Quoted / Reported Speech
Who said or thought it?
Meaning
A structure that reports speech, thought, belief, command, or question directly or indirectly.
How to spot it
Ask whose words or thoughts are being represented.
Examples
said|told|asked|thought|quoted
he said that|she asked if|according to him
She said that she was tired.
Visual guide
SPEAKER / THINKER
She said [that she was tired].
[reported thought]
Ask: whose words?
→ She represents them.
Direct quote: She said, "I am tired." Indirect report: She said [that she was tired]. Check shifts: I→she, am→was.
Language View
In your native language
English distinguishes direct and reported speech with reporting verbs, tense backshift, pronouns, and punctuation.
She said that she was tired.
reported clause = reported speech
In your learning language
Reported speech uses reporting verbs, que-clauses, and tense/pronoun shifts depending on context.
Dijo que no podía venir.
He/she said that he/she could not come.
Learners may translate quotation structures too literally or mishandle tense shifts.
Same block, different coding
Both languages use this block strongly, but they signal it differently. Focus on form changes, not only meaning.