Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)
Reported speech is when you tell somebody else what you or a person said before.
Direct speech VS Reported speech:
| Direct speech | Reported speech |
| He says: I like travelling. | He says that he likes travelling. |
| He says: I’m visiting New York next month | He said that he was visiting New York next month. |
Different types of sentences
When you use reported speech, you either report:
- statements
- questions
- requests / commands
- other types
- Reporting Statements
When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:
- pronouns
- tense
- place and time expression
1- Pronouns
In reported speech, you often have to change the pronoun depending on who says what.
Example:
She says, “My brother loves to travel.” – She says that her brother loves to travel.
2- Tenses
- If the sentence starts in the present, there is no backshiftof tenses in reported speech.
- If the sentence starts in the past, there is often backshiftof tenses in reported speech.
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech | |
| No backshift | “I compose songs.” | He says that he composes songs. |
| Backshift | “I composed songs.” | He said that he composed songs. |
No backshift
Do not change the tense if the introductory clause is in a present tense (e. g. He says). Note, however, that you might have to change the form of the present tense verb (3rd person singular).
Example:
He says, “I compose songs.” – He says that he composes songs.
Backshift
You must change the tense if the introductory clause is in a past tense (e. g. He said).
Example:
He said, “I am exhausted.” – He said that he was exhausted.
Examples of the main changes in tense:
My parents are very well. (Simple Present) | She said that her parents were very well. (Simple Past) |
I am going to learn how to drive. (Present Continuous) | She said that she was going to learn how to drive. (Past Continuous) |
I visited Paris last year. (Simple Past) | She said that she had visited Paris last year. (Past Perfect) |
“They had finished the movie when I arrived” (Past Perfect) | She said that she had finished the movie when she had arrived. (Past Perfect) |
“I was reading a book when the phone rang.” (Past Continuous) | She said that she had been reading a book when the phone had rung. (Past Perfect Continuous) |
“I have been playing tennis for two hours.” (Present Perfect) | She said that she had been playing tennis for two hours. (Past Perfect Continuous) |
“I had been studying when lights went off.” (Past Perfect Continuous) | She said that she had been studying when the lights had gone off. (Past Perfect Continuous) |
“I will call you.” (Future Simple : will+verb)) | She said she would call me. (Conditional : would+verb)
|
“I would travel the world If I were rich.” (Conditional : would +verb) | She said that she would travel the world if she had been rich. (Conditional : would+verb) |
The modal verbs could, should, would, might, needn’t, ought to, used to do not normally change.
Example:
He said, “She might be right.” – He said that she might be right.
Other modal verbs may change:
| modal | Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
| can | “I can play the violin.” | He said he could play the violin. |
| may | “May I sit here?” | He wanted to know if he might sit here. |
| must | “I must see her.” | He said that he must/had to see her. |
| will | “I will do it.” | He told me he would do it. |
3- Place, demonstratives and time expressions
Place, demonstratives and time expressions change if the context of the reported statement (i.e. the location and/or the period of time) is different from that of the direct speech.
In the following table, you will find the different changes of place; demonstratives and time expressions.
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
| TIME EXPRESSIONS | |
| today | that day |
| now | then |
| yesterday | the day before |
| days ago | days before |
| last week | the week before |
| next year | the following year |
| tomorrow | the next day/ the following day |
| PLACE | |
| here | there |
| DEMONSTRATIVES | |
| this | that |
| these | those |
Reporting Questions
When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:
- pronouns
- place and time expressions
- tenses (backshift)
Also note that you have to:
- transform the question into an indirect question
- use the question word (where, when, what, how) or if/ whether
| Types of Questions | Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
| With question words : what,where,why,how.. | “Why don’t you speak English?” | He asked me why I didn’t speak English. |
| Yes or No Questions | “Do you speak English?” | He asked me if/whether I spoke English. |
- Reporting requests / commands
When transforming requests and commands, check whether you have to change:
- pronouns
- place and time expressions
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
| “Tom, turn off the lights.” | She told Tom to turn off the lights. |
| “Tom, give me your paper please.” | She asked Tom to give her his paper. |
Tenses are not relevant for requests – simply use to / not to + verb (infinitive without “to”)
She said, “Sit down.” – She asked me to sit down.
She said, “Don’t be lazy” – She asked me not to be lazy
For affirmative use to + infinitive (without to)
For negative requests, use not to + infinitive (without to).
- Other transformations
- Expressions of advice with must, shouldand ought are usually reported using advise / urge.
Example:
“You must watch this movie.”
He advised / urged me to watch that movie.
The expression let’s is usually reported using suggest. In this case, there are two possibilities for reported speech: gerund or statement with should.
Example:
“Let’s go to the cinema.”
1. He suggested going to the cinema.
2. He suggested that we should go to the cinema.