Reported Speech

Reported speech is how English narrates what someone else said, thought, or asked. It contrasts with direct speech, which quotes the original words.

Direct: She said, “I am tired.” Reported: She said (that) she was tired.

The shift requires changes in:

1. Pronouns (I → he/she, you → I/we)
2. Tense (often back one step in time)
3. Time expressions (now → then, today → that day, tomorrow → the next day)
4. Word order (especially in questions)

Reported speech is the grammatical engine of narrative prose. Almost every novel uses it more than direct quotation.

The tense shift — the central skill

When the reporting verb is in the past tense (said, told, asked), the reported tense usually shifts one step back in time.

Examples

“I work in Berlin.” → He said he worked in Berlin. “I am working.” → He said he was working. “I have finished.” → He said he had finished. “I finished yesterday.” → He said he had finished the day before. “I will come.” → He said he would come. “I can swim.” → He said he could swim.

When the tense doesn’t shift

If the reporting verb is in the present tense (says, tells, asks), the reported tense stays the same:

She says she is tired.

If the reported statement is a general truth or still relevant, the tense can stay the same even with past reporting verbs:

“Water boils at 100°C.” → The teacher said that water boils at 100°C. (general truth — no shift) “I love you.” → He said he loves me. (still true — no shift)

Modals that don’t shift

Some modals don’t have past forms or don’t shift:

• would → stays would
• could → stays could
• might → stays might
• should → stays should
• ought to → stays ought to

“I would help.” → He said he would help. (no change)

Pronoun shifts

Pronouns adjust based on who’s reporting to whom.

Direct: She said, “I like your book.” Reported: She said (that) she liked my book. (from my perspective)

The pronouns become consistent with the new speaker’s vantage point.

Time and place expressions

When you shift to past reporting, time and place words shift too:

Example

Direct: “I am leaving tomorrow.” Reported: He said he was leaving the next day.

Direct: “I saw her yesterday.” Reported: He said he had seen her the day before.

Reporting questions

Questions in reported speech work differently from statements:

1. No question mark at the end
2. No question word order — use statement order (subject-verb)
3. No do/does/did in the reported version

Yes/no questions

Use if or whether:

Direct: “Do you speak English?” Reported: He asked if/whether I spoke English.

Wh-questions

Keep the wh-word:

Direct: “Where do you live?” Reported: He asked where I lived.

Direct: “What did you do?” Reported: He asked what I had done.

Note: in the reported question, the word order is statement order (subject + verb), not inverted question order.

❌ He asked where did I live. ✅ He asked where I lived.

Reporting commands and requests

Use tell + object + to-infinitive for commands, and ask + object + to-infinitive for requests.

Direct: “Sit down!” Reported: He told me to sit down.

Direct: “Please help me.” Reported: He asked me to help him.

For negative commands:

Direct: “Don’t touch that!” Reported: He told me not to touch that.

Reporting verbs

Beyond say and tell, English has dozens of more specific reporting verbs. Choosing the right one captures the speaker’s attitude.

Verbs with that-clause

• say, tell, claim, admit, explain, deny, suggest, mention, complain, reply, agree, promise, threaten, warn

He explained that he was tired. She admitted that she had forgotten. He warned us that the road was dangerous.

Verbs with to-infinitive

• promise to, refuse to, agree to, decide to, offer to

He promised to call. She refused to leave.

Verbs with object + to-infinitive

• tell, ask, advise, remind, warn, invite, persuade, encourage, urge

He told her to leave. She asked me to help. He warned us not to go.

Verbs with -ing form

• suggest, deny, admit, recommend, regret

He suggested going home. She admitted lying. I regret saying that.

Say vs. tell

• say doesn’t usually take a direct object (person): He said it was cold.
• tell requires a direct object (person): He told me it was cold.

❌ He said me it was cold. ✅ He told me it was cold. ✅ He said to me it was cold. (with to)

Free indirect speech (advanced)

In literary writing, English uses free indirect speech — a halfway form between direct and reported. The tenses shift (like reported speech) but the pronouns may keep the character’s perspective.

She paused. What if he had already left? She would never forgive herself.

Used heavily by Austen, Flaubert (in translation), Woolf — gives access to thought without the formal “she thought that…”

What you don’t need to do

You don’t need to shift the tense for present-reporting (she says…). Only past reporting (she said…) triggers the shift.

You don’t need to shift tenses for general truths. The teacher said the earth is round — no need to shift to was round.

You don’t need to use that always. He said (that) he was tired — the that is optional in conversation.

You don’t need to invert in reported questions. Use statement word order.

Common confusions

• No inversion in reported questions. He asked where I lived, not He asked where did I live.
• No question mark in reported speech. Reported questions end with a period.
• Say doesn’t take a person object; tell does. He told me, He said it, but not He said me.
• Some tenses don’t shift back. Past perfect, modals like could/would/should, and general truths stay the same.
• Time expressions must shift. Now → then, today → that day, tomorrow → the next day.

Where you’ll meet it in the library

Reported speech is fundamental to all narrative prose:

• Pride and Prejudice (B1+) — Austen’s narrator constantly reports what characters say, often without quoting them. The novel is a master class in indirect speech.
• Dracula (B1+) — Stoker’s journal-form novel reports conversations, telegrams, and letters within letters. Multiple layers of reported speech.
• A Christmas Carol (A2+) — Dickens uses both direct quotation and reported speech, often within the same paragraph. The interplay creates the storytelling rhythm.