reported speech review exercises

Reported Speech Exercises

Perfect english grammar.

Here's a list of all the reported speech exercises on this site:

( Click here to read the explanations about reported speech )

Reported Statements:

• Present Simple Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here)
• Present Continuous Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here)
• Past Simple Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here)
• Present Perfect Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here)
• Future Simple Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here)
• Mixed Tense Reported Statement Exercise (intermediate) (in PDF here)
• 'Say' and 'Tell' (quite easy) (in PDF here)

Reported Questions:

• Present Simple Reported Yes/No Question Exercise (intermediate) (in PDF here)
• Present Simple Reported Wh Question Exercise (intermediate) (in PDF here)
• Mixed Tense Reported Question Exercise (intermediate) (in PDF here)

Reported Orders and Requests:

• Reported Requests and Orders Exercise (intermediate) (in PDF here)
• Reported Speech Mixed Exercise 1 (difficult) (in PDF here)
• Reported Speech Mixed Exercise 2 (difficult) (in PDF here)

Hello! I'm Seonaid! I'm here to help you understand grammar and speak correct, fluent English.

Read more about our learning method

Reported Speech – Free Exercise

Write the following sentences in indirect speech. Pay attention to backshift and the changes to pronouns, time, and place.

• Two weeks ago, he said, “I visited this museum last week.” → Two weeks ago, he said that   . I → he|simple past → past perfect|this → that|last …→ the … before
• She claimed, “I am the best for this job.” → She claimed that   . I → she|simple present→ simple past|this→ that
• Last year, the minister said, “The crisis will be overcome next year.” → Last year, the minister said that   . will → would|next …→ the following …
• My riding teacher said, “Nobody has ever fallen off a horse here.” → My riding teacher said that   . present perfect → past perfect|here→ there
• Last month, the boss explained, “None of my co-workers has to work overtime now.” → Last month, the boss explained that   . my → his/her|simple present→ simple past|now→ then

Rewrite the question sentences in indirect speech.

• She asked, “What did he say?” → She asked   . The subject comes directly after the question word.|simple past → past perfect
• He asked her, “Do you want to dance?” → He asked her   . The subject comes directly after whether/if |you → she|simple present → simple past
• I asked him, “How old are you?” → I asked him   . The subject comes directly after the question word + the corresponding adjective (how old)|you→ he|simple present → simple past
• The tourists asked me, “Can you show us the way?” → The tourists asked me   . The subject comes directly after whether/if |you→ I|us→ them
• The shop assistant asked the woman, “Which jacket have you already tried on?” → The shop assistant asked the woman   . The subject comes directly after the question word|you→ she|present perfect → past perfect

Rewrite the demands/requests in indirect speech.

• The passenger requested the taxi driver, “Stop the car.” → The passenger requested the taxi driver   . to + same wording as in direct speech
• The mother told her son, “Don’t be so loud.” → The mother told her son   . not to + same wording as in direct speech, but remove don’t
• The policeman told us, “Please keep moving.” → The policeman told us   . to + same wording as in direct speech ( please can be left off)
• She told me, “Don’t worry.” → She told me   . not to + same wording as in direct speech, but remove don’t
• The zookeeper told the children, “Don’t feed the animals.” → The zookeeper told the children   . not to + same wording as in direct speech, but remove don’t

How good is your English?

Find out with Lingolia’s free grammar test

Take the test!

Maybe later

• B1-B2 grammar

Reported speech: statements

Do you know how to report what somebody else said? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see how we can tell someone what another person said.

direct speech: 'I love the Toy Story films,' she said. indirect speech: She said she loved the Toy Story films. direct speech: 'I worked as a waiter before becoming a chef,' he said. indirect speech: He said he'd worked as a waiter before becoming a chef. direct speech: 'I'll phone you tomorrow,' he said. indirect speech: He said he'd phone me the next day.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar B1-B2: Reported speech 1: 1

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

Reported speech is when we tell someone what another person said. To do this, we can use direct speech or indirect speech.

direct speech: 'I work in a bank,' said Daniel. indirect speech: Daniel said that he worked in a bank.

In indirect speech, we often use a tense which is 'further back' in the past (e.g. worked ) than the tense originally used (e.g. work ). This is called 'backshift'. We also may need to change other words that were used, for example pronouns.

Present simple, present continuous and present perfect

When we backshift, present simple changes to past simple, present continuous changes to past continuous and present perfect changes to past perfect.

'I travel a lot in my job.' Jamila said that she travelled a lot in her job. 'The baby's sleeping!' He told me the baby was sleeping. 'I've hurt my leg.' She said she'd hurt her leg.

Past simple and past continuous

When we backshift, past simple usually changes to past perfect simple, and past continuous usually changes to past perfect continuous.

'We lived in China for five years.' She told me they'd lived in China for five years. 'It was raining all day.' He told me it had been raining all day.

Past perfect

The past perfect doesn't change.

'I'd tried everything without success, but this new medicine is great.' He said he'd tried everything without success, but the new medicine was great.

No backshift

If what the speaker has said is still true or relevant, it's not always necessary to change the tense. This might happen when the speaker has used a present tense.

'I go to the gym next to your house.' Jenny told me that she goes to the gym next to my house. I'm thinking about going with her. 'I'm working in Italy for the next six months.' He told me he's working in Italy for the next six months. Maybe I should visit him! 'I've broken my arm!' She said she's broken her arm, so she won't be at work this week.

Pronouns, demonstratives and adverbs of time and place

Pronouns also usually change in indirect speech.

'I enjoy working in my garden,' said Bob. Bob said that he enjoyed working in his garden. 'We played tennis for our school,' said Alina. Alina told me they'd played tennis for their school.

However, if you are the person or one of the people who spoke, then the pronouns don't change.

'I'm working on my thesis,' I said. I told her that I was working on my thesis. 'We want our jobs back!' we said. We said that we wanted our jobs back.

We also change demonstratives and adverbs of time and place if they are no longer accurate.

'This is my house.' He said this was his house. [You are currently in front of the house.] He said that was his house. [You are not currently in front of the house.] 'We like it here.' She told me they like it here. [You are currently in the place they like.] She told me they like it there. [You are not in the place they like.] 'I'm planning to do it today.' She told me she's planning to do it today. [It is currently still the same day.] She told me she was planning to do it that day. [It is not the same day any more.]

In the same way, these changes to those , now changes to then , yesterday changes to the day before , tomorrow changes to the next/following day and ago changes to before .

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar B1-B2: Reported speech 1: 2

Language level

Thank you for the information. It states that If what the speaker has said is still true or relevant, it's not always necessary to change the tense. I wonder if it is still correct to change the tense in this example: 'London is in the UK', he said. to He said London was in the UK. Or  it has to be the present tense. 

• Log in or register to post comments

Hello Wen1996,

Yes, your version of the sentence is also correct. In this case, the past tense refers to the time the speaker made this statement. But this doesn't mean the statement isn't also true now.

Best wishes, Kirk LearnEnglish team

Good evening from Turkey.

Is the following example correct: Question: When did she watch the movie?

She asked me when she had watched the movie. or is it had she watched the movie. 

Do Subjects come before the verbs? Thank you. 

Hello muratt,

This is a reported question, not an actual question, as you can see from the fact that it has no question mark at the end. Therefore no inversion is needed and the normal subject-verb word order is maintained: ...she had watched... is correct.

You can read more about this here:

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/b1-b2-grammar/reported-speech-questions

The LearnEnglish Team

Thank you for your response.

Hello Sir, kindly help with the following sentence-

She said, "When I was a child I wasn't afraid of ghosts." 

Please tell me how to write this sentence in reported/ indirect speech.

Hello! I was studying reported speech and I didn't really understand the difference between 'need' and 'need to' when we shift them. Could you please explain a little bit about the semi-modal need? I came across to this while I was studying: Backshift Changes need (no change) ‘You needn’t come till six o’clock,’ he said. He said we needn’t come till six o’clock. AND need to (becomes needed to) She said, 'I need to have a party.' She said she needed to have a party. Why do we change 'need to' but not 'need'? Could you also please give a positive indirect reported speech with the word 'need' and a negative indirect speech with the word 'need to'? Thanks in advance!

Hello Meldo,

'need' can be used -- and is most often used -- as an ordinary verb. In the text you copied above, this is the second entry ('need to'). Since it is an ordinary verb, in indirect speech, it backshifts in the way other ordinary verbs do. An example of a negative form here is 'They told me I didn't need to bring my passport'.

Particularly in British English (only very rarely in American English), 'need' can also be used as a modal verb. In this case, it behaves as a modal verb, i.e. no 's' is added to a third person singular form, infinitives after it are used without 'to' and 'do/does/did' is not used to form questions, negatives or past simple forms. This is also why '-ed' is not added for a backshift.

When 'need' is a modal, it's most commonly used in the negative. It is possible to use it in questions (e.g. 'Need I bring my passport?' or 'I asked if I need bring my passport'), but it's generally not used in the affirmative.

You might find this BBC page and this  Cambridge Dictionary explanation helpful if you'd like to read more.

Hope this helps.

Do we change 'had better' in indirect reported speech? I think no, but I just wanted to make sure. Can you also give an example with 'had better' in an indirect speech? Thanks a lot! The best English grammar site ever!

Hello Melis_06,

'had better' is not generally changed in reported speech. Here's an example for you:

• direct: 'You had better be on time!'
• indirect: They told us we had better be on time.

Glad you find our site useful!

Online courses

Group and one-to-one classes with expert teachers.

Learn English in your own time, at your own pace.

One-to-one sessions focused on a personal plan.

Get the score you need with private and group classes.  

Search form

• B1-B2 grammar

Reported speech

Daisy has just had an interview for a summer job. 

Instructions

As you watch the video, look at the examples of reported speech. They are in  red  in the subtitles. Then read the conversation below to learn more. Finally, do the grammar exercises to check you understand, and can use, reported speech correctly.

Sophie:  Mmm, it’s so nice to be chilling out at home after all that running around.

Ollie: Oh, yeah, travelling to glamorous places for a living must be such a drag!

Ollie: Mum, you can be so childish sometimes. Hey, I wonder how Daisy’s getting on in her job interview.

Sophie: Oh, yes, she said she was having it at four o’clock, so it’ll have finished by now. That’ll be her ... yes. Hi, love. How did it go?

Daisy: Well, good I think, but I don’t really know. They said they’d phone later and let me know.

Sophie: What kind of thing did they ask you?

Daisy: They asked if I had any experience with people, so I told them about helping at the school fair and visiting old people at the home, that sort of stuff. But I think they meant work experience.

Sophie: I’m sure what you said was impressive. They can’t expect you to have had much work experience at your age.

Daisy:  And then they asked me what acting I had done, so I told them that I’d had a main part in the school play, and I showed them a bit of the video, so that was cool.

Sophie:  Great!

Daisy: Oh, and they also asked if I spoke any foreign languages.

Sophie: Languages?

Daisy: Yeah, because I might have to talk to tourists, you know.

Sophie: Oh, right, of course.

Daisy: So that was it really. They showed me the costume I’ll be wearing if I get the job. Sending it over ...

Ollie: Hey, sis, I heard that Brad Pitt started out as a giant chicken too! This could be your big break!

Daisy: Ha, ha, very funny.

Sophie: Take no notice, darling. I’m sure you’ll be a marvellous chicken.

We use reported speech when we want to tell someone what someone said. We usually use a reporting verb (e.g. say, tell, ask, etc.) and then change the tense of what was actually said in direct speech.

So, direct speech is what someone actually says? Like 'I want to know about reported speech'?

Yes, and you report it with a reporting verb.

He said he wanted to know about reported speech.

I said, I want and you changed it to he wanted .

Exactly. Verbs in the present simple change to the past simple; the present continuous changes to the past continuous; the present perfect changes to the past perfect; can changes to could ; will changes to would ; etc.

She said she was having the interview at four o’clock. (Direct speech: ' I’m having the interview at four o’clock.') They said they’d phone later and let me know. (Direct speech: ' We’ll phone later and let you know.')

OK, in that last example, you changed you to me too.

Yes, apart from changing the tense of the verb, you also have to think about changing other things, like pronouns and adverbs of time and place.

'We went yesterday.'  > She said they had been the day before. 'I’ll come tomorrow.' >  He said he’d come the next day.

I see, but what if you’re reporting something on the same day, like 'We went yesterday'?

Well, then you would leave the time reference as 'yesterday'. You have to use your common sense. For example, if someone is saying something which is true now or always, you wouldn’t change the tense.

'Dogs can’t eat chocolate.' > She said that dogs can’t eat chocolate. 'My hair grows really slowly.' >  He told me that his hair grows really slowly.

What about reporting questions?

We often use ask + if/whether , then change the tenses as with statements. In reported questions we don’t use question forms after the reporting verb.

'Do you have any experience working with people?' They asked if I had any experience working with people. 'What acting have you done?' They asked me what acting I had done .

Is there anything else I need to know about reported speech?

One thing that sometimes causes problems is imperative sentences.

You mean like 'Sit down, please' or 'Don’t go!'?

Exactly. Sentences that start with a verb in direct speech need a to + infinitive in reported speech.

She told him to be good. (Direct speech: 'Be good!') He told them not to forget. (Direct speech: 'Please don’t forget.')

OK. Can I also say 'He asked me to sit down'?

Yes. You could say 'He told me to …' or 'He asked me to …' depending on how it was said.

OK, I see. Are there any more reporting verbs?

Yes, there are lots of other reporting verbs like promise , remind , warn , advise , recommend , encourage which you can choose, depending on the situation. But say , tell and ask are the most common.

Great. I understand! My teacher said reported speech was difficult.

And I told you not to worry!

Check your grammar: matching

Check your grammar: error correction, check your grammar: gap fill, worksheets and downloads.

What was the most memorable conversation you had yesterday? Who were you talking to and what did they say to you?

Sign up to our newsletter for LearnEnglish Teens

We will process your data to send you our newsletter and updates based on your consent. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of every email. Read our privacy policy for more information.

Reported speech exercises

• English grammar PDF
• PDF worksheets
• Mixed PDF tests
• Irregular verbs
• Modal verbs
• If-conditional
• Passive voice
• Reported speech
• Time clauses
• Relative clauses
• Indirect questions
• Question tags
• Imperative sentence
• Gerund and infinitive
• Direct | indirect object

Rewrite the sentences in the reported speech

Change the tenses, pronouns, expressions of time and place to rewrite the sentences from the direct to reported speech.

Check test Answer key Clear test

Direct and indirect speech Exercises with answers and grammar rules.

Reported speech worksheets PDF exercises with answers.

Reported questions, commands and requests Exercises and grammar rules.

Reported speech - brief summary

In the reported speech we usually change tenses (one tense back), pronouns, time and place.

"I admire you," said Sarah. Sarah said she admired me.

"We came back yesterday," they told me. They told me they had come the day before.

"Peter has put it here," he thought. He thought that Peter had put it there.

"I'm afraid that your parents won't like me," said George. George said he was afraid that my parents wouldn't like him.

How to avoid the shift of tenses:

It is simple to avoid shift of tenses in the reported speech if you use the reporting verb in the present simple tense instead of the past simple tense.

"I admire you," said Sarah. Sarah says she admires me.

"I'm afraid that your parents won't like me," said George. George says that he is afraid that my parents won't like him.

English Grammar Online Exercises and Downloadable Worksheets

Online exercises.

• Reported Speech

Levels of Difficulty : Elementary Intermediate Advanced

• RS012 - Reported Speech Intermediate
• RS011 - Reported Speech Intermediate
• RS010 - Reporting Verbs Advanced
• RS009 - Reporting Verbs Advanced
• RS008 - Reporting Verbs Advanced
• RS007 - Reporting Verbs Intermediate
• RS006 - Reported Speech Intermediate
• RS005 - Reported Speech - Introductory Verbs Advanced
• RS004 - Reported Speech Intermediate
• RS003 - Reporting Verbs Intermediate
• RS002 - Reported Speech Intermediate
• RS001 - Reported Speech Intermediate
• Gerund - Infinitive
• Adjective - Adverb
• Modal Verbs
• Passive Voice
• Definite and Indefinite Articles
• Prepositions
• Connectives and Linking Words
• Quantifiers
• Question and Negations
• Relative Pronouns
• Indefinite Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns
• Phrasal Verbs
• Common Mistakes
• Missing Word Cloze
• Word Formation
• Multiple Choice Cloze
• Prefixes and Suffixes
• Key Word Transformation
• Editing - One Word Too Many
• Collocations
• General Vocabulary
• Adjectives - Adverbs
• Gerund and Infinitive
• Conjunctions and Linking Words
• Question and Negation
• Error Analysis
• Translation Sentences
• Multiple Choice
• Banked Gap Fill
• Open Gap Fill
• General Vocabulary Exercises
• Argumentative Essays
• Letters and Emails
• English News Articles
• Privacy Policy

Reported statements exercises

Affirmative and negative sentences in the reported speech, backshift of tenses.

Intermediate level

Filling gaps

Direct to indirect: present simple, continuous and perfect

Direct to indirect: past simple and continuous.

Drag and drop

Verbs "can", "will" in reported statements

Reported statements, mixed tenses, try our “total recall” course.

To transfer a positive or a negative sentence from direct to reported speech, we should remember a few important aspects: if needed, change the pronoun and time indicator, do the "backshifting" of tense. Reported speech, especially the backshift of tenses, can be a troublesome issue for English learners. That’s why it is recommended to pay enough attention to it. The exercises on this page will provide you with lots of sample sentences to practise reported statements.

Related topics

I asked her where she lived — Reported questions

I told him to stop — Reported requests & orders

Reported speech

Top 10 topics

Irregular verbs

Conditionals (If I knew, I'd tell you)

Get on, turn up... — Phrasal verbs

Modal verbs (can, must, should etc.)

Present perfect vs. Past simple

Present simple and continuous for the future, to be going to

Passive voice (I was told)

At 2 o'clock on Sunday — Prepositions of time

Reported Speech Exercises

Online Lesson on Reported Speech

Illustrated Summary

Direct Speech and Reported Speech Illustrated Workbook

Download the full worksheet (exercises + answer key)

Click here to download the full worksheet (exercises + answer key).

Click Here for Step-by-Step Rules, Stories and Exercises to Practice All English Tenses

And now, practice:

Get updates, special offers, and english resources, download your free gift (the first two chapters of english short stories book and workbook ) as soon as you join.

By submitting your email, you consent to receiving updates and newsletters from us and to the sharing of your personal data with third parties for the purposes of sending you communications. We will not spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please see our  privacy policy .

Return from Reported Speech Exercises to Reported Speech

Really Learn English Home

Top of this page

Please share this page with others:

• Spanish Version
• Textbooks and Workbooks
• Why Learn English

Downloads & Products

• English Short Stories Book and Workbook
• Stories and Exercises to Practice Grammar
• Online English Courses

Videos & Tips

• Learn English Videos
• ESL Lessons

Speaking & Pronunciation

• Learn To Speak English
• English Pronunciation
• English Reading Practice
• English Short Stories
• English Reading Comprehension
• Learn to Write in English
• Writing Tips
• Vocabulary Activities
• Building Vocabulary
• Vocabulary Games
• English Dictionaries
• English Spelling Rules
• Confusing Words
• English Grammar Center
• English Grammar Exercises
• English Tenses
• English Parts of Speech
• Parts of a Sentence
• Gerunds and Infinitives
• English Modal Verbs

Teaching Center

• How to Teach English
• Tips & Resources

Keep in Touch

• Ask Questions
• Learn English Blog
• About This Site
• Affiliate Program
• Useful Links
• Privacy Policy

• English Short Stories Book & Workbook
• ESL/EFL Resources for Teachers
• Free ESL/EFL Downloads
• Spanish Version (Español)

Downloads & Products:

Videos & tips:, speaking & pronunciation:, vocabulary:, teaching center:, keep in touch:.

Online English Courses: Interactive and Fun

Copyright © 2010-2023 Really-Learn-English.com. All rights reserved.

Reported speech - 1

Reported speech - 2

Reported speech - 3

Worksheets - handouts

Exercises: indirect speech

• Reported speech - present
• Reported speech - past
• Reported speech - questions
• Reported questions - write
• Reported speech - imperatives
• Reported speech - modals
• Indirect speech - tenses 1
• Indirect speech - tenses 2
• Indirect speech - write 1
• Indirect speech - write 2
• Indirect speech - quiz
• Reported speech - tenses
• Indirect speech – reported speech
• Reported speech – indirect speech

Reported speech – advanced

English Reading Grammar Songs Idioms

Reported speech can be more complicated than I showed you on the Reported speech – basic page.  For example, there are more words that change besides  pronouns , possessive adjectives , and  verb tenses .     Place words   and   time words   also   change. 

To review, the first kind of reported speech is with statements .   All the examples below are statements.  Later we’ll look at imperatives, questions and other types of sentences.

In a statement that can be dropped anytime before a subject and verb, so I will put it in parentheses – ( that ) .  When you see this word in the examples that follow, remember that you can drop it if you want to.

It’s important to know which words you have to change in reported speech.

These verb tenses change :

present simple –>  past simple

Example: He said, “ I like to eat watermelon in the summertime.” He said ( that ) he liked to eat watermelon in the summertime..

present continuous –>  past continuous

Example: They said, “ We are putting together a basketball team.” They said ( that ) they were putting together a basketball team.

past simple –>  past perfect

Example: He told them, “ I went to our usual pub, but none of you were there.” He told them ( that ) he had gone to their usual pub, but ( that ) none of them had been there.

present perfect –>  past perfect

Example: He said, “ My family have lived in this area for generations.” He said ( that ) his family had lived in that area for generations.

present perfect continuous –>  past perfect continuous

Example: They said, “ We ’ve been practicing for hours.” They said ( that ) they ’d been practicing for hours.

Past continuous –>  past perfect continuous

Example: She said, “ I was working in the garden all afternoon.” She said ( that ) she had been working in the garden all afternoon.

However, these verb tenses don’t change:

past perfect –>  past perfect

Example: I said to her, “ I had forgotten to lock the door.” I told her ( that ) I had forgotten to lock the door.

past perfect continuous –>  past perfect continuous

Example: She said, “ I had been wondering about that for a long time.” She said ( that ) she had been wondering about that for a long time.

The following modals change :

will –>  would

Example: He told me, “ I ’ll be there at 11:00 at the very latest.” He told me ( that ) he would be here at 11:00 at the very latest.

can –>  could

Example: She said, “ I can be at the meeting tomorrow morning.” She said ( that ) she could be at the meeting tomorrow morning.

may –>  might

Example: She said, “ I may be late, but I ’ll be there.” She said ( that ) she might be late, but ( that ) she ’d be there.

have to   –> had to

Example: He told her, “ I have to go to New York on business.” He told her ( that ) he had to go to New York on business.

must –> had to

Example: She said, “ I must see the dentist sometime this month.” She said ( that ) she had to see the dentist sometime this month.

However, these modals don’t change:

might –>  might

Example: He told them, “There’s one thing I might do for you .” He told them ( that ) there was one thing he might do for them .

could  –>  could

Example: He said, “ I could n’t come yesterday because I lost my car keys.” He said ( that ) he could n’t come yesterday because he had lost his car keys.

would –>  would

Example: I told them, “ I would visit more often if I could.” I told them ( that ) I would visit more often if I could.

should –>  should

Example: She said to him, “I think I should go stay with my aunt in Toronto.” She told him ( that ) she thought she should go stay with her aunt in Toronto

ought to  –>  ought to

Example: Mother told the children,” You ought to keep your rooms clean.” Mother told the children ( that ) they ought to keep their rooms clean.

had better –>  had better

Example: I said to her, “ You ’d better not be late for your appointment.” I said ( that ) she ’d better not be late for her appointment.

used to –>  used to

Example: He said, “ I used to be a fireman in Chicago.” He said ( that ) he used to be a fireman in Chicago.

Place words often change .  However, if the place hasn’t changed from the direct speech to the reported speech, then don’t change these words:

here –>  there this –>  that these –>  those

Examples: He said, “ I ’m supposed to meet him here later.” He told me ( that ) he was supposed to meet him there later. (I’m in a different place when I report the speech.)

They said to us, “ You can use this room for a meeting. They said ( that ) we could use that room for a meeting. (We’re in a different place when we report the speech.)

He said, “ I read these books when I was young.” He said ( that ) he had read those books when he was young. (The person is in a different place when he reports the speech.)

Time words often change .  However, if the time is still the same at the time of the reporting, then don’t change the time word.

next –>  the following last –>  the previous / the ____ before today –> that day tomorrow –>  the next day / the following day yesterday –> the previous day / the day before now –>  then in ____  –>  ____ later this –>   that

Examples: She said, “The store is having a sale next Friday.” She told  us ( that ) the store was having a sale the following Friday.

I said to him, “ I didn’t sleep very well last night.” I told him ( that ) I hadn’t slept very well the previous night ( the night before .)

He told me, “ My girlfriend is leaving for Los Angeles today .” He told me ( that ) his girlfriend was leaving for Los Angeles that day .

They told us, “ We ’re having a game tomorrow at the park.” They told us ( that ) they were having a game the next day ( the following day ) at the park.

He said to him, ” I could n’t find my bus pass yesterday .” He told him ( that ) he could n’t find his bus pass the previous day ( the day before .)

I told her, “ You have to come with me now .” I told her ( that ) she had to come with me then .

She said, “ I ‘ll   be finished   in half an hour .” She said ( that ) she   would  be finished  half an hour later .

John said, “ I can help you this Saturday.” John said ( that ) he could help us that Saturday.

In addition to statements, there are other kinds of sentences that you can report.

The imperative ( commands ) is a little different than statements in reported speech .  The verb becomes an infinitive (with to ).  Use told for your reporting verb or asked if there is a “please.”

Examples: I said to her, “ Go pick up the kids.” I told her to go pick up the kids.

He said to them, “Please take your seats.” He asked them to take their seats.

We said to the team, “ Do your best but most of all have fun.” We told the team to do their best but most of all to have fun.

The nurse said to us, “Please wait here and someone will be with you shortly.” The nurse asked us to wait here and ( that ) someone would be with us shortly.

Questions are also different in reported speech .

If it is a yes/no or a choice question , then use if .   Always use the reporting verb asked .  Also, there is no inversion of the subject and verb like in a real question.  Also remember to drop the question mark (?) because it’s no longer a question.

Examples: He said , “ Would you like coffee or tea?”  (Choice) He asked us if we would like coffee or tea.

My neighbor said , “ Could you look after my dog for a week?”  (Yes or no) My neighbor asked me if I could look after her dog for a week.

He said , “ Is it on the top or the bottom shelf?”  (Choice) He asked if it was on the top or the bottom shelf.

He asked her, “ Do you live around here?”  (Yes or no) He asked her if she lived around here.

Notice that there is no subject-verb inversion ( would we or could we ) in reported questions.  Always put the subject before the verb in reported speech ( we would or we could ).

If it’s an information question ( who , what , where , when , why , how ), then repeat the question word.   As above, don’t invert the subject and verb .   Again, drop the question mark.

Examples: She said, “ What time is it ?” She asked me what time it was .

He asked her, “ Where can I go for coffee around here?” He asked her where he could go for coffee around there.

He asked me, “ Why are you always so tired?” He asked me why I was always so tired.

We asked him, “ How can we find out if we passed or not?” We asked him how we could find out if we had passed or not.

When reporting invitations , there are 2 ways to do it – the regular way or with an infinitive .  Use the reporting verbs invited or asked .  Once again, drop the question mark.

Examples: She said to him, “ Would you like to go on a picnic with us ?” She asked him if he would like to go on a picnic with them . She invited him to go on a picnic with them .

He said to her, “ Would you please not smoke in my car?” He asked her if she would not smoke in his car.. He asked her not to smoke in his car. [Note that the not is before  to , not after.]

We said to them, “ Would you like to come over for coffee?” We asked them if they would like to come over for coffee. We invited them to come over for coffee.

When reporting advice , there are 2 ways to do it – the regular way or with the infinitive .  Use the reporting verb told or advised .

Examples: He said to his daughter, “ You should clean up a bit before he arrives.” He told his daughter ( that ) she should clean up a bit before he arrived. He advised his daughter to clean up a bit before he arrived.

She told her boyfriend, “ You should call me when you arrive in Calgary.” She told her boyfriend ( that ) he should call her when he arrived in Calgary. She advised her boyfriend to call her when he arrived in Calgary.

The teacher said to the students, “ You should check your writing for mistakes.” The teacher told the students ( that ) they should check their writing for mistakes. The teacher advised  the students to check their writing for mistakes.

When reporting requests , do it the regular way or use the infinitive .  The reporting verb is asked .

Examples: The coach said to the team, “ Could you please be on time tomorrow ?” The coach asked the team if they could be on time the following day . The coach asked the team to be on time the following day .

The man said to us, “ Would you please be quiet so I can hear my cellphone.?” The man asked us if we would please be quiet so he could hear his cellphone. The man asked us to please be quiet so he could hear his cellphone

I said to him, “ Can you help me move on the weekend?” I asked him if he could help me move on the weekend. I asked him to help me move on the weekend.

When reporting permission given, do it the regular way or use an infinitive .  The reporting verbs to use are told , invited or gave (someone) permission .

Examples: I said to Jonathan, “ You ca n stay at my place for awhile.” I told Jonathan ( that ) he could stay at my place for awhile. I invited Jonathan to stay at my place for awhile.

He said to his friend, “ You can use my bike this afternoon.” He told his friend ( that ) he could use his bike that afternoon.” He gave his friend permission to use his bike that afternoon.

We told them, “ You can stay here until the store closes.” We told them ( that ) they could stay until the store closed. We invited them to stay until the store closed.

One last thing.  If the reporting verb is in the present tense ( say , tell , ask ), or if you’re reporting the speech immediately, then make no verb changes.

Examples: She said, “ What time are we going home?” She asked what time we are going home.  [Immediate reporting.  No change in time or place.]

His friend always tells him, “ You would be rich if you worked harder.” His friend always tells him ( that ) he would be rich if he worked harder.  [Reporting verb is present tense.]

They asked us, “ Will you help us.” They asked us if we will help them.  [Immediate reporting.]

Let’s review:

Statements:

She said , “The rainbow is beautiful.” She said ( that ) the rainbow was beautiful.

Imperative:

He told the class, “ Take your seats.” He told the class to take their seats.

Yes/no or choice question:

John said , “ Would you please  stop talking.” John asked them if they would stop talking.

Information question:

They asked me, “ When will the game start?” They asked me when the game would start.

Reporting invitations, advice, requests and permission:

We told them, “ You can stay overnight, but you must leave in the morning. We told them ( that ) they could stay overnight but they had to leave in the morning. We invited them to stay overnight but they had to leave in the morning.

Immediate reporting or when the  reporting verb is present tense – no verb tense change:

She asks me all the time, “ Are you going for a run?” She asks me all the time if I ‘m going for a run.

Study this page again, and when you’re ready, take the following quiz .

Your Score:  

Your ranking:  .

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

Comment (1)

kevin | June 12, 2014

Hi, Ambien, i really love this one !

You must be logged in to post a comment

Exercise on Reported Speech

Mixed exercise 1.

Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note whether the sentence is a request, a statement or a question.

• He said, "I like this song." → He said
• "Where is your sister?" she asked me. → She asked me
• "I don't speak Italian," she said. → She said
• "Say hello to Jim," they said. → They asked me
• "The film began at seven o'clock," he said. → He said
• "Don't play on the grass, boys," she said. → She told the boys
• "Where have you spent your money?" she asked him. → She asked him
• "I never make mistakes," he said. → He said
• "Does she know Robert?" he wanted to know. → He wanted to know
• "Don't try this at home," the stuntman told the audience. → The stuntman advised the audience

J. Cole Says He Regrets Kendrick Lamar Diss: ‘The Past Two Days Felt Terrible’

By Steven J. Horowitz

Steven J. Horowitz

Senior Music Writer

• Drake Apparently Responds to Kendrick Lamar’s Diss Track With ‘Push Ups’ 1 hour ago
• J. Cole Removes Kendrick Lamar Diss ‘7 Minute Drill’ From Streaming Services 1 day ago
• Park Boram, K-Pop Singer and ‘Superstar K2’ Competitor, Dies at 30 1 day ago

J. Cole has expressed regret for releasing his Kendrick Lamar diss, “7 Minute Drill,” while addressing the crowd during a headlining performance at his Dreamville Festival in North Carolina on Sunday (April 7).

The rapper placed the song last on his surprise new project “Might Delete Later,” which arrived on April 5. On the track, he responded to Lamar’s guest verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That,” where Lamar fired shots at Drake and J. Cole for designating him as part of “the big three.”

Popular on Variety

J.Cole speaks on his response to Kendrick and says it hasn’t felt good or right with his spirit, calling his own response “corny” and telling Kendrick to return his best shot if he feels a way pic.twitter.com/jan2jctfk9 — Glock Topickz (@Glock_Topickz) April 8, 2024

He continued by stating that he felt pressured to publicly respond to Lamar after witnessing the discourse it incited. “I was conflicted because, one I know my heart and I know how I feel about my peers, these two n—s that I just been blessed to even stand beside in this game, let alone chase they greatness. So I felt conflicted ’cause I’m like, bruh I don’t even feel no way. But the world wanna see blood. I don’t know if y’all can feel that, but the world wanna see blood.”

Cole explained that releasing the diss “spiritually [felt] bad on me,” and “that shit don’t sit right with my spirit.” “That shit disrupts my fuckin’ peace. So what I want to say right here tonight is in the midst of me doing that and in that shit, trying to find a little angle and downplay this n—a’s fucking catalog and his greatness, I want to say right now tonight, how many people think Kendrick Lamar is one of the greatest motherfucker’s to ever touch a fuckin’ microphone? Dreamville, y’all love Kendrick Lamar, correct? As do I.

Lamar’s beef with Cole and Drake stems from “First Person Shooter,” a duet between the two included on Drake’s 2023 album “For All the Dogs.” On it, Cole rapped, “Love when they argue the hardest MC / Is it K. Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me? / We the big three, like we started a league.” On “Like That,” Lamar uncharacteristically fired back, getting right to the point: “Yeah get up with me, fuck sneak dissing / ‘First Person Shooter,’ I hope they came with three switches,” he stated. “Motherfuck the big three, n—a, it’s just big me.”

While Cole may feel some regret over his diss, Drake has only vaguely acknowledged the verse while speaking to a crowd on his current tour. “A lot of people asking me how I’m feeling. The way I’m feeling is the same way I want you to walk out of here feeling tonight about your fucking self,” he said. “Because you know how I’m feeling? I got my head up high, my back straight, I’m 10 fucking toes down, and feeling like anywhere else I go, and I know no matter what, there’s not a n—a on this Earth that can ever fuck with me in my life.”

More From Our Brands

Jakob nowell leads sublime’s return, shows star power at coachella 2024, the discontinued daytona le mans is now selling for $320,000, coyotes’ name, logo to remain in phoenix while team relocates, be tough on dirt but gentle on your body with the best soaps for sensitive skin, peacemaker season 2: james gunn shares photo from first day of filming , verify it's you, please log in.

Middle East latest: Israeli military say more than 200 drones and missiles launched by Iran in unprecedented attack

The IDF have said that a girl, 10, was injured during the Iranian attack. Meanwhile, Joe Biden is speaking to Benjamin Netanyahu following the launch of drones and missiles by Iran.

Sunday 14 April 2024 04:06, UK

• Israel-Hamas war

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

• Iran launches drones at Israel, says IDF
• Iran says it has also launched missiles as it retaliates for attack on Iranian consulate in Syria
• Sunak condemns Iran's 'reckless attack' in the 'strongest terms'
• Watch : Alistair Bunkall explains what this could mean for Middle East
• Mark Stone analysis : This is unprecedented
• Alex Rossi analysis : An extraordinarily dangerous moment
• Iran seizes Israeli-linked cargo ship with 25 crew on board
• Watch: Revolutionary Guards board vessel by helicopter
• Explained: Why is Iran attacking Israel? 
• Live reporting by Jess Sharp  and Lauren Russell

Following his conversation with Benjamin Netanyahu, President Joe Biden has said that he condemns the attack on Israel by Iran in the "strongest possible terms".

He said that he reaffirmed to the Israeli leader of the US' "ironclad commitment" to the security of the country and told Mr Netanyahu that Israel had sent a "clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten" its security. 

The US leader also confirmed that US military aircraft and ballistic missile defence destroyers helped to "take down nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles". 

He said while there have not been any attacks on US forces or facilities, they will "remain vigilant to all threats" and will "not hesitate to take all necessary action to protect our people".

Mr Biden said he will meet with other G7 leaders later today in order to coordinate a "united diplomatic" response to the attack. 

The Iranian foreign ministry has just released a full statement over the launch of missiles and drones on Israel.

It begins by saying the Islamic Republic of Iran's armed forces carried out a "series of military strikes on Israeli's military bases".

It said the strike was "in response to, and in exercise of its inherent right of self-defence" after the attack on the consulate in Damascus, Syria on 1 April - which it blamed on Israel. 

The statement continued to say that the country's actions demonstrate its "responsible approach toward regional and international peace and security" at the same time Israel is conducting a "relentless genocidal campaign against Palestinian people" and "repeated military aggressions against neighbouring states".

The foreign ministry ends by saying Iran would not hesitate to take further necessary action to protect its interest against any act of military aggression or unlawful use of force. 

In addition to Britain and the US, other international leaders have condemned Iran's attack on Israel: 

The French foreign minister Stephane Sejourne said in a statement last night that in "taking such an unprecedented action, Iran has crossed a new threshold with regard to its destabilising activities and is risking a potential military escalation".

Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the attack was "unjustifiable and highly irresponsible".

He said Germany stands by Israel and will discuss the situation with allies. 

Justin Trudeau, Canadian prime minister, said his nation "unequivocally condemns Iran's airborne attacks against Israel". 

He said the country supports Israel's right to defend itself and its people.

Following the attack on Israel, Argentinian President Javier Milei said he would cancel a trip to Denmark and return to Buenos Aires.

A statement from spokesperson Manuel Adorni said Mr Milei was flying home to form a "crisis committee in light of the latest events in Israel, to take charge of the situation and coordinate actions with the presidents of the Western world".

 President Joe Biden is now speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

It comes after Mr Netanyahu convened his war cabinet earlier today and the US president cut a weekend trip short to return to Washington for a meeting with national security advisers. 

Israeli media shared a photo of Mr Netanyahu during the conversation with Mr Biden.

Israel's defence secretary Yoav Gallant also posted on X saying he has spoken with his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin.

He said they discussed Israel's defensive operations in the face of Iran's attack, and went on to thank Mr Austin for "standing boldly with Israel". 

Shortly after Iran confirmed that it had launched missiles and drones on Israel, numerous countries - including Israel - closed their airspace. 

Jordan and Iraq also temporarily stopped all air traffic while the attack was ongoing. 

Real-time aircraft flight tracking information from Flightradar around the time of the attack shows planes avoiding countries surrounding Israel. 

The Israeli military has said a "small number" of targets were hit in the Iranian attack, including an IDF base in southern Israel.

It said the base suffered minor damage to its infrastructure. 

The IDF said the majority of missiles were intercepted outside Israel's borders and were defended by the IDF aerial defence array before they crossed into Israeli territory.

Israel has requested that the United Nations Security Council holds an emergency meeting to condemn Iran's attack.

Gilad Erdan, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, wrote on X that the drone and missile launch was a "serious threat to global peace and security".

He urged the security council to "use every means to take concrete action against Iran" and designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a "terror organisation". 

According to a UN diplomat, the council is aiming to hold a meeting later today. 

Earlier, United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres, called for an immediate cessation of the hostilities. 

He said he strongly condemns the attack by Iran on Israel.

The Israeli government has released footage of what it says are defence systems shooting down Iranian missiles over Jerusalem.

Earlier, the Israeli military said that more than 200 drones and missiles have been launched by Iran since last night.

A senior Israeli military official was quoted by Israeli state media that there would be a "significant response" to the Iranian attack - despite calls from the United Nations and Egypt to restrain from retaliation. 

So how possible is an Israeli attack on Iran?

Harley Lippman, from the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, told Sky News earlier that a "red line" between the two countries has now gone, paving the way for an Israeli attack on Iran.

"Since Israel was attacked and since there are no more red lines, Israel can attack Iran," he said.

"They may be surprised by the Iranian attack and they might not launch a major attack, but Israel has a lot of options.

"One is to do something immediately to show deterrence, some predict they will hit back ten times as hard or the window of opportunity to attack Iran's nuclear facilities is now open.

"I suspect that this is something that will be discussed in Israel. If I was living in an Iranian nuclear facility, I would be wearing a hard hat right now.

"I think Israel has to respond in a strong manner and they will."

There has been no official statement from the Israeli military regarding a response.

Benjamin Netanyahu and Joe Biden are expected to speak shortly, according to Israeli media. 

It comes after Israel's prime minister convened his war cabinet earlier today and the US president cut a weekend trip short to return to Washington for a meeting with national security advisers. 

We'll bring you more on this as soon as we get it... 

The United Nations secretary general has said he "strongly condemns" the "serious escalation" represented by the attack launched in Israel by Iran. 

Posting a statement on X, Antonio Guterres called for an immediate cessation of the hostilities. 

He also urged "maximum restraint" from all parties after the attack, which the Israeli military said involved more than 200 drones and missiles. 

"I have repeatedly stressed that neither the region nor the world can afford another war," Mr Guterres said.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Some Jan. 6 rioters win early release, even before key Supreme Court ruling

The supreme court’s pending review of a key federal charge levied against jan. 6 defendants — and donald trump — is already triggering early releases of some high-profile defendants.

Federal judges have begun ordering the early release pending appeal of Jan. 6 defendants who challenged their sentences even though the Supreme Court is a week away from hearing arguments on whether a key charge brought against them is legally sound.

A Delaware man who carried a Confederate flag into the Capitol will be let go one year into his three-year term. An Ohio man who overran police lines and became one of the first rioters to enter the Capitol will be set free six months into a 19-month term. And a man who entered the just-evacuated Senate chamber with a Trump flag as a cape was released after serving five months of a 14-month term.

If the Supreme Court ultimately determines the charge they faced was legitimate, they and others who are released early pending appeal could be ordered to return to prison — but that is not a certainty.

The truncated sentences are the latest complications in the prosecution of more than 350 Jan. 6 defendants under a federal statute that makes it a crime to obstruct or impede an official proceeding — in this case, Congress’s joint session to confirm Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential victory.

In December, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a consolidated challenge by three men whose lawyers argue that the law — passed by Congress after the Enron scandal to criminalize document shredding by the collapsed company’s accounting firm — is limited to destroying evidence in governmental investigations. Fourteen of 15 trial judges upheld prosecutors’ use of the law to charge rioters who obstructed Congress’s election certification vote, but one judge in the U.S. District Court in Washington — Trump-appointed Judge Carl J. Nichols, who served in George W. Bush’s Justice Department — disagreed, ruling the law applied only to tampering or destruction of evidence such as records or documents.

Julie Rose O’Sullivan, a Georgetown law professor and expert on white-collar criminal law, said it was a potentially bad sign for prosecutors that the Supreme Court took the case when there is such strong support for the law at lower levels, including two split opinions upholding the government’s use of the statute in Jan. 6 cases by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit .

“I think it’s significant that [the] D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals said it applies. But the Supreme Court has disagreed [even] with unanimous Circuit Courts of Appeals before,” said O’Sullivan, a former federal prosecutor who clerked for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

O’Sullivan noted that the charge has been used as a catchall provision to prosecute obstruction in “many, many cases,” not just those related Jan. 6, and uniformly upheld by circuit courts around the country. “I’m not sure they’re going to read it narrowly,” she said. “They could, but I’m not sure that’s the best result.”

The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case next Tuesday and issue its ruling by the end of the term in late June or early July. A reversal would not affect the majority of the 1,350 Jan. 6 riot defendants, most of whom are charged either with violent felony offenses or with only misdemeanor violations such as trespassing or disorderly conduct at the Capitol. But it could wreak havoc on more than 100 cases in which obstruction — or corruptly impeding — Congress’s lawful certification of the 2020 election is the only felony charge the defendant faces. Currently, about half of 120 sentenced cases fall in that category.

A Supreme Court ruling against the obstruction charge could also impact the election interference case that special counsel Jack Smith has brought against Trump. Two of the four counts the former president and presumptive 2024 Republican nominee faces are conspiring to and actually obstructing the certification of the election, underscoring the stakes of the high-court review.

A full rejection by the court “would have a devastating effect on the prosecution side” in Capitol attack felony cases that don’t otherwise involve violence, recently retired U.S. District judge Thomas F. Hogan, who sentenced 26 Jan. 6 defendants, said in a talk to Georgetown Law School students earlier this year. For some, the obstruction charge brought the stiffest penalty, and removing it would mean they would have to be resentenced or retried and face far less severe consequences. It is punishable under statute by up to 20 years in prison, although first-time offenders convicted in the Capitol riot have received far less time , typically one to four years. A federal appeals court also recently overturned a sentencing enhancement used to help determine the punishments for Jan. 6 defendants convicted of the felony.

Defendants still awaiting trial could take tougher stances with prosecutors in plea talks if the Supreme Court takes the charge off the table. And those who have pleaded guilty to obstruction but have not yet been sentenced could withdraw those pleas.

Some people charged with the offense were accused of the most notorious but nonviolent conduct during the riot, such as occupying the Senate chamber, sitting in the vice president’s chair and targeting government officials . They include Jacob Chansley, the so-called QAnon shaman who was recorded in the Senate wearing a fur-lined headdress with horns and carrying a spear, shouting expletives about Mike Pence being a “traitor” and leaving a note at Pence’s presiding desk warning, “Justice Is Coming!” Some members of the far-right Oath Keepers and Proud Boys extremist groups who were not accused of seditious conspiracy also were convicted of the obstruction charge.

Unlike most Jan. 6 defendants, Trump’s obstruction charges are based on allegations that he propagated a flood of lies claiming the election was stolen; attempted to use false claims of massive fraud to pressure state officials, the Justice Department and Pence to change the results; and schemed with others to submit to Congress slates of phony electors from swing states and to get lawmakers to toss out lawful ballots, culminating in the violent assault at the Capitol.

That means the justices could decide the obstruction charge makes legal sense for him, because of his alleged efforts to get Congress to use fraudulent electoral certifications, but not for the rioters, whose alleged obstruction generally involved entering the Capitol in a way that shut down the vote count.

Trump also faces two other charges: conspiracy to defraud the United States and depriving Americans of their right to have their votes counted. O’Sullivan said the conspiracy charge “is still a very good count and still a potentially winning count as far as I can tell … [with] extremely solid Supreme Court case law” underpinning it.

While several of those charged with obstruction on Jan. 6 have moved to postpone their trials or delay reporting to prison after being convicted while appeals continue, judges began releasing a handful who are already serving time shortly after the Supreme Court in December said it would hear the challenge in a case called Fischer v. United States , a consolidated appeal by three Jan. 6 defendants. Judges said they were acting because the high-court review significantly raised the possibility the felony convictions might be overturned.

Kevin Seefried, Alexander Sheppard and Thomas B. Adams Jr. were among the most recent defendants who have been ordered released.

Seefried, 54 a drywall installer from Delaware, was memorialized carrying a Confederate flag in one of the most indelible photographs taken on Jan. 6 — parading with a symbol of the proslavery Civil War rebels through the halls of the U.S. Capitol. He was not accused of violence and was convicted in June 2022. His other convictions were for misdemeanor trespassing and disorderly conduct at the Capitol, which carry only statutory maximum sentences of up to six months or a year . In Seefried’s and other cases, a judge ordered release effective once each defendant more or less completes his longest misdemeanor sentence.

Prosecutors had asked U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden to deny release pending appeal during “what will likely be another fiercely contested presidential election,” saying that doing so “would be releasing defendant into the same political maelstrom that led him to commit his crimes in the first place.”

But McFadden rejected the idea that “January 6th defendants, as a class, cannot be released during an election year,” as he put it in an 11-page opinion that ordered Seefried to be released May 31. He continued, “If specific facts about Seefried lead the Government to believe that he is imminently likely to engage in criminal conduct, options remain open to the Government. But without those facts, the Court cannot deprive a citizen of his liberty based on guesswork alone.”

In the case of Sheppard, 24, of Powell, Ohio, who also will be released in May, U.S. District Judge John D. Bates wrote that he agreed with the defendant’s contention that the Supreme Court’s review “raises a ‘substantial question’ as to the validity of his … conviction.” However, Bates continued, “the Court may ultimately conclude that a further period of incarceration is warranted upon a potential remand after a decision … that favors Sheppard. And if the Supreme Court affirms [the law], Sheppard will have the remainder of his 19-month sentence yet to serve.”

U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta, who sentenced Adams, 42, of Springfield, Ill., said it takes four out of nine justices to grant an appeal of any case, which means at least that many members of the court believe there is a reason to examine the lower court’s ruling.

“Although this court will not attempt to read tea leaves, the Supreme Court’s decision … means, at a minimum, that this case poses a ‘close question,’ ” he wrote. Adams was released in January, five months into his 14-month term.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney’s office for the District declined to comment, saying, “Our opposition to release speaks for itself.”

A federal public defender for Adams, who was the first Jan. 6 defendant to be released in light of the pending Supreme Court decision, declined to comment.

An earlier version of this story incorrectly said Kevin Seefried is from Maryland. He is from Delaware. This story has been corrected.

The Jan. 6 insurrection

The report: The Jan. 6 committee released its final report , marking the culmination of an 18-month investigation into the violent insurrection. Read The Post’s analysis about the committee’s new findings and conclusions .

The final hearing: The House committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol held its final public meeting where members referred four criminal charges against former president Donald Trump and others to the Justice Department. Here’s what the criminal referrals mean .

The riot: On Jan. 6, 2021, a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification of the 2020 election results. Five people died on that day or in the immediate aftermath, and 140 police officers were assaulted .

Inside the siege: During the rampage, rioters came perilously close to penetrating the inner sanctums of the building while lawmakers were still there, including former vice president Mike Pence . The Washington Post examined text messages, photos and videos to create a video timeline of what happened on Jan. 6. Here’s what we know about what Trump did on Jan. 6 .

• Jan. 6 rioters who U.S. says ‘ignited’ path for Capitol attack convicted February 2, 2024 Jan. 6 rioters who U.S. says ‘ignited’ path for Capitol attack convicted February 2, 2024
• U.S. to wrap security blanket around D.C. courthouse for Trump trial February 2, 2024 U.S. to wrap security blanket around D.C. courthouse for Trump trial February 2, 2024
• Chicago officer given 90 days home detention for entering Capitol on Jan. 6 January 24, 2024 Chicago officer given 90 days home detention for entering Capitol on Jan. 6 January 24, 2024