Reported speech / Indirect speech

In this lesson, you will learn how to use reported speech to talk about what another person said without using their exact words.
Reported speech is very common in conversations, stories, and news reports.

1. What is reported speech?

Reported speech is used when:

• we tell someone what another person said
• we report information, not the exact words
• often when the reporting verb is in the past (e.g., said, told), so tenses may change

Example:

• Direct: “I am tired.”
• Reported: He said (that) he was tired.

Note:

• The word that is optional and often omitted in spoken English.

2. Why do we change tenses?

When we report something that was said in the past:

• the reporting verb (said, told, asked) is in the past
• the verb inside the sentence usually moves one step back in time

Note: We usually backshift when the reporting verb is past (said/told). If the reporting verb is present (says/tells), we often keep the same tense. Some forms don’t change (e.g., past perfect usually stays past perfect).

3. Basic structure of reported speech

Structure:

• subject + reporting verb + (that) + reported clause

Examples:

• She said (that) she was happy.
• He told me (that) he liked the job.

Common reporting verbs:

• said
• told (needs an object: told me / told her)
• asked
• explained
• said to (less common than told)

Say vs tell

• say → focuses on the words, no object needed
  • She said she was tired.
• tell → focuses on the listener, must have an object
  • She told me she was tired.

say / say to

• say + (that) + clause: He said (that) he was tired.
• say to + object (+ that-clause): He said to me (that) he was tired (more formal).

4. Tense changes in reported speech (range of tenses)

4.1 Present simple → past simple

Used when the original sentence talks about a general present action.

Examples:

• Direct: “I work from home.”
• Reported: She said (that) she worked from home.
• Direct: “I like coffee.”
• Reported: He said he liked coffee.
• Direct: “She lives near here.”
• Reported: They said she lived near there.

4.2 Present continuous → past continuous

Used when the original sentence describes something happening now.

Examples:

• Direct: “I am studying.”
• Reported: He said he was studying.
• Direct: “We are waiting outside.”
• Reported: They said they were waiting outside.
• Direct: “She is feeling tired.”
• Reported: He said she was feeling tired.

4.3 Present perfect → past perfect

Used when the original sentence talks about a finished action with a result.

Examples:

• Direct: “I have finished my homework.”
• Reported: She said she had finished her homework.
• Direct: “I have seen that movie.”
• Reported: He said he had seen that movie.
• Direct: “We have never been there.”
• Reported: They said they had never been there.

4.4 Past simple → past perfect (only when we need to show ‘earlier in the past’)

Often, we keep past simple when we are just reporting what happened.

We use past perfect only when we need to show that the reported event happened before another past reference point.

Examples:

• Direct: “I missed the bus.” → He said he missed the bus. (simple report)
• Direct: “I missed the bus, so I was late.” → He said he had missed the bus, so he was late. (missed bus happened earlier)

Alternative (past simple often kept when the time is clear):

• Direct: “I missed the bus yesterday.”
• Reported: He said he missed the bus yesterday / he had missed the bus (earlier).

4.5 Past continuous → past perfect continuous (often) / past perfect continuous (sometimes)

Past continuous often becomes past perfect continuous (to keep the “in progress” meaning) in reported speech.

Examples:

• Direct: “I was working late.”
• Reported: She said she had been working late.
• Direct: “I was working late for hours.”
• Reported: She said she had been working late for hours.

5. Modal verb changes in reported speech

When reporting speech, modal verbs often change:

• will → would
  • “I will call you.”
  • He said he would call me.
• can → could
  • “I can help you.”
  • She said she could help me.
• must (obligation) → had to
  • “I must leave early.”
  • He said he had to leave early.
• must (deduction) → often stays must
  • Deduction = a guess/strong belief (not a rule).
  • “He must be tired.”
  • She said he must be tired.
• mustn’t (prohibition) → wasn’t allowed to / couldn’t
  • “You mustn’t park here.”
  • He said we weren’t allowed to park there.
• may → might
  • “I may be late.”
  • She said she might be late.
• could / might / should → usually stay the same
  • “I should study more.”
    • He said he should study more.
  • “I could help if you want.”
    • She said she could help.
  • “I might go to the cinema.”
    • He said he might go to the cinema.

Because these modals are already ‘past’ forms in meaning, they often don’t change in reported speech.

6. Reporting questions

When we report questions:

• we do not use question word order
• the sentence becomes a statement

6.1 Yes / no questions

Structure:

• asked (+ object) + if/whether + subject + verb

Examples:

• Direct: “Are you tired?”
• Reported: She asked me if I was tired.
• Direct: “Did you finish the report?”
• Reported: He asked if I had finished the report.
• Direct: “Do you live nearby?”
• Reported: She asked if I lived nearby.
• Direct: “Did she help you?”
• Reported: He asked if she had helped me.

6.2 Wh-questions

Use the same question word (who, what, where, when, why, how).

Examples:

• Direct: “Where do you live?”
• Reported: He asked where I lived.
• Direct: “Why were you late?”
• Reported: She asked why I had been late.
• Direct: “What are you doing?”
• Reported: He asked what I was doing.

7. Pronoun and time word changes

When reporting speech, we often change:

• pronouns
• time expressions
• place words

Always ask: Who is speaking now, and who is the listener? Change pronouns and time/place words to match the new situation.

Common changes:

• I → he / she
• my → his / her
• now → then
• today → that day
• tonight → that night
• yesterday → the day before
• tomorrow → the next/following day
• next week → the following week
• last week → the previous week
• here → there

Examples:

• “I will call you tomorrow.”
  He said he would call me the next day.
• “I am working here today.”
  She said she was working there that day.

If I report it on the same day, I might keep the time word: “I’ll call you tomorrow.” → He said he would call me tomorrow (if tomorrow is still tomorrow for the reporter).

8. When tenses do not change (Important note)

Tenses may stay the same when:

• the statement is still true
• it is a general fact

Examples:

• “Water boils at 100 degrees.”
• He said water boils at 100 degrees.
• “I live in London.” (still true now)
• She said she lives in London.

9. Key takeaways

• Reported speech tells us what someone said, not their exact words
• Verbs usually move one step back in time
• Modal verbs often change (will → would, can → could, etc.)
• tell needs an object, say does not
• Questions become statements
• Pronouns and time words often change