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Reported Speech

Direct and Indirect Speech

Master reported speech transformations — tense backshift, pronoun changes, and reporting verbs.

Direct and Indirect Speech on Grammartier spans A2–C2 levels, with 42 interactive lessons including Reporting Statements, Reporting Questions and Reporting Yes/No Questions — each with clear explanations, real examples, and a quiz you can score instantly.

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42
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A1 → C2
CEFR coverage

Reported speech (indirect speech) lets you tell someone what another person said, without quoting their exact words. The tense, pronouns, and time words usually shift back — that's called backshift. This lesson breaks down statements, questions, and commands, plus the mistakes that trip up even confident learners.

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Report statements correctly, shifting the tense back one step
  • Report yes/no questions and wh-questions with the correct word order
  • Report commands and requests using to + infinitive
  • Change pronouns and time words correctly when reporting speech

Structure & Form

Reported speech structure formulas for statements and questions, plus a tense-shift reference chart from direct speech to reported speech
How direct speech shifts into reported speech, tense by tense.

Positive (Statement)

Subject + said (that) + reported clause

Negative (Statement)

Subject + said (that) + subject + negative verb

Question (Yes/No)

Subject + asked + if/whether + subject + past-tense verb

How It's Used

Report Statements (Tense Backshift)

To report what someone said, we usually change the tense back one step.

  • — She said, "I like coffee." → She said (that) she liked coffee.

Report Questions (Word Order Changes)

To report questions, we change the word order and remove do/does/did. Yes/no questions use if/whether; wh-questions keep the question word with no auxiliary.

  • — He asked, "Where do you live?" → He asked where I lived.
  • — He said, "Are you coming?" → He asked if/whether I was coming.

Report Commands & Requests

To report orders or requests, we use to + infinitive, usually with told, asked, ordered, advised, or a similar reporting verb (not said).

  • — He said, "Please close the window." → He told me to close the window.

Change Pronouns & Time Words

Pronouns and time words often change to match the new speaker and time perspective.

  • — He said, "I will call you tomorrow." → He said he would call me the next day.

Exceptions to Watch For

No backshift when the reporting verb is present tense

If the reporting verb (says, tells) is in the present tense, the tense doesn't need to shift back: He says, "I am from Spain." → He says (that) he is from Spain.

No backshift for universal truths or facts

Facts that are still true don't need backshift: She said, "The Earth goes around the Sun." → She said (that) the Earth goes around the Sun.

Common Mistakes

He said I am hungry.

He said (that) he was hungry.

Backshift am → was, and change the pronoun I → he to match the reported speaker.

She asked me where do I live.

She asked me where I lived.

Don't use do/does/did in reported questions — the word order changes to subject + verb, with no auxiliary.

He told me to went there.

He told me to go there.

After to in a reported command, always use the base form of the verb, not the past tense.

They said they will come tomorrow.

They said they would come the next day.

Backshift will → would, and change the time word tomorrow → the next day.

Tense Shifts in Reported Speech

How each direct-speech tense shifts back when reported.

FeatureDirect speechReported speechExample
Present simplePast simpleDirect: "I like pizza." → Reported: He said (that) he liked pizza.
Present continuousPast continuousDirect: "She is watching TV." → Reported: He said (that) she was watching TV.
Present perfectPast perfectDirect: "They have finished." → Reported: She said (that) they had finished.
Past simplePast perfectDirect: "I visited London." → Reported: He said (that) he had visited London.
willwouldDirect: "I will help you." → Reported: She said (that) she would help me.
can / may / mustcould / might / had toDirect: "He can swim." → Reported: They said (that) he could swim.

Summary

Reported speech helps us share what others said, usually shifting the tense, pronouns, and time words back one step when necessary. Statements use (that) and backshift the tense. Yes/no questions use if/whether; wh-questions keep the question word with no auxiliary and no that. Commands and requests use told + to + infinitive. No backshift is needed when the reporting verb is present tense or the original statement is a universal truth.

Further reading: Cambridge Dictionary — Reported speech, Purdue OWL — Reported Speech

Frequently Asked Questions

What is reported (indirect) speech?

It's how we tell someone what another person said, without quoting their exact words. Direct: He said, "I am tired." Reported: He said (that) he was tired.

Do I always need to backshift the tense?

No — skip the backshift when the reporting verb is present tense (He says he is tired) or when reporting a universal truth or fact that's still true.

How do I report a yes/no question?

Use if or whether, not that: He asked, "Are you coming?" → He asked if/whether I was coming.

How do I report a wh-question?

Keep the question word, remove do/does/did, and use statement word order: He asked, "Where do you live?" → He asked where I lived.

How do I report a command or request?

Use told (not said) + to + infinitive: He said, "Please close the window." → He told me to close the window.

All Conditional Lessons & Quizzes

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