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.

Statements
When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:

■pronouns
■present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
■place and time expressions
■tenses (backshift)
Type Example
direct speech “I speak English.”
reported speech
(no backshift) He says that he speaks English.
reported speech
(backshift) He said that he spoke English.

→ more on statements in reported speech

Questions
When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:

■pronouns
■present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
■place and time expressions
■tenses (backshift)
Also note that you have to:

■transform the question into an indirect question
■use the interrogative or if / whether
Type Example
with interrogative direct speech “Why don’t you speak English?”
reported speech He asked me why I didn’t speak English.
without interrogative direct speech “Do you speak English?”
reported speech He asked me whether / if I spoke English


Requests
When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:

■pronouns
■place and time expressions

شكرا لكى على المجهود

from the diffcult grammer dina IWill make a execersise on this grammer to know are you under stand this grammer or not

Thanx Saif... i hope so because this is our theme now in English at school

ALL ENGLISH ALL THE TIME