Reported speech
Learn how to report what people say: tense changes, time words, reported questions and commands, say vs tell, and when not to backshift.
In this lesson
Reported speech, also called indirect speech, is how we tell someone what another person said without using their exact words. We usually use a reporting verb such as say, tell or ask, and we often move the verb one tense back: ‘I am tired,’ said Nimal becomes Nimal said (that) he was tired.
Key point
When the reporting verb is in the past (said, told, asked), move the verb one tense back, change the pronouns, and change time and place words if needed. Report questions with if or a question word and normal statement word order.
What is the difference between direct and reported speech?
Direct speech repeats the exact words inside quotation marks. Reported speech gives the meaning in our own sentence, with no quotation marks. The word that after said or told is optional.
Examples
- Direct: ‘I live in Kandy,’ Sanduni said.
- Reported: Sanduni said (that) she lived in Kandy.
- Direct: ‘We will call you tomorrow,’ they told me.
- Reported: They told me (that) they would call me the next day.
Note
British English often uses single quotation marks (‘…’) for direct speech, while American English usually uses double quotation marks (“…”). Both are correct if you are consistent.
How do tenses change in reported speech?
When the reporting verb is in the past, the verb in the reported words usually moves one step back in time. This is called backshift. You will need the simple past and the past perfect tense a lot.
| Direct speech | Reported speech | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present simple | Past simple | ‘I work in Colombo.’ → Nimal said he worked in Colombo. |
| Present continuous | Past continuous | ‘I’m cooking.’ → She said she was cooking. |
| Present perfect | Past perfect | ‘I have finished.’ → He said he had finished. |
| Past simple | Past perfect | ‘I saw the film.’ → Sanduni said she had seen the film. |
| will | would | ‘I will help you.’ → He said he would help me. |
| can | could | ‘I can swim.’ → She said she could swim. |
| may | might | ‘It may rain.’ → He said it might rain. |
| must | had to (or must) | ‘I must go.’ → She said she had to go. |
Note
The past perfect and the modal verbs would, could, might, should and ought to do not change: ‘You should rest.’ → The doctor said I should rest.
How do time and place words change?
When you report words later or in a different place, words such as now, today and here often change too, because they no longer have the same meaning.
| Direct speech | Reported speech |
|---|---|
| now | then, at that time |
| today | that day |
| tonight | that night |
| yesterday | the day before, the previous day |
| tomorrow | the next day, the following day |
| last week | the week before, the previous week |
| next week | the week after, the following week |
| ago | before |
| here | there |
| this / these | that / those |
Examples
- ‘I’ll meet you here tomorrow.’ → Nimal said he would meet me there the next day.
- ‘I bought this bag two days ago.’ → Sanduni said she had bought that bag two days before.
Tip
Only change these words when the time or place is really different. If Sanduni said ‘I’m busy today’ this morning, you can tell a friend this afternoon: Sanduni said she’s busy today.
How do you report questions?
Reported questions use normal statement word order (subject + verb). We do not use do, does or did, and there is no question mark. The usual reporting verbs are ask, want to know and wonder.
Yes/no questions
Use if or whether after the reporting verb.
Examples
- ‘Are you coming to the party?’ → She asked if I was coming to the party.
- ‘Do you like spicy food?’ → Nimal asked me whether I liked spicy food.
Wh- questions
Keep the question word (where, what, why, how and so on). Our lesson on wh- questions and question words lists them all.
Examples
- ‘Where do you live?’ → He asked me where I lived.
- ‘What time does the train to Kandy leave?’ → Sanduni asked what time the train to Kandy left.
- ‘Why did you call?’ → She asked why I had called.
Common mistake
He asked me where did I live. → He asked me where I lived. A reported question is not a real question, so use subject + verb and no did.
How do you report commands and requests?
Use tell + person + to infinitive for commands and ask + person + to infinitive for requests. For a negative, put not before to.
| Direct speech | Reported speech |
|---|---|
| ‘Sit down.’ | The teacher told us to sit down. |
| ‘Don’t be late.’ | My mother told me not to be late. |
| ‘Could you help me, please?’ | Nimal asked me to help him. |
| ‘Please don’t make a noise.’ | She asked the children not to make a noise. |
Note
Many other reporting verbs follow the same pattern, such as advise, remind, warn and invite: The doctor advised me to rest. A few take an -ing form instead: He suggested going to Galle. See our lesson on gerunds and infinitives.
What is the difference between say and tell?
Both verbs report what someone said, but they use different patterns. Tell always needs a person after it. Say does not take a person directly; if you want to mention the person, use say … to someone.
| Verb | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| say | say (that) + clause | Nimal said (that) he was hungry. |
| say | say something to someone | She said goodbye to her friends. |
| tell | tell + person + (that) + clause | Nimal told me (that) he was hungry. |
| tell | tell + person + to infinitive | She told me to wait. |
Common mistake
Sanduni said me that she was tired. → Sanduni told me that she was tired. Use tell before a person, or leave the person out: Sanduni said that she was tired.
Some fixed phrases use tell without a person: tell the truth, tell a lie, tell a story and tell the time.
When do you not need to change the tense?
Backshift is common, but it is not always necessary. You can keep the original tense in these situations.
- The reporting verb is in the present: Nimal says he is tired.
- The situation is still true: Sanduni said she lives in Colombo. (She still lives there.)
- It is a general truth or fact: Our teacher said that the sun rises in the east.
- You report something just after it was said: What did he say? He said he’s coming.
Tip
Changing the tense is still correct in these cases: Sanduni said she lived in Colombo. If you are not sure, backshift. It is the safer choice in exams.
To go further, try the British Council LearnEnglish lessons on reported speech: statements and reported speech: questions.
Summary
- Reported speech gives someone’s words in our own sentence, without quotation marks.
- After a past reporting verb, move the verb one tense back: is → was, will → would, have done → had done.
- Change pronouns, time words and place words when the situation is different.
- Report questions with if, whether or a question word, and use statement word order.
- Use tell or ask + person + to infinitive for commands and requests; tell needs a person, say does not.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need that after said?
No. That is optional, and in everyday speech people often leave it out: She said she was busy. In formal writing, that can make the sentence clearer.
Should I use if or whether in reported questions?
Both are correct for yes/no questions: He asked if I was ready, or He asked whether I was ready. Whether sounds a little more formal and is common with or not.
Why does the tense change in reported speech?
The words were spoken in the past, so the time has moved on. Backshift shows this distance in time, but you can keep the tense if the situation is still true.
Which reporting verbs can I use instead of said?
You can use verbs such as explained, admitted, complained, promised and replied. Each verb has its own pattern, so check it in a dictionary before you use it.
Practise this lesson
11 questions
