Explain the concept of reported speech in grammar syntax.

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is a grammatical concept that involves reporting or paraphrasing someone else's words or thoughts. It is used to convey information or relay a message that was originally spoken or written by another person. When using reported speech, the speaker or writer does not quote the exact words but instead provides a summary or a rephrased version of what was said.

In reported speech, there are certain changes that occur in the verb tense, pronouns, adverbs of time and place, and other elements to reflect the shift from direct speech (quoting the exact words) to indirect speech (paraphrasing or summarizing). These changes depend on the context and the relationship between the speaker and the reported speech.

For example, if someone says, "I am going to the store," in reported speech, it could be paraphrased as "He/she said that he/she was going to the store." Here, the pronoun "I" changes to "he/she," and the present tense verb "am" changes to the past tense "was" to reflect the reported speech.

Reported speech is commonly used in storytelling, interviews, news reporting, and everyday conversations when we want to share information or relay what someone else has said. It allows us to report speech accurately while maintaining grammatical coherence and clarity.