Reported (Indirect) Speech

Advanced · Voice & Speech

Reported speech is how we tell someone what another person said, without quoting their exact words. Instead of: She said, "I am tired," we say: She said she was tired.

The main rule is that the verb usually moves "one step back" in time (present → past, will → would), and words like "I", "here", and "tomorrow" change to fit the new speaker and time.

How to build it

reporting verb (said/told) + (that) + clause with the verb shifted one step back

Rules & examples

  1. Shift the tense back one step.

    present → past, past → past perfect, will → would, can → could.

    • "I am tired." → He said he was tired.
    • "I will call." → She said she would call.
  2. Change pronouns and time/place words to match the new context.

    The point of view changes, so these words change too.

    • now → then, today → that day, tomorrow → the next day, here → there
  3. Reported questions use statement word order — no inversion, no question mark.

    Use "if/whether" for yes/no questions; keep the wh-word for others.

    • "Where do you live?" → She asked where I lived.
    • "Are you ready?" → He asked if I was ready.
  4. Reported commands: tell/ask + object + (not) to + base verb.

    Turn the order into a "to" structure.

    • "Sit down." → She told me to sit down.
    • "Don't go." → He told me not to go.
  5. Choose the right reporting verb: say, tell, ask, explain, suggest, promise, warn.

    "tell" needs a person after it; "say" does not.

    • He explained that the shop was closed.
    • She promised to help.

Tips to remember

  • say vs tell: you TELL someone (tell me), but you SAY something (say that...). "He told me" ✓ / "He said to me" ✓ / "He said me" ✗.
  • If the statement is still true (a general fact), you do not always have to shift the tense: "He said the Earth is round."

Common mistakes

  • ✗ She asked where do I live. → ✓ She asked where I lived. — Reported questions use normal statement order, not question order.
  • ✗ He said me that he was busy. → ✓ He told me that he was busy. — Use "told + person", or "said" with no person.