What is Reported Speech?
Reported speech (also called indirect speech) allows you to tell someone what another person said without using their exact words. Instead of quoting directly, you paraphrase and report the information. When you use reported speech, you typically move back one tense: present becomes past, past becomes past perfect, and so on. This shift happens because you are reporting something that was said in the past, even if only moments ago.
Key Changes in Reported Speech
When converting direct speech to reported speech, several elements change. Tenses shift backwards (present simple becomes past simple, present perfect becomes past perfect). Pronouns change to reflect the new speaker's perspective: 'I' becomes 'he/she,' 'you' becomes 'me/him/her,' and 'we' may become 'they.' Time expressions also adjust: 'today' becomes 'that day,' 'tomorrow' becomes 'the next day,' and 'here' becomes 'there.' The reporting verb (said, told, asked, explained, etc.) introduces the reported clause and varies depending on context.
Reported Statements, Questions, and Commands
Reported speech covers three main structures: statements (using 'said' or 'told'), questions (using 'asked,' 'wanted to know,' or 'inquired'), and commands (using 'told,' 'asked,' or 'ordered'). For statements, the tense shifts and the structure becomes subject + reporting verb + that-clause. For questions, question word order changes to statement order (no inversion). Commands use the infinitive form with 'to' after the reporting verb. Understanding these distinctions helps you choose the appropriate reporting structure for different situations.
Direct Speech vs Reported Speech — Side-by-Side
| Category | Direct Speech | Reported (Indirect) Speech |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Subject + said / asked: “exact words” | Subject + said (that) / asked + reported clause (tense shift applied) |
| When to use | Quoting someone's exact words, shown inside quotation marks; common in dialogue, journalism, and fiction | Retelling or summarising what someone said without quotation marks; common in academic writing, news reporting, and conversation |
| Positive example | “I am tired,” she said. “I work here,” he said. “She has finished the report,” Tom said. “I will help you,” Ana said. |
She said (that) she was tired. He said (that) he worked there. Tom said (that) she had finished the report. Ana said (that) she would help me. |
| Negative example | “I don't know the answer,” he said. “She hasn't called me,” Lucy said. “We won't be late,” they said. |
He said (that) he didn't know the answer. Lucy said (that) she hadn't called her. They said (that) they wouldn't be late. |
| Question example | “Are you ready?” he asked. “Where do you live?” she asked. “Can you help me?” they asked. |
He asked if / whether I was ready. She asked where I lived. They asked if / whether I could help them. |
| Tense shift rules | Present Simple → Present Continuous → Present Perfect → Past Simple → Past Continuous → will → can → may → |
→ Past Simple → Past Continuous → Past Perfect → Past Perfect → Past Perfect Continuous → would → could → might |
| Pronoun changes | “I love my job,” she said. “We need your help,” they said. “You should trust yourself,” he told me. |
She said (that) she loved her job. They said (that) they needed my help. He told me (that) I should trust myself. |
| Key signal words | now → today → yesterday → tomorrow → here → this → these → last week → next week → ago → |
→ then / at that moment → that day → the day before / the previous day → the next day / the following day → there → that → those → the week before / the previous week → the following week → before |
| Reporting verbs | Only said and asked are commonly shown, matching the exact spoken words | said, told, asked, explained, admitted, promised, warned, suggested, insisted, claimed, complained, denied, announced, reminded, advised, urged — chosen to reflect the speaker's intention or attitude |
| When tense shift is NOT needed | “The Earth orbits the Sun,” the teacher said. “Water boils at 100 °C,” she said. |
The teacher said the Earth orbits the Sun. ✔ (General truth — tense unchanged) She said water boils at 100 °C. ✔ (Scientific fact — tense unchanged) |
| 🔑 Key Difference: Direct speech reproduces a speaker's exact words inside quotation marks and preserves the original tense, pronouns, and time expressions. Reported (indirect) speech removes the quotation marks and adapts the sentence by (1) shifting the verb tense one step back into the past, (2) changing pronouns to match the new speaker's perspective, (3) updating time and place expressions to reflect the reporting context, and (4) choosing a precise reporting verb that captures the speaker's intention. The optional word that may be omitted in informal English. Tense backshift is unnecessary when reporting general truths, scientific facts, or statements that are still true at the time of reporting. | ||
Formula
Formula
Subject
+
said/told
+
(that)
+
subject
+
past tense verb
She said (that) she had finished the project.
? Question
Subject
+
asked/wanted to know
+
if/whether
+
subject
+
past tense verb
He asked if they would attend the meeting.
? Question
Subject
+
asked
+
question word
+
subject
+
past tense verb
She asked when he would arrive.
Formula
Subject
+
told/asked/ordered
+
object
+
to + infinitive
The manager told him to submit the report by Friday.
Examples
She said, 'I am tired.' → She said (that) she was tired.
B2 · Statement · Tense shift from present to past
He told me, 'You should contact the manager.' → He told me (that) I should contact the manager.
B2 · Modal verb · Pronoun change 'you' to 'I'
'Do you know the answer?' she asked. → She asked if/whether I knew the answer.
B2 · Yes/No question · Word order changes to statement form
Tom said, 'I will finish the report tomorrow.' → Tom said (that) he would finish the report the next day.
B2 · Future tense · Time expression shift
'Where did you go last week?' he asked. → He asked where I had gone the week before.
B2 · Question word + statement order · Past perfect shift
The teacher said, 'Complete your homework.' → The teacher told us to complete our homework.
B2 · Command · Infinitive structure
When to use it
Conversation Reports
Use reported speech when describing what someone told you in a conversation or discussion. This is common in casual storytelling and professional communication.
"My colleague said that the meeting had been postponed until next week."
News & Journalism
Journalists and writers use reported speech to convey information from sources or quotes without always using direct quotation marks.
"The spokesperson announced that the company would invest in new technology."
Formal Writing
Academic papers, emails, and business reports often employ reported speech to reference previous statements or instructions professionally.
"The client requested that we provide the updated proposal by Friday."
Educational Settings
Students and teachers use reported speech when discussing what textbooks, lectures, or other sources have stated.
"The researcher concluded that climate change would have significant long-term effects."
Legal & Official Contexts
Courts, official documents, and formal statements rely on reported speech to record what was said or agreed upon.
"The witness stated that she had seen the suspect near the entrance."
Signal words
said
told
asked
wanted to know
inquired
explained
mentioned
claimed
announced
suggested
ordered
commanded
that
if
whether
Common Mistakes
✕
Wrong
She said me that she was busy.
✓
Correct
She told me (that) she was busy.
'Said' does not take an indirect object; use 'told' with person + message.
✕
Wrong
He asked me what did I do yesterday.
✓
Correct
He asked me what I had done the day before.
Question word order reverts to statement order; tense shifts to past perfect.
✕
Wrong
She said that she will come tomorrow.
✓
Correct
She said (that) she would come the next day.
Tense must shift back one level; use 'would' not 'will' in reported speech.
✕
Wrong
The teacher told to complete the homework.
✓
Correct
The teacher told us to complete the homework.
'Tell' requires an indirect object (us, them, him, etc.) before the infinitive.
✕
Wrong
He asked if whether I was coming.
✓
Correct
He asked whether I was coming.
Use 'if' or 'whether,' not both together in reported questions.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
What to Remember
- Use reported speech to paraphrase what someone said without quoting their exact words.
- Move back one tense when reporting: present becomes past, past becomes past perfect.
- Change pronouns and references to fit the reporter's perspective, not the speaker's.
- Use reporting verbs like said, told, asked, and explained to introduce reported statements.
- Modal verbs shift back too: can becomes could, will becomes would, must becomes had to.