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B1 GRAMMAR · REPORTING · B1–B2
Direct vs reported speech
Reported speech tells what someone said without quoting them. Usually the tense shifts back one step, and pronouns and time words change too.
See the difference
A
Direct speech
the exact words, in quotes
She said, “I am tired.”
她说：“我累了。”
B
Reported speech
reported, with a tense shift
She said she was tired.
她说她累了。
Practise it
Q1 He said he ____ hungry. (Direct: “I am hungry.”)
Q2 She told me she ____ call later. (Direct: “I will call.”)
Q3 They said they ____ finished. (Direct: “We have finished.”)