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The pronoun or the subject in the reported speech changes according to the pronoun or subject or

object of the reporting verb. Possessive pronouns (his, her, my, their, your, etc.) change according
to the subject or object of the sentence.

• He said, “I swim every morning.” (direct speech)

He said that he swam every morning. (indirect speech)

• She told me, “I like your new house.” (direct speech)

She told me that she liked my new house. (indirect speech)

The modals could, would, should, might and ought to do not change in reported speech.

• He said, “I might come a little late.” (direct speech)

He said that he might come a little late. (indirect speech)

She said, “They ought to have come when needed.” (direct speech)

She said that they ought to have come when needed. (indirect speech)

• They said, “We could accommodate one more.” (direct speech)

They said that they could accommodate one more. (indirect speech)

• Arjun said, “I would rather not go.” He said, “You should step carefully in the jungle.” (direct
speech)

Arjun said that he would rather not go. He said that we should step carefully in the jungle.
(indirect speech)

Said and told are commonly used as reporting verbs. However, there are many other verbs

that may be used to make the sentences more interesting such as accused, admitted,
advised, alleged, agreed, apologised, begged, boasted, complained, denied, explained,
implied, invited, offered, ordered, promised, replied, suggested, thought, etc.

The use of that in reported speech is often optional in modern English.

Change of Pronouns

If there is a pronoun in direct speech, it has to be changed in reported speech, depending on the
situation.

Direct Speech → Sunil: “I work in an office.”

Reported Speech → Sunil said that he worked in an office. (the word ‘that’ is optional)

Here ‘I’ has been changed to ‘he’.

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