Situation there 'extremely difficult'
• Zelenskyy postpones all foreign visits due to 'situation in Kharkiv'
• US announces $2bn in extra aid for Ukraine
• Russia downs missiles launched at Crimea
• Analysis:  Putin's 'baffling' reshuffle explained
• Live reporting by Lauren Russell

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Vladimir Putin has landed in Beijing for a two-day state visit to China, in what marks a significant show of unity between the two allies.

He was greeted by Chinese officials as he stepped off the plane in the early hours of the morning local time.

Mr Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are not expected to announce any major deals during his visit - but the trip is a sign of the two countries' deepening "no limits" partnership.

Ahead of the visit, the Kremlin said Mr Putin and Mr Xi will "have a detailed discussion on the entire range of issues related to the comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation and determine the new directions for further development of cooperation between Russia and China".

We're pausing our live coverage for the day - thanks for following along.

We'll mark any major moments in the blog in the meantime, and will resume our rolling updates tomorrow. 

 By Ivor Bennett , Moscow correspondent 

You've heard of the transatlantic Special Relationship. 

This is the "no limits" partnership - a term coined when Vladimir Putin visited Beijing in February 2022.

It was just days before he ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

A lot's changed for Russia since then, of course. It’s now an international pariah. One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is China’s support.

Why? For one, Presidents Xi and Putin share a similar outlook. Both oppose external "interference" in domestic affairs, and long for a "multipolar" world.

There are economic benefits for both, too. But this is not an equal partnership. The power lies with Beijing.

"Because of the war, Russia is in desperate need of any kind of partnership", said Alexandra Prokopenko, a Berlin-based fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, adding that Beijing had provided "a real lifeline" for Moscow.

"China is not only a market for Russian oil and gas, which is the major source of the currency for the Russian budget, but also China’s become a very important source of imports to Russia," she said.

Putin won't like being the junior partner, but it’s a role he’s clearly willing to accept, given the benefits.

Last year, trade between the two nations soared to $240 billion - an increase of more than 25%.

Cheap energy flows one way; cars and telephones come back. But the West fears that's not all Russia’s importing.

The US and others believe Chinese products and dual-use goods, like machine tools and microelectronics, are also fuelling the Kremlin's war machine, by filling critical gaps in its military-industrial.

China denies supplying any actual weaponry, and maintains a neutral stance on Ukraine.

But the assertions have done little to dampen suspicions with US secretary of state Antony Blinken reiterating his "deep concern" today.

Putin's entourage might also raise eyebrows. He’ll be accompanied by his new defence minister, Andrei Belousov, with Putin widely expected to push for more support for Russia's militarised economy.

But despite the "no limits" characterisation of the relationship, analysts say it does have boundaries.

"China knows red lines," Prokopenko said, referring to Washington’s concerns over the extent of Beijing's support.

In her view, the partnership between Xi and Putin should be viewed "as part of a big, big game between the US and China".

In that sense, then, this visit is likely to be more symbolic than anything else. It's the first foreign trip of Putin's new presidential term and signals his priorities.

But in terms of the optics - two strongmen leaders defying Western pressure - one of them is clearly stronger than the other.

These images show Vladimir Putin chairing a security council meeting. 

Former defence minister and new secretary of the council Sergei Shoigu was in attendance - pictured in the first image next to chief of the general staff Valery Gerasimov.

Earlier today, Volodymyr Zelenskyy postponed all foreign trips due to the situation in the Kharviv region.

Russia has also claimed to have taken three more settlements in the country - two of which are in the Kharkiv region.

The offensive by Moscow started at the end of last week, and today our military analyst Michael Clarke says Russia has already achieved some of what it intended to do. 

He says by targeting the Kharkiv region Moscow's main goal is to "draw Ukrianian forces from elsewhere". 

"The Russians are trying to stretch the Ukrainian forces all the way round the front.

"If the Russians get to the village of Lyptsi then they can put Kharkiv under artillery barrage, because it is within range of normal artillery weapons.

"More importantly, the village of Vovchansk, may mark the beginning of a bigger offensive that could go southwards or maybe eastwards to link up with other forces."

Despite fierce fighting in Vovchansk, Clarke says the Ukrainians have slowed Russian advances down, by redirecting their best units from the south.

"Parts of their best brigades have been sent north to stem the tide," he says.

"But the Russians have already achieved what they wanted, which is to draw off some of the best troops and equipment which are fighting in Chavis Yar down in the south, which really mattered to the Ukrainians."

Watch Clarke's full analysis here:

Finland will change its legislation to allow thousands of reservists to patrol the country's border with Russia, should there be a sudden wave of migrants. 

"With the changed security situation, we need to complement existing methods with new ways to maintain border security," defence minister Antti Hakkanen said in a statement.

Finland, which joined NATO in April last year, has accused Moscow of weaponising migration against the Nordic nation, which the Kremlin denies. 

Finland shut its 1,340km-long border with Russia late last year amid a growing number of arrivals from countries such as Syria and Somalia via Russia.

Away from Kharkiv, and Ukraine has denied Russian claims of progress in the Zaporizhzhia region. 

The Ukrainian military dismissed reports that Moscow's forces had taken control of the village of Robotyne in the southern part of the region. 

"This information is not true," military spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk was quoted by Ukrinform agency as saying.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has condemned the assassination attempt on Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico. 

Russia's offensive in northern Kharkiv has been the focus of much of the reporting on the war in Ukraine over recent days.

Sky News military analyst Michael Clarke has said the aim of Moscow is to draw Ukraine's forces to that area from the south, thus stretching the country's military resources.

And the latest analysis from US thinktank the Institute for the Study of War suggests that the pace of the offensive "appears to have slowed over the past 24 hours".

The group's experts said the pattern of Russian offensive activity in the area was consistent with assessments that Vladimir Putin's forces are prioritising the creation of a "buffer zone" in the international border area over a deeper penetration of Kharkiv Oblast.

It said several Ukrainian military officials reported yesterday that they believed the situation in Kharkiv Oblast was slowly stabilising.

"Drone footage purportedly from Vovchansk shows Russian foot mobile infantry operating within the settlement in small squad-sized assault groups, consistent with Ukrainian reports," the analysis added.

Two people have been killed after a Russian air attack on infrastructure in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, the regional governor has said.

Serhiy Lysak said on  Telegram that there were a number of people who had been injured, but gave no other details.

Dnipro is Ukraine's fourth-largest city, it sits on the Dnipro River  and is around 300 miles from Kyiv.

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Taiwan-China tensions ratchet up week before presidential inauguration

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• Taiwan says China was carrying out another 'combat patrol'
• Chinese aircraft crossed median line in the Taiwan Strait, it says
• Latest patrols come a week before new Taiwan president takes office
• Chinese media calls patrols normal law enforcement operations

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Fighting intensifies across Gaza as Israel presses offensive

Israeli troops battled militants across Gaza on Wednesday, including in the southern city of Rafah that had been a refuge for civilians, in an upsurge of the more than seven-month-old war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.

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Russian Forces Push Deeper Into Northern Ukraine

With Ukrainian troops outnumbered, exhausted and now in retreat near Kharkiv, many Ukrainians wonder if the war has taken a significant turn for the worse.

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By Jeffrey Gettleman and Constant Méheut

Jeffrey Gettleman reported from Kharkiv, Ukraine, and Constant Méheut from Kyiv.

In the past three days, Russian troops, backed by fighter jets, artillery and lethal drones, have poured across Ukraine’s northeastern border and seized at least nine villages and settlements, ­and more square miles per day than at almost any other point in the war, save the very beginning.

In some places, Ukrainian troops are retreating, and Ukrainian commanders are blaming each other for the defeats.

Thousands of Ukrainian civilians are fleeing to Kharkiv, the nearest big city. A reception center that hummed with a sense of order and calm on Saturday had transformed into a totally different scene on Sunday, as exhausted people shouted at each other and families with no place to go spilled out onto the grass.

As anxiety spreads, some hard questions loom: How far will this go? Is it just a momentary setback for the underdog Ukrainians? Or a turning point?

Military experts say the Russian advance has put Ukraine in a very dangerous spot. Ukrainian troops have been complaining for months about severe shortages of ammunition — exacerbated by the tangles in the U.S. Congress that delayed the delivery of key weapons. And Ukrainian soldiers, by all accounts, are exhausted.

More than two years of trying to fight off a country with three times the population to draw from has left Ukraine so depleted and desperate for fresh troops that its lawmakers have voted to mobilize convicts , a controversial practice that Ukraine had ridiculed Russia for using in the first half of the war.

One Ukrainian commander took the unusual step on Sunday of blasting his colleagues for what he said were terrible border defenses.

“The first line of fortifications and mines just didn’t exist,” Denys Yaroslavsky, a reconnaissance commander, wrote on Facebook . “The enemy freely entered the gray area, across the border line, which in principle should not have been gray!”

(“Gray” areas are the contested zones between the Russian and Ukrainian front lines.)

Other Ukrainian officials denied that the country’s forces were unprepared, saying that reports suggesting so were outright disinformation benefiting Russia.

Commander Yaroslavsky added that street fights had broken out in Vovchansk, a small town near Kharkiv, and that it was now surrounded. “I say this because we can die and no one will hear the truth,” he wrote. “Then why is it all for?!”

The city of Kharkiv itself is safe — at the moment. It sits about 20 miles from the border. But just outside the city, people are running for their lives. The Russians are pressing on Lyptsi, another small town that is even closer to Kharkiv than Vovchansk. Residents who fled in evacuation vans on Sunday said the situation in Lyptsi was not looking good.

“For the last three days they were shelling us every 10 minutes,” said Halyna Surina, who escaped on Sunday afternoon. “There was artillery, airplane bombs and drones flying around. I could hear helicopters — and they were not our helicopters.”

Her voice was shaking and she could barely choke out the words.

Taking Lyptsi would put the Russians within artillery range of Kharkiv, a metropolis of more than a million people that was just struggling to come back to life . All this, for the Ukrainians, is a bad case of déjà vu.

The Russians created a similar situation in early 2022, storming across the northern border, occupying villages and small towns, and reaching the ring road that circumscribes Kharkiv. For months, the people of this city endured artillery and missile strikes, and hundreds were killed. The tall, empty apartment buildings on the eastern side of town stand as scorched monuments to those deadly days.

Part of the Russians’ plan with this overall attack, military analysts said, is to threaten Kharkiv and force Ukraine to divert troops from other battlefields, especially those in the eastern Donbas region.

And that’s exactly what is happening. A group of Ukrainian special forces soldiers were huddling at a gas station on Sunday afternoon, swigging energy drinks and trying to get the lay of the land. They looked tired. And they said they had just been redeployed from Donbas.

“The Russians have understood, just as a lot of analysts have, that the major disadvantage that Ukraine is currently suffering from is manpower,” said Franz-Stefan Gady, a Vienna-based military analyst. “By thinning out the front line, you are increasing the odds of a breakthrough.”

There may be an even bigger, more strategic motive. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia is fresh off an election victory that he billed as a referendum on launching this war. For his troops to threaten Kharkiv, again, and send miles of cars full of terrified civilians fleeing down the highways, again, and turn Ukraine’s second largest city into a shell of itself, again, could demoralize Ukrainians and its allies.

That hasn’t happened yet, but if it does it could give the impression that after two years and hundreds of thousands of casualties and billions of dollars, little has changed. That, in turn, would perhaps intensify pressure on Ukraine’s leaders to negotiate a truce with Russia, which they have so far insisted would achieve nothing but cementing Mr. Putin’s appetite for aggression.

With fighting raging in the area, cross-border fire has intensified and Russia on Sunday accused Ukraine of shelling Belgorod, a mid-sized Russian city just across the Ukrainian border, killing 11 people, the regional governor said on Telegram .

In particular, an explosion collapsed part of an apartment building, leaving a gaping hole in its structure. The Russians blamed the Ukrainians; the Ukrainians denied it and provided videos that they said showed what was an explosion within the building and not an airstrike.

The Russians have cited previous strikes on their cities to justify taking more Ukrainian territory. Russian leaders want to push Ukrainians back from the border and carve out a buffer zone, a mission they began on Friday at dawn.

Russian infantry, supported by tanks, artillery and aircraft, crossed the international frontier, and by Saturday, they had taken a handful of towns. By Sunday, more had fallen.

Another Ukrainian soldier serving near Kharkiv who spoke by telephone on Sunday said he and his comrades hadn’t slept in days and were in shock at how fast the Russians were moving.

Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky , Ukraine’s top military commander, conceded that the situation had “significantly worsened” but said that Russian attempts to break through Ukrainian defensive lines had been unsuccessful so far.

Some analysts believe that however bad the situation looks at the moment for Ukraine, it won’t change the overall direction of the war.

Thibault Fouillet, the deputy director of the Institute for Strategic and Defense Studies, a French research center, said it would have “little impact on the war in general” and for now, the fighting remained at a “general tactical stalemate” with Russia making limited and costly gains.

The civilians in Russia’s path are not taking chances. Ukrainian officials reported on Sunday that 4,500 people had been evacuated from the border towns north of Kharkiv; that doesn’t count many more who have jumped into their own cars and gotten out.

“We could hear machine gun fire coming closer and closer,” said Zhenia Vaskivskaia, who had just arrived in Kharkiv from Vovchansk.

The Russians, she said, were “about to break in.”

Oleksandra Mykolyshyn contributed reporting from Kharkiv.

Jeffrey Gettleman is an international correspondent based in London covering global events. He has worked for The Times for more than 20 years. More about Jeffrey Gettleman

Constant Méheut reports on the war in Ukraine, including battlefield developments, attacks on civilian centers and how the war is affecting its people. More about Constant Méheut

Our Coverage of the War in Ukraine

News and Analysis

The Biden administration is increasingly concerned that President Vladimir Putin of Russia is gathering enough momentum  to change the trajectory of the war.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought to reassure Ukrainians  that they could weather an ominous new Russian offensive and count on long-term support from the United States and its European allies.

Russian security agents detained a senior general , widening a purge of the country’s Defense Ministry amid Putin’s broader shake-up of his government .

Frozen Russian Assets: As much as $300 billion in frozen Russian assets is piling up profits and interest income by the day. Now, Ukraine’s allies are considering how to use those gains to aid Kyiv .

Rebuilding Ukrainian Villages: The people of the Kherson region have slowly rebuilt their livelihoods since Ukraine’s military forced out Russian troops. Now they are bracing for another Russian attack .

Ukraine’s Unidentified Dead: Families of some Ukrainian soldiers say they have spent months trying to get official confirmation of their loved ones’ deaths , adding to their anguish.

How We Verify Our Reporting

Our team of visual journalists analyzes satellite images, photographs , videos and radio transmissions  to independently confirm troop movements and other details.

We monitor and authenticate reports on social media, corroborating these with eyewitness accounts and interviews. Read more about our reporting efforts .