Overview
Pronouns change in reported speech to reflect the new perspective of the reporter. I → he/she, we → they, me → him/her, my → his/her, our → their, you → I/he/she (depending on context). These changes are among the most common sources of error in reported speech.
Pronoun Changes
- I →he / she (the speaker)
- we →they
- my →his / her
- our →their
- me →him / her
You Changes (Context-Dependent)
- you →I / he / she / they (depends on context)
- your →my / his / her / their
- Example'I'll help you,' she told me. → She said she would help me.
Common Errors
- ❌ She said, 'I am tired.' → She said I was tired.
- ✅ She said she was tired.
- ❌ He said, 'We finished.' → He said we had finished.
- ✅ He said they had finished.
When to use
Storytelling
She said she had always wanted to travel.
Conversation
He told me he would lend me his book.
News
The CEO said the company had met its targets.
Emails
She confirmed that her team had completed the task.