Explain the concept of reported speech in reported thoughts and beliefs.

Reported speech refers to the act of reporting or conveying someone else's words, thoughts, or beliefs. It involves paraphrasing or summarizing what someone has said or thought, while still maintaining the original meaning and intention.

When it comes to reported thoughts and beliefs, the concept of reported speech is used to express someone's inner thoughts, opinions, or beliefs indirectly. It allows us to share what someone thinks or believes without using their exact words.

In reported thoughts, we typically use reporting verbs such as "think," "believe," "consider," or "suppose" to introduce the reported thought. For example, if someone says, "I think it's going to rain tomorrow," the reported thought would be expressed as, "He/she thought it was going to rain the next day."

Similarly, in reported beliefs, we use reporting verbs like "believe," "assume," "feel," or "expect" to introduce the reported belief. For instance, if someone says, "I believe that education is the key to success," the reported belief would be expressed as, "He/she believed that education was the key to success."

It is important to note that when reporting thoughts and beliefs, certain changes may occur in the reported speech. These changes include:

1. Pronoun changes: The pronouns used in the reported speech may change to reflect the perspective of the person reporting the thoughts or beliefs. For example, "I" may change to "he/she" or "we" may change to "they."

2. Verb tense changes: The verb tenses used in the reported speech may also change. For example, present tense may change to past tense, and future tense may change to conditional tense.

3. Time and place changes: The reported speech may also involve changes in time and place references. For instance, "today" may change to "that day" or "here" may change to "there."

4. Reporting verbs: The choice of reporting verbs can also affect the meaning and tone of the reported speech. Different reporting verbs can convey varying levels of certainty, doubt, or opinion.

Overall, reported speech in reported thoughts and beliefs allows us to share someone's inner world indirectly, providing insight into their opinions, perspectives, and beliefs. It is a useful tool for accurately conveying what someone thinks or believes while maintaining the integrity of their original words.