Reported Speech
Pass on what someone said — accurately, naturally, and without quoting word-for-word
From Sourov’s world: Working at Establishment in Sydney, I was often the bridge between French-speaking guests and English-speaking colleagues. A French guest would say: “Je veux changer ma table — il y a trop de bruit ici.” And I would turn to my colleague and say: “She said she wanted to change her table because it was too noisy there.” That switch — from direct speech to reported speech — is something multilingual people do dozens of times a day. It is also one of the trickiest areas of English grammar, because the tenses shift back in time.
📚 Language Focus
Meaning: Reported speech tells us what someone said, without using their exact words. Tenses usually shift one step back into the past.
Tense backshift:
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
|---|---|
| “I am tired.” (present simple) | She said she was tired. (past simple) |
| “I want to leave.” (present simple) | He said he wanted to leave. (past simple) |
| “I have eaten.” (present perfect) | She said she had eaten. (past perfect) |
| “I will call you.” (will) | He said he would call me. (would) |
Say vs Tell:
- say — no person object needed: She said it was ready.
- tell — needs a person: She told me it was ready. (NOT
told that)
Time and place changes:
- “here” → there | “now” → then | “today” → that day | “tomorrow” → the next day
CCQs: Are we using the speaker’s exact words? — No. Did the speaking happen in the past? — Yes, so tenses shift back. Do we use a person after “tell”? — Always.
💡 Examples
- Direct: “I don’t have a reservation.” → Reported: The guest said he didn’t have a reservation.
- Direct: “We will be there at 8.” → Reported: They said they would be there at 8.
- Direct: “I’ve already paid.” → Reported: She said she had already paid.
- Direct: “Bring me the wine list now.” → Reported: He told me to bring him the wine list.
- Direct: “Can you help me?” → Reported: She asked if I could help her.
✏️ Quick Check
Convert these direct speech sentences into reported speech.
- “I am very happy with the service.” (She said…)
- “We will come back tomorrow.” (They said…)
- “I have never tried Champagne.” (He told me…)
- “Call the manager immediately.” (The guest told me…)
- “Are you free this evening?” (She asked me…)
Show answers ▼
- She said she was very happy with the service.
- They said they would come back the next day.
- He told me he had never tried Champagne.
- The guest told me to call the manager immediately.
- She asked me if I was free that evening.
🗣️ Try It Yourself
Think of a conversation you had recently — with a friend, colleague or family member. Write 4 sentences reporting what was said, using said, told me, and asked. Pay attention to tense backshift and the change from “here/now” to “there/then.”
Independent project; not affiliated with, endorsed by, or accredited by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Confers no qualification. | Teacher background: Cambridge CELTA course completed — 120 supervised teaching-practice hours, 4 written assignments passed at the required standard.