Reported Speech — What They Actually Said
Reported Speech — What They Actually Said
⏱ 5 minutes
Grammar
In the restaurant world, messages get passed through a chain of people. “The head chef says the fish is off.” “The manager says we need to cover table 8.” “A guest said she was waiting for twenty minutes.” Every one of those is reported speech. It’s one of the most-used grammar structures in professional English.
🎯 Language Focus
| Rule | Present → Past when reporting: “I am tired” → She said she was tired |
| Say vs Tell | say (+ words): “He said he was late.” / tell (+ person): “He told me he was late.” |
| Time shifts | now → then | today → that day | tomorrow → the next day | here → there |
| Yes/No question | “Are you ready?” → She asked if I was ready. |
✏️ Quick Practice — Try It!
💡 Your 5-Minute Takeaway
When reporting in past → shift all verbs one tense back. am→was, is→was, will→would, can→could. This backshift is the engine of reported speech.
Independent educational resource. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or accredited by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Confers no qualification. Grammar reference: Swan, Practical English Usage. Frameworks: PPP, TBLT, ESA (standard ELT methodology).
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