Reported speech: statements

Reported speech: statements

Do you know how to report what somebody else said? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see how we can tell someone what another person said.

direct speech: 'I love the Toy Story films,' she said.
indirect speech: She said she loved the Toy Story films.

direct speech: 'I worked as a waiter before becoming a chef,' he said.
indirect speech: He said he'd worked as a waiter before becoming a chef.

direct speech: 'I'll phone you tomorrow,' he said.
indirect speech: He said he'd phone me the next day.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar test 1

Grammar B1-B2: Reported speech 1: 1

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

Reported speech is when we tell someone what another person said. To do this, we can use direct speech or indirect speech.

direct speech: 'I work in a bank,' said Daniel.
indirect speech: Daniel said that he worked in a bank.

In indirect speech, we often use a tense which is 'further back' in the past (e.g. worked) than the tense originally used (e.g. work). This is called 'backshift'. We also may need to change other words that were used, for example pronouns.

Present simple, present continuous and present perfect

When we backshift, present simple changes to past simple, present continuous changes to past continuous and present perfect changes to past perfect.

'I travel a lot in my job.'
  • Jamila said that she travelled a lot in her job.
'The baby's sleeping!'
  • He told me the baby was sleeping.
'I've hurt my leg.'
  • She said she'd hurt her leg.

Past simple and past continuous

When we backshift, past simple usually changes to past perfect simple, and past continuous usually changes to past perfect continuous.

'We lived in China for five years.'
  • She told me they'd lived in China for five years.
'It was raining all day.'
  • He told me it had been raining all day.

Past perfect

The past perfect doesn't change.

'I'd tried everything without success, but this new medicine is great.'
  • He said he'd tried everything without success, but the new medicine was great.

No backshift

If what the speaker has said is still true or relevant, it's not always necessary to change the tense. This might happen when the speaker has used a present tense.

'I go to the gym next to your house.'
  • Jenny told me that she goes to the gym next to my house. I'm thinking about going with her.
'I'm working in Italy for the next six months.'
  • He told me he's working in Italy for the next six months. Maybe I should visit him!
'I've broken my arm!'
  • She said she's broken her arm, so she won't be at work this week.

Pronouns, demonstratives and adverbs of time and place

Pronouns also usually change in indirect speech.

'I enjoy working in my garden,' said Bob.
  • Bob said that he enjoyed working in his garden.
'We played tennis for our school,' said Alina.
  • Alina told me they'd played tennis for their school.

However, if you are the person or one of the people who spoke, then the pronouns don't change.

'I'm working on my thesis,' I said.
  • I told her that I was working on my thesis.
'We want our jobs back!' we said.
  • We said that we wanted our jobs back.

We also change demonstratives and adverbs of time and place if they are no longer accurate.

'This is my house.'
  • He said this was his house. [You are currently in front of the house.]
  • He said that was his house. [You are not currently in front of the house.]
'We like it here.'
  • She told me they like it here. [You are currently in the place they like.]
  • She told me they like it there. [You are not in the place they like.]
'I'm planning to do it today.'
  • She told me she's planning to do it today. [It is currently still the same day.]
  • She told me she was planning to do it that day. [It is not the same day any more.]

In the same way, these changes to those, now changes to then, yesterday changes to the day before, tomorrow changes to the next/following day and ago changes to before.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar test 2

Grammar B1-B2: Reported speech 1: 2

Language level

Average: 4.1 (120 votes)

Submitted by kindpao on Fri, 27/03/2020 - 00:56

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Thanks for the detailed explanation, it helped me a lot to understand the structure that is needed for this topic. I really appreciate it. And despite everything, I think I need a lot of practice :c

Submitted by Esperanza Mons… on Fri, 27/03/2020 - 00:52

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Hi ! The information on this page has helped me to easily understand the topic of Reported Speech. The exmples and tets are understandable,although i will continue practicing, relating this class with the common way in which i speak spanish. Thanks for the help

Submitted by alondra ZD on Fri, 27/03/2020 - 00:01

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this excersise helped me practice and remenber things that i had forgotten.

Submitted by Jizel Alarcón on Thu, 26/03/2020 - 21:57

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This information helped me understand the topic and the examples helped me understand it better.

Submitted by Paola Pérez Cerón on Thu, 26/03/2020 - 20:08

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This explanation is so good for my level. It really helped me to understand the topic and the excercises supplemented all the information

Submitted by Paola Pérez Cerón on Thu, 26/03/2020 - 20:04

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Tus content is so good. It explain the topic very clear. It helped me to understand it.

Submitted by Lizeth on Thu, 26/03/2020 - 16:03

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I find it a good way to learn. I like it and it's simple.

Submitted by Betty Lopez on Thu, 26/03/2020 - 06:02

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Thanks, I was able to understand with your examples about the topics: reporting verbs, reported speech and the topic of my interest: used to + infinitive and be or get used to + ing. Gracias, pude entender con sus ejemplos sobre los temas: reporting verbs, reported speech y el tema de mi interés: used to + infinitive and be or get used to + ing

Submitted by Fernanda Rojas on Thu, 26/03/2020 - 03:47

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This page is really very good, explains clearly and accurately each topic with examples and exercises for you to practice while you learn. I like it so much.