Change the speech -The professor said, "Actions speak louder than words."

• Reporting speech যদি কোন চিরন্তন সত্য (universal truth) বা অভ্যাসগত সত্য (habitual fact) প্রকাশ করে তাহলে reporting verb- এর tense যাই হোক না কেন, reported speech- এর verb- এর tense- এর কোন পরিবর্তন হবে না। 
- Actions speak louder than words. এটি একটি চিরন্তন সত্য (universal truth).

Direct Speech: The professor said, "Actions speak louder than words." 
Indirect Speech: The professor said that actions speak louder than words.

• এ ধরণের আরো কিছু উদাহরণ: 
Direct Speech: Mina said, "Every day I read newspapers." (অভ্যাসগত সত্য)
Indirect Speech: Mina said that every day she reads newspapers.

Direct Speech: The professor said, "A hungry man wants food." (চিরন্তন সত্য)
Indirect Speech: The professor said that a hungry man wants food.

Source: A Passage to the English Language by S.M. Zakir Hussain.