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English Grammar Guide

Reported Speech

B1 Reported Speech

Section titled “ Reported Speech”

Direct speech: “I am busy,” he said. Reported speech: He said he was busy.

You’re not quoting anymore — you’re reporting. And English, being English, shifts the tenses backward like you’re rewinding a video. Mandarin keeps the same verb form whether he said it yesterday or five years ago. Your brain wants to keep the original tense. English says: nice try, backshift.

Before this, know:
B1 — Tense SystemPast Simple

Direct vs. reported: same message, different packaging

Section titled “Direct vs. reported: same message, different packaging”
Direct vs. Reported speech
Direct — exact words (quotes)

“I am tired,” she said.

“We will finish tomorrow,” they told us.

“Did you eat?” he asked.

→ Quotation marks. Original pronouns. Original tenses. Drama.

Reported — summary (no quotes)

She said she was tired.

They told us they would finish the next day.

He asked if I had eaten.

→ No quotes. Pronouns shift. Tenses backshift. Calmer.

Reported speech is how you gossip politely, write meeting notes, and summarize conversations without doing impressions.

Tense backshift: the main event

Section titled “Tense backshift: the main event”

When the reporting verb is past (said, told, asked), tenses usually move one step back:

Direct speech Reported speech
“I am busy.” He said he was busy.
“I work here.” She said she worked there.
“I am working.” He said he was working.
“I have finished.” She said she had finished.
“I went home.” He said he had gone home.
“I will call you.” She said she would call me.
“I can help.” He said he could help.
“I must leave.” She said she had to leave.

Backshift table — full reference

Section titled “Backshift table — full reference”
Original tense Backshift to Direct Reported
Present Simple Past Simple “I like it.” He said he liked it.
Present Continuous Past Continuous “I am leaving.” She said she was leaving.
Present Perfect Past Perfect “I have seen it.” He said he had seen it.
Past Simple Past Perfect “I bought it.” She said she had bought it.
Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous “I was sleeping.” He said he had been sleeping.
Future (will) would “I will go.” She said she would go.
can could “I can swim.” He said he could swim.
must had to “I must go.” She said she had to go.
may might “It may rain.” He said it might rain.

Say vs. tell: the object rule

Section titled “Say vs. tell: the object rule”
Verb Pattern Object required?
say say (something) / say that… ❌ No person object
tell tell someone (something) ✅ Must have person
He said me he was tired.
He told me he was tired.
Say doesn't take a person object. Tell needs one: tell me, tell her, tell us.
She told that she was leaving.
She said (that) she was leaving.
No person object → use said. Or: She told us (that) she was leaving.
He said to me hello.
He said hello to me. / He told me hello.
Said to me is awkward. Use said + words, or told me + words.

Quick test: Can you insert a person’s name?

  • He told [Maria]… ✅
  • He said [Maria]… ❌ → He said to Maria… (clunky) or He told Maria…

Pronoun changes

Section titled “Pronoun changes”

When you report, perspective shifts:

Direct (speaker’s view) Reported (reporter’s view)
I am tired he/she was tired
We will come they would come
My phone his/her phone
You should go I should go (if reporting to the person who was “you”)

Direct: “I lost my keys.”

Article Noun Verb Adjective Preposition

Reported: She said she had lost her keys.

Article Noun Verb Adjective Preposition

Time and place word changes

Section titled “Time and place word changes”
Direct Reported
now then
today that day
yesterday the day before / the previous day
tomorrow the next day / the following day
last week the week before
here there
this that
these those
He said he would call me tomorrow.
He said he would call me the next day.
From the reporter's perspective, tomorrow (his tomorrow) → the next day.

Not every word must change — context decides. But on exams, shift them.

Reporting verbs beyond said/told

Section titled “Reporting verbs beyond said/told”
Verb Use Pattern
said general statements said (that)…
told giving info to someone told me/him/her (that)…
asked questions asked if/whether… / asked me to…
explained clarifying explained that…
admitted confessing admitted that…
promised commitments promised to… / promised that…
warned caution warned me that… / warned me not to…
suggested ideas suggested that… / suggested -ing

Reporting questions

Section titled “Reporting questions”

Yes/no questions → if or whether:

“Are you ready?” → She asked if I was ready.

Wh- questions → keep question word, use statement order:

“Where do you live?” → He asked where I lived. ❌ He asked where did I live. (no question inversion in reported)

She asked where did I live.
She asked where I lived.
Reported questions = statement word order. No did inversion.
He asked that I was ready.
He asked if I was ready.
Yes/no questions → if or whether, not that.

Reported commands and requests

Section titled “Reported commands and requests”

Imperatives → told/asked + object + to + verb:

“Close the door.” → She told me to close the door. “Please help me.” → He asked me to help him. “Don’t be late.” → She told us not to be late.

The teacher told us to study harder.

Article Noun Verb Adjective Preposition

Negative commands: told + not to:

“Don’t touch that.” → He told me not to touch that.

Step-by-step: convert direct → reported

Section titled “Step-by-step: convert direct → reported”

Direct: Tom said, “I will visit Beijing next month.”

  1. Remove quotes. Tom said…
  2. Backshift tense: will → would
  3. Change pronouns: I → he
  4. Change time words: next month → the following month
  5. Result: Tom said he would visit Beijing the following month.

Direct: “Have you finished?” she asked me.

  1. Reporting verb: asked
  2. Yes/no → if
  3. Backshift: Have you → I had
  4. Statement order: if I had finished
  5. Result: She asked me if I had finished.

Practice: fix these reporting disasters

Section titled “Practice: fix these reporting disasters”
He said he is busy.
He said he was busy.
Standard backshift: present → past when reporting verb is said.
She told that she was leaving.
She said (that) she was leaving. / She told us (that) she was leaving.
Tell needs a person: told me/us/him.
They said me they would come.
They told me they would come.
Person object → told me, not said me.
He asked what time is it.
He asked what time it was.
Reported question = statement order + backshift → it was.
She said she will call me tomorrow.
She said she would call me the next day.
Will → would. Time word shifts too.

Reporting verb tense: said vs. says

Section titled “Reporting verb tense: said vs. says”
Reporting verb Backshift?
Past (said, told, asked) ✅ Yes — standard backshift
Present (says, tells) ❌ Often no backshift (journalism)

She says she is tired. (reporting now — present stays) She said she was tired. (reporting past speech — backshift)

News headlines use present reporting: “The president says the economy is growing.” Formal reporting and exams prefer past + backshift.

Reported Speech — cheat sheet

Statement: Subject + said/told (+ person) + (that) + subject + backshifted verb

Question (yes/no): Subject + asked (+ person) + if/whether + statement order

Question (wh-): Subject + asked + wh-word + statement order

Command: Subject + told/asked + person + to + base verb

Say vs tell: say (something) · tell + someone

Try this right now

Section titled “Try this right now”

Think of the last thing someone texted you. Report it in reported speech:

Direct: “I’ll be there at 8.” Reported: She said she would be there at 8 / by 8.

Do three more. Watch for: backshift, pronouns, say/tell, and the urge to keep present tense. That urge is Mandarin. Rewind it.

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