Indirect speech in French : explanations

What is reported speech or indirect speech ?

The reported speech (or indirect speech) is used to report the words. It is very useful when telling a story or an experience with another speaker.

For example:

I am with a friend. This friend tells me "I'm moving to Canada" (this is direct speech). 

Later, I see my mother, and she asks me about my friend and I tell her: "He told me he's moving to Canada" (that's reported or indirect speech) 

It is the reporting of what I was told to another person.

How is reported speech or indirect speech constructed

There are several ways to report the words of people depending on the nature of the word he said to us. Let's see the different ways of reporting someone's words
 

> If the person expressed an affirmative sentence, such as :

Il fait beau aujourd’hui.

This will result in :  Sujet + Verbe introducteur + que / qu’ + parole : Il a dit qu’il fait beau aujourd’hui.
 

> If the person has expressed a closed interrogative sentence (which can only be answered "yes" or "no"), such as:

Est-ce que tu viens au parc ?

This will result in :  Sujet + Verbe introducteur + si / s’ + parole : Il m’a demandé si je viens au parc.
 

> If the person has expressed an open-ended interrogative sentence (which can NOT be answered only "yes" or "no"), such as:

Pourquoi tu ne viens pas au parc ?

This will result in : Sujet + Verbe introducteur + mot interrogatif + parole : Il m’a demandé pourquoi je ne viens pas au parc.
 

> If the person expressed an interrogative sentence with "quoi", like :

Tu vas faire quoi ?

This will result in : Sujet + Verbe introducteur + ce que + parole : Il m’a demandé ce que je vais faire.
 

> If the person has expressed an order, such as :

Viens avec nous !

This will result in : Sujet + Verbe introducteur + de + infinitif : Il m’a ordonnée de venir avec eux.

The concordance of tenses in reported speech (or indirect speech) :

The most common problem with reported speech is the concordance of tenses.

Do you understand? Make a sentence in reported speech in the comments!