Ultimate Guide to Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)

Reported speech is a crucial part of English grammar used to report what someone else said without quoting
them directly. This guide will cover:

1. Why & When We Use Reported Speech

2. How to Form Reported Speech (Tense Changes, Pronouns, Time/Place Shifts)

3. Reporting Verbs & Structures (Statements, Questions, Commands)

4. Special Cases (Modals, Distancing, General Truths)

5. Exercises & Answer Key

1. Why & When Do We Use Reported Speech?

A. Why Use Reported Speech?

 To report conversations accurately.

 To summarize what someone said.

 To distance yourself from the original statement (e.g., in news reporting).

 To soften direct speech (more polite in formal situations).

B. When Do We Use It?

✅ Telling stories: "She said she had seen a UFO!"

✅ Giving second-hand information: "The boss said the meeting was postponed."
✅ Reporting questions: "He asked if I was free."
✅ Giving instructions indirectly: "She told me to wait outside."
✅ News/media reporting: "The government announced that taxes would rise."

2. How to Form Reported Speech

A. Tense Changes (Backshifting)

When the reporting verb (said, told, asked) is in the past, we usually shift the tense back:

Direct Speech Reported Speech

Present Simple → Past Simple "I eat fish." → She said she ate fish.

Present Continuous → Past

"I am cooking." → He said he was cooking.
Continuous

"I saw a ghost!" → She said she had seen a

Past Simple → Past Perfect
ghost.

Present Perfect → Past Perfect "I have finished." → He said he had finished.
Direct Speech Reported Speech

Will → Would "I will help." → She said she would help.

Can → Could "I can swim." → He said he could swim.

Must → Had to "You must go." → She said I had to go.

Exceptions (No Backshifting):

 General truths: "The sun rises in the east." → He said the sun rises in the east.

 Still true now: "I live in London." → She said she lives in London.

B. Pronoun & Time/Place Changes

Pronouns and time/place words shift to match the speaker’s perspective:

Direct Speech Reported Speech

I → he/she "I am busy." → She said she was busy.

You → I/we/they "You should leave." → He told me I should leave.

This → that "This is my car." → He said that was his car.

Here → there "Come here!" → She told me to go there.

Now → then "I need it now." → He said he needed it then.

Today → that day "I’ll do it today." → She said she’d do it that day.

Tomorrow → the next "See you tomorrow!" → He said he’d see me the next
day day.

C. Modal Verb Changes

Some modals change, while others stay the same:

Direct Speech Reported Speech

Can → Could "I can help." → She said she could help.
Direct Speech Reported Speech

May → Might "It may rain." → He said it might rain.

Must → Had to "You must go." → She said I had to go.

"You should study." → He said

Should/Would/Could/Might → No Change
I should study.

3. Reporting Verbs & Structures

A. Statements (say, tell, explain, mention)

 "I love music." → She said (that) she loved music.

 "It’s expensive." → He told me (that) it was expensive.

B. Questions (ask, wonder, want to know)

 Yes/No questions: "Are you coming?" → She asked if/whether I was coming.

 Wh-questions: "Where do you live?" → He asked where I lived.

C. Commands & Requests (tell, order, ask + to)

 "Close the door." → She told me to close the door.

 "Please help me." → He asked me to help him.

D. Suggestions & Advice (suggest, advise, recommend + -ing / that)

 "Let’s go out." → She suggested going out.

 "You should rest." → He advised that I rest.

4. Special Cases

A. Distancing Yourself from the Statement

Reported speech can make claims sound less direct:

 "I didn’t steal the money!" → He claimed he hadn’t stolen the money.

 "The company is corrupt." → Some say the company is corrupt.

B. Reporting Mixed Tenses

Sometimes, only part of the sentence shifts:

 "I was tired, but now I feel better." → She said she had been tired, but now she feels better.

C. Reporting with "That" (Optional)

 She said (that) she was busy. (Both are correct.)

Bonus: Special Cases Answers

1. (Distancing) "The suspect allegedly entered at 9 PM" → Original: "The suspect entered at 9 PM."

2. (General truth) "She said water boils at 100°C" → Original: "Water boils at 100°C."

3. (Mixed tenses) "He said he had been tired but now feels better" → Original: "I was tired, but now I feel
better."

4. (Modal) "She said I should check twice" → Original: "You should check twice."

5. (Continuous backshift) "They said they had been waiting" → Original: "We have been waiting."

A. Change to Reported Speech (20 Questions)

Convert these direct speech sentences into reported speech:

1. "I need help." (He said...)

2. "We are leaving soon." (They told me...)

3. "I can't swim." (She said...)

4. "The meeting will start at 3 PM." (He announced...)

5. "I have visited Paris twice." (She mentioned...)

6. "I didn't take the money!" (He claimed...)

7. "We're working on a new project." (They explained...)

8. "I made a mistake." (She admitted...)

9. "I'll call you tomorrow." (He promised...)

10. "It might snow later." (She warned...)

11. "Where did you put the documents?" (He asked...)

12. "Are you feeling better?" (She wondered...)

13. "When does the train arrive?" (They wanted to know...)

14. "Why are you late?" (He inquired...)

15. "Have you finished your homework?" (She asked...)

16. "Don't touch the wires!" (He told me...)

17. "Please help me move." (She begged...)

18. "Stop talking!" (The teacher ordered...)

19. "Keep trying!" (My coach encouraged...)

20. "Let's go to the new Italian restaurant." (She suggested...)

B. Correct the Mistakes (20 Questions)

Each sentence has one error in reported speech. Identify and correct it:
 1. She said me she was tired.

2. He asked where did I work.

3. They told that they were late.

4. She asked if I can swim.

5. He said he is happy.

6. They wondered what time the movie starts.

7. She told don't be late.

8. He asked me where was I going.

9. She said she will call me.

10. They told us to not worry.

11. He asked whether I have seen his keys.

12. She said she has a new job.

13. They told that they would come later.

14. He asked if I am coming.

15. She said she can't attend the meeting.

16. They told me to hurry up!

17. He asked what my name was.

18. She said she doesn't like sushi.

19. They told us to don't open the door.

20. He asked me why I was sad.

C. Rewrite as Direct Speech (20 Questions)

Convert these reported speech sentences back to direct speech:

1. He said he was hungry. → "______"

2. She asked if I had seen her phone. → "______?"

3. They told us to be quiet. → "______!"

4. He explained that he had lost his wallet. → "______"

5. She wondered where I lived. → "______?"

6. He promised he would help me. → "______"

7. They warned us not to touch the wire. → "______!"

8. She mentioned that she loved traveling. → "______"

9. He asked whether I liked pizza. → "______?"

10. She told me to wait there. → "______!"

11. They said they had already eaten. → "______"

 12. He inquired why I was laughing. → "______?"

13. She suggested that we go shopping. → "______"

14. He admitted that he had made a mistake. → "______"

15. They asked if we had finished. → "______?"

16. She ordered me to leave. → "______!"

17. He claimed he hadn't stolen the money. → "______"

18. They reminded us to bring our passports. → "______!"

19. She said she couldn't believe it. → "______"

20. He told me not to shout. → "______!

Answer Key

A. Reported Speech Answers

1. He said he needed help.

2. They told me they were leaving soon.

3. She said she couldn't swim.

4. He announced the meeting would start at 3 PM.

5. She mentioned she had visited Paris twice.

6. He claimed he hadn't taken the money.

7. They explained they were working on a new project.

8. She admitted she had made a mistake.

9. He promised he would call me the next day.

10. She warned it might snow later.

11. He asked where I had put the documents.

12. She wondered if I was feeling better.

13. They wanted to know when the train arrived.

14. He inquired why I was late.

15. She asked whether I had finished my homework.

16. He told me not to touch the wires.

17. She begged me to help her move.

18. The teacher ordered us to stop talking.

19. My coach encouraged me to keep trying.

20. She suggested going to the new Italian restaurant.

B. Corrected Mistakes Answers

1. She told me she was tired.

2. He asked where I worked.

 3. They said that they were late.

4. She asked if I could swim.

5. He said he was happy.

6. They wondered what time the movie started.

7. She told me not to be late.

8. He asked me where I was going.

9. She said she would call me.

10. They told us not to worry.

11. He asked whether I had seen his keys.

12. She said she had a new job.

13. They said that they would come later.

14. He asked if I was coming.

15. She said she couldn’t attend the meeting.

16. Correct as is (or add "that": They told me that I should hurry up).

17. Correct as is.

18. She said she didn’t like sushi.

19. They told us not to open the door.

20. Correct as is.

C. Direct Speech Answers

1. "I am hungry."

2. "Have you seen my phone?"

3. "Be quiet!"

4. "I lost my wallet."

5. "Where do you live?"

6. "I will help you."

7. "Don’t touch the wire!"

8. "I love traveling."

9. "Do you like pizza?"

10. "Wait there!"

11. "We have already eaten."

12. "Why are you laughing?"

13. "Let’s go shopping."

14. "I made a mistake."

15. "Have you finished?"

16. "Leave!"

17. "I didn’t steal the money."

18. "Bring your passports!"

19. "I can’t believe it!"

20. "Don’t shout!"

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