reported speech table

5. Conversion of expressions of time and place

If there is an expression of time/place in the sentence, it may be changed, depending on the situation.

• Direct Speech → Peter, “I worked in the garden yesterday .”
• Reported Speech → Peter said (that) he had worked in the garden the day before .

6. Additional information

In some cases backshift of tenses is not necessary, e.g. when statements are still true. Backshift of tenses is never wrong.

• John, “My brother is at Leipzig university.”
• John said (that) his brother was at Leipzig university. or
• John said (that) his brother is at Leipzig university.

when you use general statements.

• Mandy, “The sun rises in the east.”
• Mandy said (that) the sun rose in the east. or
• Mandy said (that) the sun rises in the east.

* The word that is optional, that is the reason why we put it in brackets.

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Reported speech

Tense changes in reported speech

Indirect speech (reported speech) focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words.  In indirect speech, the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command.

Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech: She said, "I  am  tired." = She said that she  was  tired.

You do not need to change the tense if the reporting verb is in the present, or if the original statement was about something that is still true (but this is only for things which are general facts, and even then usually we like to change the tense) , e.g.

• He says  he has missed  the train but  he'll catch  the next one.
• We explained that  it is  very difficult to find our house.
• Direct speech: The sky is blue.
• Reported speech: She said (that) the sky  is/was  blue.

These modal verbs do not change in reported speech:  might, could, would, should, ought to :

• We explained, "It  could  be difficult to find our house." = We explained that it  could  be difficult to find our house.
• She said, "I  might  bring a friend to the party." = She said that she  might  bring a friend to the party.

Course Curriculum

• Changing time and place in reported speech 20 mins
• Direct and indirect speech 15 mins
• Tense changes in reported speech 20 mins
• Reported questions 20 mins
• Reporting verbs 20 mins
• Reporting orders and requests 15 mins
• Reporting hopes, intentions and promises 20 mins

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Helping you all the way.

You can download this table in  PDF  format by clicking on the  PDF  icon below.

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It will give you a good understanding of the different grammatical structures commonly used in this part of the Use of English test, e.g. passive - active voice , conditional sentences , phrasal verbs, idioms, set phrases, comparative-superlative, causative verbs, linking words,etc.

If you want to learn how to do Key word transformation exercises effectively, this book is for you.

This ebook has been written to help students prepare for the Key Word Transformation part of the Use of English paper (grammar) of the Cambridge English:  C1 Advanced exam.

It will give you a good understanding of the different grammatical structures commonly used in this part of the Use of English test, e.g. passive - active voice , impersonal passive, conditional sentences , inverted conditionals, inversions, set phrases, comparative-superlative, causative verbs, phrasal verbs, linking words, etc.

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100 Reported Speech Examples: How To Change Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is a way of communicating what someone else has said without quoting their exact words. For example, if your friend said, “ I am going to the store ,” in reported speech, you might convey this as, “ My friend said he was going to the store. ” Reported speech is common in both spoken and written language, especially in storytelling, news reporting, and everyday conversations.

Reported speech can be quite challenging for English language learners because in order to change direct speech into reported speech, one must change the perspective and tense of what was said by the original speaker or writer. In this guide, we will explain in detail how to change direct speech into indirect speech and provide lots of examples of reported speech to help you understand. Here are the key aspects of converting direct speech into reported speech.

Reported Speech: Changing Pronouns

Pronouns are usually changed to match the perspective of the person reporting the speech. For example, “I” in direct speech may become “he” or “she” in reported speech, depending on the context. Here are some example sentences:

Reported Speech: Reporting Verbs

Reported speech: tense shifts.

When converting direct speech into reported speech, the verb tense is often shifted back one step in time. This is known as the “backshift” of tenses. It’s essential to adjust the tense to reflect the time elapsed between the original speech and the reporting. Here are some examples to illustrate how different tenses in direct speech are transformed in reported speech:

Reported Speech: Changing Time and Place References

Reported speech: question format.

When converting questions from direct speech into reported speech, the format changes significantly. Unlike statements, questions require rephrasing into a statement format and often involve the use of introductory verbs like ‘asked’ or ‘inquired’. Here are some examples to demonstrate how questions in direct speech are converted into statements in reported speech:

Reported Speech: Omitting Quotation Marks

Reported speech quiz.

Direct and Indirect Speech: Useful Rules and Examples

Are you having trouble understanding the difference between direct and indirect speech? Direct speech is when you quote someone’s exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. This can be a tricky concept to grasp, but with a little practice, you’ll be able to use both forms of speech with ease.

Direct and Indirect Speech

When someone speaks, we can report what they said in two ways: direct speech and indirect speech. Direct speech is when we quote the exact words that were spoken, while indirect speech is when we report what was said without using the speaker’s exact words. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I love pizza,” said John. Indirect speech: John said that he loved pizza.

Using direct speech can make your writing more engaging and can help to convey the speaker’s tone and emotion. However, indirect speech can be useful when you want to summarize what someone said or when you don’t have the exact words that were spoken.

To change direct speech to indirect speech, you need to follow some rules. Firstly, you need to change the tense of the verb in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb. Secondly, you need to change the pronouns and adverbs in the reported speech to match the new speaker. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I will go to the park,” said Sarah. Indirect speech: Sarah said that she would go to the park.

It’s important to note that when you use indirect speech, you need to use reporting verbs such as “said,” “told,” or “asked” to indicate who is speaking. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “What time is it?” asked Tom. Indirect speech: Tom asked what time it was.

In summary, understanding direct and indirect speech is crucial for effective communication and writing. Direct speech can be used to convey the speaker’s tone and emotion, while indirect speech can be useful when summarizing what someone said. By following the rules for changing direct speech to indirect speech, you can accurately report what was said while maintaining clarity and readability in your writing.

Differences between Direct and Indirect Speech

When it comes to reporting speech, there are two ways to go about it: direct and indirect speech. Direct speech is when you report someone’s exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. Here are some of the key differences between direct and indirect speech:

Change of Pronouns

In direct speech, the pronouns used are those of the original speaker. However, in indirect speech, the pronouns have to be changed to reflect the perspective of the reporter. For example:

• Direct speech: “I am going to the store,” said John.
• Indirect speech: John said he was going to the store.

In the above example, the pronoun “I” changes to “he” in indirect speech.

Change of Tenses

Another major difference between direct and indirect speech is the change of tenses. In direct speech, the verb tense used is the same as that used by the original speaker. However, in indirect speech, the verb tense may change depending on the context. For example:

• Direct speech: “I am studying for my exams,” said Sarah.
• Indirect speech: Sarah said she was studying for her exams.

In the above example, the present continuous tense “am studying” changes to the past continuous tense “was studying” in indirect speech.

Change of Time and Place References

When reporting indirect speech, the time and place references may also change. For example:

• Direct speech: “I will meet you at the park tomorrow,” said Tom.
• Indirect speech: Tom said he would meet you at the park the next day.

In the above example, “tomorrow” changes to “the next day” in indirect speech.

Overall, it is important to understand the differences between direct and indirect speech to report speech accurately and effectively. By following the rules of direct and indirect speech, you can convey the intended message of the original speaker.

Converting Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech

When you need to report what someone said in your own words, you can use indirect speech. To convert direct speech into indirect speech, you need to follow a few rules.

Step 1: Remove the Quotation Marks

The first step is to remove the quotation marks that enclose the relayed text. This is because indirect speech does not use the exact words of the speaker.

Step 2: Use a Reporting Verb and a Linker

To indicate that you are reporting what someone said, you need to use a reporting verb such as “said,” “asked,” “told,” or “exclaimed.” You also need to use a linker such as “that” or “whether” to connect the reporting verb to the reported speech.

For example:

• Direct speech: “I love ice cream,” said Mary.
• Indirect speech: Mary said that she loved ice cream.

Step 3: Change the Tense of the Verb

When you use indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verb in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb.

• Indirect speech: John said that he was going to the store.

Step 4: Change the Pronouns

You also need to change the pronouns in the reported speech to match the subject of the reporting verb.

• Direct speech: “Are you busy now?” Tina asked me.
• Indirect speech: Tina asked whether I was busy then.

By following these rules, you can convert direct speech into indirect speech and report what someone said in your own words.

Converting Indirect Speech Into Direct Speech

Converting indirect speech into direct speech involves changing the reported speech to its original form as spoken by the speaker. Here are the steps to follow when converting indirect speech into direct speech:

• Identify the reporting verb: The first step is to identify the reporting verb used in the indirect speech. This will help you determine the tense of the direct speech.
• Change the pronouns: The next step is to change the pronouns in the indirect speech to match the person speaking in the direct speech. For example, if the indirect speech is “She said that she was going to the store,” the direct speech would be “I am going to the store,” if you are the person speaking.
• Change the tense: Change the tense of the verbs in the indirect speech to match the tense of the direct speech. For example, if the indirect speech is “He said that he would visit tomorrow,” the direct speech would be “He says he will visit tomorrow.”
• Remove the reporting verb and conjunction: In direct speech, there is no need for a reporting verb or conjunction. Simply remove them from the indirect speech to get the direct speech.

Here is an example to illustrate the process:

Indirect Speech: John said that he was tired and wanted to go home.

Direct Speech: “I am tired and want to go home,” John said.

By following these steps, you can easily convert indirect speech into direct speech.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct and indirect speech are two ways to report what someone has said. Direct speech reports the exact words spoken by a person, while indirect speech reports the meaning of what was said. Here are some examples of both types of speech:

Direct Speech Examples

Direct speech is used when you want to report the exact words spoken by someone. It is usually enclosed in quotation marks and is often used in dialogue.

• “I am going to the store,” said Sarah.
• “It’s a beautiful day,” exclaimed John.
• “Please turn off the lights,” Mom told me.
• “I will meet you at the library,” said Tom.
• “We are going to the beach tomorrow,” announced Mary.

Indirect Speech Examples

Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is used to report what someone said without using their exact words. It is often used in news reports, academic writing, and in situations where you want to paraphrase what someone said.

Here are some examples of indirect speech:

• Sarah said that she was going to the store.
• John exclaimed that it was a beautiful day.
• Mom told me to turn off the lights.
• Tom said that he would meet me at the library.
• Mary announced that they were going to the beach tomorrow.

In indirect speech, the verb tense may change to reflect the time of the reported speech. For example, “I am going to the store” becomes “Sarah said that she was going to the store.” Additionally, the pronouns and possessive adjectives may also change to reflect the speaker and the person being spoken about.

Overall, both direct and indirect speech are important tools for reporting what someone has said. By using these techniques, you can accurately convey the meaning of what was said while also adding your own interpretation and analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is direct and indirect speech?

Direct and indirect speech refer to the ways in which we communicate what someone has said. Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken, using quotation marks to indicate that you are quoting someone. Indirect speech, on the other hand, involves reporting what someone has said without using their exact words.

How do you convert direct speech to indirect speech?

To convert direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions. You also need to introduce a reporting verb, such as “said,” “told,” or “asked.” For example, “I love ice cream,” said Mary (direct speech) can be converted to “Mary said that she loved ice cream” (indirect speech).

What is the difference between direct speech and indirect speech?

The main difference between direct speech and indirect speech is that direct speech uses the exact words spoken, while indirect speech reports what someone has said without using their exact words. Direct speech is usually enclosed in quotation marks, while indirect speech is not.

What are some examples of direct and indirect speech?

Some examples of direct speech include “I am going to the store,” said John and “I love pizza,” exclaimed Sarah. Some examples of indirect speech include John said that he was going to the store and Sarah exclaimed that she loved pizza .

What are the rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech?

The rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech include changing the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions. You also need to introduce a reporting verb and use appropriate reporting verbs such as “said,” “told,” or “asked.”

What is a summary of direct and indirect speech?

Direct and indirect speech are two ways of reporting what someone has said. Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken, while indirect speech reports what someone has said without using their exact words. To convert direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions and introduce a reporting verb.

You might also like:

• List of Adjectives
• Predicate Adjective
• Superlative Adjectives

This website is AMNAZING

MY NAAMEE IS KISHU AND I WANTED TO TELL THERE ARE NO EXERCISES AVAILLABLEE BY YOUR WEBSITE PLEASE ADD THEM SSOON FOR OUR STUDENTS CONVIENCE IM A EIGHT GRADER LOVED YOUR EXPLABATIO

sure cries l miss my friend

he saiad,” we are all sinners”. convert into indirect speech

He said that they were all sinners.

Direct and Indirect speech, Rules, Chart and Exercises

Direct and Indirect speech are ways of narrating the speech of someone to some other person following certain rules. This article covers its types, rules, examples and some exercises on the same.

Table of Contents

Direct and Indirect Speech: In English Grammar, direct and Indirect speech are used in instances when we wish to repeat or convey a speech or statement of some other person. Both direct and indirect speech describes what a third person said or conveyed in the past. Indirect speech is more commonly employed unless it’s a direct quotation, which is consistently enclosed in double quotation marks. Whereas indirect speech is used when you want to convey someone’s statement using your own precise words. It’s worth highlighting that indirect speech is consistently expressed using verbs like “said,” “told,” or “asked.”

Direct and Indirect Speech

There are two types of reported speech in English grammar, they are Direct and Indirect speech. Both speech conveys the speech or statement which was told by some other person. To explain any event, action or scenario we generally convey the sentences quoted by someone in the form of direct and indirect speech. In order to clearly differentiate and make people understand easily, we have detailed the two types of reported speech with examples and exercises below.

Direct Speech

Direct speech is the mode of expression that directly presents the words spoken or quoted by a third person. Generally, direct speech is written inside quotation marks (“”). The quotation is used to differentiate the speech of the third person that has happened in the past. Thus direct speech conveys statements or conversations of someone in the past tense but quoted inside the quotation marks in the present or future tense.

• Kiran said, “I am doing my work.”
• They said, ” We will go for the function.”
• He asked, “Can I make this?”

Indirect Speech

Indirect Speech is used when we convey what someone said in our own words without repeating the actual text of that person. Instead of using quotation marks, the conjunction word, ‘that’ is used. Thus speaker’s words and sentences are reframed into our own words in Indirect speech. Some examples of indirect speech are:

• Direct speech: Kiran said, “I am doing my work.”
• Indirect speech: Kiran said that she is doing her work.
• Direct speech: They said, ” We will go for the function.”
• Indirect speech: They said that they would go to the function.
• Direct speech: He asked, “Can I make this?”
• Indirect speech: He asked whether he can make that.

Rules for Direct and Indirect Speech

There are certain rules and regulations followed while converting a simple direct speech into indirect speech. Certain factors such as Verbs, Tenses, Modals, time, place, and pronouns are also considered while changing. The following are the rules applied when you convert direct speech to indirect speech in English grammar.

Rule-1 : Direct To Indirect Speech Conversion – Reporting Verb

The reporting verb is an important factor to note when changing a direct to an indirect sentence. When the reporting verb is past tense, then the verb inside the quotation is also changed to past when changing a sentence from direct to indirect speech. Examples:

• Direct: He said,’ I am sad.’
• Indirect: He said that he was sad.

An exception is for cases like a universal truth, the tenses remain the same.

• Teena said” The sun rises in the east”.
• Teena said that the sun rises in the east.

If the reporting verb is in present/future tense, then the tense remains the same as in direct speech.

• Direct: She says/will say, ‘I am coming.’
• Indirect: She says/will say she is coming.

Rule 2: Direct Speech to Indirect Speech Conversion – Tenses

If the sentences inside quotes in direct speech are present tense, it is changed to past tense when changed to indirect speech. The rule in the following table is applied while changing tenses from direct speech to reported speech.

Examples of change in Tenses

Rule 4: Direct to Indirect speech Conversion Interrogative sentences

If a sentence starts with a question word like what, when, and why in direct speech, the question word itself acts as the joining class.

• Direct speech: “Where do you live ?” Asked the boy.
• Indirect Speech: The boy enquired where I lived.

Rule 5: Direct to Indirect Speech Conversion Change in Modals

Modal verbs are those verbs that are preceded by another verb, which is the main verb. Can, May, and Must are some examples of Modals. Modals that won’t change are Could, would, should, ought to, might. While changing direct to indirect speech, the Modals change as below:

• Can become could
• May becomes Might
• Must becomes had to (or) would have to
• Direct: She said,” She can sing.”
• Indirect: She said that she could sing.
• Direct: She said,” I should cook the lunch”
• Indirect: She said that she should cook the lunch.

Rule 6: Direct to Indirect speech conversion – pronoun

The first person in Direct speech changes as per the subject of the speech

• Direct: He said, “I am in grade sixth.”
• Indirect: He said that he was in grade sixth.

The second person of Direct speech changes as per the object of the indirect speech.

• Direct: She says to them, “You have achieved your goal.”
• Indirect: She tells them that they have achieved their goal.

If the third person is mentioned in the Direct speech, it does not change in reported speech.

• Direct: He says, “She sings well.”
• Indirect: He says that she sings well.

Rule 7: Direct to indirect speech conversion – Request, Command, Wish and Exclamation.

The imperative words in direct speech change into Infinitives in indirect speech.

• Direct: She said to her ‘Please remove it’.
• Indirect: She requested her to remove that.

Exclamation

• Direct: She said, ‘Alas! I am undone.
• Indirect: She exclaimed sadly that she was broke.

 Rule 8: Direct to indirect speech conversion – punctuations

In Direct speech, the words spoken must start with(“) and ends with(.) inside the double inverted commas. All symbols such as question marks, full stops or exclamatory marks should be placed inside the quotes.

• They said. “We are the best”
• She asked, “Can I come with You?”
• He uttered, “Keep Quiet!”

Rule 9: Direct to indirect speech conversion – Change of time

While converting direct speech to Indirect speech, there are certain words to be noted that cannot be used as such in indirect speech. These words get modified into new words which are enlisted below:

• Now becomes Then
• Ago becomes before
• Thus becomes So
• Today becomes That day
• Tomorrow becomes the next day
• Yesterday becomes the day before
• This becomes that
• These become those
• Come becomes go
• Hence becomes thence
• Next week or next month becomes the following week or month
• Direct: He says/will say, ‘My girlfriend came yesterday.’
• Indirect: He says/will say that his girlfriend had come the day before.

Rules for Converting Indirect Speech into Direct Speech:

The following rules should be followed while converting an indirect speech to direct speech:

• Use the reporting verb such as (say, said to) in its correct
• Put a comma before the statement and the first letter of the statement should be in capital
• Insert question marks, quotation marks, exclamation marks and full stops, based on the mood of the
• Remove the conjunctions like (that, too, if or wh ether) wherever necessary .
• Where the reporting verb is in the past tense in indirect, change it to present tense in the direct
• Change the past perfect tense either into the present perfect tense or past tense, as necessary .

Direct and Indirect Speech – Some Exercises

The following are some exercises that students can practice while preparing for their revision tests or board exams.

Q.1.  Find out the correct indirect speech for the given sentence.

She said,’ I have cooked this meal.’

• She said that she cooked this meal
• She said that she had cooked that meal.
• She said that I cooked that meal.
• She said that she had cooked this meal.

Answer (2) She said that she had cooked that meal.

Q.2.  Choose the correct sentence.

Sanjay said, ‘What a beautiful painting it is’.

• Sanjay exclaimed wonderfully that the painting was very beautiful.
• Sanjay exclaimed with wonder that the painting was very beautiful.

Answer (4) Sanjay exclaimed with wonder that the painting was very beautiful.

Q.3. The correct indirect speech for She asked, “What is the cost of these books?”

• She enquired what was the cost of those books.
• She inquired what was the cost of these books.
• She enquired what is the cost of those books.
• She questioned what was the cost of those books.

Answer (1) She enquired what was the cost of those books.

Q.4. The man said, ‘Oh God! I missed the train today.’

• The man cried that he missed the train that day.
• The man exclaimed in grief that he missed the train today.
• The man said that oh God! he missed that day.
• The man exclaimed with sorrow that he missed the train that day.

Answer (4) The man exclaimed with sorrow that he missed the train that day.

Q.5. Rahul said, “Can you call me back later?”

Answer (5) Rahul asked me if I could call him back later.

Q.6. Mom said to me, “May God Bless you”.

Answer (6)  Mom wished that God might bless me.

What is the Importance of Learning Direct and Indirect Speech?

Learning direct and indirect speech is crucial for several reasons:

• Improved Communication Skills: Understanding both forms helps in accurately conveying messages from one person to another. This skill is essential in both written and spoken communication.
• Enhanced Writing Abilities: Using direct and indirect speech allows for more dynamic and versatile writing. It enables writers to present dialogues and reported speech effectively.
• Better Understanding of Language Nuances: Mastery of direct and indirect speech helps learners grasp the subtleties of language, including tone, context, and perspective.
• Critical Thinking: Converting statements from direct to indirect speech (or vice versa) requires comprehension and analysis of the original message, fostering critical thinking.
• Effective Reporting: In fields like journalism, law, and academia, accurately reporting speech is vital. Mastery of both forms ensures precision and reliability in conveying information.

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Direct and Indirect speech-FAQs

Q1. what are direct and indirect speech in english.

Ans. Direct speech is a speech that describes what a third person has conveyed or quoted in a direct manner. Generally, direct speech is written inside quotation marks ("").Indirect Speech is used when we convey what someone said in our own words without repeating the actual text of that person.

Q2. In which speech conjunctions are used and what is the purpose?

Ans. The conjunctions are used in Indirect speech. The speaker's words and sentences are reframed into our own words in Indirect speech using conjuctions as connecting words.

Q3. What are modals and what is the significance of using modals?

Ans. Modal verbs are those verbs that are preceded by another verb, which is the main verb. Can, May, and Must are some examples of Modals. While converting direct to indirect speech Can becomes could, May becomes Might, Will becomes Would. Modals that won’t change are Could, would, should, ought to, might.

Q4 Give a few examples of direct speech.

Ans: Some examples of direct speech have been discussed here: 1. John said, "I will go to the store." 2. Mary asked, "Are you coming to the party?" 3. "It's a beautiful day," remarked Sarah. 4. He shouted, "Watch out for the car!"

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Reported speech: indirect speech

Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words. In indirect speech , the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command.

Indirect speech: reporting statements

Indirect reports of statements consist of a reporting clause and a that -clause. We often omit that , especially in informal situations:

The pilot commented that the weather had been extremely bad as the plane came in to land. (The pilot’s words were: ‘The weather was extremely bad as the plane came in to land.’ )

I told my wife I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday. ( that -clause without that ) (or I told my wife that I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday .)

Indirect speech: reporting questions

Reporting yes-no questions and alternative questions.

Indirect reports of yes-no questions and questions with or consist of a reporting clause and a reported clause introduced by if or whether . If is more common than whether . The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:

She asked if [S] [V] I was Scottish. (original yes-no question: ‘Are you Scottish?’ )

The waiter asked whether [S] we [V] wanted a table near the window. (original yes-no question: ‘Do you want a table near the window? )

He asked me if [S] [V] I had come by train or by bus. (original alternative question: ‘Did you come by train or by bus?’ )

Questions: yes-no questions ( Are you feeling cold? )

Reporting wh -questions

Indirect reports of wh -questions consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a wh -word ( who, what, when, where, why, how ). We don’t use a question mark:

He asked me what I wanted.

Not: He asked me what I wanted?

The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:

She wanted to know who [S] we [V] had invited to the party.

Not: … who had we invited …

Who , whom and what

In indirect questions with who, whom and what , the wh- word may be the subject or the object of the reported clause:

I asked them who came to meet them at the airport. ( who is the subject of came ; original question: ‘Who came to meet you at the airport?’ )

He wondered what the repairs would cost. ( what is the object of cost ; original question: ‘What will the repairs cost?’ )

She asked us what [S] we [V] were doing . (original question: ‘What are you doing?’ )

Not: She asked us what were we doing?

When , where , why and how

We also use statement word order (subject + verb) with when , where, why and how :

I asked her when [S] it [V] had happened (original question: ‘When did it happen?’ ).

Not: I asked her when had it happened?

I asked her where [S] the bus station [V] was . (original question: ‘Where is the bus station?’ )

Not: I asked her where was the bus station?

The teacher asked them how [S] they [V] wanted to do the activity . (original question: ‘How do you want to do the activity?’ )

Not: The teacher asked them how did they want to do the activity?

Questions: wh- questions

Indirect speech: reporting commands

Indirect reports of commands consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a to -infinitive:

The General ordered the troops to advance . (original command: ‘Advance!’ )

The chairperson told him to sit down and to stop interrupting . (original command: ‘Sit down and stop interrupting!’ )

We also use a to -infinitive clause in indirect reports with other verbs that mean wanting or getting people to do something, for example, advise, encourage, warn :

They advised me to wait till the following day. (original statement: ‘You should wait till the following day.’ )

The guard warned us not to enter the area. (original statement: ‘You must not enter the area.’ )

Verbs followed by a to -infinitive

Indirect speech: present simple reporting verb

We can use the reporting verb in the present simple in indirect speech if the original words are still true or relevant at the time of reporting, or if the report is of something someone often says or repeats:

Sheila says they’re closing the motorway tomorrow for repairs.

Henry tells me he’s thinking of getting married next year.

Rupert says dogs shouldn’t be allowed on the beach. (Rupert probably often repeats this statement.)

Newspaper headlines

We often use the present simple in newspaper headlines. It makes the reported speech more dramatic:

JUDGE TELLS REPORTER TO LEAVE COURTROOM

PRIME MINISTER SAYS FAMILIES ARE TOP PRIORITY IN TAX REFORM

Present simple ( I work )

Reported speech

Reported speech: direct speech

Indirect speech: past continuous reporting verb

In indirect speech, we can use the past continuous form of the reporting verb (usually say or tell ). This happens mostly in conversation, when the speaker wants to focus on the content of the report, usually because it is interesting news or important information, or because it is a new topic in the conversation:

Rory was telling me the big cinema in James Street is going to close down. Is that true?

Alex was saying that book sales have gone up a lot this year thanks to the Internet.

‘Backshift’ refers to the changes we make to the original verbs in indirect speech because time has passed between the moment of speaking and the time of the report.

In these examples, the present ( am ) has become the past ( was ), the future ( will ) has become the future-in-the-past ( would ) and the past ( happened ) has become the past perfect ( had happened ). The tenses have ‘shifted’ or ‘moved back’ in time.

The past perfect does not shift back; it stays the same:

Modal verbs

Some, but not all, modal verbs ‘shift back’ in time and change in indirect speech.

We can use a perfect form with have + - ed form after modal verbs, especially where the report looks back to a hypothetical event in the past:

He said the noise might have been the postman delivering letters. (original statement: ‘The noise might be the postman delivering letters.’ )

He said he would have helped us if we’d needed a volunteer. (original statement: ‘I’ll help you if you need a volunteer’ or ‘I’d help you if you needed a volunteer.’ )

Used to and ought to do not change in indirect speech:

She said she used to live in Oxford. (original statement: ‘I used to live in Oxford.’ )

The guard warned us that we ought to leave immediately. (original statement: ‘You ought to leave immediately.’ )

No backshift

We don’t need to change the tense in indirect speech if what a person said is still true or relevant or has not happened yet. This often happens when someone talks about the future, or when someone uses the present simple, present continuous or present perfect in their original words:

He told me his brother works for an Italian company. (It is still true that his brother works for an Italian company.)

She said she ’s getting married next year. (For the speakers, the time at the moment of speaking is ‘this year’.)

He said he ’s finished painting the door. (He probably said it just a short time ago.)

She promised she ’ll help us. (The promise applies to the future.)

Indirect speech: changes to pronouns

Changes to personal pronouns in indirect reports depend on whether the person reporting the speech and the person(s) who said the original words are the same or different.

Indirect speech: changes to adverbs and demonstratives

We often change demonstratives ( this, that ) and adverbs of time and place ( now, here, today , etc.) because indirect speech happens at a later time than the original speech, and perhaps in a different place.

Typical changes to demonstratives, adverbs and adverbial expressions

Indirect speech: typical errors

The word order in indirect reports of wh- questions is the same as statement word order (subject + verb), not question word order:

She always asks me where [S] [V] I am going .

Not: She always asks me where am I going .

We don’t use a question mark when reporting wh- questions:

I asked him what he was doing.

Not: I asked him what he was doing?

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Direct and Indirect Speech

Table of Contents

What is Speech (Narration):

If we want to describe the speech of some other people with other people in our own words, that speech is called a Reported speech or Narration.

Types of Speech

In the English language, there are certain ways to express the spoken words between two people.

The speech has two main types, Direct speech , and Indirect speech , respectively.

These two ways of narration of spoken words are also called Direct and Indirect speech, also known as Direct and Indirect narrations. 

Direct and indirect speech is majorly used in any conversations, scripts, or any biographies, etc. where one or more than one person converses with each other.

Direct speech:

It is also called straight speech or quoted speech, which is spoken or written directly in the text by the speaker, writer, or the first person, who is going to speak with anyone with him.

The spoken statements of the speaker normally come under the inverted commas notation, and a speaker who speaks these sentences may come like “he said/he said that.”

The speaker’s words or statements are mentioned in a single phrase pattern or direct discussion.

Indirect speech:

An Indirect speech is also called a reported speech, or secondary speech means the speech, which has spoken indirectly.

It is simply an overlook statement that is used to say about the incident that has happened in the past time.

The actual words of the speaker changed into the past tense and the sentence, and hence the reported speech of the direct speech does not come inside the inverted commas.

Reporting speech:

A person who is going to report the speech or a speech that comes in the first part of the direct speech is called a reporting speech.

• He says , “He cooks food”.

Reported speech:

Reported speech is a speech that is always in an inverted comma or quotation marks.

It is a second part of the direct speech sentence.

• He says,  “He cooks food.”

Reporting verb:

The verb, which is used in a reporting speech to report something in a direct speech, is called a reporting verb.

• Zoya  said , “I want to go there.”

Reported verb:

The verb which comes inside the reported speech is called reported verb, respectively.

• Zoya said, “I  want  to go there.”

As we start writing any direct and indirect conversation, we often use reported verbs like  “say, tell, ask, inform, instruct, claim, suggest, enquire, etc.”

These reported verbs, whenever used in direct or indirect speech, change into the past simple form like  said, told, asked, informed, instructed, claimed, suggested, enquired, etc.

But the verbs used in a speech between the inverted commas will remain as it is.

Examples of direct and indirect speech:

• Indirect speech: John said that she was looking so beautiful.
• Indirect : He said that he was not a culprit.
• Indirect : He said that she was working on that project.
• Indirect : The teacher asked if he completed his homework. 
• Indirect : She says that she is an artist.
• Indirect : Sam told me that he was not coming with me.
• Indirect : He says that she is working on that project.

Some basic rules for converting direct speech into indirect speech:

Rule 1 : “no inverted commas.”.

The reported speech does not come into inverted commas or quotation in an indirect speech.

Example: Direct: He said, “I have completed my assignments yesterday.”

    Indirect: He said that he had completed his assignments the previous day.

Rule 2: use of “that” conjunction

Using the conjunction word “that” in-between the reporting speech and reported speech in an indirect speech.

Example: 

• He said, “I have completed my assignment yesterday.”
• He said  that  he had completed his assignment the previous day.

Rule 3: Change of tense

While writing a direct speech into an indirect speech, we have to change the tense of the reported speech because whatever we are writing in indirect speech has already happened in the past timing.

• If the tense of a reporting speech of direct speech is in the present tense or future tense , then the tense of the reported speech in indirect speech will not change. It may be in the present tense, past tense, or future tense, respectively.
• Indirect : He says that he is going to school. (no change in tense)
• Indirect : She says that she  will not come  with me. (no change in tense)
• Indirect : He says that he  wrote  a letter. (no change in tense)

If the tense of the reporting verb of direct speech is in the past tense, then the tense will change according to these criteria.

For the present tense:

Simple present tense will change into simple past tense..

Direct: He said, “They come to meet me.”

Indirect: He said that they came to meet him.

Present continuous tense will change into past continuous tense.

Direct: She said, “They are coming to meet me.”

Indirect: She said that they were coming to meet her.

Present perfect tense will change into past perfect tense.

Direct: He said, “They have come to meet me.”

Indirect: He said that they had come to meet him. 

Present perfect continuous tense will change into past perfect continuous tense.

Direct: She said, “They have been coming to meet me.”

Indirect: She said that they had been coming to meet her. 

For the past tense:

Simple past tense will change into the past perfect tense.

Direct: He said, “They came to meet me.”

Indirect: He said that they had come to meet him.

Past continuous tense will change into past perfect continuous tense.

Direct: She said, “They were coming to meet me.”

Indirect: She said that they had been coming to meet her.

Past perfect tense and past perfect continuous tense will remain the same.

Direct: He said, “They had come to meet me.”

Direct: She said, “They had been coming to meet me.”

For the future tense:

There are no changes in the future tense sentences; only shall/will may change into would, can change into could.

• Direct: She said, “Can you come tomorrow.”

Indirect: She said that could he come on the next day

• Direct: He said, “I will never forgive you.”

Indirect: He said that he would never forgive me.

Rule 4: Changing the pronoun

The pronoun used as an indirect subject speech sometimes needs to be changed accordingly in indirect speech as of the reported verb of the direct speech.

• The pronoun used for representing the first person in reported speech changes based on the subject of the reporting speech in a direct speech.
• The pronoun used for representing the second person in reported speech changes based on the report’s object in a direct speech.
• The pronoun used for representing the third person remains the same in the reported speech.
• Direct: He said, “ I  am going to school.”
• Indirect: He said that  he  is going to school.
• Direct: She says, “ I  will not come with  you .”
• Indirect: She says that  she  will not come with  me .
• Direct: They said, “ we  are eating our tiffin box.”
• Indirect: They said that  they  were eating  their  tiffin box.

Rule 5: Changing the time

The mentioned time (not the timing) in a direct speech sentence will have to change in indirect speech like   now  becomes  then, tomorrow  becomes  the next day, yesterday  becomes  the previous day, today  becomes  that day, later  becomes  soon. 

• Direct: He told, “He is coming from Tokyo  today .”
• Indirect: He told me that he was coming from Tokyo  that day .
• Direct: She asked, “Will the parcel reach by  tomorrow  or not?”
• Indirect: She asked whether the parcel will reach by  the next day  or not.
• Direct: “The teacher has given some assignments  yesterday ”, he reminds me.
• Indirect: He reminds me that the teacher had given some assignments on  the previous day.

Conversion of statements from direct speech into Indirect speech:

Assertive sentences:.

Assertive sentences are simple statements that may be affirmative or negative.

If we are going to convert assertive sentences from direct speech into indirect speech, we have to replace “said” with “told” sometimes.

Here, the subject in direct speech refers to someone in his talk.

• Direct: He said to me, “she is working on this project.”

Indirect: He told me that she was working on that project.

• Direct: She said to me, “I’m going for a long drive.”

Indirect: She told me that she was going for a long drive.

Imperative sentences:

Imperative sentences are statements that deliver a command, order, request, appeal, or advice.

It depends on the speaker, how he delivers the message to the other person.

• Sit properly!
• Stand by my side!
• Come closer!

While converting these types of sentences cum statements from direct speech to indirect speech, we have to check the type of sentence, whether it is a command, order, request, or else.

• Direct: The teacher said to me, “Sit properly!”

Indirect: The teacher ordered me to sit properly.

• Direct: The Boss said to an office boy, “Bring one coffee for me.”

Indirect: The Boss commanded an office boy to bring a coffee for him.

Indirect: The teacher requested me to sit properly.

• Direct: The bartender said to me, “try this drink.”

Indirect: The bartender advised me to try that drink.

Interrogative sentences:

An interrogative sentence is a sentence which interrogates or ask questions.

Each interrogative sentence ends with an interrogative sign or a question mark sign “?”.

• What is your name?
• Can you do me a favor?
• Why are you laughing in the classroom?

While writing interrogative sentences from direct speech into indirect speech,

• the reporting verb “said” in the direct speech is changed into “asked” in the indirect speech because it asks the question to another person.
• If any reporting verb comes first in the reporting speech, then “If” is used despite “that.”
• In a reporting speech, if any wh-type question words are present, then no other words will be used, and the sentence ends with a full stop sign instead of a question mark.
• Indirect: He asked me what was my name.
• Indirect: She asked if he could do her a favor.
• Indirect: The teacher asked him why he was laughing in the classroom.

Exclamatory sentences:

Exclamatory sentences are those sentences that show emotions, feelings and ends with an exclamation mark!

• Congratulations! You have a baby girl.
• I am extremely sorry for your loss!
• Most welcome!

If any interjection comes in an exclamation sentence, then the exclamation sign removes in an indirect speech, and an exclamatory sentence gets converted into an assertive sentence.

The replacement of reporting verb “said” with  exclaimed with (great wonder, sorrow, joy) exclaimed (joyfully, sorrowfully)

Replace with  very  or  very great , if words like  how  or  what  comes at the beginning of the reported speech.

• Indirect: He exclaimed with joy that I had a baby girl.
• Indirect: She exclaimed with sorrow that she felt sorry for my loss.
• Indirect: They exclaimed with joy that most welcome.

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How much momentum will RFK Jr.'s endorsement give Trump?

Polls show Kennedy's supporters only slightly favor the former president.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Friday that he had suspended his campaign for the presidency and endorsed former President Donald Trump (though he said he will remain on the ballot in states that are not competitive at the presidential level). Kennedy's bid failed to garner enough support to contend in any state, and support for him in national polls fell by nearly half after President Joe Biden dropped out of the running to be the Democratic Party's nominee.

Our analysis of the polling data suggests Kennedy's endorsement of Trump will have a minimal impact on the race. Kennedy, who has consistently polled around 5 percent since Vice President Kamala Harris became the presumptive nominee, was drawing roughly equally from both Trump and Harris, with that support coming from both traditionally Democratic and traditionally Republican groups. His endorsement of Trump may marginally help the Republican among white, male, and older voters. But the effect of his departure on overall support for either candidate will be small.

Kennedy's candidacy has a small effect on our polling averages

So where will Kennedy's voters go? There are a few ways to calculate a guess. The most straightforward method is to calculate an average of support for Harris and Trump using only the polls that allow voters to express support for Kennedy, and then compare those results to their average support in polls that do not include Kennedy as a response option. This allows us to guess where his voters might be going if they're forced to pick other options.

538's national presidential polling average is doing similar math when combining polls with different response options, so we can extract an estimated effect from the aggregation model as a first guess. Our model tells us that support for Harris is 1.3 percentage points higher in polls testing support only for Harris and Trump than in polls where Kennedy is included. In comparison, Trump's support is 1.5 percentage points higher in two-way polls than when voters get the third-party option. Adding it up, this suggests that Kennedy's presence in the race is drawing slightly more support away from Trump and increasing Harris's margin by about 0.2 percentage points on average across the states.

To put that in context, the daily absolute change in 538's margin for Harris in our national polling average is, on average, 0.21 percentage points. In other words, the direct effect of Kennedy dropping out, according to polling toplines alone, is about the same as the amount that polls tend to fluctuate based on the average day's news or campaigning.

With Kennedy gone, heavily partisan groups will repolarize

Another way to guess who Kennedy is pulling more votes from is to look at voting patterns at the demographic level and compare results poll-by-poll instead of inferring aggregate trends (which is what our polling average does).

To do this, we collected all of the Harris-Trump polls that have been conducted since July 21 and included both two-way and multiple-candidate questions on presidential support. Then, we aggregated support for each candidate at the demographic group level using the published crosstabs for these polls, where available, and looked at how the margin between Harris and Trump differed within each of these groups when Kennedy was or was not included in the question.* (To be clear, this is not the same as our topline polling average: No fancy modeling has been applied to this data, just a simple average of all the polls.)

When Kennedy is absent from surveys, support for Harris rises most among Asian, Black and Hispanic voters,** as well as with nonwhite voters without college degrees and young voters. Trump, meanwhile, consolidates support with men, white and rural voters, and voters over 30. That means Trump is best situated to capitalize on Kennedy's endorsement among the groups already friendliest to both of them.

For the most part, however, Kennedy is drawing few votes from either candidate and, once again, the effect of his withdrawal on the race is likely to be small. Harris's margin over Trump changes by less than two percentage points in 16 out of the 18 groups we considered, and by less than one percentage point in more than a third.

In fact, the most notable trend in our demographic-level analysis is a repolarization of solid Democratic and Republican groups; that is, without Kennedy on the ballot, Harris tends to gain among groups that are typically solidly Democratic, while Trump does better with key Republican demographics. But vote intention among the more swingy groups — suburbanites, college-educated nonwhites, and women — changes little.

Exit this way

While running for president, Kennedy was often discussed in terms of whether he would be a spoiler candidate for either Trump or Biden/Harris. This was a distinct possibility: As of Aug. 23 at 6:30 p.m. Eastern, our election forecast for Trump and Harris gives Kennedy a 0-in-100 chance of winning the majority of Electoral College votes, but a 40-in-100 chance of third-party candidates winning more votes in any decisive state than the margin between Harris and Trump in that state. With Kennedy's exit likely to lower those odds, that's a big reason Trump is likely glad to have Kennedy's support, even if he doesn't bring many votes to the table.

When Ross Perot bowed out of the 1992 presidential race (before later reentering it ), he said he did not want to send the election to the House of Representatives by siphoning off enough electoral votes to prevent any candidate from reaching an Electoral College majority. And while Kennedy also specified in his announcement Friday that he is withdrawing his name in battleground states where he might prove to be a spoiler, he struck a different (and, to be clear, not very realistic) tune by technically remaining in the race. "I encourage you to vote for me," he said, specifying that his name will appear on the ballot in most states. "And if enough of you do vote for me, and neither of the major-party candidates win 270 [electoral] votes, which is quite possible … I could conceivably still end up in the White House in a contingent election."

In order to be eligible to be elected president by the House, however, Kennedy would need to win at least one Electoral College vote from a state's slate of presidential electors. That is likely an overly optimistic forecast (following an overly optimistic campaign). Toward the end of his press conference, Kennedy officially threw his support behind Trump. That may reflect a more prescient prediction of where his future in American politics lies.

*When pollsters released results among different populations, we preferred polls of likely voters over those of registered voters and registered voters over all adults. When a pollster released multiple different multi-candidate matchups, we included the matchup with the largest candidate field when calculating the margin including Kennedy. We included all national polls conducted after July 21 and released by Aug. 22 at 11:59pm.

**Some pollsters include a "Hispanic" demographic group in their crosstabs, and others include a "Latino" group. We included both categories in the Hispanic/Latino averages.

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Middle East latest: Israel issues new evacuation orders in Gaza

Israel has issued new evacuation orders in Gaza as its military campaign continues more than 10 months since the war against Hamas began. Meanwhile, Israel and Hezbollah are said to be wary of escalating their own conflict. Below, watch military analyst Sean Bell assess the situation.

Monday 26 August 2024 13:04, UK

• Israel-Hamas war

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

• Israel issues new evacuation orders in Gaza
• Oil tanker still on fire days after Houthi attack in Red Sea
• Militant group Hezbollah launches drone and rocket attack on Israel 
• Israel struck pre-emptively in Lebanon, where Hezbollah is based
• Israel and Hezbollah 'trade messages' urging against escalation
• Watch: How attacks from both sides unfolded
• Watch: How strong is Hezbollah?
• Analysis : What does Hezbollah mean by 'phase one'?
• Alex Rossi: Great peril remains of wider Middle East conflict
• Live reporting by Samuel Osborne

We're pausing our coverage of the crisis in the Middle East.

Here are the main developments today:

• Israel and Hezbollah have reportedly exchanged messages aimed at preventing further escalation after both sides traded heavy fire on Sunday;
• The exchanges came after weeks of tensions following the killing of a top Hezbollah commander in Lebanon last month;
• Our international correspondent Alex Rossi said while another dangerous moment appears to be passing, the Middle East remains at great peril of a devastating wider conflict;
• You can watch military analyst Sean Bell assess the situation between Hezbollah and Israel below.
• In the Red Sea, a Greek-flagged vessel attacked by Houthi rebels last week is still burning today;
• The group has been attacking ships in solidarity with Palestinians amid the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza;
• Israel has today issued new evacuation orders in Gaza as its 10-month military campaign there continues;
• The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says 40,435 Palestinians have now been killed since 7 October , with 93,534 injured.

That's all for now.

Some 40,435 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's military offensive in Gaza since 7 October, the Hamas-run health ministry has announced.

It added that 93,534 have been injured during that time.

The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count.

Seven Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military strikes today, medics have told the Reuters news agency.

Two were killed in Deir Al-Balah, where around a million people are sheltering and where Israel has issued an evacuation order.

Two more were killed at a school near the Al-Nuseirat camp and three in the southern city of Rafah, near the border with Egypt.

More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, which does not differentiate between civilians and fighters in its count.

Israel has issued new evacuation orders for Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, forcing more families to flee the area.

Israel has issued several evacuation orders across Gaza in recent days - the most since the beginning of the 10-month war - saying its forces intended to act against Hamas and other groups in the areas.

The Deir Al-Balah municipality said Israel's evacuation orders have so far displaced 250,000 people.

The orders forced many families and patients to leave Al-Aqsa Hospital, the main medical facility in Deir Al-Balah, where hundreds of thousands of people have taken shelter.

Family displaced 11 times

One woman said she and her children had been displaced 11 times.

Sawasn Abu Afesh told Reuters she has "no money for transportation" and would have to make the journey on foot, while three of her children had been left behind.

"No idea where," she said.

Israel was unable to anticipate the time and place of Hezbollah's "limited and managed attack," showing it has "lost its deterrent power", Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani has claimed.

Hezbollah launched hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel early on Sunday, while Israel's military said it struck Lebanon with around 100 jets to ward off a greater attack.

Iran praised and congratulated Hezbollah's "unique response against several vital and strategic targets" in Israel, Mr Kanaani said.

"Hezbollah's decisive response proved that the enemy's crimes do not go unanswered."

Mr Kanaani said Israel was unable to predict "the time and place" of attacks against it despite "the comprehensive support of its supporters, including the US".

Yesterday the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah launched an attack on Israel in retaliation for the killing of one of its commanders in Beirut - with Israel pre-empting the move with its own airstrikes.

The attacks from both sides followed the death of top Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr, who was killed in a strike in Beirut's southern suburbs in July.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously described Shukr as "one of the most wanted terrorists in the world".

Its army said Hezbollah had been planning to launch a heavy barrage of rockets and missiles towards Israel - as the Iranian-backed group, which is designated a terrorist organisation by several countries including the UK, had promised to retaliate.

Flights to and from Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport were temporarily suspended on Sunday after the attacks broke out, but have since resumed.

So what is Hezbollah and will it play a role in the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Middle East?

An oil tanker has been on fire since Friday after it was attacked by Yemen's Houthis, the EU Red Sea naval mission Aspides has said.

Fire and smoke could be seen coming from the Greek-flagged Sounion's main deck in photos published by the EU mission.

The Houthis, who are aligned with Iran, attacked the oil tanker in the Red Sea last week.

The group has been attacking ships in solidarity with Palestinians amid the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Fires were observed on at least five locations on the main deck of the vessel and part of the superstructure is on fire too, Aspides said.

"So far there are no obvious signs of an oil spill," it added.

Satellite image captured by the European Space Agency’s Copernicus Satellite 2 showed smoke rising from the vessel at sea.

Aspides has warned the oil tanker, which is carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil, may pose an environmental hazard.

By Alex Rossi , international correspondent

Another dangerous moment appears to be passing in this disastrous conflict, but great peril remains for Israel, Lebanon and the wider region.

Israel's pre-emptive strike and Hezbollah's retaliatory attack for the assassination of their top commander in late July risked plunging both sides into all-out war.

That nightmare scenario appears to be fading for now, but all the dynamics for a much bigger conflict remain.

Effectively the stand-off - with each side sending messages with bombs and rockets - continues.

Watch: How Israeli and Hezbollah strikes unfolded

A dangerous spiral

The Israelis and Hezbollah are signalling that they do not seek a wider war but the risk of accident and miscalculation remains.

Both sides are also under pressure to do more, which could also lead to a dangerous spiral.

There are people behind Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah who are urging a more forceful response to Israel's continued assault on Gaza.

And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has very loud voices in his ear telling him to launch a major operation against the Lebanese militant group to force it back from the border and allow tens of thousands of Israelis to return home.

Great danger so long as Gaza war continues

The problem is that violence often ends up having its own logic and can take actors in directions they may not foresee.

It may not be in Israel or Hezbollah's interest to fight a major war, but it may happen anyway.

And the consequences would be disastrous, with significant damage and casualties on both sides.

The key to dialling down the tensions would be a ceasefire in Gaza, but for the moment that seems to be out of reach, meaning great danger lies ahead.

Polio vaccines for more than a million people have been delivered to Gaza, Israel's military has said.

Five lorries with special refrigeration equipment for vaccine storage were brought into Gaza on Friday and the jabs arrived on Sunday, a statement by the Israeli military body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs said.

It said vaccinations will be conducted by international and local medical teams at "various locations", in coordination with Israel's military as part of "routine humanitarian pauses" to allow people to reach health centres.

It comes after the first confirmed case of the disease in the territory in a quarter of a century, with other cases suspected after the virus was detected in wastewater in six different locations in July.

Aid groups have plans to vaccinate more than 600,000 children under 10 and have called for an urgent pause in fighting. The UN has aimed to bring 1.6 million doses of polio vaccine into Gaza.

What is polio?

Polio is a highly contagious infection that is transmitted mainly through contact with contaminated waste, water, or food. 

It can cause difficulty breathing and irreversible paralysis, usually in the legs. It strikes young children in particular and can sometimes be fatal.

Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians live in crowded tent camps, where they lack clean water or proper disposal for sewage and rubbish - with families sometimes using wastewater to drink or clean dishes.

Israel and Hezbollah traded their most intense fire for months in the early hours of Sunday before pulling back hours later, with both sides saying they wanted to avoid further escalation.

Hezbollah claimed to hit an Israeli military intelligence site near Tel Aviv in a barrage of hundreds of rockets and drones. 

Israel claimed its attacks in southern Lebanon had been pre-emptive to avert a larger assault by Hezbollah. 

Our military analyst Sean Bell explains more:

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