Question

Change the following to reported speech:
My mother said to me, “Did you break the slate?”

Answer 1

Hint: Reported Speech is written in the past tense. They do not make use of quotation marks.

Complete step-by-step answer:

Direct speech is the direct quotation of a quote. It reports the words exactly as they have been spoken. This kind of speech is always found within inverted commas. Quotes that are reported indirect speech are the exact reproduction of the words as they have been spoken.
Reported speech is also known as indirect speech. It is the opposite of direct speech. It is the indirect quotation of a quote. It reports the words in a manner that is indirect. This kind of speech is not found within inverted commas. Quotes that are reported are a form of hearsay based on what has happened.
Here are some tips to remember while converting direct speech into reported speech.
1)The inverted commas are removed from the sentence.
2)The comma that precedes the reported speech is replaced by the word ‘that’.
3)Reported speech is always framed in the past tense.
4)The type of tense remains the same in the past tense as well. E.g. Simple Present Tense changes into Simple Past Tense
Now let us consider our question- My mother said to me, “ Did you break the slate?”
Following the rules given above, this sentence will change as per the following:
My mother asked me if I broke the slate.

Note: Remember to follow all the rules of changing direct speech into reported speech to get the most accurate answer.