Reported Speech

Report what someone said without using their exact words

What is Reported Speech?

Reported speech (indirect speech) is when we tell someone what another person said without using their exact words. We usually change tenses, pronouns, and time expressions.

Direct: She said, "I am tired."
Reported: She said (that) she was tired.

Tense Changes (Backshifting)

Present → Past:

Direct: "I work here." → Reported: He said he worked there.
Direct: "She is coming." → Reported: He said she was coming.

Past → Past Perfect:

Direct: "I saw him." → Reported: She said she had seen him.
Direct: "We went home." → Reported: They said they had gone home.

Present Perfect → Past Perfect:

Direct: "I have finished." → Reported: He said he had finished.

Will → Would:

Direct: "I will call you." → Reported: She said she would call me.

Can → Could:

Direct: "I can help." → Reported: He said he could help.

No change needed:

Past Perfect: "I had seen it." → He said he had seen it.
Would/Could/Might: Stay the same

Pronoun and Time/Place Changes

Pronouns:

Direct: "I am tired." → Reported: She said she was tired.
Direct: "We will call you." → They said they would call me.

Time expressions:

today → that day
tomorrow → the next day / the following day
yesterday → the day before / the previous day
now → then
this week → that week
next week → the following week
ago → before

Place:

here → there
this → that
these → those

Reporting Statements

Say vs. Tell:

She said (that) she was tired. (say + no object)
She told me (that) she was tired. (tell + person)
❌ She said me... (wrong!)
❌ She told that... (wrong!)

Other reporting verbs:

She explained that she was late.
He mentioned that he was moving.
They announced that the meeting was canceled.
She complained that it was too hot.

Reporting Questions

Yes/No Questions (use if/whether):

Direct: "Are you tired?" → He asked if/whether I was tired.
Direct: "Will you come?" → She asked if I would come.
Direct: "Have you finished?" → He asked whether I had finished.

Wh- Questions (keep question word):

Direct: "Where do you live?" → She asked where I lived.
Direct: "What are you doing?" → He asked what I was doing.
Direct: "When will you arrive?" → She asked when I would arrive.
Direct: "Why did you leave?" → He asked why I had left.

Note: Questions become statements (normal word order)!

❌ She asked where do I live. → ✅ She asked where I lived.

Reporting Commands and Requests

Use: tell/ask + person + (not) to + infinitive

Direct: "Close the door." → He told me to close the door.
Direct: "Don't be late." → She told me not to be late.
Direct: "Please help me." → He asked me to help him.
Direct: "Can you wait?" → She asked me to wait.

Common Mistakes

❌ She said me she was tired. → ✅ She told me she was tired.
❌ He asked where do I live. → ✅ He asked where I lived. (statement order)
❌ She said that she will come. → ✅ She said she would come. (backshift)
❌ He told to close the door. → ✅ He told me to close the door. (need object)
❌ She asked if am I ready. → ✅ She asked if I was ready.

Practice Tips

🔄 Say vs. Tell: SAY = no person after it. TELL = person after it. "He said that..." "He told me that..."
⏰ Backshift tenses: Move tenses one step back in time: present → past, past → past perfect, will → would.
❓ Questions = statements: Change word order! "Where do you live?" → "where I lived" (not "where do I live").
📝 Commands use infinitive: "Close the door" → "told me TO close the door." Always use "to + verb."
💡 If still true: Sometimes no tense change if it's still true: "Paris is beautiful" → He said Paris is beautiful (still true now).