Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)

How to use Reported Speech

If you have a sentence in Direct Speech, try to follow these 5 steps to put the sentence into Reported Speech.

1. Define the type of the sentence (statement, questions, command).

2. What tense is used in the introductory sentence?
3. Do you have to change the person (pronoun)?
4. Do you have to backshift the tenses?
5. Do you have to change expressions of time and place?

1. Statements, Questions, Commands

Mind the type of sentences when you use Reported Speech.

In Reported speech, the question becomes a statement. Mind the word order: subject – verb.

 Direct Speech → Susan: “Does Mary work in an office?”

 Reported Speech → Susan asks if/whether Mary works in an office.
 Direct Speech → Susan: “Does Mary work in an office?”
 Reported Speech → Susan asked if/whether Mary worked in an office.

There is no backshift of tenses with commands/requests in Reported Speech.

Form
 affirmative commands → to + infinitive
 negative commands → not + to + infinitive

Affirmative commands

 Direct Speech → Dad: “Do your homework.”

 Reported Speech → Dad told me to do my homework.

Negative commands

 Direct Speech → Teacher: “Don't talk to your friend.”

 Reported Speech → The teacher told me not to talk to my friend.

2. The introductory sentence

If you use Reported Speech, there are mostly two main differences.

The introductory sentence in Reported Speech can be in the Present or in the Past.

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If the introductory sentences is in the Simple Present, there is no backshift of tenses.

Direct Speech:

 Susan: “Mary works in an office.”

Reported Speech:

 Introductory sentence in the Simple Present → Susan says (that)* Mary works in an office.
 Introductory sentence in the Simple Past → Susan said (that)* Mary worked in an office.

Types of introductory sentences

The word say in introductory sentences in Reported Statements can be substituted with other words, e.g. add,
decide, know, mention, remark, tell, think.

The word ask in introductory sentences in Reported Questions can be substituted with other words, e.g. want
to know, wonder.

The word tell in introductory sentences in Reported Commands can be substituted with other words, e.g.
advise, ask.

3. Change of persons/pronouns

If there is a pronoun in Direct Speech, it has possibly to be changed in Reported Speech, depending on the
siutation.

 Direct Speech → Susan: “I work in an office.”

 Reported Speech → Susan said (that)* she worked in an office.

Here I is changed to she.

4. Backshift of tenses

If there is backshift of tenses in Reported Speech, the tenses are shifted the following way.

 Direct Speech → Peter: “I work in the garden.”

 Reported Speech → Peter said (that)* he worked in the garden.

Direct Speech Reported Speech

Simple forms
Simple Present Simple Past
Simple Past
Present Perfect Past Perfect
Past Perfect
will would
can could
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Direct Speech Reported Speech
may might
Progressive forms
am/are/is was/were
was/were
has been had been
had been

5. Conversion of expressions of time and place

If there is an expression of time/place in the sentence, it may be changed, depending on the situation.

 Direct Speech → Peter: “I worked in the garden yesterday.”

 Reported Speech → Peter said (that) he had worked in the garden the day before.

Direct Speech Reported Speech

this evening that evening
today/this day that day
these days those days
now then
a week ago a week before
last weekend the weekend before / the previous weekend
next week the following week
tomorrow the next/following day
here there

6. Additional information

In some cases, backshift of tenses is not necessary, e.g. when statements are still true. Backshift of tenses is
never wrong.

 John: “My brother is at Leipzig university.”

 John said (that) his brother was at Leipzig university. or
 John said (that) his brother is at Leipzig university.

or when you use general statements.

 Mandy: “The sun rises in the east.”

 Mandy said (that) the sun rose in the east. or
 Mandy said (that) the sun rises in the east.

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 1. Complete the sentences in reported speech (no backshift). Note the change of pronouns and verbs.

 Helen: I want to tell you something about my holiday in London.

Gareth: What does she say?

You: She says that ______________________________________________________________________________

 Helen: I went to London in July.

Gareth: What does she say?

You: She says that ______________________________________________________________________________

 Helen: My parents went with me.

Gareth: What does she say?

You: She says that ______________________________________________________________________________

 Helen: We spent three days in London.

Gareth: What does she say?

You: She says that ______________________________________________________________________________

 Helen: London is a multicultural place.

Gareth: What does she say?

You: She says that ______________________________________________________________________________

 Helen: I saw people of all colours.

Gareth: What does she say?

You: She says that ______________________________________________________________________________

 Helen: Me and my parents visited the Tower.

Gareth: What does she say?

You: She says that ______________________________________________________________________________

 Helen: One evening we went to see a musical.

Gareth: What does she say?

You: She says that ______________________________________________________________________________

 Helen: I love London.

Gareth: What does she say?

You: She says that ______________________________________________________________________________

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  Helen: The people are so nice there.

Gareth: What does she say?

You: She says that ______________________________________________________________________________

2. Rewrite the sentences in reported speech. Change pronouns and time expressions where necessary.

 She said, "I am reading."

→ She said that ______________________________________________________________________________

 They said, "We are busy."

→ They said that ______________________________________________________________________________

 He said, "I know a better restaurant."

→ He said that ______________________________________________________________________________

 She said, "I woke up early."

→ She said that ______________________________________________________________________________

 He said, "I will ring her."

→ He said that ______________________________________________________________________________

 They said, "We have just arrived."

→ They said that ______________________________________________________________________________

 He said, "I will clean the car."

→ He said that ______________________________________________________________________________

 She said, "I did not say that."

→ She said that ______________________________________________________________________________

 She said, "I don't know where my shoes are."

→ She said that ______________________________________________________________________________

 He said: "I won't tell anyone."

→ He said that ______________________________________________________________________________

3. Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note the change of pronouns and tenses.

 "Where is my umbrella?" she asked.

→ She asked ______________________________________________________________________________

 "How are you?" Martin asked us.

→ Martin asked us ______________________________________________________________________________

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  He asked, "Do I have to do it?"

→ He asked ______________________________________________________________________________

 "Where have you been?" the mother asked her daughter.

→ The mother asked her daughter _______________________________________________________________

 "Which dress do you like best?" she asked her boyfriend.

→ She asked her boyfriend ________________________________________________________________________

 "What are they doing?" she asked.

→ She wanted to know ________________________________________________________________________

 "Are you going to the cinema?" he asked me.

→ He wanted to know ________________________________________________________________________

 The teacher asked, "Who speaks English?"

→ The teacher wanted to know ________________________________________________________________________

 "How do you know that?" she asked me.

→ She asked me ________________________________________________________________________

 "Has Caron talked to Kevin?" my friend asked me.

→ My friend asked me ________________________________________________________________________

 "What's the time?" he asked.

→ He wanted to know ________________________________________________________________________

 "When will we meet again?" she asked me.

→ She asked me ________________________________________________________________________

 "Are you crazy?" she asked him.

→ She asked him ________________________________________________________________________

 "Where did they live?" he asked.

→ He wanted to know ________________________________________________________________________

 "Will you be at the party?" he asked her.

→ He asked her ________________________________________________________________________

 "Can you meet me at the station?" she asked me.

→ She asked me ________________________________________________________________________

 "Who knows the answer?" the teacher asked.

→ The teacher wanted to know ________________________________________________________________________

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  "Why don't you help me?" she asked him.

→ She wanted to know ________________________________________________________________________

 "Did you see that car?" he asked me.

→ He asked me ________________________________________________________________________

 "Have you tidied up your room?" the mother asked the twins.

→ The mother asked the twins ________________________________________________________________________

4. Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note the change of pronouns in some sentences.

 She said, "Go upstairs."

→ She told me ________________________________________________________________________

 "Close the door behind you," he told me.

→ He told me ________________________________________________________________________

 "Don't be late," he advised us.

→ He advised us ________________________________________________________________________

 "Stop staring at me," she said.

→ She told him ________________________________________________________________________

 "Don't be angry with me," he said.

→ He asked her ________________________________________________________________________

 "Leave me alone," she said.

→ She told me ________________________________________________________________________

 "Don't drink and drive," she warned us.

→ She warned us ________________________________________________________________________

 "John, stop smoking," she said.

→ She told John ________________________________________________________________________

 "Don't worry about us," they said.

→ They told her ________________________________________________________________________

 "Meet me at the cinema." he said.

→ He asked me ________________________________________________________________________

5. Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note whether the sentence is a request, a statement or a question.

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  He said, "I like this song."

→ He said ________________________________________________________________________

 "Where is your sister?" she asked me.

→ She asked me ________________________________________________________________________

 "I don't speak Italian," she said.

→ She said ________________________________________________________________________

 "Say hello to Jim," they said.

→ They asked me ________________________________________________________________________

 "The film began at seven o'clock," he said.

→ He said ________________________________________________________________________

 "Don't play on the grass, boys," she said.

→ She told the boys ________________________________________________________________________

 "Where have you spent your money?" she asked him.

→ She asked him ________________________________________________________________________

 "I never make mistakes," he said.

→ He said ________________________________________________________________________

 "Does she know Robert?" he wanted to know.

→ He wanted to know ________________________________________________________________________

 "Don't try this at home," the stuntman told the audience.

→ The stuntman advised the audience ________________________________________________________________