reported to direct speech

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

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Reported Speech

Perfect english grammar.

Reported Statements

Here's how it works:

We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. ( Click here for more about using 'say' and 'tell' .) If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence:

• Direct speech: I like ice cream.
• Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.

We don't need to change the tense, though probably we do need to change the 'person' from 'I' to 'she', for example. We also may need to change words like 'my' and 'your'. (As I'm sure you know, often, we can choose if we want to use 'that' or not in English. I've put it in brackets () to show that it's optional. It's exactly the same if you use 'that' or if you don't use 'that'.)

But , if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change the tenses in the reported speech:

• Reported speech: She said (that) she liked ice cream.

* doesn't change.

• Direct speech: The sky is blue.
• Reported speech: She said (that) the sky is/was blue.

Click here for a mixed tense exercise about practise reported statements. Click here for a list of all the reported speech exercises.

Reported Questions

So now you have no problem with making reported speech from positive and negative sentences. But how about questions?

• Direct speech: Where do you live?
• Reported speech: She asked me where I lived.
• Direct speech: Where is Julie?
• Reported speech: She asked me where Julie was.
• Direct speech: Do you like chocolate?
• Reported speech: She asked me if I liked chocolate.

Click here to practise reported 'wh' questions. Click here to practise reported 'yes / no' questions. Reported Requests

There's more! What if someone asks you to do something (in a polite way)? For example:

• Direct speech: Close the window, please
• Or: Could you close the window please?
• Or: Would you mind closing the window please?
• Reported speech: She asked me to close the window.
• Direct speech: Please don't be late.
• Reported speech: She asked us not to be late.

Reported Orders

• Direct speech: Sit down!
• Reported speech: She told me to sit down.
• Click here for an exercise to practise reported requests and orders.
• Click here for an exercise about using 'say' and 'tell'.
• Click here for a list of all the reported speech exercises.

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Direct vs. Reported Speech

Direct and reported speech are two different ways to say what someone else said.

In direct speech , we quote the exact words that a person said. We put quotation marks around their words and add a speech tag such as "he said" or "she asked" before or after the quote. For example:

"Are you free tonight?" she asked. "I failed a test last week," she said. He asked, "Have you seen any good movies lately?"

We can also use direct speech to say what someone is saying right now , as in: She says, "Hurry up."

Reported speech is another way of saying what someone said, but without quotation marks . Reported speech doesn't usually repeat the words exactly as the person said them. It typically changes the tense of the verbs. For example, if the speaker used a present tense verb, we change it to the past tense. If the speaker used a past tense verb, we change it to past perfect. We also change pronouns and time expressions.

See how the quotations given in direct speech above look in reported speech. Notice the changes in verb tense:

She asked if I was free that night. She said she had failed an exam the week before. He asked if I had seen any good movies lately.

Direct vs. Reported Speech Grammar Quiz

He said Paul Nash had paints painted beautiful pictures of war scenes.

She asked, "Where I am are you from."

Marie asked me if I knew know of a good lunch spot.

He told the truck driver that he'd I've been everywhere.

" Was interested Interested in a risk-free trial of a timeshare off the coast of Guadalajara?" asked the saleswoman.

Direct vs. Reported Speech Lessons:

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Reported Speech

Direct speech and reported speech (indirect speech), reported speech table of contents:, overview and definitions, reporting verbs.

• Using the word THAT

Reported speech – changes

Third person singular verbs, place and time expressions, tense backshift, no tense backshift, reporting questions, reporting orders and requests.

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

• She says we should go.
• They told us to bring our stuff.
• He asked them the time.
• I  explained  the rules to her.

The word THAT

• She says they are full = She says that they are full
• I told them we could help = I told them that we could help
• I suggest we start = I suggest that we start

How to report

So when reporting speech we must apply this rule., a list of common place and time expressions.

Do online exercises and download a free worksheet.

Get the Reported Speech Illustrated Workbook: The easy way to teach and learn direct and reported speech. 148 pages of explanations, rules, exercises, stories, and lots of hands-on practice.

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• 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

Hello Team. If the reporting verb is in the present perfect, do we have to backshift the tenses of the direct speech or not?    For example: He has said, "I bought a car yesterday."    

1- He has said that he bought a car yesterday.

2- He has said that he had bought a car the previous day.

• Log in or register to post comments

Hello Ahmed Imam,

It's not necessary to backshift the verb form if the situation being reported is still true. For example:

"I'm a doctor"

She told me she is a doctor. [she was a doctor when she said it and she is still doctor now]

She told me she was a doctor. [she was a doctor when she said it and may or may not still be a doctor now]

The reporting verb in your example would be 'said' rather than 'has said' as we are talking about a particular moment in the past. For the other verb both 'bought' and 'had bought' are possible without any change in meaning. In fact, when the verb is past in the original sentence we usually do not shift the verb form back.

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello again. Which one is correct? Why?

- He has said that he (will - would) travel to Cairo with his father.

The present perfect is a present form, so generally 'will' is the correct form.

In this case, assuming that the man said 'I will travel to Cairo', then 'will' is the correct form. But if the man said 'I would travel to Cairo if I had time to do it', then 'would' would be the correct form since it is part of a conditional statement.

I think you were asking about the first situation (the general one), though. Does that make sense?

Best wishes, Kirk LearnEnglish team

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. 

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.

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

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.

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Reported Speech in English Grammar

Direct speech, changing the tense (backshift), no change of tenses, question sentences, demands/requests, expressions with who/what/how + infinitive, typical changes of time and place.

• Lingolia Plus English

Introduction

In English grammar, we use reported speech to say what another person has said. We can use their exact words with quotation marks , this is known as direct speech , or we can use indirect speech . In indirect speech , we change the tense and pronouns to show that some time has passed. Indirect speech is often introduced by a reporting verb or phrase such as ones below.

Learn the rules for writing indirect speech in English with Lingolia’s simple explanation. In the exercises, you can test your grammar skills.

When turning direct speech into indirect speech, we need to pay attention to the following points:

• changing the pronouns Example: He said, “ I saw a famous TV presenter.” He said (that) he had seen a famous TV presenter.
• changing the information about time and place (see the table at the end of this page) Example: He said, “I saw a famous TV presenter here yesterday .” He said (that) he had seen a famous TV presenter there the day before .
• changing the tense (backshift) Example: He said, “She was eating an ice-cream at the table where you are sitting .” He said (that) she had been eating an ice-cream at the table where I was sitting .

If the introductory clause is in the simple past (e.g. He said ), the tense has to be set back by one degree (see the table). The term for this in English is backshift .

The verbs could, should, would, might, must, needn’t, ought to, used to normally do not change.

If the introductory clause is in the simple present , however (e.g. He says ), then the tense remains unchanged, because the introductory clause already indicates that the statement is being immediately repeated (and not at a later point in time).

In some cases, however, we have to change the verb form.

When turning questions into indirect speech, we have to pay attention to the following points:

• As in a declarative sentence, we have to change the pronouns, the time and place information, and set the tense back ( backshift ).
• Instead of that , we use a question word. If there is no question word, we use whether / if instead. Example: She asked him, “ How often do you work?” → She asked him how often he worked. He asked me, “Do you know any famous people?” → He asked me if/whether I knew any famous people.
• We put the subject before the verb in question sentences. (The subject goes after the auxiliary verb in normal questions.) Example: I asked him, “ Have you met any famous people before?” → I asked him if/whether he had met any famous people before.
• We don’t use the auxiliary verb do for questions in indirect speech. Therefore, we sometimes have to conjugate the main verb (for third person singular or in the simple past ). Example: I asked him, “What do you want to tell me?” → I asked him what he wanted to tell me.
• We put the verb directly after who or what in subject questions. Example: I asked him, “ Who is sitting here?” → I asked him who was sitting there.

We don’t just use indirect questions to report what another person has asked. We also use them to ask questions in a very polite manner.

When turning demands and requests into indirect speech, we only need to change the pronouns and the time and place information. We don’t have to pay attention to the tenses – we simply use an infinitive .

If it is a negative demand, then in indirect speech we use not + infinitive .

To express what someone should or can do in reported speech, we leave out the subject and the modal verb and instead we use the construction who/what/where/how + infinitive.

Say or Tell?

The words say and tell are not interchangeable. say = say something tell = say something to someone

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Reported speech.

How to use reported speech in english, structure and explanations., table showing tense changes - direct to reported speech..

This table (right column) shows the verb tense or modal verb we use after we change from direct speech to reported speech.

Learn more about the tenses and modals in this list...

What is reported speech?

Reported speech is a structure used to repeat what somebody has said before (direct speech):

John: "My name is John" (direct speech) He said (that*) his name was John (reported speech)

* that can be omitted.

Note that after the verb said , which is in past tense, it is natural to continue the rest of the sentence in the past: "...his name was John". This does not mean that John is now not his name; we use the past for agreement of the verbs in the sentence: said and was .

However, if John is still John, we cannot reject the present tense. So that...

He said that his name is John.

...is also correct.

Let's consider a sentence said a week ago:

Mary: "I am going to Madrid."

If, a week later, we repeat what Mary said, we must now use the verb in past tense because the action cannot refer to the present  but to  seven days before :

Mary said that she was going to Madrid.

A tense one step further in the past.

We can see that I'm going in direct speech changes to I was going in reported speech. All tenses change to one step further in the past. In the above example, present continuous to past continuous .

In this next example, we can see how present perfect changes to past perfect :

Dave: I have seen that film. Dave said that he had seen that film.

In the case where we can not go further into the past, we repeat the same tense:

Mike: I had been there. He said that he had been there.

Other words that change.

Let's now look at other words that can change in reported speech if we refer to past actions:

I'm going tomorrow . He said he was going the next day (o " the following day ").

I'm playing football next week . He said he was playing football the following week .

I went last week . He said he had gone the week before .

If we have also moved in space, in other words, we are not in the same place where the direct speech was said, words referring to place must also change:

I like it here . He said that he liked it there .

Reported speech and modal auxiliary verbs.

Modal auxiliary verbs, in some cases, have also got a past tense form which is used in reported speech:

I can speak English. He said that he could speak English.

I 'll see you next week. She said that she would see him the following week.

See table above for full list of modals that change...

Reported speech and closed questions.

Let's now consider this question:

Is your name John?

A question in reported speech that requires the answer yes or no (closed question) must include  if . In other words, we want to know if the answer is yes or no :

She asked him if his name was John.

Open questions and inversion.

Open questions which do not require a yes or no , for example, questions with words like: what?, when?, why?, who?, which?, how?, whose?, where?, how much? , what time?, etc. usually take inversion between the subject and auxiliary (or verb to be) in direct speech but no inversion in reported speech:

What is your name ? She asked what his name was (and not, ... what was his name ).

How much are the potatoes ? They asked how much the potatoes were (and not, ... how much were the potatoes ).

Where can we go? He asked where they could go (and not, ... where could they go ).

When did you see that film? She asked when he had seen that film (and not, ... where had he seen that film).

Reported speech and the imperative.

We will now look at sentences in the imperative. In these cases, it is common to use told + indirect object . Also note that the following verb is in the infinitive with to :

Go away! She told him to go away.

Sit down and be quiet! She told the child to sit down and (to) be quiet. Please take these things into the kitchen. She told him to take the things into the kitchen.

Exercises on reported speech...

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He Said, She Said: Mastering Reported Speech in English (Both Direct and Indirect)

“Reported speech” might sound fancy, but it isn’t that complicated.

It’s just how you talk about what someone said.

Luckily, it’s pretty simple to learn the basics in English, beginning with the two types of reported speech: direct (reporting the exact words someone said) and indirect (reporting what someone said without using their exact words ).

Read this post to learn how to report speech, with tips and tricks for each, plenty of examples and a resources section that tells you about real world resources you can use to practice reporting speech.

How to Report Direct Speech

How to report indirect speech, reporting questions in indirect speech, verb tenses in indirect reported speech, simple present, present continuous, present perfect, present perfect continuous, simple past, past continuous, past perfect, past perfect continuous, simple future, future continuous, future perfect, future perfect continuous, authentic resources for practicing reported speech, novels and short stories, native english videos, celebrity profiles.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Direct speech refers to the exact words that a person says. You can “report” direct speech in a few different ways.

To see how this works, let’s pretend that I (Elisabeth) told some people that I liked green onions.

Here are some different ways that those people could explain what I said:

Direct speech: “I like green onions,” Elisabeth said.

Direct speech: “I like green onions,” she told me. — In this sentence, we replace my name (Elisabeth) with the pronoun she.

In all of these examples, the part that was said is between quotation marks and is followed by a noun (“she” or “Elisabeth”) and a verb. Each of these verbs (“to say,” “to tell [someone],” “to explain”) are ways to describe someone talking. You can use any verb that refers to speech in this way.

You can also put the noun and verb before what was said.

Direct speech: Elisabeth said, “I like spaghetti.”

The example above would be much more likely to be said out loud than the first set of examples.

Here’s a conversation that might happen between two people:

1: Did you ask her if she liked coffee?

2: Yeah, I asked her.

1: What did she say?

2. She said, “Yeah, I like coffee.” ( Direct speech )

Usually, reporting of direct speech is something you see in writing. It doesn’t happen as often when people are talking to each other. 

Direct reported speech often happens in the past. However, there are all kinds of stories, including journalism pieces, profiles and fiction, where you might see speech reported in the present as well.

This is sometimes done when the author of the piece wants you to feel that you’re experiencing events in the present moment.

For example, a profile of Kristen Stewart in Vanity Fair  has a funny moment that describes how the actress isn’t a very good swimmer:

Direct speech: “I don’t want to enter the water, ever,” she says. “If everyone’s going in the ocean, I’m like, no.”

Here, the speech is reported as though it’s in the present tense (“she says”) instead of in the past (“she said”).

In writing of all kinds, direct reported speech is often split into two or more parts, as it is above.

Here’s an example from Lewis Carroll’s “ Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland ,” where the speech is even more split up:

Direct speech: “I won’t indeed!” said Alice, in a great hurry to change the subject of conversation. “Are you—are you fond—of—of dogs?” The Mouse did not answer, so Alice went on eagerly: “There is such a nice little dog near our house I should like to show you!”

Reporting indirect speech is what happens when you explain what someone said without using their exact words.

Let’s start with an example of direct reported speech like those used above.

Direct speech: Elisabeth said, “I like coffee.”

As indirect reported speech, it looks like this:

Indirect speech: Elisabeth said she liked coffee.

You can see that the subject (“I”) has been changed to “she,” to show who is being spoken about. If I’m reporting the direct speech of someone else, and this person says “I,” I’d repeat their sentence exactly as they said it. If I’m reporting this person’s speech indirectly to someone else, however, I’d speak about them in the third person—using “she,” “he” or “they.”

You may also notice that the tense changes here: If “I like coffee” is what she said, this can become “She liked coffee” in indirect speech.

However, you might just as often hear someone say something like, “She said she likes coffee.” Since people’s likes and preferences tend to change over time and not right away, it makes sense to keep them in the present tense.

Indirect speech often uses the word “that” before what was said:

Indirect speech: She said that she liked coffee.

There’s no real difference between “She said she liked coffee” and “She said that she liked coffee.” However, using “that” can help make the different parts of the sentence clearer.

Let’s look at a few other examples:

Indirect speech: I said I was going outside today.

Indirect speech: They told me that they wanted to order pizza.

Indirect speech: He mentioned it was raining.

Indirect speech: She said that her father was coming over for dinner.

You can see an example of reporting indirect speech in the funny video “ Cell Phone Crashing .” In this video, a traveler in an airport sits down next to another traveler talking on his cell phone. The first traveler pretends to be talking to someone on his phone, but he appears to be responding to the second traveler’s conversation, which leads to this exchange:

Woman: “Are you answering what I’m saying?”

Man “No, no… I’m on the phone with somebody, sorry. I don’t mean to be rude.” (Direct speech)

Woman: “What was that?”

Man: “I just said I was on the phone with somebody.” (Indirect speech)

When reporting questions in indirect speech, you can use words like “whether” or “if” with verbs that show questioning, such as “to ask” or “to wonder.”

Direct speech: She asked, “Is that a new restaurant?”

Indirect speech: She asked if that was a new restaurant. 

In any case where you’re reporting a question, you can say that someone was “wondering” or “wanted to know” something. Notice that these verbs don’t directly show that someone asked a question. They don’t describe an action that happened at a single point in time. But you can usually assume that someone was wondering or wanted to know what they asked.

Indirect speech: She was wondering if that was a new restaurant.

Indirect speech: She wanted to know whether that was a new restaurant.

It can be tricky to know how to use tenses when reporting indirect speech. Let’s break it down, tense by tense.

Sometimes, indirect speech “ backshifts ,” or moves one tense further back into the past. We already saw this in the example from above:

Direct speech: She said, “I like coffee.”

Indirect speech: She said she liked coffee.

Also as mentioned above, backshifting doesn’t always happen. This might seem confusing, but it isn’t that difficult to understand once you start using reported speech regularly.

What tense you use in indirect reported speech often just depends on when what you’re reporting happened or was true.

Let’s look at some examples of how direct speech in certain tenses commonly changes (or doesn’t) when it’s reported as indirect speech.

To learn about all the English tenses (or for a quick review), check out this post .

Direct speech: I said, “I play video games.”

Indirect speech: I said that I played video games (simple past) or I said that I play video games  (simple present).

Backshifting into the past or staying in the present here can change the meaning slightly. If you use the first example, it’s unclear whether or not you still play video games; all we know is that you said you played them in the past.

If you use the second example, though, you probably still play video games (unless you were lying for some reason).

However, the difference in meaning is so small, you can use either one and you won’t have a problem.

Direct speech: I said, “I’m playing video games.”

Indirect speech: I said that I was playing video games (past continuous) or I said that I’m playing video games (present continuous).

In this case, you’d likely use the first example if you were telling a story about something that happened in the past.

You could use the second example to repeat or stress what you just said. For example:

Hey, want to go for a walk?

Direct speech: No, I’m playing video games.

But it’s such a nice day!

Indirect speech: I said that I’m playing video games!

Direct speech: Marie said, “I have read that book.”

Indirect speech: Marie said that she had read that book (past perfect) or Marie said that she has read that book (present perfect).

The past perfect is used a lot in writing and other kinds of narration. This is because it helps point out an exact moment in time when something was true.

The past perfect isn’t quite as useful in conversation, where people are usually more interested in what’s true now. So, in a lot of cases, people would use the second example above when speaking.

Direct speech: She said, “I have been watching that show.”

Indirect speech: She said that she had been watching that show (past perfect continuous) or She said that she has been watching that show (present perfect continuous).

These examples are similar to the others above. You could use the first example whether or not this person was still watching the show, but if you used the second example, it’d probably seem like you either knew or guessed that she was still watching it.

Direct speech: You told me, “I charged my phone.”

Indirect speech: You told me that you had charged your phone (past perfect) or You told me that you charged your phone (simple past).

Here, most people would probably just use the second example, because it’s simpler, and gets across the same meaning.

Direct speech: You told me, “I was charging my phone.”

Indirect speech: You told me that you had been charging your phone (past perfect continuous) or You told me that you were charging your phone (past continuous).

Here, the difference is between whether you had been charging your phone before or were charging your phone at the time. However, a lot of people would still use the second example in either situation.

Direct speech: They explained, “We had bathed the cat on Wednesday.”

Indirect speech: They explained that they had bathed the cat on Wednesday. (past perfect)

Once we start reporting the past perfect tenses, we don’t backshift because there are no tenses to backshift to.

So in this case, it’s simple. The tense stays exactly as is. However, many people might simplify even more and use the simple past, saying, “They explained that they bathed the cat on Wednesday.”

Direct speech: They said, “The cat had been going outside and getting dirty for a long time!”

Indirect speech: They said that the cat had been going outside and getting dirty for a long time. (past perfect continuous)

Again, we don’t shift the tense back here; we leave it like it is. And again, a lot of people would report this speech as, “They said the cat was going outside and getting dirty for a long time.” It’s just a simpler way to say almost the same thing.

Direct speech: I told you, “I will be here no matter what.”

Indirect speech: I told you that I would be here no matter what. (present conditional)

At this point, we don’t just have to think about tenses, but grammatical mood, too. However, the idea is still pretty simple. We use the conditional (with “would”) to show that at the time the words were spoken, the future was uncertain.

In this case, you could also say, “I told you that I will be here no matter what,” but only if you “being here” is still something that you expect to happen in the future.

What matters here is what’s intended. Since this example shows a person reporting their own speech, it’s more likely that they’d want to stress the truth of their own intention, and so they might be more likely to use “will” than “would.”

But if you were reporting someone else’s words, you might be more likely to say something like, “She told me that she would be here no matter what.”

Direct speech: I said, “I’ll be waiting for your call.”

Indirect speech: I said that I would be waiting for your call. (conditional continuous)

These are similar to the above examples, but apply to a continuous or ongoing action.

Direct speech: She said, “I will have learned a lot about myself.”

Indirect speech: She said that she would have learned a lot about herself (conditional perfect) or She said that she will have learned a lot about herself (future perfect).

In this case, using the conditional (as in the first example) suggests that maybe a certain event didn’t happen, or something didn’t turn out as expected.

However, that might not always be the case, especially if this was a sentence that was written in an article or a work of fiction. The second example, however, suggests that the future that’s being talked about still hasn’t happened yet.

Direct speech: She said, “By next Tuesday, I will have been staying inside every day for the past month.”

Indirect speech: She said that by next Tuesday, she would have been staying inside every day for the past month (perfect continuous conditional) or She said that by next Tuesday, she will have been staying inside every day for the past month (past perfect continuous).

Again, in this case, the first example might suggest that the event didn’t happen. Maybe the person didn’t stay inside until next Tuesday! However, this could also just be a way of explaining that at the time she said this in the past, it was uncertain whether she really would stay inside for as long as she thought.

The second example, on the other hand, would only be used if next Tuesday hadn’t happened yet.

Let’s take a look at where you can find resources for practicing reporting speech in the real world.

One of the most common uses for reported speech is in fiction. You’ll find plenty of reported speech in novels and short stories . Look for books that have long sections of text with dialogue marked by quotation marks (“…”). Once you understand the different kinds of reported speech, you can look for it in your reading and use it in your own writing.

Writing your own stories is a great way to get even better at understanding reported speech.

One of the best ways to practice any aspect of English is to watch native English videos. By watching English speakers use the language, you can understand how reported speech is used in real world situations.

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

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Celebrity profiles, which you can find in print magazines and online, can help you find and practice reported speech, too. Celebrity profiles are stories that focus on a famous person. They often include some kind of interview. The writer will usually spend some time describing the person and then mention things that they say; this is when they use reported speech.

Because many of these profiles are written in the present tense, they can help you get used to the basics of reported speech without having to worry too much about different verb tenses.

While the above may seem really complicated, it isn’t that difficult to start using reported speech.

Mastering it may be a little difficult, but the truth is that many, many people who speak English as a first language struggle with it, too!

Reported speech is flexible, and even if you make mistakes, there’s a good chance that no one will notice.

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Transformation of Sentence: Direct & Indirect Speech

A direct speech can be transformed into an indirect speech and vice versa using a suitable reporting verb and a linker depending on the sentence. Let’s have an example first.

• Tina said to me, “Are you busy now?” [direct speech]
• Tina asked me whether I was busy then. [indirect speech]

Direct Speech

Indirect Speech

• Look, if the reporting verb in direct speech (said) is in past tense, the reporting verb in indirect speech (asked) would also be in past tense. ‘Whether’ is the linker added here as it is a ‘yes-no’ type question (Refer to list 1 below).
• ‘Are’ changes to ‘was’. As the reporting verb was in past tense, the verb in the reported speech will also be in past. (Refer to list 2 below)
• ‘Now’ has become ‘then’. Time and place expressions change if the reporting verb is in past tense. (Refer to list 3 below)
• The question mark (?) has changed to a full stop(.).
• Another important thing, the format of question (v + s + o) has changed to the format of a statement (s + v + o). In indirect speech the pattern always comes to subject + verb + object.

List of Reporting verbs and linkers (list 1)

Verbs of Reported speech (if the reporting verb is in past tense) (list 2) Direct speech → Indirect speech Am / is / are →  was / were Was / were → had been Has / have → had Had → had had Shall / will → would Can → could May → might Must, should → must, should Verb1 → verb2 Verb2 → had + verb3

Change of time and place expressions in past tense (list 3) now → then ago → before today → that day yesterday → the previous day tomorrow → the next day last night → the previous night here → there this → that these → those

Narration change of Assertive sentence

• Robin said, “I went to Delhi yesterday.” – Robin said that he had gone to Delhi the previous day .
• She said to her husband, “I want to go with you.” – She told her husband that she wanted to go with him.

Narration change of Interrogative sentence

• He said to me, “Do you know English?” – He asked me whether I knew English.
• She said to me, “Did you go there?” – She wanted to know whether I had gone there.
• I said to him, “What are you doing?” – I asked him what he was doing.
• Rahul said to his mother, “How do you do all these things together?” – Rahul asked his mother how she did all those things together.

Narration change of Imperative sentence

• He said to me, “Go there right now.” – He ordered me to go there right then.
• My teacher said to me, “Obey your parents.” – My teacher asked me to obey my parents.
• She said to me, “Please don’t go there.” – She requested me not to go there.
• He said to her, “Let’s go home.” – He suggested her that they should go home.
• His mother said, “Let him eat whatever he likes.” – His mother suggested that he might be allowed to eat whatever he liked.

Narration change of Optative sentence

• He said to the boy, “May god bless you.” – He prayed that God might bless the boy.
• The girl said, “Had I the wings of a dove.” – The girl wished that she had the wings of a dove.

Narration change of Exclamatory sentence

• “How happy we are here!” said the children. – The children exclaimed in joy that they were very happy there.
• The children said, “How happy we were there!” – The children exclaimed in sorrow that they had been very happy there.
• He said to me, “Good bye!” – He bade me good bye.
• She said to me, “Good evening!”—She wished me good evening.

Narration change of Vocatives

• Teacher said, “ Robin , stand up.” – Teacher asked Robin to stand up.
• The Bishop said to the convict, “Always remember, my son , that the poor body is the temple of the living God.” – The Bishop addressed the convict as his son and advised him to always remember that the poor body is the temple of the living God.

Narration change of question tag

• He said to me, “You went to Kolkata, didn’t you?” – He asked me whether I had gone to Kolkata and assumed that I had.
• I said to him, “Tina didn’t tell a lie, did she?” – I asked him if Tina had told a lie and assumed that she had not.

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Rules for Changing Indirect to Direct Speech

Back to: Direct and Indirect Speech (Narration)

Narration change from Indirect to direct speech follows the reverse rules of changing the narration from Direct to Indirect speech.  So, if you attentively learn the rules of narration change from Direct to Indirect, it would be easy to change narration from Indirect to Direct speech.

To convert indirect speech to direct speech, we have to add punctuation marks at proper places. 

Reported clause of the sentence should be put inside a quotation mark. A comma also have to be added. e.g.

• Indirect: Ritu said that she was eating rice.
• Direct: Ritu said, “I am eating rice.”

In case of changing narration from indirect to direct speech, conjunction such as that, if, whether, should be omitted. e.g.

• Indirect: Mohan asked if I was okay. 
• Direct: Mohan said, “Are you okay?”

Here the conjunction ‘if’ is omitted. 

While changing indirect to direct speech, the tense of the sentence changes. The tense of the reported clause is restored to the tense in which the original speaker has spoken the words. e.g.

• Indirect : Priya said that she liked reading books.
• Direct: Priya said, “I like reading books.”

 In this case, the sentence does not always ends with full stop. While changing indirect to direct speech, the ending punctuation mark depends on the type of sentence. It can be an exclamatory mark in case of exclamatory sentence or a question mark in case of interrogative sentence. e.g.

• Indirect: Bipasha asked Rakesh what he was doing. 
• Direct: Bipasha said to Rakesh, “What are you doing?”
• Indirect: She exclaimed with horror that the sight was very horrible.
• Direct: She said, “What a horrible sight!”

Pronouns, time, place also changes accordingly from indirect to direct. e.g.

• Indirect: Father told me to go home then.
• Direct: Father said, “Go home now.”

Here ‘then’ changes to ‘now’.

• Indirect: Rupa said that she read poetry.
• Direct: Rupa said, “I read poetry.”

 ‘She’ pronoun is replaced by ‘I’.

Direct Speech and Reported Speech

There are two ways to report what someone says or thinks:

Direct Speech

Direct speech shows a person's exact words. Quotation marks ("....") are a sign that the words are the exact words that a person used.

Hai asked, "Where are you going?"

Manny replied, "I'm going home."

Reported Speech

Reported speech puts the speaker's words or ideas into a sentence without quotation marks. Noun clauses are usually used. In reported speech, the reader does not assume that the words are the speaker's exact words; often, they are a paraphrase of the speaker's words.

Hai asked Manny where he was going.

Manny said he was going home.

Note: Use of the word "that" is optional in reported speech. Both of the following sentences are correct:

• The child said that they were lost.
• The child said they were lost.

Verb Tense in Reported Speech

When you report what someone said in the past, you usually shift back a verb tense from the tense the speaker used. These are some examples of verb shifts:

• simple present to simple past
• past to past perfect
• present perfect to past perfect

*If the reported information is still true, you may use the same tense.

Questions in Reported Speech

Word order: The word order in a reported question is the same as in a statement. The subject comes before the verb.

• Question: Are you ready?
• Statement: I am ready.
• Question in reported speech: She wanted to know if I was ready.

Punctuation: If the sentence is a statement, end it with a period even if it contains a reported question.

• Statement containing a reported question: She asked me what I thought of the book.
• Question containing a reported question: Did she ask what you thought of the book?

Yes or No Questions

To change a yes/no question to a noun clause in reported speech, introduce the noun clause "if" or "whether." "Whether or not" may also be used.

Information Questions

To change an information question to a noun clause in reported speech, begin the noun clause with the question word and remember to use sentence word order.

The person who is reporting what someone said is usually different from the person who made the original statement. As a result, pronouns in reported speech often change.

Place and Time

Changes in the situation between direct and reported speech can result in changes to words indicating place and time.

Recommend and Suggest

The subjunctive, or base, form of the verb (no tense, without "to") is used in reported speech when the main verb is "recommend" or "suggest."

Infinitives

Infinitives (to + the simple form of the verb) may sometimes be used instead of noun clauses, especially in commands and in requests for action or permission.

Commands can be reported two ways:

• A noun clause with a modal (usually "should")
• An infinitive

Requests for Action or Permission

Requests for action or permission can be reported two ways:

• A noun clause with "if"

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Reported speech

Reported speech is how we represent the speech of other people or what we ourselves say. There are two main types of reported speech: direct speech and indirect speech.

Direct speech repeats the exact words the person used, or how we remember their words:

Barbara said, “I didn’t realise it was midnight.”

In indirect speech, the original speaker’s words are changed.

Barbara said she hadn’t realised it was midnight .

In this example, I becomes she and the verb tense reflects the fact that time has passed since the words were spoken: didn’t realise becomes hadn’t realised .

Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words:

“I’m sorry,” said Mark. (direct)

Mark apologised . (indirect: report of a speech act)

In a similar way, we can report what people wrote or thought:

‘I will love you forever,’ he wrote, and then posted the note through Alice’s door. (direct report of what someone wrote)

He wrote that he would love her forever , and then posted the note through Alice’s door. (indirect report of what someone wrote)

I need a new direction in life , she thought. (direct report of someone’s thoughts)

She thought that she needed a new direction in life . (indirect report of someone’s thoughts)

Reported speech: direct speech

Reported speech: indirect speech

Reported speech: reporting and reported clauses

Speech reports consist of two parts: the reporting clause and the reported clause. The reporting clause includes a verb such as say, tell, ask, reply, shout , usually in the past simple, and the reported clause includes what the original speaker said.

Reported speech: punctuation

Direct speech.

In direct speech we usually put a comma between the reporting clause and the reported clause. The words of the original speaker are enclosed in inverted commas, either single (‘…’) or double (“…”). If the reported clause comes first, we put the comma inside the inverted commas:

“ I couldn’t sleep last night, ” he said.

Rita said, ‘ I don’t need you any more. ’

If the direct speech is a question or exclamation, we use a question mark or exclamation mark, not a comma:

‘Is there a reason for this ? ’ she asked.

“I hate you ! ” he shouted.

We sometimes use a colon (:) between the reporting clause and the reported clause when the reporting clause is first:

The officer replied: ‘It is not possible to see the General. He’s busy.’

Punctuation

Indirect speech

In indirect speech it is more common for the reporting clause to come first. When the reporting clause is first, we don’t put a comma between the reporting clause and the reported clause. When the reporting clause comes after the reported clause, we use a comma to separate the two parts:

She told me they had left her without any money.

Not: She told me, they had left her without any money .

Nobody had gone in or out during the previous hour, he informed us.

We don’t use question marks or exclamation marks in indirect reports of questions and exclamations:

He asked me why I was so upset.

Not: He asked me why I was so upset?

Reported speech: reporting verbs

Say and tell.

We can use say and tell to report statements in direct speech, but say is more common. We don’t always mention the person being spoken to with say , but if we do mention them, we use a prepositional phrase with to ( to me, to Lorna ):

‘I’ll give you a ring tomorrow,’ she said .

‘Try to stay calm,’ she said to us in a low voice.

Not: ‘Try to stay calm,’ she said us in a low voice .

With tell , we always mention the person being spoken to; we use an indirect object (underlined):

‘Enjoy yourselves,’ he told them .

Not: ‘Enjoy yourselves,’ he told .

In indirect speech, say and tell are both common as reporting verbs. We don’t use an indirect object with say , but we always use an indirect object (underlined) with tell :

He said he was moving to New Zealand.

Not: He said me he was moving to New Zealand .

He told me he was moving to New Zealand.

Not: He told he was moving to New Zealand .

We use say , but not tell , to report questions:

‘Are you going now?’ she said .

Not: ‘Are you going now?’ she told me .

We use say , not tell , to report greetings, congratulations and other wishes:

‘Happy birthday!’ she said .

Not: Happy birthday!’ she told me .

Everyone said good luck to me as I went into the interview.

Not: Everyone told me good luck …

Say or tell ?

Other reporting verbs

The reporting verbs in this list are more common in indirect reports, in both speaking and writing:

Simon admitted that he had forgotten to email Andrea.

Louis always maintains that there is royal blood in his family.

The builder pointed out that the roof was in very poor condition.

Most of the verbs in the list are used in direct speech reports in written texts such as novels and newspaper reports. In ordinary conversation, we don’t use them in direct speech. The reporting clause usually comes second, but can sometimes come first:

‘Who is that person?’ she asked .

‘It was my fault,’ he confessed .

‘There is no cause for alarm,’ the Minister insisted .

Verb patterns: verb + that -clause

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• Reported Speech /

Direct Speech Vs Reported Speech: Differences, Rules, Examples, and Exercises

• Updated on  
• Jan 9, 2024

For effective communication , the students need to learn the difference between the two types of speech. Direct speech adds authenticity and captures the speaker’s tone or emotions. On the other hand, reported speech is used to report the content of the speech in a more generalized or summarized manner. 

Direct Speech is often involved in writing literature, storytelling, and news reporting. The primary purpose of direct speech is to add an immediate impact and create a vivid impression of the speaker’s words. In contrast, Reported Speech is found in academic writing, official reports, and formal contexts.

In this blog post, you will learn about direct and reported speech and practical exercises to master the concept of direct and reported speech.

Explore Now Test Your English Proficiency with this Editing Quiz!

Important Differences Between Direct And Reported Speech

The table below represents the important differences between direct and reported speech that will help you to understand the structure of speech in a better way:

Must Read: Subject-Verb Agreement: Definition, 12 Rules & Examples

Rules For Changing Direct Speech to Reported Speech

The below table highlights the rules from changing direct speech to the reported speech for a better understanding of the concept.

Also Read: Tenses Rules: Charts, Examples, Types [PDF Available]

Examples of Direct Speech vs. Reported Speech

Some of the examples of direct and indirect speech are given below:

Exercises of Direct Speech vs. Reported Speech

Change the following sentences to indirect speech:

• “I am going to the store,” she said.
• “We have completed the project,” they announced.
• “He plays the guitar very well,” she commented.
• “I can’t believe you did that!” he exclaimed.
• “It’s my birthday tomorrow,” she informed us.
• “Please turn off the lights,” he requested.
• “I will help you with your homework,” she promised.
• “They won the competition,” he revealed.
• “Do you want some coffee?” she asked.
• “I have never been to Paris,” he admitted.

Match the answers with the following sentences:

• She said that she was going to the store.
• They announced that they had completed the project.
• She commented that he played the guitar very well.
• He exclaimed that he couldn’t believe I had done that.
• She informed us that it was her birthday the next day.
• He requested us to turn off the lights.
• She promised to help me with my homework.
• He revealed that they had won the competition.
• She asked if I wanted some coffee.
• He admitted that he had never been to Paris.

What is the difference between Direct and Indirect Speech?

Direct Speech represents the exact words of the speaker whereas reported speech refers to the idea behind to what the speaker said instead of using the exact words of the speaker.

What are the four types of reported speech?

The four types of reported speech are Assertive, Interrogative, Exclamatory, and Imperative.

What is the example of Direct and Indirect Speech?

An example of direct and indirect speech is 

Sita said,” I have done my work”.

Sita said that she had done her work.

To advance your grammar knowledge and read more informative blogs, check out our Learn English page, and don’t forget to follow Leverage Edu .

Amanpreet Kaur

📚✨ From Classroom Chats Entered Into The Wordy World ….. Yes , If you all Remember that teacher who kept you on your toes with pop quizzes and endless homework? YEP! THAT WAS Me ! 🌟 But with the blessings of almighty and the key motivation of my husband who came across the spark of writing in me has insisted me to pave my way away from chalk dust to creative burst!💫  Being in this new world of writing I can compose pun-tastic content, poetry full of emotions and humorous articles that can even make Shakespeare envious of me 📝🎭.Yippee! from teaching young minds to educating worldwide readers it's an epic career switch. From teaching grammar lessons to grammatically flawless copy, I'm todays' wordsmith on a mission! Let me spin literary magic all around and conquer my exact destination of proving myself as The Best Writer in The World.🚀🏆 My promise is to provide you with valuable insights, solutions to your questions, and a momentary escape from the routine. I believe in the power of words to create connections, provoke thought, and foster growth. Woods are lovely dark and deep  But I have promises to keep and  Miles to go before I sleep ……..🌳✨🌌

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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:

• Direct : “I am going to the park.” Reported : He said he was going to the park .
• Direct : “You should try the new restaurant.” Reported : She said that I should try the new restaurant.
• Direct : “We will win the game.” Reported : They said that they would win the game.
• Direct : “She loves her new job.” Reported : He said that she loves her new job.
• Direct : “He can’t come to the party.” Reported : She said that he couldn’t come to the party.
• Direct : “It belongs to me.” Reported : He said that it belonged to him .
• Direct : “They are moving to a new city.” Reported : She said that they were moving to a new city.
• Direct : “You are doing a great job.” Reported : He told me that I was doing a great job.
• Direct : “I don’t like this movie.” Reported : She said that she didn’t like that movie.
• Direct : “We have finished our work.” Reported : They said that they had finished their work.
• Direct : “You will need to sign here.” Reported : He said that I would need to sign there.
• Direct : “She can solve the problem.” Reported : He said that she could solve the problem.
• Direct : “He was not at home yesterday.” Reported : She said that he had not been at home the day before.
• Direct : “It is my responsibility.” Reported : He said that it was his responsibility.
• Direct : “We are planning a surprise.” Reported : They said that they were planning a surprise.

Reported Speech: Reporting Verbs

In reported speech, various reporting verbs are used depending on the nature of the statement or the intention behind the communication. These verbs are essential for conveying the original tone, intent, or action of the speaker. Here are some examples demonstrating the use of different reporting verbs in reported speech:

• Direct: “I will help you,” she promised . Reported: She promised that she would help me.
• Direct: “You should study harder,” he advised . Reported: He advised that I should study harder.
• Direct: “I didn’t take your book,” he denied . Reported: He denied taking my book .
• Direct: “Let’s go to the cinema,” she suggested . Reported: She suggested going to the cinema .
• Direct: “I love this song,” he confessed . Reported: He confessed that he loved that song.
• Direct: “I haven’t seen her today,” she claimed . Reported: She claimed that she hadn’t seen her that day.
• Direct: “I will finish the project,” he assured . Reported: He assured me that he would finish the project.
• Direct: “I’m not feeling well,” she complained . Reported: She complained of not feeling well.
• Direct: “This is how you do it,” he explained . Reported: He explained how to do it.
• Direct: “I saw him yesterday,” she stated . Reported: She stated that she had seen him the day before.
• Direct: “Please open the window,” he requested . Reported: He requested that I open the window.
• Direct: “I can win this race,” he boasted . Reported: He boasted that he could win the race.
• Direct: “I’m moving to London,” she announced . Reported: She announced that she was moving to London.
• Direct: “I didn’t understand the instructions,” he admitted . Reported: He admitted that he didn’t understand the instructions.
• Direct: “I’ll call you tonight,” she promised . Reported: She promised to call me that night.

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:

• Direct: “I am eating.” Reported: He said he was eating.
• Direct: “They will go to the park.” Reported: She mentioned they would go to the park.
• Direct: “We have finished our homework.” Reported: They told me they had finished their homework.
• Direct: “I do my exercises every morning.” Reported: He explained that he did his exercises every morning.
• Direct: “She is going to start a new job.” Reported: He heard she was going to start a new job.
• Direct: “I can solve this problem.” Reported: She said she could solve that problem.
• Direct: “We are visiting Paris next week.” Reported: They said they were visiting Paris the following week.
• Direct: “I will be waiting outside.” Reported: He stated he would be waiting outside.
• Direct: “They have been studying for hours.” Reported: She mentioned they had been studying for hours.
• Direct: “I can’t understand this chapter.” Reported: He complained that he couldn’t understand that chapter.
• Direct: “We were planning a surprise.” Reported: They told me they had been planning a surprise.
• Direct: “She has to complete her assignment.” Reported: He said she had to complete her assignment.
• Direct: “I will have finished the project by Monday.” Reported: She stated she would have finished the project by Monday.
• Direct: “They are going to hold a meeting.” Reported: She heard they were going to hold a meeting.
• Direct: “I must leave.” Reported: He said he had to leave.

Reported Speech: Changing Time and Place References

When converting direct speech into reported speech, references to time and place often need to be adjusted to fit the context of the reported speech. This is because the time and place relative to the speaker may have changed from the original statement to the time of reporting. Here are some examples to illustrate how time and place references change:

• Direct: “I will see you tomorrow .” Reported: He said he would see me the next day .
• Direct: “We went to the park yesterday .” Reported: They said they went to the park the day before .
• Direct: “I have been working here since Monday .” Reported: She mentioned she had been working there since Monday .
• Direct: “Let’s meet here at noon.” Reported: He suggested meeting there at noon.
• Direct: “I bought this last week .” Reported: She said she had bought it the previous week .
• Direct: “I will finish this by tomorrow .” Reported: He stated he would finish it by the next day .
• Direct: “She will move to New York next month .” Reported: He heard she would move to New York the following month .
• Direct: “They were at the festival this morning .” Reported: She said they were at the festival that morning .
• Direct: “I saw him here yesterday.” Reported: She mentioned she saw him there the day before.
• Direct: “We will return in a week .” Reported: They said they would return in a week .
• Direct: “I have an appointment today .” Reported: He said he had an appointment that day .
• Direct: “The event starts next Friday .” Reported: She mentioned the event starts the following Friday .
• Direct: “I lived in Berlin two years ago .” Reported: He stated he had lived in Berlin two years before .
• Direct: “I will call you tonight .” Reported: She said she would call me that night .
• Direct: “I was at the office yesterday .” Reported: He mentioned he was at the office the day before .

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:

• Direct: “Are you coming to the party?” Reported: She asked if I was coming to the party.
• Direct: “What time is the meeting?” Reported: He inquired what time the meeting was.
• Direct: “Why did you leave early?” Reported: They wanted to know why I had left early.
• Direct: “Can you help me with this?” Reported: She asked if I could help her with that.
• Direct: “Where did you buy this?” Reported: He wondered where I had bought that.
• Direct: “Who is going to the concert?” Reported: They asked who was going to the concert.
• Direct: “How do you solve this problem?” Reported: She questioned how to solve that problem.
• Direct: “Is this the right way to the station?” Reported: He inquired whether it was the right way to the station.
• Direct: “Do you know her name?” Reported: They asked if I knew her name.
• Direct: “Why are they moving out?” Reported: She wondered why they were moving out.
• Direct: “Have you seen my keys?” Reported: He asked if I had seen his keys.
• Direct: “What were they talking about?” Reported: She wanted to know what they had been talking about.
• Direct: “When will you return?” Reported: He asked when I would return.
• Direct: “Can she drive a manual car?” Reported: They inquired if she could drive a manual car.
• Direct: “How long have you been waiting?” Reported: She asked how long I had been waiting.

Reported Speech: Omitting Quotation Marks

In reported speech, quotation marks are not used, differentiating it from direct speech which requires them to enclose the spoken words. Reported speech summarizes or paraphrases what someone said without the need for exact wording. Here are examples showing how direct speech with quotation marks is transformed into reported speech without them:

• Direct: “I am feeling tired,” she said. Reported: She said she was feeling tired.
• Direct: “We will win the game,” he exclaimed. Reported: He exclaimed that they would win the game.
• Direct: “I don’t like apples,” the boy declared. Reported: The boy declared that he didn’t like apples.
• Direct: “You should visit Paris,” she suggested. Reported: She suggested that I should visit Paris.
• Direct: “I will be late,” he warned. Reported: He warned that he would be late.
• Direct: “I can’t believe you did that,” she expressed in surprise. Reported: She expressed her surprise that I had done that.
• Direct: “I need help with this task,” he admitted. Reported: He admitted that he needed help with the task.
• Direct: “I have never been to Italy,” she confessed. Reported: She confessed that she had never been to Italy.
• Direct: “We saw a movie last night,” they mentioned. Reported: They mentioned that they saw a movie the night before.
• Direct: “I am learning to play the piano,” he revealed. Reported: He revealed that he was learning to play the piano.
• Direct: “You must finish your homework,” she instructed. Reported: She instructed that I must finish my homework.
• Direct: “I will call you tomorrow,” he promised. Reported: He promised that he would call me the next day.
• Direct: “I have finished my assignment,” she announced. Reported: She announced that she had finished her assignment.
• Direct: “I cannot attend the meeting,” he apologized. Reported: He apologized for not being able to attend the meeting.
• Direct: “I don’t remember where I put it,” she confessed. Reported: She confessed that she didn’t remember where she put it.

Reported Speech Quiz

Thanks for reading! I hope you found these reported speech examples useful. Before you go, why not try this Reported Speech Quiz and see if you can change indirect speech into reported speech?

• English Grammar
• Reported Speech

Reported Speech - Definition, Rules and Usage with Examples

Reported speech or indirect speech is the form of speech used to convey what was said by someone at some point of time. This article will help you with all that you need to know about reported speech, its meaning, definition, how and when to use them along with examples. Furthermore, try out the practice questions given to check how far you have understood the topic.

Table of Contents

Definition of reported speech, rules to be followed when using reported speech, table 1 – change of pronouns, table 2 – change of adverbs of place and adverbs of time, table 3 – change of tense, table 4 – change of modal verbs, tips to practise reported speech, examples of reported speech, check your understanding of reported speech, frequently asked questions on reported speech in english, what is reported speech.

Reported speech is the form in which one can convey a message said by oneself or someone else, mostly in the past. It can also be said to be the third person view of what someone has said. In this form of speech, you need not use quotation marks as you are not quoting the exact words spoken by the speaker, but just conveying the message.

Now, take a look at the following dictionary definitions for a clearer idea of what it is.

Reported speech, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a report of what somebody has said that does not use their exact words.” The Collins Dictionary defines reported speech as “speech which tells you what someone said, but does not use the person’s actual words.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, reported speech is defined as “the act of reporting something that was said, but not using exactly the same words.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines reported speech as “the words that you use to report what someone else has said.”

Reported speech is a little different from direct speech . As it has been discussed already, reported speech is used to tell what someone said and does not use the exact words of the speaker. Take a look at the following rules so that you can make use of reported speech effectively.

• The first thing you have to keep in mind is that you need not use any quotation marks as you are not using the exact words of the speaker.
• You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech.
• You can use verbs like said, asked, requested, ordered, complained, exclaimed, screamed, told, etc. If you are just reporting a declarative sentence , you can use verbs like told, said, etc. followed by ‘that’ and end the sentence with a full stop . When you are reporting interrogative sentences, you can use the verbs – enquired, inquired, asked, etc. and remove the question mark . In case you are reporting imperative sentences , you can use verbs like requested, commanded, pleaded, ordered, etc. If you are reporting exclamatory sentences , you can use the verb exclaimed and remove the exclamation mark . Remember that the structure of the sentences also changes accordingly.
• Furthermore, keep in mind that the sentence structure , tense , pronouns , modal verbs , some specific adverbs of place and adverbs of time change when a sentence is transformed into indirect/reported speech.

Transforming Direct Speech into Reported Speech

As discussed earlier, when transforming a sentence from direct speech into reported speech, you will have to change the pronouns, tense and adverbs of time and place used by the speaker. Let us look at the following tables to see how they work.

Here are some tips you can follow to become a pro in using reported speech.

• Select a play, a drama or a short story with dialogues and try transforming the sentences in direct speech into reported speech.
• Write about an incident or speak about a day in your life using reported speech.
• Develop a story by following prompts or on your own using reported speech.

Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written. Check them out.

• Santana said that she would be auditioning for the lead role in Funny Girl.
• Blaine requested us to help him with the algebraic equations.
• Karishma asked me if I knew where her car keys were.
• The judges announced that the Warblers were the winners of the annual acapella competition.
• Binsha assured that she would reach Bangalore by 8 p.m.
• Kumar said that he had gone to the doctor the previous day.
• Lakshmi asked Teena if she would accompany her to the railway station.
• Jibin told me that he would help me out after lunch.
• The police ordered everyone to leave from the bus stop immediately.
• Rahul said that he was drawing a caricature.

Transform the following sentences into reported speech by making the necessary changes.

1. Rachel said, “I have an interview tomorrow.”

2. Mahesh said, “What is he doing?”

3. Sherly said, “My daughter is playing the lead role in the skit.”

4. Dinesh said, “It is a wonderful movie!”

5. Suresh said, “My son is getting married next month.”

6. Preetha said, “Can you please help me with the invitations?”

7. Anna said, “I look forward to meeting you.”

8. The teacher said, “Make sure you complete the homework before tomorrow.”

9. Sylvester said, “I am not going to cry anymore.”

10. Jade said, “My sister is moving to Los Angeles.”

Now, find out if you have answered all of them correctly.

1. Rachel said that she had an interview the next day.

2. Mahesh asked what he was doing.

3. Sherly said that her daughter was playing the lead role in the skit.

4. Dinesh exclaimed that it was a wonderful movie.

5. Suresh said that his son was getting married the following month.

6. Preetha asked if I could help her with the invitations.

7. Anna said that she looked forward to meeting me.

8. The teacher told us to make sure we completed the homework before the next day.

9. Sylvester said that he was not going to cry anymore.

10. Jade said that his sister was moving to Los Angeles.

What is reported speech?

What is the definition of reported speech.

Reported speech, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a report of what somebody has said that does not use their exact words.” The Collins Dictionary defines reported speech as “speech which tells you what someone said, but does not use the person’s actual words.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, reported speech is defined as “the act of reporting something that was said, but not using exactly the same words.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines reported speech as “the words that you use to report what someone else has said.”

What is the formula of reported speech?

You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech. Subject said that (report whatever the speaker said)

Give some examples of reported speech.

Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written.

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Direct and Indirect Speech: The Ultimate Guide

Direct and Indirect Speech are the two ways of reporting what someone said. The use of both direct and indirect speech is crucial in effective communication and writing. Understanding the basics of direct and indirect speech is important, but mastering the advanced techniques of these two forms of speech can take your writing to the next level. In this article, we will explore direct and indirect speech in detail and provide you with a comprehensive guide that covers everything you need to know.

Table of Contents

What is Direct Speech?

Direct speech is a way of reporting what someone said using their exact words. Direct speech is typically enclosed in quotation marks to distinguish it from the writer’s own words. Here are some examples of direct speech:

• “I am going to the store,” said John.
• “I love ice cream,” exclaimed Mary.
• “The weather is beautiful today,” said Sarah.

In direct speech, the exact words spoken by the speaker are used, and the tense and pronouns used in the quote are maintained. Punctuation is also important in direct speech. Commas are used to separate the quote from the reporting verb, and full stops, question marks, or exclamation marks are used at the end of the quote, depending on the tone of the statement.

What is Indirect Speech?

Indirect speech is a way of reporting what someone said using a paraphrased version of their words. In indirect speech, the writer rephrases the speaker’s words and incorporates them into the sentence. Here are some examples of indirect speech:

• John said that he was going to the store.
• Mary exclaimed that she loved ice cream.
• Sarah said that the weather was beautiful that day.

In indirect speech, the tense and pronouns may change, depending on the context of the sentence. Indirect speech is not enclosed in quotation marks, and the use of reporting verbs is important.

Differences Between Direct and Indirect Speech

The structure of direct and indirect speech is different. Direct speech is presented in quotation marks, whereas indirect speech is incorporated into the sentence without quotation marks. The tenses and pronouns used in direct and indirect speech also differ. In direct speech, the tense and pronouns used in the quote are maintained, whereas, in indirect speech, they may change depending on the context of the sentence. Reporting verbs are also used differently in direct and indirect speech. In direct speech, they are used to introduce the quote, while in indirect speech, they are used to report what was said.

How to Convert Direct Speech to Indirect Speech

Converting direct speech to indirect speech involves changing the tense, pronouns, and reporting verb. Here are the steps involved in converting direct speech to indirect speech:

• Remove the quotation marks.
• Use a reporting verb to introduce the indirect speech.
• Change the tense of the verb in the quote if necessary.
• Change the pronouns if necessary.
• Use the appropriate conjunction if necessary.

Here is an example of converting direct speech to indirect speech:

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

How to Convert Indirect Speech to Direct Speech

Converting indirect speech to direct speech involves using the same tense, pronouns, and reporting verb as the original quote. Here are the steps involved in converting indirect speech to direct speech:

• Remove the reporting verb.
• Use quotation marks to enclose the direct speech.
• Maintain the tense of the verb in the quote.
• Use the same pronouns as the original quote.

Here is an example of converting indirect speech to direct speech:

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

Advanced Techniques for Using Direct and Indirect Speech

Using direct and indirect speech effectively can add depth and complexity to your writing. Here are some advanced techniques for using direct and indirect speech:

Blending Direct and Indirect Speech

Blending direct and indirect speech involves using both forms of speech in a single sentence or paragraph. This technique can create a more engaging and realistic narrative. Here is an example:

“Sarah said, ‘I can’t believe it’s already winter.’ Her friend replied that she loved the cold weather and was excited about the snowboarding season.”

In this example, direct speech is used to convey Sarah’s words, and indirect speech is used to convey her friend’s response.

Using Reported Questions

Reported questions are a form of indirect speech that convey a question someone asked without using quotation marks. Reported questions often use reporting verbs like “asked” or “wondered.” Here is an example:

“John asked if I had seen the movie last night.”

In this example, the question “Have you seen the movie last night?” is reported indirectly without using quotation marks.

Using Direct Speech to Convey Emotion

Direct speech can be used to convey emotion more effectively than indirect speech. When using direct speech to convey emotion, it’s important to choose the right tone and emphasis. Here is an example:

“She screamed, ‘I hate you!’ as she slammed the door.”

In this example, the use of direct speech and the exclamation mark convey the intense emotion of the moment.

• When should I use direct speech?
• Direct speech should be used when you want to report what someone said using their exact words. Direct speech is appropriate when you want to convey the speaker’s tone, emphasis, and emotion.
• When should I use indirect speech?
• Indirect speech should be used when you want to report what someone said using a paraphrased version of their words. Indirect speech is appropriate when you want to provide information without conveying the speaker’s tone, emphasis, or emotion.
• What are some common reporting verbs?
• Some common reporting verbs include “said,” “asked,” “exclaimed,” “whispered,” “wondered,” and “suggested.”

Direct and indirect speech are important tools for effective communication and writing. Understanding the differences between these two forms of speech and knowing how to use them effectively can take your writing to the next level. By using advanced techniques like blending direct and indirect speech and using direct speech to convey emotion, you can create engaging and realistic narratives that resonate with your readers.

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Hate Speech

Policy details.

Current version

Mar 1, 2024

May 26, 2023, nov 24, 2022, jul 29, 2022, jul 1, 2022, nov 25, 2021, oct 29, 2021, jun 24, 2021, jan 29, 2021, nov 19, 2020, oct 13, 2020, sep 24, 2020, aug 12, 2020, jul 31, 2020, jun 23, 2020, mar 27, 2020, feb 28, 2020, dec 17, 2019, oct 31, 2019, aug 27, 2019, jul 31, 2019, jul 2, 2019, mar 21, 2019, sep 1, 2018, may 26, 2018.

We believe that people use their voice and connect more freely when they don’t feel attacked on the basis of who they are. That is why we don’t allow hate speech on Facebook, Instagram, or Threads. It creates an environment of intimidation and exclusion, and in some cases may promote offline violence.

We define hate speech as direct attacks against people — rather than concepts or institutions— on the basis of what we call protected characteristics (PCs): race, ethnicity, national origin, disability, religious affiliation, caste, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, and serious disease. Additionally, we consider age a protected characteristic when referenced along with another protected characteristic. We also protect refugees, migrants, immigrants, and asylum seekers from the most severe attacks, though we do allow commentary on and criticism of immigration policies. Similarly, we provide some protections for non- protected characteristics, such as occupation, when they are referenced along with a protected characteristic. Sometimes, based on local nuance, we consider certain words or phrases as frequently used proxies for PC groups.

We define a hate speech attack as dehumanizing speech; statements of inferiority, expressions of contempt or disgust; cursing; and calls for exclusion or segregation. We also prohibit the use of harmful stereotypes, which we define as dehumanizing comparisons that have historically been used to attack, intimidate, or exclude specific groups, and that are often linked with offline violence. We also prohibit the usage of slurs that are used to attack people on the basis of their protected characteristics. Attacks are separated into two tiers of severity, described below.

We have additional restrictions for paid content.

However, we recognize that people sometimes share content that includes slurs or someone else’s hate speech in order to condemn the speech or report on it. In other cases, speech, including slurs, that might otherwise violate our standards is used self-referentially or in an empowering way. People also sometimes express contempt or curse at a gender in the context of a romantic break-up. Other times, they use gender-exclusive language to control membership in a health or positive support group, such as a breastfeeding group for women only. Our policies are designed to allow room for these types of speech but require people to clearly indicate their intent. Where intention is unclear, we may remove content.

Note: Violent speech targeting people on the basis of their protected characteristics is covered in our Violence and Incitement Policy.

Learn more about our approach to hate speech.

Content targeting a person or group of people (including all groups except those who are considered non-protected groups described as having carried out violent crimes or sexual offenses or representing less than half of a group) on the basis of their aforementioned protected characteristic(s) or immigration status in written or visual form with:

• Dehumanizing speech in the form of comparisons to or generalizations about:
• Animals and pathogens
• Insects (including but not limited to: cockroaches, locusts)
• Animals in general or specific types of animals that are culturally perceived as inferior (including but not limited to: Black people and apes or ape-like creatures; Jewish people and rats; Muslim people and pigs; Mexican people and worms)
• Certain Inanimate Objects and Non-Human States:
• Certain objects (women as household objects or property or objects in general; Black people as farm equipment; transgender or non-binary people as “it”)
• Feces (including but not limited to: shit, crap)
• Filth (including but not limited to: dirt, grime, or saying "[protected characteristic or quasi-protected characteristic] has bad hygiene")
• Bacteria, viruses, or microbes
• Disease (including but not limited to: cancer, sexually transmitted diseases)
• Subhumanity (including but not limited to: savages, devils, monsters, primitives)
• Sexual predators (including but not limited to: Muslim people having sex with goats or pigs)
• Violent criminals (including but not limited to: terrorists, murderers, members of hate or criminal organizations)
• Other criminals (including but not limited to “thieves,” “bank robbers,” or saying “All [protected characteristic or quasi-protected characteristic] are ‘criminals’”).
• Statements in the form of calls for action or statements of intent to inflict, aspirational or conditional statements about, or statements advocating or supporting harm in the following ways:
• In favor of contracting a disease
• In favor of experiencing a natural disaster
• Calls for self-injury or suicide
• Calls for death without a perpetrator or method
• Calls for accidents and other physical harms caused either by no perpetrator or by a deity
• Statements denying existence (including but not limited to: "[protected characteristic(s) or quasi-protected characteristic] do not exist", "no such thing as [protected charactic(s) or quasi-protected characteristic]" or “[protected characteristic(s) or quasi-protected characteristic] shouldn’t exist”)
• Harmful stereotypes historically linked to intimidation, exclusion, or violence on the basis of a protected characteristic, such as Blackface; Holocaust denial; claims that Jewish people control financial, political, or media institutions; and references to Dalits as menial laborers
• Mocking the concept, events or victims of hate crimes even if no real person is depicted in an image.
• Mocking people on the basis of their Protected Characteristics or Quasi-Protected Characteristics for having or experiencing a disease.
• Content that describes or negatively targets people with slurs, where slurs are defined as words that inherently create an atmosphere of exclusion and intimidation against people on the basis of a protected characteristic, often because these words are tied to historical discrimination, oppression, and violence. They do this even when targeting someone who is not a member of the PC group that the slur inherently targets.
• Physical appearance, including but not limited to: ugly, hideous.
• Intellectual capacity, including but not limited to: dumb, stupid, idiots.
• Education, including but not limited to: illiterate, uneducated.
• Mental health, including but not limited to: mentally ill, retarded, crazy, insane.
• Character traits culturally perceived as negative, including but not limited to: coward, liar, arrogant, ignorant.
• Derogatory terms related to sexual activity, including but not limited to: whore, slut, perverts.
• Expressions about being less than adequate, including but not limited to: worthless, useless.
• Expressions about being better/worse than another protected characteristic, including but not limited to: "I believe that males are superior to females."
• Expressions about deviating from the norm, including but not limited to: freaks, abnormal.
• Self-admission to intolerance on the basis of a protected characteristics, including but not limited to: homophobic, islamophobic, racist.
• Expressions of hate, including but not limited to: "I despise","I hate", " I can't stand".
• Expressions of dismissal, including but not limited to: "I don´t respect", "I don't like", " I don´t care for"
• Expressions that suggest the target causes sickness, including but not limited to: vomit, throw up.
• Expressions of repulsion or distaste, including but not limited to: vile, disgusting, yuck.
• Referring to the target as genitalia or anus, including but not limited to: cunt, dick, asshole.
• Profane terms or phrases or other curses with the intent to insult, including but not limited to: fuck, bitch, motherfucker.
• Terms or phrases calling for engagement in sexual activity, or contact with genitalia, anus, feces or urine, including but not limited to: suck my dick, kiss my ass, eat shit.
• Exclusion or segregation in the form of calls for action, statements of intent, aspirational or conditional statements, or statements advocating or supporting defined as:
• Explicit exclusion, which means things like expelling certain groups or saying they are not allowed or segregation.
• Political exclusion, which means denying the right to political participation.
• Economic exclusion, which means denying access to economic entitlements and limiting participation in the labor market.
• Social exclusion, which means things like denying access to spaces (physical and online)and social services, except for gender-based exclusion in health and positive support Groups.

Do not post:

• Content explicitly providing or offering to provide products or services that aim to change people’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Content attacking concepts, institutions, ideas, practices, or beliefs associated with protected characteristics, which are likely to contribute to imminent physical harm, intimidation or discrimination against the people associated with that protected characteristic. Meta looks at a range of signs to determine whether there is a threat of harm in the content. These include but are not limited to: content that could incite imminent violence or intimidation; whether there is a period of heightened tension such as an election or ongoing conflict; and whether there is a recent history of violence against the targeted protected group. In some cases, we may also consider whether the speaker is a public figure or occupies a position of authority.
• Content targeting a person or group of people on the basis of their protected characteristic(s) with claims that they have or spread the novel coronavirus, are responsible for the existence of the novel coronavirus, are deliberately spreading the novel coronavirus.

In certain cases, we will allow content that may otherwise violate the Community Standards when it is determined that the content is satirical. Content will only be allowed if the violating elements of the content are being satirized or attributed to something or someone else in order to mock or criticize them.

See some examples of what enforcement looks like for people on Facebook, such as: what it looks like to report something you don’t think should be on Facebook, to be told you’ve violated our Community Standards and to see a warning screen over certain content.

Note: We’re always improving, so what you see here may be slightly outdated compared to what we currently use.

USER EXPERIENCE

Post-report communication, takedown experience, warning screens.

Percentage of times people saw violating content

Content actioned

Number of pieces of violating content we took action on

Proactive rate

Percentage of violating content we found before people reported it

Appealed content

Number of pieces of content people appealed after we took action on it

Restored content

Number of pieces of content we restored after we originally took action on it

Universal entry point

We have an option to report, whether it’s on a post, a comment, a story, a message or something else.

Get started

We help people report things that they don’t think should be on our platform.

Select a problem

We ask people to tell us more about what’s wrong. This helps us send the report to the right place.

Report submitted

After these steps, we submit the report. We also lay out what people should expect next.

Update via notifications

After we’ve reviewed the report, we’ll send the reporting user a notification.

More detail in the Support Inbox

We’ll share more details about our review decision in the Support Inbox. We’ll notify people that this information is there and send them a link to it.

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If people think we got the decision wrong, they can request another review.

Post-appeal communication

We’ll send a final response after we’ve re-reviewed the content, again to the Support Inbox.

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When someone posts something that doesn't follow our rules, we’ll tell them.

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We’ll also address common misperceptions and explain why we made the decision to enforce.

Policy Explanation

We’ll give people easy-to-understand explanations about the relevant rule.

Option for review

If people disagree with the decision, they can ask for another review and provide more information.

Final decision

We set expectations about what will happen after the review has been submitted.

Warning screens in context

We cover certain content in News Feed and other surfaces, so people can choose whether to see it.

More information

In this example, we give more context on why we’ve covered the photo with more context from independent fact-checkers

We have the same policies around the world, for everyone on Facebook.

Review teams

Our global team of over 15,000 reviewers work every day to keep people on Facebook safe.

Stakeholder engagement

Outside experts, academics, NGOs and policymakers help inform the Facebook Community Standards.

Learn what you can do if you see something on Facebook that goes against our Community Standards.

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Direct and Indirect Speech dalam Bahasa Inggris

Kompas.com skola, astrid riyani atmaja,, silmi nurul utami.

Tim Redaksi

Astrid Riyani Atmaja

Penulis silmi nurul utami.

Direct speech adalah kalimat orang lain yang disampaikan secara langsung.

Kalimat yang disampaikan kembali melalui kalimat direct speech akan sama persis dengan kalimat aslinya.

Baca juga: Direct and Indirect Speech: Pengertian, Ciri-ciri, dan Contohnya

Pada bentuk tulisan, kalimat direct speech ditandai dengan tanda petik dua di bagian awal dan akhir kalimatnya.

Umumnya, direct speech digunakan pada interaksi yang bersifat informal atau dalam karya sastra.

Berikut beberapa contoh direct speech dalam bahasa Inggris.

• “To infinity and beyond.” said Buzz Lightyear loudly. (“Menuju tak terbatas dan melampauinya” kata Buzz Lightyear dengan nyaring)

Baca juga: Speech Error: Fenomena Salah Ujar pada Manusia

Indirect speech

Indirect speech adalah kalimat yang diucapkan kembali secara tidak langsung. Dalam indirect speech, terjadi perubahan pronoun, tenses, dan penambahan konjungsi.

Dengan demikian, kalimat yang disampaikan secara tidak langsung tidak akan sama persis dengan kalimat aslinya.

Hal tersebut dikarenakan terjadi beberapa perubahan untuk menyesuaikan kondisi dan situasi yang sedang berlangsung.

Baca juga: Rumus 16 Tenses dan Contohnya

Umumnya, tenses yang digunakan pada indirect speech tentunya akan berbeda dengan tenses dari kalimat aslinya karena kedua kalimat tersebut disampaikan pada waktu yang berbeda.

Berikut beberapa contoh dari indirect speech dalam bahasa Inggris.

• They said that the movie was boring. (Mereka bilang filmnya membosankan)

Baca juga: Relative pronoun: Pengertian, Jenis, dan Contohnya

• Maurer, J. (2006). Focus on Grammar: An Integrated Skill Approach (Vol. Third Edition). New York: Pearson Longman.
• Swan, M. (2005). Practical English Usage (Third Edition). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Tag materi Bahasa Inggris Kelas 12 direct and indirect speech direct speech direct speech adalah indirect speech indirect speech adalah

Rumus 16 Tenses dan Contohnya

8 Jenis Karya Sastra serta Penjelasannya

Relative pronoun: Pengertian, Jenis, dan Contohnya

Speech Error: Fenomena Salah Ujar pada Manusia

Bedanya Direct and Indirect Object

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Middle East latest: Worshippers in Tehran chant 'death to Israel' after strike; man 'carrying explosives' arrested at Iranian consulate in Paris

Worshippers in Tehran gather at a demonstration just hours after an apparent Israeli strike in Iran. Elsewhere, a man is arrested at the Iranian consulate in Paris after claiming to be carrying explosives.

Friday 19 April 2024 23:58, UK

• Israel-Hamas war

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• What we know so far about Israel's apparent attack on Iran
• Iran has 'no plan for immediate retaliation'
• Blinken refuses to talk about Israel's reported attack
• Man arrested at Iranian consulate in Paris
• Worshippers in Tehran chant 'death to Israel'
• Analysis:  This strike has escalation written all over it
• Analysis: Iran isn't biggest threat to the coalition right now
• Live reporting by  Emily Mee

An Israeli retired major general has said he doesn't believe Israel's overnight attack on Iran is a "very significant event". 

Major General Giora Eiland, the former head of the Israeli National Security Council, said the strike showed Israel can reach "even sensitive places" but it had tried to "do it way that both sides can be satisfied". 

He told Sky's World with Yalda Hakim programme that he doesn't "predict real escalation after this". 

Asked whether Israel's message had been received in Iran, he said countries will try to emphasise their success and minimise the success of the other side. 

He added that in attacking Israel, Iran had created an international coalition against itself - "something they certainly don't want to see". 

We've been hearing from our military analyst Professor Michael Clarke , who says the overnight attacks on Iran appear to be the Israelis "going after certain targets directly linked to n[Tehran's] attack last weekend". 

It's not been confirmed yet, but he says Israel almost certainly used ballistic missiles - rather than the drones than Iran says were used. 

"The Iranians have an interest in saying it was almost certainly a one-off attack, it was drones, it didn't matter," Professor Clarke says. 

This "relieves them of the responsibility of being so outraged they have to do something even more decisive", he says. 

Both sides are now "trying to save face". 

Professor Clarke says Israel wanted to carry out an attack, but not one that would upset its allies too much. 

Meanwhile Iran is being "careful not to overplay" Israel's attack. 

We reported earlier today on a tweet from Israel's national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir, calling the attack on Iran overnight "lame". 

Channel 12 is now reporting a confidant of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reached out to the far-right politician to tell him he was harming Israel's national security. 

However, the network added he is unlikely to face further repercussions as Mr Netanyahu is reliant on him to remain in power. 

Mr Ben Gvir is among the Israeli hardliners calling for a harsher response to Iran and more brutal measures in Gaza. 

The Israeli prime minister remains in a tough spot as he is facing calls for de-escalation from Western allies, but he also needs to appease hardliners within his government to stay in power. 

The Met Police has retracted its previous statement about two of its officers, who were heavily criticised for threatening to arrest a Jewish man near a pro-Palestinian march. 

The officers said the antisemitism campaigner, who was wearing a kippah skull cap, was "quite openly Jewish" so they were concerned about the reaction to his presence near the march. 

The Met said it had "reflected on the strength of the response to our previous statement" and wished to make a new apology. 

In its earlier statement, the force had said the use of the term "openly Jewish" was a "poor choice of words and while not intended, we know it will have caused offence to many". 

It continued: "In recent weeks we've seen a new trend emerge, with those opposed to the main protests appearing along the route to express their views.

"The fact that those who do this often film themselves while doing so suggests they must know that their presence is provocative, that they're inviting a response and that they're increasing the likelihood of an altercation."

But this statement was criticised by the antisemitism campaigner in the video, Gideon Falter, who accused the force of "appalling victim blaming". 

"What has dented Jewish Londoners' confidence in the Met is not us making this video public, but the actions of the Met's officers telling me that I cannot be in the area whilst openly Jewish," he said. 

"The assistant commissioner appears to be saying that we should have taken this on the chin and kept the video under wraps."

Here is the new statement in full: 

"The use of the term 'openly Jewish' by one of our officers is hugely regrettable. We know it will have caused offence to many. We reiterate our apology.

"We have reflected on the strength of the response to our previous statement. In an effort to make a point about the policing of protest we caused further offence. This was never our intention. We have removed that statement and we apologise.

"Being Jewish is not a provocation. Jewish Londoners must be able to feel safe in this city.

"Our commitment to protecting the public extends to all communities across London. It's important that our public statements reflect that more clearly than they did today."

US officials are continuing their silence on the apparent Israeli attack on Iran overnight. 

In a news conference just now, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked whether this is part of a strategy to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East. 

She said she has "nothing to share" and was "not going to speculate on reportings". 

Ms Jean-Pierre said the US does not want to see the conflict escalate and will continue to consult with partners. 

Israeli fighter jets launched three missiles at an air defence radar site near the Iranian city of Isfahan in last night's overnight strike, according to a report. 

ABC News, citing an unnamed US official, said the radar site was part of the protection of Iran's Natanz nuclear facility. 

The official reportedly said the missiles were fired from outside Iran and the strike was "very limited". 

They also said an initial assessment showed the radar site was taken out, but the assessment has not yet been completed. 

Iran earlier said three drones were involved in the attack on Isfahan, and made no mention of any missiles or damage. 

The US has publicly said very little about the attack, apart from confirming it was not involved. 

By Alex Rossi , international correspondent on the Israel-Lebanon border

The roads through northern Israel along the border with Lebanon are empty of cars.

It is unnervingly quiet.

Since 7 October the area has been under bombardment from Hezbollah militants and tens of thousands of people have left following the government's evacuation rules.

Ariel Frish, the deputy head of security, in Kiryat Shmona, a frontline city, shows me the damage in a residential area.

A house is gutted from fire caused by the explosion from the strike.

"We got attacked by a great wave of missiles, one of the missiles hit this house," he said. 

"Nobody was here because we evacuated the city one week before. And if we had not evacuated there would be no survivors.”

The Israel Defence Forces and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire on a daily basis in the north for more than six months - and it feels like a full scale war may not be far away.

Walking through the communities in the north is eerie. 

You can hear the sound of birdsong and the constant noise of drones and warplanes circling overhead.

A short distance from the Lebanese border and former IDF commander, Gideon Harari, who lives in one of the communities in the line of fire, says a major confrontation is looking more likely every day.

The situation with Iran and the standoff with Hezbollah, as well as the war in Gaza, make this an incredibly dangerous time for the region.

"The shooting is daily. Rockets, drones every day," he said. 

"Now is the most dangerous point in the Middle East for the last forty years. If Israel will take military measures against Iran it might drive us into a Middle East war, a big war."

The internally displaced have moved to hotels and guesthouses in safer parts of Israel.

In Tiberias the evacuees can only wonder when it will be safe to return.

"The mood of the people in Israel is very frustrated. And it is very dangerous to live here," says Daniel Boker, who left his hometown of Metula on the border, months ago.

Tensions are now the highest they've been for decades and that's reflected in the preparations Israel is making.

The national ambulance service, Magen David Adom, has been stockpiling equipment in an underground facility. Chief of staff Uri Shacham, tells me 7 October has changed everything.

"We are preparing for a long-term campaign or long-term war," he said.

"If you had talked to me in September 2023, I would have said we have a supply for one month. 

"Nowadays, because of what we are expecting, [we are] preparing... many more month's [worth] of equipment."

Israel now faces crisis on multiple fronts but it is clear the current situation in the north is increasingly untenable. 

It will not take much for a broader war to break out.

By Sam Doak, OSINT reporter

A video showing explosions in the sky above Isfahan provides further information on last night's attack in Iran. 

Sky News determined the video was filmed next to Laleh Park in the northeast of the city by matching features including a road, park, flagpole and three cylindrical structures.  

This made it possible to determine the video shows explosions in the sky to the east of the city.  

While this video does not contain enough information to tell with certainty what site was targeted, explosions in this general area fit with accounts in Iranian media that a base adjoining Isfahan International Airport was attacked. 

This base is located to the northeast of Isfahan. Fars News Agency, a regime-aligned Iranian outlet, has claimed that three explosions occurred near this site as a result of last night's attack. No substantial damage has been reported.  

The apparent Israeli attack on Iran has prompted airlines to change flight paths, cancel flights and divert others to alternate airports over security concerns. 

Iran closed its airports in Tehran, Shiraz and Isfahan in the aftermath and cleared flights from the western portion of its airspace for a few hours after the attack, according to flight tracking website FlightRadar24.

Both the airports and airspace had reopened by 4.45am UK time. 

Flydubai said it had cancelled its flights to Iran and an earlier flight had turned back to Dubai. 

Tracking data also showed an Iran Air flight from Rome to Tehran was diverted to Ankara, Turkey. 

As we reported earlier, Germany's Lufthansa cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv and Erbil until tomorrow, and would avoid Iraqi airspace during this time period. 

United Airlines said it would cancel its daily flight from Newark to Tel Aviv until 2 May, while Air Canadasaid it was pausing operations to and from Tel Aviv until the end of June. 

Emirates, Flydubai, Turkish Air, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi and Belavia were among the carriers continuing to fly over the part of Iran's airspace that remained open in the initial hours after the attack early today.

Activists and aid workers are preparing another attempt to break through the Israeli blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. 

A coalition of organisations, including the IHH and the Mavi Marmara Association from Turkey, are planning to set sail soon onboard the ship Akdeniz. 

The exact launch date is unclear but activists are currently sorting aid inside the cargo hold. 

The same organisations were previously in charge of a flotilla that attempted to deliver aid in 2010. 

Israeli commandos stormed the Mavi Marmara in international waters, leading to an altercation that left nine people dead and dozens of activists wounded.

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‘True Promise’: Why and how did Iran launch a historic attack on Israel?

Iran has just launched the largest ever drone strike in the world, and the biggest missile attack in its history.

Tehran, Iran – Iran’s use of hundreds of drones and missiles to directly target Israel overnight on Sunday in retaliation for an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus set some major political and military precedents.

It was the single largest drone attack ever carried out by any country, and it was the first time Iran directly attacked Israel after almost a half-century of being archenemies .

Keep reading

Iran warns israel, us of ‘severe response’ in case of retaliation, jordan, lebanon, iraq reopen airspace closed over iran’s attacks on israel, iran’s irgc seizes ‘israeli-linked’ ship near strait of hormuz, iran’s khamenei blasts israel, west for ‘bloody’ gaza war in eid speech.

Here’s a look at what political, military and economic considerations Tehran might have factored in while deciding on the attack that has amplified fears of a larger regional war and that could also affect the direction of Israel’s war on Gaza.

The politics

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) dubbed the operation “True Promise” to show that top leaders in Tehran, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, intend to make good on their vows of “punishment” for attacks by Israel and others.

The attack was in response to the April 1 Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus that killed seven IRGC members, including two generals in charge of leading operations in Syria and Lebanon, along with six other people.

It was mainly aimed at strengthening Iran’s deterrence, which critics said had been compromised after increasingly confrontational policies and military strikes by the United States and its allies across the region, especially following the January 2020 assassination of top general Qassem Soleimani in Iraq.

Iranian officials also appeared to have exercised a degree of “strategic patience” after the late December assassination of another top IRGC commander in Syria, Razi Mousavi, in an Israeli air raid amid the fallout of the war on Gaza.

Inaction, lower-grade strikes, or being content with military action through the “axis of resistance” of aligned groups across the region would in this vein be viewed as too costly for Iran both locally and abroad.

That is true even as Tehran recognises that Israel and the embattled government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may see benefits in escalating tensions across the region and forcing the US military into taking more action against Iran.

On the other hand, the unprecedented Iranian attacks may have briefly shifted the world’s attention from the deaths of tens of thousands of women and children in the Gaza Strip, but they could translate into soft power gains for Iran in the Muslim world in the long run, when compared with other regional powers.

Saudi Arabia has not ruled out normalising relations with Israel despite the carnage in Gaza, and Turkey only started limiting some exports to Israel earlier this week after the Israeli government refused to allow it to airdrop aid over the besieged enclave, where infants are dying of starvation. Both Saudi Arabia and Turkey have, however, been deeply — and vocally — critical of Israel’s war on Gaza.

Iran would also have plausible arguments at the United Nations Security Council since attacks on diplomatic missions signal a violation of the Vienna Convention, and since Article 51 of the UN Charter enshrines the “inherent right” of self-defence, something Israel has been heavily leaning on since the start of the Gaza war.

A list of military firsts for Iran

There is no official confirmation from Iran about exactly how many drones or ballistic and cruise missiles it used to attack Israel, but the Israeli military said more than 300 were launched.

Iranian drones have been making international headlines for the past few years, especially following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago. Ukrainian officials say the Iranian-designed Shahed drones of the Russian military continue to rain down over their territory .

Shahed-136 kamikaze drones that carry a relatively small warhead weighing some 50kg (110 pounds) were used in the attack on Israel, Iranian state television said on Sunday.

Telegram channels affiliated with the IRGC said the Shahed-238, which is powered by a turbojet rather than the propeller on the 136 model, was also used in the attack. The 238 model sacrifices some manoeuvrability for significantly higher speeds that are believed to reach as high as 600kmph (372mph).

Iran has long been known to possess the largest and most varied missile arsenal in the Middle East, but this was by far the largest test of its capabilities.

State television said the Emad long-range ballistic missile and the Paveh cruise missile were used to attack Israel.

In February, in large-scale military exercises that included simulating an attack on the Palmachim airbase in Israel , the IRGC used Emad missiles and launched the Dezful ballistic missile from a warship.

Iran also possesses Fattah, a hypersonic ballistic missile that could theoretically arrive in Israel in as little as seven minutes, along with a cruise missile variant of the same family. There was no indication the missiles were used in the early Sunday attacks.

Either way, in multilayered attacks over several hours, Iran has just managed to conduct its largest-ever drone and missile strikes that covered some of their longest distances in a real military operation.

“The operation achieved a level of success that exceeded our expectations,” said IRGC commander-in-chief Hossein Salami, adding that the projectiles only targeted military sites, including the Nevatim airbase in the Negev desert that was allegedly used to launch the Israeli strikes on the Iranian consulate in Syria.

What are the economic effects?

The effect of the historic attacks on the already-troubled Iranian economy was likely lower than the weight of political and military dimensions on the list of considerations for Iranian leaders as they planned the offensive in almost two weeks since the consulate attack.

But as expected, there was an immediate reaction in local markets, with foreign currencies climbing amid rising anxieties over prospects of the conflict further sliding into a regional war.

The rial, Iran’s falling national currency , dropped to a new all-time low of about 670,000 per US dollar on Sunday before regaining some ground.

The semiofficial Tasnim news website reported on Sunday that very few currency and gold deals are taking place in Tehran and other markets as an atmosphere of caution is dominant.

The Tehran prosecutor’s office announced on Sunday that it opened a case against an unnamed journalist and the Jahan-e Sanat newspaper they worked for due to “disturbing the society’s psychological security and disturbing the economic atmosphere of the country”.

Israel Reports Light Damage After Iran Launches Large Strike

Iran fired more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel overnight. The U.S. military shot dozens of them down, but most were intercepted by Israel’s military.

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Follow live updates on the crisis in the Middle East .

Aaron Boxerman ,  Ronen Bergman ,  Farnaz Fassihi and Eric Schmitt

Here are the latest developments.

Iran mounted an immense aerial attack on Israel on Saturday night, launching more than 300 drones and missiles in retaliation for a deadly Israeli airstrike in Syria two weeks ago, and marking a significant escalation in hostilities between the two regional foes.

The strikes caused only minor damage to one Israeli military base, and most of the airborne threats were intercepted, Israeli military officials said. The United States said it had helped to shoot dozens of drones and missiles .

But the large-scale attack, aimed at targets inside Israel and the territory it controls, opened a volatile new chapter in the long-running shadow war between Iran and Israel.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps said in a statement broadcast on state television that it had launched “dozens of drones and missiles” toward Israel from Iran “in reaction to the Zionist regime’s crimes.” It later said on social media that it had hit military targets in Israel, warned the United States against getting involved, and threatened more strikes if Iran or its interests were hit.

Here’s what we know:

A total of 12 people were brought in to the Soroka Medical Center in southern Israel overnight, according to a hospital spokeswoman, Inbar Gutter.

One of the areas targeted was the Golan Heights, a strategic area bordering Syria that Israel annexed nearly 60 years ago. Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia backed by Iran, said it had fired dozens of rockets at an Israeli barracks there. But it was not immediately clear if that bombardment was part of the wider Iranian attack.

In the hours after the attacks, as Iranians gathered in Tehran to celebrate them, more air-raid sirens sounded across vast swaths of southern Israel, the West Bank and Golan Heights. The Israeli government also sent out warnings about possible missiles arriving in the Negev Desert, where there are several military bases. And the airspaces of Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon were closed .

President Biden cut short a weekend at his vacation home in Delaware to huddle with his national security team. He also spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel.

The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting at 4 p.m. on Sunday to discuss Iran’s attacks on Israel, the council’s president said. Israel’s U.N. ambassador, Gilad Erdan, had requested the meeting.

Gabby Sobelman

In Israel this morning, the domestic news media is airing footage of operations at Ben Gurion Airport, outside Tel Aviv, and of jets returning to an air base in the Negev Desert that the Israeli military says suffered light damage in the Iranian attack. Television anchors are suggesting the footage is a sign that the country is returning to normal.

Airspace closures that went into effect in Israel and Lebanon on Saturday have now expired, and commercial flights have resumed from Tel Aviv, according to Flightradar24, a flight-tracking site. The airspaces of Iraq and Jordan are scheduled to reopen later this morning.

Cassandra Vinograd

A total of 12 people were brought in to the Soroka Medical Center in southern Israel overnight, according to a hospital spokeswoman, Inbar Gutter. One — a 7-year-old girl — was seriously injured by missile fragments, taken to the operating room, and is currently in intensive care. Eight other people were treated for minor injuries from shrapnel or running for shelter, while three people were brought in for anxiety.

Isabel Kershner

In his first public response to the overnight Iranian assault, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on X on Sunday morning: “We intercepted. We blocked. Together we will win.”

Nearly 99 percent of the aerial threats launched at Israel on Saturday were intercepted, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the chief spokesman for the military, said during televised remarks. He added that the Nevatim air force base in the Negev desert in southern Israel suffered only light damage and was functioning. “Iran thought it would paralyze the base,” Rear Admiral Hagari said. “It failed.”

Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, warned in a televised statement early Sunday that the confrontation with Iran “is not over yet.” He praised the militaries of Israel and the United States for blocking the Iranian attack, said the defense against the Iranian assault was “a most impressive achievement.”

Israel’s military said its fighter jets struck a number of targets early Sunday in a complex belonging to Hezbollah’s elite Radwan forces in southern Lebanon. Israeli warplanes struck additional Hezbollah structures during the night, the military said, after Hezbollah sent two explosive drones into Israeli territory on Saturday.

Eric Schmitt

The U.S. defense secretary, a former top Army general, condemned the “reckless and unprecedented attacks” by Iran and its proxies in nearby countries, and he called on Tehran to halt any further strikes. “We do not seek conflict with Iran, but we will not hesitate to act to protect our forces and support the defense of Israel,” he said.

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said late Saturday that U.S. forces had intercepted “dozens” of missiles and attack drones launched at Israel from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen. The U.S. military is ready to protect U.S. troops and Israel, he said.

Iran’s foreign ministry said in a statement that the attack on Israel was a “defensive measure” that shows its “responsible approach toward regional and international peace and security.” The aerial assault has drawn condemnation from Israel’s allies and warnings that it risked further escalation in the Middle East.

The Israeli military said in a statement before dawn that its chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, was conducting a situational assessment at military headquarters in Tel Aviv with commanders of the air force as well as the military’s operations and intelligence directorates to discuss the events of the last few hours “as well as plans for the continuation.” No more details were provided.

As dawn broke at about 5:30 a.m., Israeli war planes could be heard in the skies above Jerusalem.

Michael D. Shear

President Biden said he will convene a meeting of the G7 leaders on Sunday to develop what he called “a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack.”

President Biden said American military forces helped shoot down Iranian drones and missiles during the attacks Saturday, and said he told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel that the United States will continue to help defend their ally .

Jin Yu Young

The U.N. Security Council will meet on Sunday at 4 p.m. to discuss the situation in the Middle East, said Vanessa Frazier, the president of the Security Council.

Following a letter received from @IsraelinUN ,the Maltese Presidency of the #UNSC has scheduled an open emergency meeting of the Council tomorrow at 4pm under the agenda item “The situation in the Middle East” to consider the drone & missile attack by #Iran on #Israel @MFETMalta — Vanessa Frazier 🧡 (@_VanessaFrazier) April 14, 2024

Yara Bayoumy

Two Israeli officials say Iran launched 185 drones and 36 cruise missiles. Most of the launches were from Iran, though a small portion came from Iraq and Yemen. Iran also launched 110 surface-to-surface missiles.

Gaya Gupta and Emma Bubola

The U.S. intercepts dozens of Iranian drones and missiles, a show of commitment to Israel.

The U.S. military said that it had shot down dozens of the drones and missiles that Iran fired at Israel on Saturday, a strong demonstration that despite recent criticism of Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza, Washington was firmly committed to protecting a key ally from Iran, a mutual adversary.

President Biden said that the United States had “helped Israel take down nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles,” in part thanks to aircraft and military ships the Pentagon had moved to the region in the past week.

While Mr. Biden has grown increasingly vocal in his frustration with Israel’s military offensive in Gaza — calling its bombardment there “indiscriminate” and saying that Israel has not done enough to protect Palestinian civilians — he has maintained that when it comes to Iran, the United States’ commitment to Israel is “ironclad.”

“We will support Israel and help defend Israel,” he said, “and Iran will not succeed.”

The United States has consistently affirmed Israel’s right to defend itself, and it has also directly intervened militarily against attacks from Iran’s proxy forces, including the Houthi militia based in Yemen .

This year, the U.S. military carried out strikes against Iranian forces and allied militias in Syria and Iraq in response to a drone attack in Jordan that killed three American soldiers. And in 2020, the United States killed a top Iranian commander , Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, with a drone strike at Baghdad International Airport in Iraq.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed that Britain had helped defend Israel against the Iranian attack, saying that Britain’s air force had shot down “a number of Iranian attack drones” and would now work with allies to de-escalate tensions. “What we now need is for calm heads to prevail,” Mr. Sunak told the BBC on Sunday.

Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, Israel’s chief military spokesman, said that Israel had intercepted most of the 200 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles launched by Iran with “some assistance” from its allies. “Over the past six months, we have been operating in close coordination with our partners,” he said, adding, “This partnership has always been robust, but last night it was exceptionally evident.”

France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, also condemned Iran’s attack and affirmed support for Israel, writing in a post on X that France was committed “to the security of Israel, our partners, and regional stability.”

Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, a country that last week had to defend itself against accusations that its arms sales to Israel were abetting genocide in Gaza , called Iran’s attacks “unjustifiable and highly irresponsible.”

“Germany stands by Israel and we will discuss the situation with our allies,” he said in a statement on social media.

The cabinet of Jordan, a staunch critic of Israel’s war effort in Gaza, said on Sunday that its military had shot down aircraft and missiles that entered its airspace during the Iranian attack.

Eric Schmitt , Patrick Kingsley and Farnaz Fassihi contributed reporting.

“If Iran’s objective was to punish and isolate Israel, it appears to have fallen well short of that objective,” said Dana Stroul, formerly the Pentagon’s top Middle East policy official who is now at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. The U.S. and Israeli militaries were able to defend against a complex attack, Stroul said. “Given how significant this attack was, it is difficult to see how Israel cannot respond.”

Christiaan Triebert and Hiba Yazbek

The Times verified the authenticity of several photos and videos showing debris, likely from a missile, in a residential area of Amman, the Jordanian capital. The Times has not been able to identify whether the debris is part of an Iranian missile or an Israeli or Jordanian interceptor missile. Several missiles appear to have been intercepted in the skies above Jordan, according to earlier footage .

Two senior U.S. officials say the preliminary assessment is that the damage to Israel was relatively limited given the scale of the attack.

Farnaz Fassihi

In Tehran, several hundred supporters of the Iranian government gathered in the middle of the night at Palestine Square and in front of Tehran University to celebrate the attacks on Israel, according to witnesses and state media. The crowd chanted “death to Israel” as fireworks went off and praised the commander in chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps for carrying out the attacks.

Alissa J. Rubin

What is the Golan Heights?

One of the areas targeted in Israel during Saturday’s attacks was the Golan Heights, a strategic area bordering Syria that Israel annexed nearly 60 years ago.

Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia backed by Iran, said in a statement just after midnight that it had fired dozens of rockets at an Israeli barracks in the Golan Heights. It was not immediately clear if that bombardment was part of the wider Iranian attack on Israel.

The Golan Heights has routinely seen conflict since Israel seized it during the 1967 six-day war, occupied it and then annexed much of it in 1981 .

The annexed portion, encompassing nearly 500 square miles, was and remains a militarily strategic perch for Israeli forces, giving them a vantage point and proximity to two of Jerusalem’s chief adversaries: Syria and Lebanon, and especially the armed group Hezbollah, which has forces along the nearby southern and southeastern Lebanese border.

Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights has never been recognized internationally by the United Nations, which condemned i t at the time. When President Donald J. Trump was in power, he said that the United States should recognize the land as Israel’s, but the move was condemned internationally and carried primarily symbolic weight.

Both Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, and armed groups in Syria that are similarly Iranian backed have used the areas along the Lebanese and Syrian borders with the Golan Heights to fire rockets and missiles at Israel.

Iranian officials have signaled that they are looking for a way to deter Israel from another strike like the April 1 bombing in Damascus that killed seven officers of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and precipitated Iran’s efforts to avenge those deaths by striking Israel.

However, Iranian leaders in private and more obliquely in public have signaled that they do not want to escalate the war, according to Iranian advisers in Tehran and senior security officials in Iraq who are closely allied with Tehran.

That is one reason why Iran might choose to target the Golan Heights. While Israel considers it to be within its borders, internationally it is viewed as Syrian land occupied by Israel. That allows Iran to claim that they are not striking Israel directly — something Israeli leaders have warned them would provoke damaging strikes inside Iran.

A strike on the Golan Heights could also seen by Tehran as a commensurate way to avenge Israel’s strike in Damascus in the same place — or at least the same country.

Israel evacuated Israelis from the Golan Heights area closest to the Lebanese border soon after the war in Gaza began because of cross-border attacks and counterattacks involving Hezbollah and the Israeli military.

The largely desert area now has several Israeli military bases and elsewhere it is relatively thinly populated, with more people in the southern areas, which are better for farming. Once Israel occupied it, the Arab farmers mostly fled and Israel has created a number of settlements there.

Of the more than 50,000 people who live there, barely half are Syrian Druze; almost all the rest are Israeli Jews, who have settled in the area with the government’s support, much as they have in the West Bank.

Euan Ward contributed reporting.

Michael D. Shear ,  Aaron Boxerman and Eric Schmitt

Biden returns to White House as Israel braces for Iranian aerial strikes.

The spokeswoman for the National Security Council at the White House confirmed Saturday evening that Iran had launched what she called “an airborne attack” against Israel and vowed that the United States would help Israel defend itself.

“President Biden is being regularly updated on the situation by his national security team and will meet with them this afternoon at the White House,” Adrienne Watson, the spokeswoman, said in a statement.

“This attack is likely to unfold over a number of hours,” she added. “President Biden has been clear: Our support for Israel’s security is ironclad. The United States will stand with the people of Israel and support their defense against these threats from Iran.”

The statement came as Mr. Biden headed back to the White House Saturday afternoon, cutting short a weekend trip to his vacation home in Rehoboth, Del.

Officials said the president would convene a meeting of his top national security aides in the Situation Room at the White House amid reports from the Middle East that Iran had deployed dozens of drones headed toward Israel.

Earlier in the day, Iranian forces had seized a container ship with links to Israel in the Persian Gulf, as leaders in the Middle East and beyond watched for a sign that Iran had begun an anticipated attack on Israel in retaliation for Israel’s airstrike in Damascus on April 1 that killed several Iranian military officers.

In Washington, Ms. Watson called on Iran to release the vessel and its crew immediately.

“Seizing a civilian vessel without provocation is a blatant violation of international law, and an act of piracy by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization,” she said in an earlier statement. “It must be condemned unequivocally, and we will work with our partners to hold Iran to account for its actions.”

At the same time, the U.S. secretary of defense, Lloyd J. Austin III, spoke with Israel’s minister of defense, Yoav Gallant, to discuss urgent regional threats and reiterated unwavering U.S. support for Israel’s defense, the Pentagon’s spokesman, Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, said.

Mr. Austin made clear that Israel could count on full U.S. support to defend itself against any attacks by Iran and its regional proxies.

“In recent days we have strengthened our defensive and offensive array and we are determined to take any measures required to defend the citizens of the State of Israel,” Mr. Gallant said in a statement.

In Israel, there were signs the country was girding for the expected Iranian assault; the Israeli government barred educational activities, including schools and the youth-movement hiking trips patronized by Israeli teenagers during the Passover holiday. Gatherings were limited to fewer than 1,000 people in most of the country for at least the next two days, the Israeli military’s Home Front Command announced.

Hiba Yazbek and Abu Bakr Bashir

The Israeli military shifts its focus to the central Gaza Strip.

Less than a week after withdrawing ground troops from southern Gaza, the Israeli military has shifted its focus to the central Gaza Strip, where its forces were operating for the third day on Saturday and residents and Palestinian media reported heavy bombardments and intense fighting.

The Israeli military announced on Thursda y that it had begun a “precise operation” in the central Gaza Strip, saying it had carried out airstrikes ahead of its ground troops raiding the area. It added that the Israeli navy had conducted several strikes along the coastline to assist the ground troops.

Residents and Palestinian media said that the Israeli attack seemed to center on the Nuseirat refugee camp in Deir al-Balah, a city in the central Gaza Strip near a narrow Israeli-controlled corridor that splits northern Gaza, including Gaza City, from the rest of the territory.

Though Nuseirat began as a refugee camp for displaced Palestinians in the 1940s, it has been built up over the decades into an urban community.

Wafa, the Palestinian Authority’s official news agency, reported intense Israeli air raids on Nuseirat for a third consecutive day on Saturday. The Israeli military said in a statement that its troops were continuing their operation in central Gaza and that they had destroyed Hamas “infrastructure” in the area over the last day.

Khalil Farid, 57, who lives in the Nuseirat refugee camp, said in a text-message exchange on Friday that bombing and shelling had not stopped since the Israeli attack began Thursday afternoon. “The army gave no warning of this operation,” he said, adding that “no leaflets were dropped, and no one was told where to go or what to do.”

Mr. Farid said that the fighting appeared to be mostly in the northern part of the New Camp, one of the neighborhoods of Nuseirat where he is staying with nine other family members at his brother’s apartment. “We are all sitting in the living room praying and waiting for our fate,” he said.

Mr. Farid said that after fleeing to the city of Rafah in the south, he and his family had returned to central Gaza because it seemed that the situation in Rafah was not much safer. “Where will we and the others go? There are too many people here,” he said.

The United Nations office for humanitarian affairs said on Friday that three Palestinians were reportedly killed and others were injured when a U.N. school housing displaced people in Nuseirat camp was hit.

The Palestinian civil defense in Gaza said that its rescue crews had received “dozens of distress calls” after an Israeli strike on the school killed and wounded several people, adding that it was unable to evacuate the casualties because it was too dangerous to enter the area.

TRT, the national public broadcaster of Turkey, said on Friday that a cameraman and correspondent were wounded when a group of journalists reporting from Nuseirat were hit by Israeli tank fire. CNN also said that a freelance reporter working for the network was lightly injured in the same attack.

Hamas said in a statement on Friday that the Nuseirat camp, which was “crowded with displaced people from various regions of the strip,” was under “a barbaric attack” that resulted “in dozens of martyrs and wounded.”

Christopher F. Schuetze

Iran seizes a commercial ship linked to Israel.

Iranian forces seized a container ship with links to Israel in the Persian Gulf on Saturday, as leaders in the Middle East and beyond watched for a retaliatory strike by Iran against Israel.

MSC, a major shipping company, said on Saturday that the MSC Aries, which is registered in Portugal, had been boarded by “Iranian authorities” via helicopter as it passed the Strait of Hormuz.

A video shared by Iranian state media showed a military helicopter hovering above what appeared to be the stern of the ship, with at least two soldiers descending a rope onto the deck.

The soldiers were part of the elite Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, according to IRNA, the state news agency.

A spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council, Adrienne Watson, called on Iran to release the vessel and its crew immediately.

“Seizing a civilian vessel without provocation is a blatant violation of international law, and an act of piracy by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization,” she said in a statement. “It must be condemned unequivocally, and we will work with our partners to hold Iran to account for its actions.”

Though it is operated by MSC, the 1,200-foot cargo vessel belongs to an affiliate of Zodiac Maritime, which is part of the Zodiac Group, owned by the Israel-born billionaire Eyal Ofer, making it a possible target for Iranian retaliation. Tehran has vowed a retaliatory strike after blaming Israel for an attack on an Iranian embassy building in Syria that killed 12 people, among them top military generals.

Israel Katz, Israel’s foreign affairs minister, confirmed the seizure on social media and said Iran’s leadership was “a criminal regime that supports Hamas’ crimes and is now conducting a pirate operation in violation of international law.”

Six months after the Hamas attack on Israel that started the war in Gaza, the seizure comes amid fears of a wider conflict involving Iran directly. Iran is a backer of Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi rebels in Yemen, but has so far stayed clear of direct involvement. On Friday, President Biden said that he expected Iran to launch a retaliatory attack “sooner than later,” and reiterated that the United States remained committed to the defense of Israel.

It was not immediately clear if the seizure of the ship was part of Iran’s promised response to the attack in Syria, but it was not the first time Iran had directly seized a commercial vessel. In January, Iran’s navy seized a tanker loaded with oil off the coast of Oman. In that seizure, soldiers also descended from a hovering helicopter.

Before the war in Gaza, the United States said that Iran had “harassed, attacked or interfered” with more than a dozen internationally flagged merchant ships in recent years.

For their part, the Houthis have disrupted a significant part of the world’s shipping by attacking dozens of vessels heading to or from the Suez Canal.

The MSC Aries had 25 crew members on board, according to its operator.

Aaron Boxerman

reporting from Jerusalem

The death of a 14-year-old further inflames tensions in the West Bank.

An Israeli teenager whose disappearance had led to riots by Israeli settlers in the West Bank was found dead on Saturday, the Israeli authorities said, threatening to further inflame tensions in the Israeli-occupied territory.

Dozens of Israelis and Palestinians were wounded during clashes at several locations across the West Bank later on Saturday, the Israeli military said in a statement. Israeli extremists stormed at least two villages in the territory, attempting to burn Palestinian property and clashing with residents, according to Palestinian witnesses.

Binyamin Achimair, 14, had left a farming settlement in the West Bank to herd sheep on Friday morning, but never returned, according to the Israeli police. The Israeli forces later found his corpse, and the military said, without providing evidence, that he had been “murdered in a terrorist attack.”

After Binyamin’s disappearance on Friday, armed Israeli settlers stormed a Palestinian village near Ramallah, torching several buildings and cars, according to Palestinian officials and Yesh Din, an Israeli rights group. One Palestinian man — Jihad Abu Aliya — was killed during the clashes and at least 25 others wounded, according to the village mayor, Amin Abu Aliya.

Binyamin’s death and the possibility of further Israeli reprisals could ratchet up violence in the West Bank, where roughly 500,000 Israeli settlers live alongside about 2.7 million Palestinians. Over 400 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces across the West Bank and East Jerusalem since the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7 sparked Israel’s campaign in Gaza, according to the United Nations.

The Israeli military announced on Saturday that it would bolster its forces in the West Bank with additional companies and police.

The Israeli mob assaults returned on Saturday in both Al Mughayir and Duma, a nearby Palestinian village, according to an Israeli security official and Palestinian witnesses. Israeli settlers, some of them armed, entered the villages, the official added, and there were reports that they had opened fire.

In Duma, the attackers “covered the entire village,” some of them armed, said Naser Dawabsheh, a village resident. They set several buildings and cars ablaze, sending a cloud of dense smoke overhead, he added. Israeli soldiers “didn’t disperse the settlers, they protected them and fired tear gas at anyone who approached,” he said.

The clashes on Saturday in Al Mughayir left at least three Palestinians wounded, one critically, the Palestinian health ministry said.

“There’s no order, there’s no safety,” said Na’asan Na’asan, 28, a resident of Al Mughayir. “They’re shooting at us — why isn’t there anyone to protect us?”

A veteran Israeli photojournalist, Shaul Golan, 74, said in an interview that Israeli settlers also caught and beat him, before destroying his equipment, after he tried to film them in Al Mughayir. Some of them were masked, while others were wearing Israeli military uniforms, he added.

“I begged the soldiers there to help me, to save me,” said Mr. Golan. “But then I realized that they weren’t really soldiers — they were working with them.”

The Biden administration has said Israel must do more to clamp down on violence by extremist Israeli settlers, and it has imposed sanctions on several whom it said were involved in attacks on Palestinians. Israeli leaders denounced that move as interference in the country’s internal affairs.

As Israeli troops and police officers searched for Binyamin on Friday afternoon, armed Israeli settlers burst into Al Mughayir, setting buildings and cars on fire, said Mr. Abu Aliya. In video circulated by Yesh Din, smoke can be seen billowing from some burning cars and buildings.

In a statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel decried Binyamin’s “heinous murder” and vowed that Israel would “close accounts” with whoever killed him. He did not explicitly mention the settler rampages, instead telling the Israeli public to “allow the security forces to conduct their work unmolested” as they investigate the killing.

Yair Lapid, the leader of Israel’s parliamentary opposition, similarly condemned the teenager’s murder. But he also denounced the settler attacks, saying “the violent riots by settlers are a dangerous violation of the law, and they are hampering the forces operating on the ground.”

The Israeli military confirmed that multiple “violent riots” had taken place in the area during the search efforts on Friday. At one point, “rocks were hurled” at Israeli soldiers, leading them to open fire in response, the Israeli military said. The Israeli police and soldiers had also removed Israeli settlers who had entered Al Mughayir, the military said.

Israeli soldiers were in the area “even before the settlers arrived,” Mr. Na’asan said, but did not block them from entering the village and torching buildings and cars. It was not immediately clear how Jihad Abu Aliya, the village resident, was killed.

Human rights groups have long charged that the Israeli authorities do not do enough to prevent violent attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians, and that the perpetrators are rarely arrested. An Israeli police spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment as to whether any Israelis had been arrested during the incident.

Last February, an attack by Israeli settlers devastated the Palestinian town of Huwara in the northern West Bank. At least one Palestinian was killed and 390 were wounded in the riot, according to Palestinian officials, in which Israelis burned a number of buildings and cars while terrified Palestinians fled burning homes.

President Biden vows to stand by Israel despite recent disagreements.

President Biden told reporters on Friday that he expected Iran to launch an attack on Israel “sooner than later” as a response to Israel’s killing of several top Iranian generals in a bombing in Syria two weeks ago.

Mr. Biden said he needed to be careful not to reveal classified information being collected by intelligence and military officials as they braced for an attack they believed was imminent. And he had a blunt, succinct answer when he was asked what his message to Iran was.

“Don’t,” he said.

Officials in the United States and other nations are engaged in a furious diplomatic effort to try to prevent a response from Iran that could spiral into a wider war. But Mr. Biden and his top aides have made it clear that their disagreement with Israel over the war in the Gaza Strip would not prevent the United States from defending Israel against attacks from other adversaries.

“We are devoted to the defense of Israel,” Mr. Biden told reporters at the White House after a speech to the National Action Network. “We will support Israel and help defend Israel, and Iran will not succeed.”

He did not specify what actions the United States might take.

John F. Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said earlier on Friday that the administration was taking the threat of an attack seriously.

“We are certainly mindful of a very public — and what we consider to be a very credible — threat made by Iran in terms of potential attacks on Israel,” he said. “We are in constant communication with our Israeli counterparts about making sure that they can defend themselves against those kinds of attacks.”

Mr. Kirby said the U.S. military was making adjustments to its force deployments in the Middle East to be ready in case an attack occurred, but he declined to be specific about those changes.

“We’re also clearly — it would be imprudent if we didn’t — taking a look at our own posture in the region, to make sure that we’re more properly prepared as well,” he said.

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15 Members Of Kennedy Family Rally Behind Joe Biden, Reject RFK Jr's Independent Bid

I n a surprising turn of events, 15 members of the influential Kennedy family have publicly endorsed President Joe Biden for re-election, rejecting the independent bid of family member Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

What Happened : The Kennedy family announced their endorsement for Biden at a campaign event in Philadelphia, Reuters reported on Friday. This move is seen as a direct snub to Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s independent run for office. Biden is set to face Republican Donald Trump in a November re-election, with Kennedy’s candidacy potentially disrupting the chances of both parties.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr, a known anti-vaccine activist, has the support of 15% of registered voters, compared to Biden’s 39% and Trump’s 38%, as per a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll. His anti-vaccine stance has caused a rift within his family, who have been prominent Democrats since the 19th century.

At the event, Kerry Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s younger sister, voiced her support for Biden.

“A vote for Joe Biden is a vote for our democracy and our decency,” she said.

Trending: Charlie Munger Gave His Family Fortune To The 'Chinese Warren Buffett' Who Turned It Into Over $400 Milli

Must Read: Tesla Recalls Over 3,800 Cybertrucks Citing Unintended Acceleration Risk

She did not mention her brother in her speech.

See Also: GOP Mega Donor’s Son Throws Support Behind Incumbent President In Biden Vs. Trump Battle

Following the event, Kennedy family members are expected to join local volunteers in campaigning for Biden. Robert F. Kennedy Jr responded to his family’s endorsement of Biden on social media, expressing pleasure at their political activity.

The endorsement event was part of Biden’s third day of campaigning in Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state for his re-election bid.

Why It Matters : Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s decision to run as a third-party candidate in the 2024 election, originally announced as a Democratic candidate, has drawn significant attention. This move has now been overshadowed by his family’s endorsement of Biden.

Adding to the intrigue, David Ellison, son of GOP supporter and Oracle CEO Larry Ellison , made a significant financial contribution to Biden’s campaign . This unexpected move within political fundraising circles has stirred interest among political analysts and donors.

Furthermore, a recent poll conducted by the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School revealed that young voters prefer Biden over Trump .

Read Next: Elizabeth Warren Says Trump Had Only 2 Accomplishments As President: ‘Huge Difference Between’ Biden, Trump

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• International

April 14, 2024 - Iran's attack on Israel

By Jerome Taylor, Heather Chen , James Legge, Sophie Tanno, Emma Tucker , Kaanita Iyer , Paul LeBlanc , Catherine Nicholls, Maureen Chowdhury , Antoinette Radford and Eve Rothenberg, CNN

Our live coverage of Iran's attack on Israel has moved  here .

India calls on Iran to release 17 Indian crew members on board seized container ship 

From CNN's Sandi Sidhu in Hong Kong 

India has called on Iran to release 17 Indian crew members on board a container ship seized by Iran on Saturday. 

Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said that he spoke to his Iranian counterpart Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and "took up the release of 17 Indian crew members of MSC Aries."

Four Filipino seamen were also on board the ship, according to the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers.

The department said it was working with its government, the ship owner, and the operator to release the captured seafarers.

On Saturday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards seized an Israeli-linked container ship in a helicopter operation near the Strait of Hormuz, state news agency IRNA reported. 

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) said there were 25 crew members on board.

Japanese prime minister condemns Iran's attack on Israel

From CNN's Junko Ogura in Tokyo 

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Sunday said he "strongly condemns" Iran's missile and drone attack on Israel.

"(The attack) further aggravates the current situation in the Middle East. We are deeply concerned and strongly condemn such an escalation," Kishida told reporters.

Kishida said Japan would continue diplomatic efforts to "prevent the situation from worsening and to calm the situation down," and "respond in cooperation with other countries."

Blinken calls British and German counterparts following Iran's attack on Israel

From CNN's Philip Wang 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with his counterparts from the United Kingdom and Germany on Sunday following Iran's attack on Israel, according to readouts from the State Department. 

All parties agreed "the importance of condemning Iran's attack in the strongest possible terms and preventing further escalation," the readout said. 

Blinken earlier held phone calls with his counterparts from Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia , in which he emphasized the importance of avoiding escalation in the Middle East and of "a coordinated diplomatic response."

US forces destroyed more than 80 attack drones from Iran and Yemen, Central Command says

From CNN's Philip Wang

US forces intercepted more than 80 one-way attack drones and at least six ballistic missiles from Iran and Yemen during its attack on Israel, according to a statement from the Central Command.

The operation included destroying a ballistic missile on its launcher vehicle and seven drones on the ground in Iranian-backed Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, CENTCOM said. 

"Iran's continued unprecedented, malign, and reckless behavior endangers regional stability and the safety of U.S. and coalition forces," the statement added. 

Israeli and Iranian ambassadors trade accusations during UN Security Council session

From Abel Alvarado in Atlanta

Israel and Iran’s United Nations ambassadors condemned each other’s actions during Sunday’s UN Security Council emergency session called to address Iran’s attack on Israel.

Israel’s UN ambassador Gilad Erdan said Iran "must be stopped before it drives the world to a point of no return, to a regional war that can escalate to a world war." Erdan accused Iran of seeking world domination and that its attack proved that Tehran "cares nothing, nothing for Islam or Muslims" before pulling out a tablet to show a video of Israel intercepting Iranian drones above Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Erdan called on the UN Security Council to designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terror organization.

“Action must be taken now, not for Israel's sake, not for the region's sake, but for the world's sake. Stop Iran today."

Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said his country’s operation was "entirely in the exercise of Iran’s inherent right to self-defense, as outlined in Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations and recognized by international law."

Iravani said:

"This concluded action was necessary and proportionate," adding that the operation was “precise and only targeted military objectives” to reduce the potential of escalation and to prevent civilian harm. “Iran is never seeking to contribute to the spillover of the conflict in the region, nor does it to escalate or spread the tension to the entire region," he said.

Tehran’s attack had been anticipated since  a suspected Israeli strike  on an Iranian diplomatic complex in Syria earlier this month.

Iravani added Iran has “no intention of engaging in conflict with the US in the region” but warned Iran will use its “inherent right to respond proportionately” should the US initiate a military operation against “Iran, its citizens or its security.”

Israeli war cabinet says it's ready to respond to Iran's attack but delays immediate action. Here's the latest

From CNN staff

The hours-long Israeli war cabinet meeting ended Sunday night without a decision on how Israel will respond to Iran’s missile and drone attack , an Israeli official said.

The cabinet is determined to respond — but has yet to decide on the timing and scope and the official said the military has been tasked with coming up with additional options for a response.

Separately, a senior Biden administration official told reporters that an Israeli official told the United States that it's not looking to significantly escalate the showdown with Iran.

CNN analyst Barak Ravid said Israeli ministers Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot advocated for swift action, but US President Joe Biden's phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu led to a decision to delay the response until the next day. 

Here are the latest headlines:

• Retaliation is over, Iran told US: Iran privately messaged the United States that its retaliation against Israel had concluded, echoing what Tehran said publicly, according to a senior administration official. Late Saturday, Iran said its attack on Israel is a response to Israel's strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, and "the matter can be deemed concluded." However, President Ebrahim Raisi said any “new aggression against the interests of the Iranian nation will be met with a heavier and regrettable response,” according to Iran’s state news channel IRIB. 
• United Nations response: UN Secretary-General António Guterres  called for a de-escalation of violence after Iran’s attack. Guterres said the United Nations and member countries have a “shared responsibility” to engage “all parties concerned to prevent further escalation.” He also called for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict. “Neither the region nor the world can afford more war,” he said.
• G7 and others: Amid a flurry of diplomatic activity in response to Iran's attack, the G7 nations said they would work together to "stabilize the situation" in the Middle East, according to a statement from Biden. Also, Jordan summoned Iran's ambassador in Amman on Sunday after it intercepted Iranian drones over the country.
• Meanwhile in Gaza: As thousands of Palestinians were turned away from returning to their homes in northern Gaza on Sunday, a 5-year-old girl was shot in the head by Israeli soldiers, her mother said. Video showed a man carrying a 5-year-old girl named Sally Abu Laila, who was bleeding from her head, with people crowding around her in panic trying to cover her wound.

Also on Sunday:

• Israel decided to lift its restrictions on large gatherings and to reopen schools on Monday.
• The US Department of Homeland Security has not identified any “specific or credible threats” to the US since Iran attacked Israel.

Blinken calls Turkish, Egyptian, Jordanian and Saudi counterparts following Iran's attack 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday spoke with his counterparts in Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia following Iran's attacks in Israel, according to readouts from the State Department. 

During his phone calls, Blinken emphasized the importance of avoiding escalation in the region and the importance of "a coordinated diplomatic response."

In his conversation with Jordan and Egypt, Blinken also underlined the significance of achieving an "enduring end to the crisis in Gaza."

Iran will be held responsible if any action is taken against the US or Israel, deputy ambassador warns

From CNN’s Abel Alvarado

The United States warned Iran against taking any action against the US or Israel during the UN Security Council emergency session over Iran’s attack on Israel.

“Let me be clear, if Iran or its proxies take actions against the US or further action against Israel, Iran will be held responsible,” US Deputy Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood said Sunday.

The United States is “not seeking escalation, our actions have been purely defensive in nature,” adding that the “best way to prevent such escalation is an unambiguous condemnation of the council of Iran’s unprecedented large-scale attack,” he said.

The envoy reiterated US support for Israel and condemned Iran’s attack. “Iran’s intent was to cause significant damage and death in Israel,” Wood said.

Wood also said the UN Security Council had an “obligation to not let Iran’s actions go unanswered.”

“For far too long, Iran has flagrantly violated its international legal obligations,” he said before listing occasions Iran has violated UN Security Council resolutions and international law.

Wood accused Iran of being in a “broad sense complicit” of the October 7 attack on Israel by providing “significant funding and training for the military wing of Hamas.”

He added the US will explore "additional measures to hold Iran accountable here in the UN.”

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