We use reported speech when we want to tell someone what another person said, without using their exact words.
- Direct speech: “I’m tired,” she said.
- Reported speech: She said she was tired.
Instead of repeating the original sentence word-for-word, we shift the grammar to fit the new context.
Reported speech helps you:
- tell stories
- explain conversations
- share news
- sound more natural in English
You will use it all the time in real life.
Direct speech
“I’m tired,” she said.
→ You repeat the exact words.
Reported speech
She said she was tired.
→ You change the sentence to report the idea.
We usually change:
- pronouns
- verbs (the tense)
- time words
Don’t worry—here are the basic steps!
Pronoun Changes
We change the pronouns depending on who is speaking.
Direct: “I like this class.”
Reported: He said he liked the class.
Direct: “We are hungry.”
Reported: They said they were hungry.
3. Verb Changes (Backshift)
In reported speech, the verb usually moves one step back in time.
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
|---|---|
| “I am tired.” | She said she was tired. |
| “We are studying.” | They said they were studying. |
| “I went home.” | He said he had gone home. |
Backshift of Tenses – Reported Speech (Intermediate Level)
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech (Backshift) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | Past Simple | “I work here.” → He said he worked there. |
| Present Continuous | Past Continuous | “I’m studying.” → She said she was studying. |
| Present Perfect | Past Perfect | “I have finished.” → He said he had finished. |
| Past Simple | Past Perfect | “I went home.” → He said he had gone home. |
| Will | Would | “I will call you.” → She said she would call me. |
| Can | Could | “I can help.” → He said he could help. |
| May | Might | “I may be late.” → She said she might be late. |
| Must | Had to (usually) | “I must leave.” → He said he had to leave. |
| Shall | Should / would (rare in modern English) | “I shall return.” → He said he would return. |
(At B1, this is the main rule to remember. There are more verb tenses and some exceptions that you will learn later)
4. Time Word Changes
Some time words also change:
| Direct | Reported |
|---|---|
| today | that day |
| tomorrow | the next day |
| yesterday | the day before |
| now | then |
Let’s Practice!
Practice 1
Practice 2
Speaking
Practice 1
Practice 2