Reported speech
B1 38 / 50
In short
Reported (indirect) speech tells what someone said without quotation marks. After a past reporting verb like said or told, we usually move the tense one step back (this is called backshift) and adjust pronouns and time/place words.
The rule
Direct speech repeats the exact words inside quotation marks: “I am tired.” Reported speech puts those words into a that-clause (the word that is optional): She said (that) she was tired.
When the reporting verb is in the past (said, told, asked), backshift the tense one step into the past.
| Direct speech | Reported speech |
|---|---|
| present simple (work) | past simple (worked) |
| present continuous (am working) | past continuous (was working) |
| past simple (worked) | past perfect (had worked) |
| present perfect (have worked) | past perfect (had worked) |
| will | would |
| can | could |
| may | might |
| must (obligation) | had to |
We also change pronouns to match the new speaker, and shift time/place words:
| Direct | Reported |
|---|---|
| now | then |
| today | that day |
| tomorrow | the next day / the following day |
| yesterday | the day before |
| ago | before |
| here | there |
| this | that |
say vs tell: tell needs a person object (He told me…). say does not take a person object directly (He said…, or He said to me…). So: He told me he was busy. / He said he was busy. (not He said me).
Reported questions use statement word order: no inversion and no do/does/did. For yes/no questions use if or whether; for wh- questions keep the wh- word.
- “Are you ready?” -> She asked if I was ready.
- “Where do you live?” -> He asked where I lived. (not where did I live)
Reported commands and requests use tell/ask + object + to-infinitive. For negatives use not to.
- “Wait here.” -> She told me to wait.
- “Please don’t go.” -> He asked me not to go.
No backshift is needed when the reporting verb is in the present (She says she is tired) or when the statement is still true (He said the Earth is round). After a present reporting verb the tense simply stays the same; for a still-true statement you may either keep the present or backshift (He said the Earth was round is correct too).
Forms & patterns
| Type | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Statement | said / told + (object) + (that) + clause | He told me (that) he had finished. |
| Yes/no question | asked + (object) + if/whether + statement order | She asked if I was coming. |
| Wh- question | asked + (object) + wh- + statement order | He asked what I wanted. |
| Command | told + object + to + base verb | She told us to sit down. |
| Request | asked + object + to + base verb | He asked me to help. |
| Negative command/request | told/asked + object + not to + base verb | She asked them not to wait. |
Examples
| English | Note |
|---|---|
| She said she was very busy. | present am/is -> past was after said. |
| He told me he had lost his keys. | past lost -> past perfect had lost. |
| They said they would call later. | will -> would. |
| I told her I couldn’t come to the party. | can’t -> couldn’t. |
| She asked if I had any questions. | yes/no question -> if + statement order. |
| He asked where the station was. | wh- question, no did, no inversion. |
| The teacher told us to open our books. | command -> tell + object + to-infinitive. |
| My mum says she is proud of me. | present reporting verb -> no backshift. |
Common mistakes
- He said me he was late. -> He told me he was late. / He said he was late. - say takes no person object; tell does.
- She asked where did I go. -> She asked where I went. - reported questions use statement order, no did.
- He asked me am I ready. -> He asked me if I was ready. - use if/whether and backshift for a yes/no question.
- She told me wait. -> She told me to wait. - commands need the to-infinitive.
- He said yesterday that he is tired. -> He said yesterday that he was tired. - backshift is -> was after the past verb said.
Tips
- Reporting questions and commands stays simpler if you remember: questions become statements (no do, no inversion), commands become to-infinitives.
- Quick check for say/tell: if there is a person right after the verb, use tell; if not, use say.
- Could, would, might, and should do not backshift further - they already look “past”.
- If what was said is a general truth or still true now, you can leave the present tense: She said water boils at 100°C.