Reported Speech (Indirect speech) – Talking About What Someone Said

• we tell someone what another person said
• we report information, not the exact words
• the original words were said in the past
  
  

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

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

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

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

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

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

• 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.
  
  

• Direct:
  “I work from home.”
• Reported:
  She said (that) she worked from home.
  
  

• “I like coffee.”
  He said he liked coffee.
• “She lives near here.”
  They said she lived near there.
  
  

• Direct:
  “I am studying.”
• Reported:
  He said he was studying.
  
  

• “We are waiting outside.”
  They said they were waiting outside.
• “She is feeling tired.”
  He said she was feeling tired.
  
  

• Direct:
  “I have finished my homework.”
• Reported:
  She said she had finished her homework.
  
  

• “I have seen that movie.”
  He said he had seen that movie.
• “We have never been there.”
  They said they had never been there.
  
  

• Direct:
  “I missed the bus.”
• Reported:
  He said he had missed the bus.
  
  

• “She arrived late.”
  They said she had arrived late.
• “We bought a new car.”
  He said they had bought a new car.
  
  

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

• “We were waiting for an hour.”
  They said they had been waiting for an hour.
• “He was feeling nervous.”
  She said he had been feeling nervous.

• 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 → had to
  “I must leave early.”
  He said he had to leave early.
• 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. 
  
  
  

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

• asked + if / whether + subject + verb
  
  

• Direct:
  “Are you tired?”
• Reported:
  She asked if I was tired.
  
  

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

• Direct:
  “Where do you live?”
• Reported:
  He asked where I lived.
  
  

• “Why were you late?”
  She asked why I had been late.
• “What are you doing?”
  He asked what I was doing.
  
  

• pronouns
• time expressions
• place words
  
  

•  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 
  
  

• “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.
  
  

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

• “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.
  
  

•  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