When we report what someone said, we have two options: quote their exact words in direct speech, or rephrase them in indirect (reported) speech. Both are essential in everyday communication, academic writing, and formal English. Understanding how to move between the two is a key skill at B1–B2 level.
Rule 1 — What is Direct Speech?
Direct speech quotes the speaker's exact words, enclosed in quotation marks. A reporting verb (say, tell, ask, reply, explain) introduces the quote, separated by a comma. Punctuation goes inside the quotation marks.
- She said, "I am tired."
- He told me, "I will call you tomorrow."
- "Are you ready?" she asked.
Rule 2 — Tense Backshift in Indirect Speech
When the reporting verb is in the past (said, told, asked), the verb in the reported clause shifts one tense back into the past. This is called backshift.
- Present simple → Past simple: "I work here." → She said she worked there.
- Present continuous → Past continuous: "I am leaving." → He said he was leaving.
- Present perfect → Past perfect: "I have finished." → She said she had finished.
- Past simple → Past perfect: "I saw it." → He said he had seen it.
- Will → Would: "I will help." → She said she would help.
- Can → Could: "I can swim." → He said he could swim.
Rule 3 — Pronoun and Reference Changes
When reporting speech, pronouns must shift to match the new speaker's perspective. The first and second person typically change based on who is speaking and who is being addressed.
- "I love my job." → She said she loved her job.
- "You are right." → He told me I was right.
- "We will go together." → They said they would go together.
Rule 4 — Time and Place Expression Changes
Words that refer to time and place relative to the speaker also shift in reported speech, since the reporting happens at a different time and place.
- now → then / at that time
- today → that day
- yesterday → the day before / the previous day
- tomorrow → the next day / the following day
- here → there
- this → that | these → those
- last week → the week before / the previous week
- next year → the following year
Rule 5 — Reporting Questions and Commands
Yes/No questions are reported using if or whether, with statement word order (no inversion, no auxiliary do/does/did):
- "Are you coming?" → She asked if I was coming.
- "Do you like coffee?" → He asked whether I liked coffee.
Wh- questions use the question word but revert to statement word order:
- "Where do you live?" → She asked me where I lived.
- "What time does it start?" → He asked what time it started.
Commands and requests are reported using tell/ask + object + infinitive:
- "Sit down!" → She told him to sit down.
- "Please don't be late." → He asked me not to be late.
Practice Exercises
Grammar Quiz
Choose the correct reported speech form for each sentence.
Complete the Sentence
Fill in the correct verb form or pronoun in reported speech contexts.
Unjumble
Reorder words to build correctly formed reported speech sentences.
Cloze Dropdown
Select the right backshifted tense or expression from a dropdown.
Practice What You've Learned
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Frequently Asked Questions
Direct speech quotes someone's exact words inside quotation marks: She said, "I am tired." Indirect (reported) speech rephrases those words without quotation marks, typically shifting the tense back: She said she was tired. Direct speech preserves the original wording; indirect speech integrates the message into the reporter's own sentence structure, changing pronouns, tenses, and time/place references as needed.
Tense backshift is the shift of the verb one tense further into the past when converting direct speech to reported speech with a past reporting verb (said, told, asked). Present simple becomes past simple; present continuous becomes past continuous; will becomes would; can becomes could; past simple becomes past perfect. Backshift is not required when the reporting verb is in the present (says, tells), or when the statement is still true: "The Earth orbits the Sun" → He said the Earth orbits the Sun (no backshift needed for permanent facts).
Report yes/no questions using if or whether, with statement word order (subject before verb, no auxiliary inversion, no question mark). "Are you ready?" → She asked if I was ready. "Do you like it?" → He asked whether I liked it. Never use do/does/did in the reported question: NOT "She asked if did I like it." The reported clause becomes a noun clause, not a question structure.
Report wh- questions by keeping the question word but using statement word order in the reported clause. "Where do you live?" → She asked where I lived (NOT where did I live). "What time will the train arrive?" → He wanted to know what time the train would arrive. The wh- word acts as the connector; the verb follows the subject without inversion. Apply tense backshift as normal.
Report commands using tell + object + infinitive: "Sit down!" → She told him to sit down. Report requests using ask + object + infinitive: "Please open the window." → He asked her to open the window. Negative commands use tell/ask + object + not to + infinitive: "Don't touch that!" → She told him not to touch it. Suggestions with let's become suggested + -ing: "Let's go." → He suggested going.
Time expressions shift because the reporting happens at a different moment. Key changes: now → then / at that time; today → that day; yesterday → the day before / the previous day; tomorrow → the next day / the following day; last week → the week before / the previous week; next year → the following year; here → there; this → that; these → those. These changes are optional when the time context is still current (e.g., reporting the same day).
Backshift is not obligatory in three situations: (1) The statement is still true or a permanent fact: He said the sun rises in the east. (2) The reporting verb is in the present tense: She says she is coming. (3) The statement was just made and the situation has not changed. In informal speech, backshift is often omitted in all contexts. In formal writing and exams, applying backshift consistently is safer and expected.
Say is used without a personal object: She said she was tired (NOT said me). Tell requires a personal object: She told me she was tired (NOT told she was tired). Other key reporting verbs: ask (for questions/requests); explain (+ that or object); admit, deny, promise, refuse, suggest (each with different patterns). Using a variety of reporting verbs improves the quality and sophistication of written and spoken English.
Some modals backshift; others do not. Modals that change: will → would; can → could; may → might; shall → should; must → had to (for obligation). Modals that do not change (they have no past form): would, could, might, should, ought to, used to. Example: "I will call you." → She said she would call me. "You must leave." → He said I had to leave. "I might be late." → She said she might be late (no change).
Reported speech appears in several exam contexts. In IELTS Writing Task 1 (academic), you may need to report data or describe what a graph shows. In both IELTS and Cambridge Writing, using reported speech structures signals grammatical range. In the Cambridge Use of English (FCE, CAE), open gap-fill and key-word transformation tasks frequently test tense backshift, reporting verb patterns, and pronoun changes. A typical transformation: "I didn't steal it," said Tom. → Tom denied _____ it (having stolen). Mastery of reported speech is essential for B2 and above.