Reported speech - sometimes called indirect speech - is how we relay what someone else has said without quoting them word for word. Instead of saying "She said, 'I am tired,'" we say "She said she was tired." The quotation marks disappear, the pronouns shift, and the tense usually moves one step into the past. For ESL learners, this transformation is one of the most challenging grammar topics because it requires juggling several rules at once: tense shifts, pronoun changes, time expressions, word order, and the subtle differences between "say" and "tell." Master the pattern, though, and you unlock a huge part of natural English conversation, journalism, academic writing, and professional communication.
This expert-written guide from the Kalenux Team walks through every major rule of reported speech in clear, practical terms. You will see a comparison table of tense shifts, a list of pronoun adjustments, a guide to time expression changes, twenty-plus example sentences showing before-and-after transformations, and a self-check exercise with a full answer key. We will also cover common mistakes and the situations where tense shifting is optional or unnecessary.
The good news is that reported speech is rule-based. Once you learn the tense ladder and the standard pronoun swaps, you can apply the pattern automatically. The less good news is that small errors sneak in easily, especially with modal verbs, time expressions, and verbs of speech. This guide addresses each of those pitfalls in order so you leave with a complete, reliable method.
What Is Reported Speech?
Reported speech conveys what someone said using your own grammatical frame rather than the speaker's original words. Compare the two forms:
- Direct speech: She said, "I am going to the conference next week."
- Reported speech: She said she was going to the conference the following week.
The meaning is the same, but the indirect version drops the quotation marks, shifts the verb tense backward, and updates time expressions. This is the standard method for summarizing conversations, citing sources, and writing in a formal academic or journalistic register.
"Indirect speech is translation from present to past. The speaker's original 'now' becomes the listener's 'then.' Tenses move one step back in time, pronouns follow the new perspective, and time words shift accordingly." - Kalenux Team editorial guideline
The Tense Shift Rule (Backshift)
When the main verb of speech ("said," "told," "explained") is in the past, the tense in the original statement usually shifts one step into the past. This is called backshifting.
Tense Shift Table
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
|---|---|
| Present simple (I work) | Past simple (worked) |
| Present continuous (I am working) | Past continuous (was working) |
| Present perfect (I have worked) | Past perfect (had worked) |
| Present perfect continuous (I have been working) | Past perfect continuous (had been working) |
| Past simple (I worked) | Past perfect (had worked) |
| Past continuous (I was working) | Past perfect continuous (had been working) |
| Past perfect (I had worked) | Past perfect (no change) |
| Will (I will work) | Would (would work) |
| Can (I can work) | Could (could work) |
| May (I may work) | Might (might work) |
| Must (I must work) | Had to (had to work) |
Examples
- Direct: "I live in Madrid." Indirect: She said she lived in Madrid.
- Direct: "I am cooking dinner." Indirect: He said he was cooking dinner.
- Direct: "I have finished the draft." Indirect: She said she had finished the draft.
- Direct: "We will arrive early." Indirect: They said they would arrive early.
- Direct: "I can speak three languages." Indirect: He said he could speak three languages.
Pronoun Changes
Pronouns typically shift from the original speaker's perspective to the new speaker's perspective.
| Direct | Indirect (from a third party's view) |
|---|---|
| I | he / she |
| we | they |
| me | him / her |
| us | them |
| my | his / her |
| our | their |
| mine | his / hers |
| ours | theirs |
| myself | himself / herself |
| yourself (when "you" = new speaker) | myself |
Examples
- Direct: "I love my job." Indirect: She said she loved her job.
- Direct: "We will bring our children." Indirect: They said they would bring their children.
- Direct: "You know me well." Indirect: She said I knew her well. (when the original speaker was talking to me)
Time and Place Expression Changes
Time and place words often update when the statement is reconveyed, because the reference point shifts.
| Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|
| now | then / at that moment |
| 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 following week |
| this (morning) | that (morning) |
| here | there |
| these | those |
| this | that |
| ago | before |
Examples
- Direct: "I will call you tomorrow." Indirect: He said he would call me the next day.
- Direct: "I saw her yesterday." Indirect: She said she had seen her the day before.
- Direct: "I live here." Indirect: He said he lived there.
Speech Verbs: "Say" vs "Tell"
Both verbs introduce indirect speech, but they behave differently.
"Say" does not take a direct object (a person) before the indirect content. Correct: She said (that) she was tired. Incorrect: She said me that she was tired.
"Tell" requires a direct object (a person). Correct: She told me (that) she was tired. Incorrect: She told that she was tired.
Other useful verbs include: explain, mention, announce, declare, reply, admit, confess, claim, state, promise, warn, advise, suggest, recommend, deny, insist, complain.
"Choose the verb carefully. 'Said' is neutral; 'claimed' suggests doubt; 'admitted' implies difficulty; 'insisted' signals emphasis. The verb you pick shapes how the reader interprets the quote." - Kalenux Team writing workshop notes
Indirect Questions
When relaying questions, the word order changes from question order (verb first) to statement order (subject first), and the auxiliary "do/does/did" disappears.
Yes/No Questions
Introduce with "if" or "whether."
- Direct: "Do you speak French?" Indirect: She asked if I spoke French.
- Direct: "Did he leave early?" Indirect: She asked whether he had left early.
Wh- Questions
Use the original question word (who, what, where, when, why, how).
- Direct: "Where are you going?" Indirect: He asked where I was going.
- Direct: "Why did she leave?" Indirect: He asked why she had left.
Notice that the indirect question does not end with a question mark.
Commands, Requests, and Suggestions
For commands, requests, and suggestions, use "tell," "ask," or "advise" + object + "to" + base verb.
- Direct: "Sit down." Indirect: She told me to sit down.
- Direct: "Please help me." Indirect: He asked me to help him.
- Direct: "Don't be late." Indirect: She warned me not to be late.
- Direct: "Try the new route." Indirect: He advised me to try the new route.
When Tense Shifting Is Optional or Unnecessary
Not every indirect statement requires backshifting. The tense can stay the same when:
The main verb of speech is in the present tense.
- She says (that) she is tired.
The original statement remains true.
- He said the Earth orbits the Sun. (A shift to "orbited" would be strange because the fact still holds.)
The speaker wants to emphasize that the statement is still relevant.
- She said she likes her new job.
"Backshifting is a default, not an absolute law. If the statement is still true or the new speaker wants to preserve immediacy, skip the shift. Natural speech often does." - Kalenux Team style guide
Comparison Table: Direct vs Indirect
| Feature | Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
|---|---|---|
| Punctuation | Quotation marks | None |
| Tense | Original | Usually shifted back |
| Pronouns | Speaker's | New speaker's |
| Time words | "today," "yesterday" | "that day," "the day before" |
| Questions | Inverted word order | Statement word order |
| Question mark | Yes | No |
| Speech verb | Not needed | Required |
20+ Example Sentences
Statements
- Direct: "I am hungry." Indirect: She said she was hungry.
- Direct: "We have finished the project." Indirect: They said they had finished the project.
- Direct: "I will help you tomorrow." Indirect: He said he would help me the next day.
- Direct: "I saw her at the conference." Indirect: She said she had seen her at the conference.
- Direct: "We live in Berlin." Indirect: They said they lived in Berlin.
- Direct: "I can't find my keys." Indirect: He said he couldn't find his keys.
- Direct: "I have been studying all night." Indirect: She said she had been studying all night.
- Direct: "The meeting starts at nine." Indirect: He said the meeting started at nine.
Questions
- Direct: "Where do you work?" Indirect: She asked where I worked.
- Direct: "Are you coming tonight?" Indirect: He asked if I was coming that night.
- Direct: "Why did you leave early?" Indirect: She asked why I had left early.
- Direct: "Have you seen my phone?" Indirect: He asked whether I had seen his phone.
- Direct: "What time is it?" Indirect: She asked what time it was.
Commands and Requests
- Direct: "Sit down, please." Indirect: She asked me to sit down.
- Direct: "Don't touch that." Indirect: He told me not to touch that.
- Direct: "Please close the door." Indirect: She asked me to close the door.
- Direct: "Try the new software." Indirect: He advised me to try the new software.
Modal Verbs
- Direct: "I can swim well." Indirect: She said she could swim well.
- Direct: "You must submit this today." Indirect: He said I had to submit that document that day.
- Direct: "We may arrive late." Indirect: They said they might arrive late.
Mixed
- Direct: "I live here." Indirect: He said he lived there.
- Direct: "I saw her yesterday." Indirect: She said she had seen her the day before.
- Direct: "I will call you next week." Indirect: He said he would call me the following week.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Forgetting to Backshift
- Incorrect: She said she is tired.
- Correct: She said she was tired.
(Unless the original speaker wants to emphasize current relevance.)
Mistake 2: Using "Tell" Without an Object
- Incorrect: She told that she was tired.
- Correct: She told me that she was tired.
Mistake 3: Using "Say" With an Object
- Incorrect: She said me that she was tired.
- Correct: She said that she was tired.
- Correct: She told me that she was tired.
Mistake 4: Keeping Question Word Order
- Incorrect: He asked where was I going.
- Correct: He asked where I was going.
Mistake 5: Keeping the Question Mark
- Incorrect: She asked if I was coming?
- Correct: She asked if I was coming.
Mistake 6: Missing Pronoun Shift
- Incorrect: She said I was tired. (when the original speaker said, "I am tired")
- Correct: She said she was tired.
Mistake 7: Wrong Time Expression
- Incorrect: He said he would come tomorrow. (when relaying days later)
- Correct: He said he would come the next day.
Quick Reference Cheat Sheet
| Task | Remember |
|---|---|
| Tense shift | One step back from original |
| Past perfect | Stays the same (no further back) |
| Pronouns | Shift to the new speaker's perspective |
| Time words | Update to reflect new reference point |
| Questions | Use statement word order, no question mark |
| Yes/No questions | Use "if" or "whether" |
| Commands | Use "tell/ask + object + to + base verb" |
| "Say" | No direct object |
| "Tell" | Requires direct object |
| Still-true facts | Backshift is optional |
Self-Check Exercise
Rewrite each direct quote as indirect speech. Answers follow.
- "I love this book." (She said...)
- "We are moving to Paris next month." (They told us...)
- "Did you finish the project?" (He asked...)
- "I can't come tomorrow." (She said...)
- "Don't be late." (He told me...)
- "Where is the nearest station?" (She asked...)
- "I have never been to Asia." (He said...)
- "Please send the documents." (She asked me...)
- "We will announce the decision next week." (They said...)
- "I saw him yesterday." (She told me...)
Answer Key
- She said she loved that book.
- They told us they were moving to Paris the following month.
- He asked if I had finished the project.
- She said she couldn't come the next day.
- He told me not to be late.
- She asked where the nearest station was.
- He said he had never been to Asia.
- She asked me to send the documents.
- They said they would announce the decision the following week.
- She told me she had seen him the day before.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I always have to backshift tenses?
No. If the main verb of speech is in the present tense, or if the original statement is still true, backshifting is optional. Natural speech often skips the shift to preserve immediacy.
What is the difference between "say" and "tell"?
"Say" never takes a direct object (a person); "tell" always does. "She said that she was tired" is correct. "She told me that she was tired" is correct. Mixing the patterns produces errors.
Can I use "that" in indirect speech?
"That" is optional after most verbs of speech: "She said she was tired" and "She said that she was tired" are both correct. In formal writing, "that" is slightly more common.
How do I relay questions starting with "do," "does," or "did"?
Drop the auxiliary and return to statement word order. "Did she leave?" becomes "He asked if she had left" - not "He asked did she leave."
What happens to "must" in indirect speech?
"Must" usually shifts to "had to" for obligations: "I must finish" becomes "He said he had to finish." For logical certainty, "must" can stay the same.
Do I change time expressions if the time is still future?
If the original "tomorrow" is still in the future at the time of retelling, you can keep "tomorrow." If it has already passed, shift to "the next day." The choice depends on when you convey the statement.
Conclusion
Indirect speech transforms a direct quotation into a statement woven into your own prose. Tenses shift one step into the past, pronouns adjust to the new speaker's perspective, time expressions update to reflect the new reference point, and questions move into statement word order. The verbs "say" and "tell" follow different grammatical patterns, and commands take "to + base verb" with an object.
The rules take practice, but they are consistent. Learn the tense shift ladder, memorize the pronoun and time-expression tables, and work through the examples above. Then apply indirect speech in your own writing - summarizing interviews, citing sources, recounting meetings, or telling stories. Professional communication relies heavily on accurate relaying of what others have said. Master these patterns and you will represent other voices with clarity, precision, and grammatical polish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I always have to backshift tenses?
No. If the main verb of speech is in the present tense, or if the statement is still true, backshifting is optional. Natural speech often skips the shift.
What is the difference between 'say' and 'tell'?
'Say' never takes a person as a direct object; 'tell' always does. 'She said that she was tired' vs 'She told me that she was tired.'
Can I use 'that' in indirect speech?
'That' is optional after most verbs of speech. Both 'She said she was tired' and 'She said that she was tired' are correct.
How do I relay questions starting with 'do,' 'does,' or 'did'?
Drop the auxiliary and return to statement word order. 'Did she leave?' becomes 'He asked if she had left.'
What happens to 'must' in indirect speech?
'Must' usually shifts to 'had to' for obligations. For logical certainty, 'must' can stay the same.
Do I change time expressions if the time is still future?
If 'tomorrow' is still in the future when you relay the statement, keep 'tomorrow.' If it has passed, shift to 'the next day.'