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Reported Speech Tenses

Reported speech tenses will change from that of the direct speech in most cases.

This is known as backshifting in reported speech , with the basic rule that a tense is shifted back to its past tense form.

This is because we are usually talking about something in the past. 

You can also watch a video of this lesson:

reported speech verbs table

Backshifting in Reported Speech

Here are some examples of backshifting, with tenses going back from present to past:

Backshifting in Reported Speech

Reported Speech Tenses Change Chart

Below is a reported speech tense change chart with the rules for backshifting for each tense and for modal verbs.

You will see reported speech does not go back a tense if it is already in the past perfect (there is no further back it can go), and some modal verbs also do not change. 

If you are tested on this, though, these are the changes you need to make.

Reported Speech Chart for Tenses

Exceptions to the rules

This is a useful starting point. However, it is a simplification as we may not always decide or need to shift the tense back. 

For instance, if the circumstances we are reporting on  have not changed  since they were directly said, then the tense would not need to be changed. For example:

Direct Speech

  • I  am  happy 
  • (present simple)

Reported Speech

  • She said she is happy 

So if we want to convey that the situation is still true then we may keep the tense the same.

Alternatively, the tense could even forward shift. An example would be in relation to a film or book. In this case, the person may use the past tense to say that the film was good, but the present or past tense could be used when you convey that to someone else:

Direct Speech:

  • The film  was  really good!
  • (past simple)

Reported Speech:

  • He said that the film  was  very good!
  • (past simple) Or
  • He said that the film  is  very good!

As you can see, either reported speech tenses would be ok if you wanted to pass the information on to somebody else. The person said the film was good, and it is still good (it hasn't gone away).

So there are some general rules for reported speech tense changes but it can depend on the context. There may be no need to change it or you may be able to choose either tense.

Click the ' reported speech: practice forming indirect speech ' link below to practice changing tenses. 

More on Reported Speech:

This reported speech quiz gives you the chance to practice converting direct speech to reported speech, also known as indirect speech. This involves backshifting with the tenses.

Reported Speech Quiz - Practice forming indirect speech

This reported speech quiz gives you the chance to practice converting direct speech to reported speech, also known as indirect speech. This involves backshifting with the tenses.

In these examples of direct and indirect speech you are given a sentence in direct speech which is then connected to indirect speech.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

In these examples of direct and indirect speech you are given a sentence in direct speech which is then connected to indirect speech.

Reported speech imperatives, also known as reported commands, follow a slightly different structure to normal indirect speech. We use imperatives to give orders, advice, or make requests.

Reported Speech Imperatives: Reporting commands in indirect speech

Reported speech imperatives, also known as reported commands, follow a slightly different structure to normal indirect speech. We use imperatives to give orders, advice, or make requests.

Direct and indirect speech are different because in direct speech the exact words said are spoken, but in indirect or reported speech, we are reporting what was said, usually using the past tense.

Direct and Indirect Speech: The differences explained

Direct and indirect speech are different because in direct speech the exact words said are spoken, but in indirect or reported speech, we are reporting what was said, usually using the past tense.

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Reported Speech Tense Chart

Direct SpeechIndirect Speech


Greg said, "I am an English teacher."



Edward said, "I am watching the news."


Edward said that he was watching the news.


Silva said, "I went to school yesterday."


Silva said that she had gone to school the day before.


Captain said, "I have built a ship."


Captain said that he had built a ship.


Eli said, "I will buy the book tomorrow"


Eli said that she would buy the book tomorrow.


She said, "I have been waiting for two hours."


She said that she had been waiting for two hours.


My mom said to her, "If you come tomorrow, I will introduce you to my husband."


My mother told her that if she came the next day, she would introduce her to her husband.


Lori said to William, "If you loved me, you would say it."


Lori told William that if he loved her, he would tell her.

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Reported Speech – Rules, Examples

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| Candace Osmond

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Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond studied Advanced Writing & Editing Essentials at MHC. She’s been an International and USA TODAY Bestselling Author for over a decade. And she’s worked as an Editor for several mid-sized publications. Candace has a keen eye for content editing and a high degree of expertise in Fiction.

They say gossip is a natural part of human life. That’s why language has evolved to develop grammatical rules about the “he said” and “she said” statements. We call them reported speech.

Every time we use reported speech in English, we are talking about something said by someone else in the past. Thinking about it brings me back to high school, when reported speech was the main form of language!

Learn all about the definition, rules, and examples of reported speech as I go over everything. I also included a worksheet at the end of the article so you can test your knowledge of the topic.

What Does Reported Speech Mean?

Grammarist Article Graphic V3 2022 10 25T162134.388

Reported speech is a term we use when telling someone what another person said. You can do this while speaking or writing.

There are two kinds of reported speech you can use: direct speech and indirect speech. I’ll break each down for you.

A direct speech sentence mentions the exact words the other person said. For example:

  • Kryz said, “These are all my necklaces.”

Indirect speech changes the original speaker’s words. For example:

  • Kryz said those were all her necklaces.

When we tell someone what another individual said, we use reporting verbs like told, asked, convinced, persuaded, and said. We also change the first-person figure in the quotation into the third-person speaker.

Reported Speech Examples

We usually talk about the past every time we use reported speech. That’s because the time of speaking is already done. For example:

  • Direct speech: The employer asked me, “Do you have experience with people in the corporate setting?”

Indirect speech: The employer asked me if I had experience with people in the corporate setting.

  • Direct speech: “I’m working on my thesis,” I told James.

Indirect speech: I told James that I was working on my thesis.

Reported Speech Structure

A speech report has two parts: the reporting clause and the reported clause. Read the example below:

  • Harry said, “You need to help me.”

The reporting clause here is William said. Meanwhile, the reported clause is the 2nd clause, which is I need your help.

What are the 4 Types of Reported Speech?

Aside from direct and indirect, reported speech can also be divided into four. The four types of reported speech are similar to the kinds of sentences: imperative, interrogative, exclamatory, and declarative.

Reported Speech Rules

The rules for reported speech can be complex. But with enough practice, you’ll be able to master them all.

Choose Whether to Use That or If

The most common conjunction in reported speech is that. You can say, “My aunt says she’s outside,” or “My aunt says that she’s outside.”

Use if when you’re reporting a yes-no question. For example:

  • Direct speech: “Are you coming with us?”

Indirect speech: She asked if she was coming with them.

Verb Tense Changes

Change the reporting verb into its past form if the statement is irrelevant now. Remember that some of these words are irregular verbs, meaning they don’t follow the typical -d or -ed pattern. For example:

  • Direct speech: I dislike fried chicken.

Reported speech: She said she disliked fried chicken.

Note how the main verb in the reported statement is also in the past tense verb form.

Use the simple present tense in your indirect speech if the initial words remain relevant at the time of reporting. This verb tense also works if the report is something someone would repeat. For example:

  • Slater says they’re opening a restaurant soon.
  • Maya says she likes dogs.

This rule proves that the choice of verb tense is not a black-and-white question. The reporter needs to analyze the context of the action.

Move the tense backward when the reporting verb is in the past tense. That means:

  • Present simple becomes past simple.
  • Present perfect becomes past perfect.
  • Present continuous becomes past continuous.
  • Past simple becomes past perfect.
  • Past continuous becomes past perfect continuous.

Here are some examples:

  • The singer has left the building. (present perfect)

He said that the singers had left the building. (past perfect)

  • Her sister gave her new shows. (past simple)
  • She said that her sister had given her new shoes. (past perfect)

If the original speaker is discussing the future, change the tense of the reporting verb into the past form. There’ll also be a change in the auxiliary verbs.

  • Will or shall becomes would.
  • Will be becomes would be.
  • Will have been becomes would have been.
  • Will have becomes would have.

For example:

  • Direct speech: “I will be there in a moment.”

Indirect speech: She said that she would be there in a moment.

Do not change the verb tenses in indirect speech when the sentence has a time clause. This rule applies when the introductory verb is in the future, present, and present perfect. Here are other conditions where you must not change the tense:

  • If the sentence is a fact or generally true.
  • If the sentence’s verb is in the unreal past (using second or third conditional).
  • If the original speaker reports something right away.
  • Do not change had better, would, used to, could, might, etc.

Changes in Place and Time Reference

Changing the place and time adverb when using indirect speech is essential. For example, now becomes then and today becomes that day. Here are more transformations in adverbs of time and places.

  • This – that.
  • These – those.
  • Now – then.
  • Here – there.
  • Tomorrow – the next/following day.
  • Two weeks ago – two weeks before.
  • Yesterday – the day before.

Here are some examples.

  • Direct speech: “I am baking cookies now.”

Indirect speech: He said he was baking cookies then.

  • Direct speech: “Myra went here yesterday.”

Indirect speech: She said Myra went there the day before.

  • Direct speech: “I will go to the market tomorrow.”

Indirect speech: She said she would go to the market the next day.

Using Modals

Grammarist Article Graphic V3 2022 10 25T162624.255

If the direct speech contains a modal verb, make sure to change them accordingly.

  • Will becomes would
  • Can becomes could
  • Shall becomes should or would.
  • Direct speech: “Will you come to the ball with me?”

Indirect speech: He asked if he would come to the ball with me.

  • Direct speech: “Gina can inspect the room tomorrow because she’s free.”

Indirect speech: He said Gina could inspect the room the next day because she’s free.

However, sometimes, the modal verb should does not change grammatically. For example:

  • Direct speech: “He should go to the park.”

Indirect speech: She said that he should go to the park.

Imperative Sentences

To change an imperative sentence into a reported indirect sentence, use to for imperative and not to for negative sentences. Never use the word that in your indirect speech. Another rule is to remove the word please . Instead, say request or say. For example:

  • “Please don’t interrupt the event,” said the host.

The host requested them not to interrupt the event.

  • Jonah told her, “Be careful.”
  • Jonah ordered her to be careful.

Reported Questions

When reporting a direct question, I would use verbs like inquire, wonder, ask, etc. Remember that we don’t use a question mark or exclamation mark for reports of questions. Below is an example I made of how to change question forms.

  • Incorrect: He asked me where I live?

Correct: He asked me where I live.

Here’s another example. The first sentence uses direct speech in a present simple question form, while the second is the reported speech.

  • Where do you live?

She asked me where I live.

Wrapping Up Reported Speech

My guide has shown you an explanation of reported statements in English. Do you have a better grasp on how to use it now?

Reported speech refers to something that someone else said. It contains a subject, reporting verb, and a reported cause.

Don’t forget my rules for using reported speech. Practice the correct verb tense, modal verbs, time expressions, and place references.

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reported speech verbs table

Reporting Verbs

Perfect english grammar.

reported speech verbs table

  • She said (that) she had already eaten.
  • I told John (that) I had seen the new film.
  • She told the children to go to bed.
  • I asked my boss if I could leave early.
  • She asked them where the station was.
  • I asked Lucy to pass me the salt.
  • She advised him to see a doctor.
  • The staff advise that you carry water at all times.
  • I'd advise against leaving early.
  • We agreed to meet the following day.
  • I agreed that the children could do their homework later.
  • They apologised to us for being late.
  • She apologised for forgetting the book.
  • She apologised for the delay.
  • They decided to go to the cinema.
  • They decided that they would go to the cinema.
  • She encouraged him to take the exam again.
  • The teacher encouraged the students to ask questions.
  • The teacher explained that the course was finished.
  • She explained the grammar to the students.
  • They explained how to buy a train ticket on the internet.
  • John explained where to find the restaurant.
  • We explained what the exams would cover.
  • He insisted on paying.
  • He insisted that we sit down.
  • He promised to arrive early.
  • I promised him that I wouldn't do it again.
  • I recommend visiting the British Museum while you're in London.
  • I recommend that you visit the British Museum
  • She reminded him to take his keys.
  • They reminded me that there is a party tonight.
  • I suggest leaving soon
  • I suggest that you come as soon as you can.
  • I warned them not to go in the water.
  • She warned us about the dangerous roads.
  • When there's a clause, we make the negative in the usual way: She said that she didn't like ice cream.
  • When there's 'to + infinitive', we generally put 'not' before 'to': He promised not to do it again.
  • When there's 'verb-ing', we generally put 'not' in front of it: I advise not taking the bus.
  • I advise that he go to bed early. (Normally we'd expect: I advise that he goes to bed early.)
  • I insist that she come now. (Normally we'd expect: I insist that she comes now.)
  • They suggested that the cats be put in the garden for the night. (Normally we'd expect: They suggested that the cats are put in the garden for the night.)

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Reported Speech in English Grammar

What is reported speech.

Reported speech is when we repeat what another person has said but instead of using their exact words in quotation marks (direct speech), we use subordinate clause introduced by a reporting verb like the ones below:

Often, we have to change the tense, pronouns and time markers in reported speech.

Learn the rules for writing indirect speech in English with Lingolia’s simple explanation. In the exercises, you can test your grammar skills.

Changing direct speech to reported speech

Changing the tense (backshifting), no change of tenses, questions in reported speech, demands/requests, expressions with who/what/how + infinitive, typical changes to time and place markers.

  • Exercises – Reported Speech
“I’ve prepared a presentation about the product, if you’re interested?”
“I would love to see it. … This product is exactly what my company has been looking for! Is there any room to negotiate on price?”
“I’m happy to hear that. Unfortunately, pricing is fixed.”
“That’s a shame, but I appreciate your transparency. Could you send me a written offer?”
“Yes, I will contact you tomorrow to finalise the details.”

I had an appointment with a new client yesterday. I told him that and he said .
After, he said that and asked .
I said no and he said that .
I said .

When turning direct speech into reported speech, we may have to change all or some of the following:

  • the pronouns
  • information about time and place (see the table at the end of this page)
  • the tense (backshift)

If the reporting verb is in the simple past (e.g. said, told, asked, replied … ), the tense has to be set back by one degree (see the table below). This is known as backshifting .

Direct Speech Reported Speech
simple present simple past
present progressive past progressive
simple past past perfect simple
present perfect simple
past perfect simple
past progressive past perfect progressive
present perfect progressive
past perfect progressive
future with going to was / were going to
future with will conditional (would)
would

The verbs could, should, would, might, must, needn’t, ought to, used to normally do not change.

If the reporting verb is in the simple present (e.g. says, tells, asks, replies … ), then the tense remains unchanged.

While the tense remains unchanged, we often still have to change the verb form to match the new pronouns.

that after a reporting verb

We often omit the word that after a reporting verb, especially in spoken language and informal contexts.

When turning questions into reported speech, we follow the same rules as for declarative sentences: we change the pronouns as well as the time and place markers and backshift the tense as needed.

In addition, we also have to bear in mind the following:

  • instead of that , we use a question word after the reporting verb; if there is no question word, we use whether / if instead
  • questions in reported speech follow declarative sentence word order (subject + verb)
  • we don’t use the auxiliary verb do/did for questions in reported speech; instead, the main verb appears in the simple past without an auxiliary verb
  • put the verb directly after who or what in subject questions.

Questions in reported speech do not end in a question mark.

When turning orders, demands and requests into reported speech, we only need to change the pronouns and the time and place information.

We don’t have to pay attention to the tense – we simply use an infinitive rather than a conjugated verb.

If the imperative is negated, then we use not + infinitive .

To express what someone should or can do in reported speech, we leave out the subject and the modal verb and instead we use the construction who/what/where/how + infinitive .

Direct Speech Indirect Speech
today that day
now then
at that moment/time
yesterday the day before
… days ago … days before
last week the week before
next year the following year
tomorrow the next day
the following day
here there
this that
these those

say vs. tell

The words say and tell are not interchangeable.

  • say = say something
  • tell = say something to someone

Head over to the vocabulary section to learn more about the difference between say and tell .

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reported speech verbs table

Reported Speech: Rules, Examples, Exceptions

reported speech verbs table

👉 Quiz 1 / Quiz 2

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What is reported speech?

“Reported speech” is when we talk about what somebody else said – for example:

  • Direct Speech: “I’ve been to London three times.”
  • Reported Speech: She said she’d been to London three times.

There are a lot of tricky little details to remember, but don’t worry, I’ll explain them and we’ll see lots of examples. The lesson will have three parts – we’ll start by looking at statements in reported speech, and then we’ll learn about some exceptions to the rules, and finally we’ll cover reported questions, requests, and commands.

Use reported speech to talk about what someone said in the past

So much of English grammar – like this topic, reported speech – can be confusing, hard to understand, and even harder to use correctly. I can help you learn grammar easily and use it confidently inside my Advanced English Grammar Course.

In this course, I will make even the most difficult parts of English grammar clear to you – and there are lots of opportunities for you to practice!

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Backshift of Verb Tenses in Reported Speech

When we use reported speech, we often change the verb tense backwards in time. This can be called “backshift.”

Here are some examples in different verb tenses:

Simple present

“I to go home.”

Simple past

She said she to go home.

Present continuous

“I a good book.”

Past continuous

She said she a good book.

Simple past

“I pasta for dinner last night.”

Past perfect

She said she pasta for dinner the night before.

Present perfect

“I just cleaning my room.”

“My mother never to Japan.”

Past perfect

She said she just cleaning her room.

She said her mother never to Japan.

Can/can’t

“I meet with you next Monday.”

“Sorry, I talk now; I’m at work.”

Could/couldn’t

She said she meet with me next Monday.

She said she talk at the moment because she was at work.

Will/won’t

“I pick him up from the airport.”

“I tell anyone your secret.”

Would/wouldn’t

She said she pick him up from the airport.

She said she tell anyone my secret.

Should

“You apologize.”

Should

She said I apologize.

Reported Speech (Part 1) Quiz

Exceptions to Backshift in Reported Speech

Now that you know some of the reported speech rules about backshift, let’s learn some exceptions.

There are two situations in which we do NOT need to change the verb tense.

No backshift needed when the situation is still true

For example, if someone says “I have three children” (direct speech) then we would say “He said he has three children” because the situation continues to be true.

If I tell you “I live in the United States” (direct speech) then you could tell someone else “She said she lives in the United States” (that’s reported speech) because it is still true.

When the situation is still true, then we don’t need to backshift the verb.

reported speech verbs table

But when the situation is NOT still true, then we DO need to backshift the verb.

Imagine your friend says, “I have a headache.”

  • If you immediately go and talk to another friend, you could say, “She said she has a headache,” because the situation is still true
  • If you’re talking about that conversation a month after it happened, then you would say, “She said she had a headache,” because it’s no longer true.

No backshift needed when the situation is still in the future

We also don’t need to backshift to the verb when somebody said something about the future, and the event is still in the future.

Here’s an example:

  • On Monday, my friend said, “I ‘ll call you on Friday .”
  • “She said she ‘ll call me on Friday”, because Friday is still in the future from now.
  • It is also possible to say, “She said she ‘d (she would) call me on Friday.”
  • Both of them are correct, so the backshift in this case is optional.

Let’s look at a different situation:

  • On Monday, my friend said, “I ‘ll call you on Tuesday .”
  • “She said she ‘d  call me on Tuesday.” I must backshift because the event is NOT still in the future.

Backshift is not necessary when the event is still in the future

Review: Reported Speech, Backshift, & Exceptions

Quick review:

  • Normally in reported speech we backshift the verb, we put it in a verb tense that’s a little bit further in the past.
  • when the situation is still true
  • when the situation is still in the future

Reported Requests, Orders, and Questions

Those were the rules for reported statements, just regular sentences.

What about reported speech for questions, requests, and orders?

For reported requests, we use “asked (someone) to do something”:

  • “Please make a copy of this report.” (direct speech)
  • She asked me to make a copy of the report. (reported speech)

For reported orders, we use “told (someone) to do something:”

  • “Go to the bank.” (direct speech)
  • “He told me to go to the bank.” (reported speech)

The main verb stays in the infinitive with “to”:

  • She asked me to make a copy of the report. She asked me  make  a copy of the report.
  • He told me to go to the bank. He told me  go  to the bank.

For yes/no questions, we use “asked if” and “wanted to know if” in reported speech.

  • “Are you coming to the party?” (direct)
  • He asked if I was coming to the party. (reported)
  • “Did you turn off the TV?” (direct)
  • She wanted to know if I had turned off the TV.” (reported)

The main verb changes and back shifts according to the rules and exceptions we learned earlier.

Notice that we don’t use do/does/did in the reported question:

  • She wanted to know did I turn off the TV.
  • She wanted to know if I had turned off the TV.

For other questions that are not yes/no questions, we use asked/wanted to know (without “if”):

  • “When was the company founded?” (direct)
  • She asked when the company was founded.” (reported)
  • “What kind of car do you drive?” (direct)
  • He wanted to know what kind of car I drive. (reported)

Again, notice that we don’t use do/does/did in reported questions:

  • “Where does he work?”
  • She wanted to know  where does he work.
  • She wanted to know where he works.

Also, in questions with the verb “to be,” the word order changes in the reported question:

  • “Where were you born?” ([to be] + subject)
  • He asked where I was born. (subject + [to be])
  • He asked where was I born.

reported speech verbs table

Reported Speech (Part 2) Quiz

Learn more about reported speech:

  • Reported speech: Perfect English Grammar
  • Reported speech: BJYU’s

If you want to take your English grammar to the next level, then my Advanced English Grammar Course is for you! It will help you master the details of the English language, with clear explanations of essential grammar topics, and lots of practice. I hope to see you inside!

I’ve got one last little exercise for you, and that is to write sentences using reported speech. Think about a conversation you’ve had in the past, and write about it – let’s see you put this into practice right away.

Master the details of English grammar:

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reported speech verbs table

Table of Contents

What is reported speech, direct speech vs reported speech.

Direct speechReported speech
She says: “I like tuna fish.”She says that she likes tuna fish.
She said: “I’m visiting Paris next weekend.”She said that she was visiting Paris the following weekend.
He asked Betty: “Do you like cheese?”He wanted to know if Betty liked cheese.

Different types of reported speech

A. reporting statements, 1- pronouns.

Shifting back tenseDirect speechReported speech
(no backshift)“I poems.”He that he poems.
(backshift)“I poems He that he poems.
Direct SpeechReported Speech

He said: “I happy”

He said that he happy

He said: “I for my keys”

He said that he for his keys

He said: “I New York last year”

He said that he New York the previous year.

He said: ” I here for a long time “

He said that he there for a long time

He said: “They the work when I “

He said that they the work when he “

He said: “I football when the accident “

He said that football when the accident

He said: “I football for two hours.”

He said that football for two hours

He said: “I a newspaper when the light “

He said that he a newspaper when the light

He said: “I the door.”

He said that the door.

He said: “I a Mercedes if I rich”

He said that he a Mercedes if he rich

3. Modal verbs

ModalDirect speechReported speech
can“I do it.”He said that he do it.
may“ I go out?”He wanted to know if he go out.
must“She apply for the job.”He said that she apply for the job.
will“They call you.”He told her that they call her.

4- Place, demonstratives, and time expressions

Direct SpeechReported Speech
Time Expressions
todaythat day
nowthen
yesterdaythe day before
… days ago… days before
last weekthe week before/the previous week
next yearthe following year/the next year/ the year after
tomorrowthe next day/the following day
Place
herethere
Demonstratives
thisthat
thesethose

B. Reporting Questions

Types of questionsDirect speechReported speech
With question words (what, why, where, how…)“Why don’t you speak English?”He asked me why I didn’t speak English.
Without question words (yes or no questions)“Do you speak English?”He asked me whether/if I spoke English.

C. Reporting requests/commands

Direct speechReported speech
“Nancy, do the exercise.”He told Nancy to do the exercise.
“Nancy, give me your pen, please.”He asked Nancy to give him her pen.
Tenses are not relevant for requests, simply use / + verb (infinitive without “to”)
For affirmative use + infinitive (without to) For negative requests, use + infinitive (without to).

D. Other transformations

Main clauses connected with and/but, punctuation rules of the reported speech, can we omit that in the reported speech, list of reporting verbs.

Direct speechReported speech
simple presentsimple past
simple pastpast perfect
present continuouspast continuous
past continuouspast perfect continuous
willwould
shallshould
maymight
cancould
musthad to

English grammar and vocabulary

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  • Conditional sentences
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  • Question and answer forms
  • Reported Speech
  • The English verb
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Reported speech.

How to use reported speech in english, structure and explanations., table showing tense changes - direct to reported speech..

This table (right column) shows the verb tense or modal verb we use after we change from direct speech to reported speech.

present simple

past simple

present continuous

past continuous

present perfect simple

past perfect simple

present perfect continuous

past perfect continuous

past simple

past perfect simple

past continuous

past perfect continuous

past perfect simple

past perfect simple

past perfect continuous

past perfect continuous

 

will

would

shall

should

can

could

could

could

would

would

must

must / had to

should

should

ought to

ought to

may

might

might

might

Learn more about the tenses and modals in this list...

What is reported speech?

Reported speech is a structure used to repeat what somebody has said before (direct speech):

John: "My name is John" (direct speech) He said (that*) his name was John (reported speech)

* that can be omitted.

Note that after the verb said , which is in past tense, it is natural to continue the rest of the sentence in the past: "...his name was John". This does not mean that John is now not his name; we use the past for agreement of the verbs in the sentence: said and was .

However, if John is still John, we cannot reject the present tense. So that...

He said that his name is John.

...is also correct.

Let's consider a sentence said a week ago:

Mary: "I am going to Madrid."

If, a week later, we repeat what Mary said, we must now use the verb in past tense because the action cannot refer to the present  but to  seven days before :

Mary said that she was going to Madrid.

A tense one step further in the past.

We can see that I'm going in direct speech changes to I was going in reported speech. All tenses change to one step further in the past. In the above example, present continuous to past continuous .

In this next example, we can see how present perfect changes to past perfect :

Dave: I have seen that film. Dave said that he had seen that film.

In the case where we can not go further into the past, we repeat the same tense:

Mike: I had been there. He said that he had been there.

Other words that change.

Let's now look at other words that can change in reported speech if we refer to past actions:

I'm going tomorrow . He said he was going the next day (o " the following day ").

I'm playing football next week . He said he was playing football the following week .

I went last week . He said he had gone the week before .

If we have also moved in space, in other words, we are not in the same place where the direct speech was said, words referring to place must also change:

I like it here . He said that he liked it there .

here

there

this

that

these

those

today

that day

tomorrow

the following day

yesterday

the day before

next week

the following week

last week

the week before

now

then

two days ago

two days before

Reported speech and modal auxiliary verbs.

Modal auxiliary verbs, in some cases, have also got a past tense form which is used in reported speech:

I can speak English. He said that he could speak English.

I 'll see you next week. She said that she would see him the following week.

See table above for full list of modals that change...

Reported speech and closed questions.

Let's now consider this question:

Is your name John?

A question in reported speech that requires the answer yes or no (closed question) must include  if . In other words, we want to know if the answer is yes or no :

She asked him if his name was John.

Open questions and inversion.

Open questions which do not require a yes or no , for example, questions with words like: what?, when?, why?, who?, which?, how?, whose?, where?, how much? , what time?, etc. usually take inversion between the subject and auxiliary (or verb to be) in direct speech but no inversion in reported speech:

What is your name ? She asked what his name was (and not, ... what was his name ).

How much are the potatoes ? They asked how much the potatoes were (and not, ... how much were the potatoes ).

Where can we go? He asked where they could go (and not, ... where could they go ).

When did you see that film? She asked when he had seen that film (and not, ... where had he seen that film).

Reporting Verbs in English: List with Examples & Exercises

Reporting verbs are used when you want to tell someone about another conversation. We also call this reported speech or indirect speech. Two examples of reporting verbs are say and tell. There are many others and these have different meanings and grammar structures. In this study guide, we’ll look at examples of these verbs and show you how to use them correctly. We’ll also look at reporting verbs to improve your academic writing. Let’s go!

reported speech verbs table

What are reporting verbs?

Reporting verbs list.

  • How do I use them?

Reporting verbs in academic writing

  • Test your knowledge: exercises

How to practise English online

What you will learn: 

Reporting verbs (or referring verbs) are words used to report about (or refer to) what another person has said, written or done. These verbs are used in reported speech, which can be direct or indirect.

The first reporting verbs that English students learn are usually say and tell . For example compare i) and ii) below:

  • “It’s my birthday next weekend. Please, make a birthday cake for me!” Charlotte said to her mum ( direct speech)

Charlotte told her mum to make a birthday cake for her. ( indirect speech)

There are many other reporting verbs in English. These can be particularly useful in formal and academic writing.

reported speech verbs table

General reporting verbs

In this table, we have listed out some common reporting verbs that are used in everyday English. To help you understand how to correctly place them in a sentence, we have put them into approximate categories based on their most common usage. However, you should remember that some of these reporting verbs can be used in difference contexts and sometimes with different grammar structures.

Refuse
Decide
Promise
Demand
Agree
Threaten
Hope
Remind
Ask
Beg
Warn
Order
Encourage
Persuade
Advise
Urge
Deny
Suggest
Recommend
Admit
Insist (on)
Think (about)
Blame (smbd for)
Accuse (smbd of)
Apologise (to smbd for)
Complain (to smbd about)
Confess (to)
Forbid (smbd from)

Academic reporting verbs

In the table below, we’ve listed out the reporting verbs in groups based on their general meanings. We have also indicated the relative “strength” of each verb. For example, if I imply (suggest/hint, weak) that you are wrong, this is very different from if I assert (state/say, strong) that you are wrong. Remember that English is seldom “black vs. white” – there are often several degrees of meaning.

SayAssert thatMention smth/that
State that
Point out smth/that
Add smth/that
Outline smth/that
Describe smth/how
Note smth/that
Comment on smth/that
SuggestWarn that
Affirm that
Propose smth/that
Hypothesise that
Theorise that
Imply that
Put forward  smth
 

Show

Prove smth/that
Reveal smth/that
Show smth/that
Demonstrate smth/that
Establish smth/that
Hint at smth
Allude to smth
PersuadeConvince smbd
ExplainIdentify smth
Illustrate smth/how
Clarify smth
ExamineScrutinise smthInvestigate smth
Study smth
Inquire into smth/whether
 

Agree

Support smth
Concur that
Acknowledge smth/that
Recognise smth/that
Echo smth
Concede smth
DisagreeChallenge smth
Refute smth
Reject smth
Oppose smth
Object to smth
Deny smth
Rebuff smth
Doubt smth/whetherQuestion smth/whether
BelieveInsist on smth/that
Maintain that
Hold smth/that
Profess that
Subscribe to smth
Assume that

How do I use reporting verbs?

Understanding what the verbs mean is generally the easiest step. You see a new word, you learn what the word means in your own language and you learn how to pronounce it in English. In actual fact, you can only really say you’ve learnt a word when you also know how to accurately use it in a sentence.

Let’s return to our example with Charlotte’s birthday cake:

 “It’s my birthday next weekend. Make a birthday cake for me,” Charlotte said to her mum ( direct speech)

Easy, right? Now let’s consider that there are many other ways that Charlotte could say this in English. Depending on what she said and how she said it, you might need to use a different reporting verb, not just say or tell . For example:

  • If you want to express the idea of “ Don’t forget ” “ Don’t forget to make a birthday cake for me.” Charlotte reminded her mum to make a cake.
  • If you want to express the idea of “ No, I don’t want to do something ” (i) “ I’m not going to make my own birthday cake!” Charlotte said that she wouldn’t make her own cake.(ii) “ I’m not going to make my birthday cake. You can do it!” Charlotte refused to make a cake. (iii) “I’ve got lots of work to do this weekend and I might be too busy for other things”Charlotte hinted that she wouldn’t make the cake.  

In these sentences, there are three different verbs (say, hint, refuse). They all mean “no” but say is a neutral verb, hint is a weak verb, and refuse is much stronger .

  • If you want to express the idea of “Please do this!” “ Can you make a birthday cake for me, please ?” Charlotte asked her mum to make a cake. “ Please, please, please, can you make a cake for my birthday?” Charlotte begged her mum to make a cake (or) Charlotte pleaded with her mum to make a birthday cake. Ask, plead and beg all have a similar meaning, but plead and beg are much stronger than ask.

Learning words in English is like collecting bricks to build a house. It’s not enough just to get the bricks. You also need to learn how to arrange them correctly so that your house is solid! You can’t build a good house from just a couple of bricks (e.g. say and tell). That’s why you need to learn more vocabulary – like reporting verbs. We don’t want the Big Bad Wolf to blow your house down!

Let’s take a look at HOW to use reporting verbs in real sentences. Below, we have divided the verbs into their different grammar structures so they are easier for you to learn.

1. Reporting verb + infinitive

Verbs: Refuse, decide, promise, demand, agree, threaten, plead with Examples:

reported speech verbs table

  • Charlotte refused to make a cake. ( NOT : Charlotte refused making a cake)
  • My boss decided to give me a promotion.
  • The teacher demanded to know who was responsible for the mess.
  • We agreed to keep quiet and not tell anyone the news. (or) We agreed that we would keep quiet.
  • We threatened to go to the police.
  • They pleaded with the man to release the hostage.

2. Reporting verb + somebody + (not) infinitive

Verbs : remind, ask, beg, warn , order, encourage, persuade, advise, urge, agree Examples :

  • Charlotte reminded her mum to make a cake.
  • They asked me to cook
  • He begged his friend not to tell
  • They warned me not to go there by myself.
  • The government has ordered everybody to stay at home.
  • Her parents always encourage her to work
  • They persuaded me to stay for another drink.
  • The doctor advised me to stop
  • Our new neighbours have invited us to have dinner with them tomorrow.

3. Reporting verb + verb +ing

Verbs: Deny, suggest, recommend, report, propose, admit

These verbs can be used with +ing or with that , but it’s generally better to be concise and use the +ing verb. Short and sweet! Examples :

  • They denied taking the last biscuit. (short) (or) They denied that they had taken the last biscuit. (long)
  • She admitted stealing the money. (or) She admitted that she had stolen the money. / She admitted to me that she had stolen the money.
  • She suggested taking a taxi because it would be quicker. (or) She suggested that we took a taxi.
  • I recommend going in the morning when the weather isn’t so hot. (or) I recommend ( that) we go in the morning.
  • I propose cancelling the next meeting until we have made a decision. (or) I propose that we cancel the next meeting.

4. Reporting verb + preposition + verb + ing

Verbs: Blame smbd for, accuse smbd of, insist on, apologise for, complain about, confess to, forbid smbd from, agree to, think about Examples :

  • They blamed me for missing the train.
  • She accused her friend of
  • He apologised for breaking the window.
  • She is thinking about moving to France.
  • He insisted on paying for everybody. / He insisted that he paid for everybody.
  • They complained about not having a small hotel room. / They complained that they didn’t have a bigger room.

The reporting verbs we use in academic writing also follow specific grammatical patterns. Again, it is important to know whether the verb needs +ing, the infinitive , or that after it.

5. Academic reporting verb + that

Verbs: Point out, find, observe , state, agree, believe, assert, claim, contend, explain, guess, assert, imply, reason, prove, note, report, reveal.

5. Academic reporting verb + that

  • Bosley (2017) found that elderly patients experience fewer symptoms of pain when they have regular access to some form of nature. (or) Bosley (2017) found a link between symptoms and access to nature. ( find smth )
  • Martinez (2008) and Zhang (2009) agree that … (or) Martinez (2008) and Zhang (2009) agree with this theory . ( agree with + smth/smbd )
  • Persson (2003) claims that a community is impossible without a shared aim.
  • Research conducted by Bradwell in 2017 revealed that there was a considerable difference in the amount of time UK and US teenagers spent with their families. (or) Research conducted by Bradwell in 2017 revealed a considerable difference in the amount of time UK and US teenagers spent with their families.

6. Academic reporting verb + smth

Verbs: Develop, study, focus on, acknowledge, doubt, contribute to, echo, subscribe to, question, disapprove of, dispute, reject, discuss, investigate, illustrate, present, outline, put forward, consider, support, emphasise, challenge, analyse, discard, identify, explore, propose, highlight, stress. Examples:

  • Wang (2016) supports the idea that there is a significant link between play and child development. NOT : Wang (2016) supports that there is a significant link between play and child development.  
  • Roberts (2018) identifies three possible factors in early diagnosis.
  • Solara (2015) questions the importance of this approach. (or) Solara (2015)  questions whether this approach is important.
  • Barboza (2018) rejects the three factors presented by Solara.
  • Miller (2016) discusses this theory in detail. NOT : Miller (2016) discusses about this theory in detail

In academic writing, reporting verbs are used when you want to refer to what another person has said. You do this to strengthen your own argument and to show that other academics think the same as you.

It would be easy to just learn the verb “to state”, and use this all the time. However, using a range of other verbs can allow you to express your opinion about the author’s idea more precisely. For example, “to state” is quite neutral , but “to claim” implies that there is no proof behind what the author is saying.

Past or present tense?

You can use both the past and the present tense in academic writing.

If you are talking about recent research, use the present. This makes a connection between past research and now, which adds weight to your argument.

  • Wang (2016) support s the idea that there is a significant link between play and child development. (present simple)

If you are talking about how research was conducted, you will need to use the past simple (either active or passive voice).

  • Wang (2016) examin ed fifty groups of siblings. (past simple) The siblings were asked the following questions. (passive voice)

Avoid these common mistakes!

  • It’s possible to express someone’s opinion using “According to…”. This does not need a reporting verb. “According to” does the job of a reporting verb already. e.g. “According to Covey (2017)…” (Not: “ According to Covey (2017) states that… ”)
  • A source written by one author will need a singular verb with “-s” at the end e.g. “Liu (2016) suggest s that…” (Not: “ Liu (2016) suggest that… ”)
  • A source written by more than one author will need a plural verb. e.g. “Liu and Helzer (2016) suggest that…” (Not: “ Liu and Helzer (2016) suggests that… ”)
  • If you use “et al.” to indicate multiple authors, this will also require a plural verb as it means “they”. e.g. “Rosenberg et al. (2018) argue that…” (Not: “ Rosenberg et al. (2018) argues that…” )

Reporting verbs: Exercises

  • Why didn’t you _____________ me that you don’t eat meat? a) say.  b) tell
  • I didn’t ____________ anything to you, because I was too worried. a) tell.    b) say
  • We __________ them to meet us in the main square at half past eleven. a) told.  b) said
  • You should ________ her that you don’t want to go on holiday. a) say.  b) tell
  • Are you going to ___________ anything to Sue about your good news? a) say.  b) tell
  • They have ________ that we will need to bring our own bed linen and towels. a) told.    b) said

Which of these sentences are right and which are wrong? Choose correct or incorrect.

  • She suggested to study together for the exam. a . Correct    b. Incorrect
  • I said you not to do that. a. Correct    b. Incorrect
  • I didn’t tell anyone anything. a . Correct.  b . Incorrect
  • We have decided live in the countryside. a. Correct    b. Incorrect
  • My grandmother always encouraged to learn to cook. a. Correct    b. Incorrect

Choose the correct verb to complete the sentences.

  • She invited me ________ to her house for a drink after work. a. go    b. going  c. to go
  • She asked me _________ some money. a. lending    b. to lend    c . to lend her
  • They persuaded me _________ to London with them. a. go    b. to go    c. of going
  • He advised _______ more exercise. a. I do    b. me to do    c. me doing
  • He begged me not _______ anybody about the accident. a. of telling    b. tell    c. to tell
  • He reminded ________ to renew the car insurance. a . to me    b. me    c. of me
  • She refused _______ the washing-up again! a. me to do    b. to do.  c. doing
  • She apologised _________ me an angry text message. a. of sending. b. for sending    c. sending
  • He admitted ________ the red wine on the sofa. a. spilling    b. to spill    c. spill of
  • He suggested _________ on a cycling holiday next year. a. go    b . going c. we going
  • He denied _________ my car. a. taking    b . to take    c. taking of
  • She decided __________ the risotto. a. having.  b. to have    c. to having

Exercise 1:

Exercise 2:

  • b. Incorrect (She suggested studying together for the exam.)
  • b. Incorrect (I told you not to do that.)
  • b. Incorrect (We have decided to live in the countryside.)
  • b. Incorrect (My grandmother always encouraged me to learn to cook.)

Exercise 3:

reported speech verbs table

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reported speech verbs table

Past Simple Tense: How To Use It Correctly (With Examples)

The past simple is one of the most commonly used tenses in English. We mostly use this tense to describe finished actions that happened in the past. However, there are other uses besides this. Let’s explore the correct uses of the past simple tense and look at some common mistakes to avoid. Check out the interactive exercises at the end to test your knowledge!

reported speech verbs table

Past Continuous Tense: How To Use It Correctly (With Examples)

The past continuous tense is commonly used in English to talk about actions or events that were ongoing at a time before now. This includes one action that was interrupted by another or two actions that were happening at the same time in the past. In this post, we will explore the correct uses of the past continuous and explain how you can avoid common mistakes with it. Check out the interactive quiz at the end to test your knowledge!

reported speech verbs table

Adverbs of Frequency: Full List with Examples & Exercises

Adverbs of frequency tell us how often we do things or how often things happen. They can either describe definite frequency (daily, every week, annually) or indefinite frequency (always, usually, never). For example: I go swimming every week vs. I never go swimming .

reported speech verbs table

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  • Reported Speech
  • Grammar Explanations

Table of Contents

Direct speech and reported speech

Reported speech (also called indirect speech) gives the meaning of what someone said, not the exact words, while direct speech gives the exact words of the speaker, enclosed in quotation marks (or inverted commas.

With reported speech, we do not use quotation marks.

We use that  to connect the introduction with the reported words. Using the connecting word that  is optional.

  • Direct: I am going to help you,” he said.
  • Reported: He said (that) he was going to help us.

Introductory verbs

There are certain verbs that we use to introduce reported speech. Here are the most common of them. (More introductory verbs with examples are given below.)

1. say / said

  • Direct: “I need a break,” she said.
  • Reported: She said (that) she needed a break.

2. tell / told

  • Direct: “I need a break,” she said to me.
  • Reported: She told me (that) she needed a break.

3. ask / asked

  • Direct: “Are you ready?” she asked  me.
  • Reported: She asked me if I was ready.

Note: Unlike told and asked , with the verb said ,  we do not mention the person to whom the words were said.

Change of verb tenses 

Because speech is often reported after it was said, verb tenses in the original statements change.

Here is a summary of tense changes with examples

Direct SpeechReported Speech
"I swim daily," he said.He said he swam daily.
   
"I swam daily," he said. He said he had swum daily.
"I am swimming now," he said.He said he was swimming then.

"I was swimming," he said. He said he had been swimming.
"I have already swum," he said.He said he had already swum.
"I had swum," he said. He said he had already swum.
"I will swim tomorrow," he said. He said he would swim the following day.
"I must swim every day," he said.He said he had to swim every day.
"I should swim every day," he said.He said he should swim every day.

When not to change verb tenses?

If the speech is reported immediately , the tense does not change. 

  • Direct: “It is hot these days,” she said.
  • Reported: She said it is hot these days.

If the introductory verb used is in the present simple, future simple or present perfect , we do not change verb tense.

  • Direct: “This information is confidential.”
  • Reported: She says this information is confidential.
  • Reported: She has said this information is confidential.
  • Reported: She will say this information is confidential.

In addition, tense does not change when we talk about general truths, permanent states, and conditions .

  • Direct: He said, “Earth travels around the sun. ” 
  • Reported: He said Earth travels around the sun.

We do not change verb tense when we report wishes, preferences, and unreal past.

  • Direct: He said, “I wish I could fly. ” 
  • Reported: He said he wishes he could fly.

⇔  Try this quiz on reporting statements.

How to report imperatives

To report imperative verbs (commands, requests, suggestions), we use an infinitive verb and we use tell / told or ask / asked , but not say / said. 

Other verbs that can be used to report imperatives are: a dvise, order, beg, etc.

  • Direct: “ Open the door.” 
  • Reported: He told me to open the door.
  • Direct: “Will you pass the salt, please?” 
  • Reported: He asked me to pass the salt.
  • Direct: “ Forgive my son, please.” 
  • Reported: He begged me to forgive his son.

To report a negative imperative, we use not to infinitive .

  • Direct: “ Don’t open this document.” 
  • Reported: He ordered them not to open that document.

With the verb suggest, we use that-clause or verb-ing.

  • Direct: “I suggest that you go to the doctor.” 
  • Reported: He suggested that I (should) go to the doctor.
  • Direct: “I suggest that you take a home remedy.” 
  • Reported: He suggested taking a home remedy.

⇔  Take a quiz on how to report imperatives.

How to report questions

When we report questions we change the helping verb-subject order to subject-helping verb/verb .

We follow the same rules of tense changes.

Yes/No questions

We use if or whether to connect the introduction with reported words.

  • Direct: “ Are you tired?” 
  • Reported: He asked me if I was tired.
  • Direct: “ Does she   eat tuna fish?” 
  • Reported: He asked me if she ate tuna fish.
  • Direct: “ Did they arrive ?” 
  • Reported: He asked me if they had arrived .
  • Direct: “ Has she resigned ?” 
  • Reported: He asked me whether she had resigned or not.

Wh-questions

  • Direct: “What are you doing ?” 
  • Reported: He wanted to know what I was doing .
  • Direct: “When will they arrive ?” 
  • Reported: He wanted to know when they would arrive.
  • Direct: “What has she eaten ?” 
  • Reported: He wanted to know what she had eaten.
  • Direct: “When do they wake up ?” 
  • Reported: He wanted to know when they woke up .
  • Direct: “Why did they leave early?” 
  • Reported: He wanted to know why they had left early.

⇔  Take a quiz on how to report questions.

Change of time expressions

Because the time of reported speech is later than that of direct speech, time reference will be different. As a result, time expressions in reported speech change according to the context.

This is a table of the most common time expressions and how they change.

Direct SpeechReported Speech
tonight, today, this week / month / yearthat night, that day, that week / month / year
nowthen, at the time, at once, immediately
yesterday, last night / week / month / yearthe day before. the previous night / week / month / year
tomorrowthe following day, the day after, the next day
next week/month/yearthe following / the next week / month / year
two days / weeks / months / years agotwo days/ weeks / months / years before

Special introductory verbs

Sometimes we use verbs other than say , tell , ask to introduce reported speech. We need to choose an appropriate reporting verb  because each verb expresses how the reporting person interprets the speech.  Here are some of these verbs with examples.

advise somebody to infinitive

  • “ You should visit the doctor.”
  • She advised me to visit a doctor.

accuse somebody of verb-ing

  • “ You spoiled my plan.”
  • She accused me of spoiling her plan.

admit verb-ing

  • “ I broke the screen.”
  • She admitted breaking the screen.

apologize for + verb-ing

  • “ I apologize for breaking the screen.”
  • She apologized for breaking the screen.
  • “ I was the one who developed the app.”
  • She boasted that she had developed the app.
  • “ I fixed the errors in the program.”
  • She claimed that she had fixed the errors in the program.

complain that

  • “ The place is not clean.”
  • She complained that the place was not clean.

demand that

  • “Pull down the curtains immediately.”
  • She demanded that I should pull down the curtains immediately.

deny verb-ing

  • “ I didn’t use your laptop.”
  • She denied using (or having used) my laptop.

encourage somebody to infinitive

  • “ You should read more about the topic.”
  • She encouraged me to read more about the topic.

inform somebody that

  • “ The parental meeting will be tomorrow.”
  • She informed us that the parental meeting would be the following day.

insist that

  • “ You have to pay immediately.”
  • She insisted that I had to pay immediately.

refuse to infinitive

  • “ I won’t let you use my car.”
  • She refused to lend me her car.

remind somebody to

  • “ Remember to switch off the lights.”
  • She reminded me to switch off the lights.
  • “ Our company ranking has improved.”
  • The manager stated that the company ranking had improved.

threaten to infinitive

  • “ If you keep annoying me, I will tell the teacher.”
  • She threatened to tell the teacher if he kept annoying her.

suggest verb-ing

  • “ Why don’t you try the new software?”
  • She suggested trying the new software.

warn somebody to infinitive

  • “ Don’t throw the ball.”
  • She warned him not to throw the ball.

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Cambridge Dictionary

  • Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Reported speech

Reported speech is how we represent the speech of other people or what we ourselves say. There are two main types of reported speech: direct speech and indirect speech.

Direct speech repeats the exact words the person used, or how we remember their words:

Barbara said, “I didn’t realise it was midnight.”

In indirect speech, the original speaker’s words are changed.

Barbara said she hadn’t realised it was midnight .

In this example, I becomes she and the verb tense reflects the fact that time has passed since the words were spoken: didn’t realise becomes hadn’t realised .

Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words:

“I’m sorry,” said Mark. (direct)
Mark apologised . (indirect: report of a speech act)

In a similar way, we can report what people wrote or thought:

‘I will love you forever,’ he wrote, and then posted the note through Alice’s door. (direct report of what someone wrote)
He wrote that he would love her forever , and then posted the note through Alice’s door. (indirect report of what someone wrote)
I need a new direction in life , she thought. (direct report of someone’s thoughts)
She thought that she needed a new direction in life . (indirect report of someone’s thoughts)

Reported speech: direct speech

Reported speech: indirect speech

Reported speech: reporting and reported clauses

Speech reports consist of two parts: the reporting clause and the reported clause. The reporting clause includes a verb such as say, tell, ask, reply, shout , usually in the past simple, and the reported clause includes what the original speaker said.

reporting clause

reported clause

,

,

me

Reported speech: punctuation

Direct speech.

In direct speech we usually put a comma between the reporting clause and the reported clause. The words of the original speaker are enclosed in inverted commas, either single (‘…’) or double (“…”). If the reported clause comes first, we put the comma inside the inverted commas:

“ I couldn’t sleep last night, ” he said.
Rita said, ‘ I don’t need you any more. ’

If the direct speech is a question or exclamation, we use a question mark or exclamation mark, not a comma:

‘Is there a reason for this ? ’ she asked.
“I hate you ! ” he shouted.

We sometimes use a colon (:) between the reporting clause and the reported clause when the reporting clause is first:

The officer replied: ‘It is not possible to see the General. He’s busy.’

Punctuation

Indirect speech

In indirect speech it is more common for the reporting clause to come first. When the reporting clause is first, we don’t put a comma between the reporting clause and the reported clause. When the reporting clause comes after the reported clause, we use a comma to separate the two parts:

She told me they had left her without any money.
Not: She told me, they had left her without any money .
Nobody had gone in or out during the previous hour, he informed us.

We don’t use question marks or exclamation marks in indirect reports of questions and exclamations:

He asked me why I was so upset.
Not: He asked me why I was so upset?

Reported speech: reporting verbs

Say and tell.

We can use say and tell to report statements in direct speech, but say is more common. We don’t always mention the person being spoken to with say , but if we do mention them, we use a prepositional phrase with to ( to me, to Lorna ):

‘I’ll give you a ring tomorrow,’ she said .
‘Try to stay calm,’ she said to us in a low voice.
Not: ‘Try to stay calm,’ she said us in a low voice .

With tell , we always mention the person being spoken to; we use an indirect object (underlined):

‘Enjoy yourselves,’ he told them .
Not: ‘Enjoy yourselves,’ he told .

In indirect speech, say and tell are both common as reporting verbs. We don’t use an indirect object with say , but we always use an indirect object (underlined) with tell :

He said he was moving to New Zealand.
Not: He said me he was moving to New Zealand .
He told me he was moving to New Zealand.
Not: He told he was moving to New Zealand .

We use say , but not tell , to report questions:

‘Are you going now?’ she said .
Not: ‘Are you going now?’ she told me .

We use say , not tell , to report greetings, congratulations and other wishes:

‘Happy birthday!’ she said .
Not: Happy birthday!’ she told me .
Everyone said good luck to me as I went into the interview.
Not: Everyone told me good luck …

Say or tell ?

Other reporting verbs

(= )

The reporting verbs in this list are more common in indirect reports, in both speaking and writing:

Simon admitted that he had forgotten to email Andrea.
Louis always maintains that there is royal blood in his family.
The builder pointed out that the roof was in very poor condition.

Most of the verbs in the list are used in direct speech reports in written texts such as novels and newspaper reports. In ordinary conversation, we don’t use them in direct speech. The reporting clause usually comes second, but can sometimes come first:

‘Who is that person?’ she asked .
‘It was my fault,’ he confessed .
‘There is no cause for alarm,’ the Minister insisted .

Verb patterns: verb + that -clause

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  • English Grammar
  • Reported Speech

Reported Speech - Definition, Rules and Usage with Examples

Reported speech or indirect speech is the form of speech used to convey what was said by someone at some point of time. This article will help you with all that you need to know about reported speech, its meaning, definition, how and when to use them along with examples. Furthermore, try out the practice questions given to check how far you have understood the topic.

reported speech verbs table

Table of Contents

Definition of reported speech, rules to be followed when using reported speech, table 1 – change of pronouns, table 2 – change of adverbs of place and adverbs of time, table 3 – change of tense, table 4 – change of modal verbs, tips to practise reported speech, examples of reported speech, check your understanding of reported speech, frequently asked questions on reported speech in english, what is reported speech.

Reported speech is the form in which one can convey a message said by oneself or someone else, mostly in the past. It can also be said to be the third person view of what someone has said. In this form of speech, you need not use quotation marks as you are not quoting the exact words spoken by the speaker, but just conveying the message.

Now, take a look at the following dictionary definitions for a clearer idea of what it is.

Reported speech, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a report of what somebody has said that does not use their exact words.” The Collins Dictionary defines reported speech as “speech which tells you what someone said, but does not use the person’s actual words.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, reported speech is defined as “the act of reporting something that was said, but not using exactly the same words.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines reported speech as “the words that you use to report what someone else has said.”

Reported speech is a little different from direct speech . As it has been discussed already, reported speech is used to tell what someone said and does not use the exact words of the speaker. Take a look at the following rules so that you can make use of reported speech effectively.

  • The first thing you have to keep in mind is that you need not use any quotation marks as you are not using the exact words of the speaker.
  • You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech.
Subject said that (report whatever the speaker said)
  • You can use verbs like said, asked, requested, ordered, complained, exclaimed, screamed, told, etc. If you are just reporting a declarative sentence , you can use verbs like told, said, etc. followed by ‘that’ and end the sentence with a full stop . When you are reporting interrogative sentences, you can use the verbs – enquired, inquired, asked, etc. and remove the question mark . In case you are reporting imperative sentences , you can use verbs like requested, commanded, pleaded, ordered, etc. If you are reporting exclamatory sentences , you can use the verb exclaimed and remove the exclamation mark . Remember that the structure of the sentences also changes accordingly.
  • Furthermore, keep in mind that the sentence structure , tense , pronouns , modal verbs , some specific adverbs of place and adverbs of time change when a sentence is transformed into indirect/reported speech.

Transforming Direct Speech into Reported Speech

As discussed earlier, when transforming a sentence from direct speech into reported speech, you will have to change the pronouns, tense and adverbs of time and place used by the speaker. Let us look at the following tables to see how they work.

I He, she
Me Him, her
We They
Us Them
You He, she, they
You Him, her, them
My His, her
Mine His, hers
Our Their
Ours Theirs
Your His, her, their
Yours His, hers, theirs
This That
These Those
Here There
Now Then
Today That day
Tomorrow The next day / The following day
Yesterday The previous day
Tonight That night
Last week The week before
Next week The week after
Last month The previous month
Next month The following month
Last year The previous year
Next year The following year
Ago Before
Thus So
Simple Present

Example: Preethi said, “I cook pasta.”

Simple Past

Example: Preethi said that she cooked pasta.

Present Continuous

Example: Preethi said, “I am cooking pasta.”

Past Continuous

Example: Preethi said that she was cooking pasta.

Present Perfect

Example: Preethi said, “I have cooked pasta.”

Past Perfect

Example: Preethi said that she had cooked pasta.

Present Perfect

Example: Preethi said, “I have been cooking pasta.”

Past Perfect Continuous

Example: Preethi said that she had been cooking pasta.

Simple Past

Example: Preethi said, “I cooked pasta.”

Past Perfect

Example: Preethi said that she had cooked pasta.

Past Continuous

Example: Preethi said, “I was cooking pasta.”

Past Perfect Continuous

Example: Preethi said that she had been cooking pasta.

Past Perfect

Example: Preethi said, “I had cooked pasta.”

Past Perfect (No change)

Example: Preethi said that she had cooked pasta.

Past Perfect Continuous

Example: Preethi said, “I had been cooking pasta.”

Past Perfect Continuous (No change)

Example: Preethi said that she had been cooking pasta.

Will Would
May Might
Can Could
Shall Should
Has/Have Had

Here are some tips you can follow to become a pro in using reported speech.

  • Select a play, a drama or a short story with dialogues and try transforming the sentences in direct speech into reported speech.
  • Write about an incident or speak about a day in your life using reported speech.
  • Develop a story by following prompts or on your own using reported speech.

Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written. Check them out.

  • Santana said that she would be auditioning for the lead role in Funny Girl.
  • Blaine requested us to help him with the algebraic equations.
  • Karishma asked me if I knew where her car keys were.
  • The judges announced that the Warblers were the winners of the annual acapella competition.
  • Binsha assured that she would reach Bangalore by 8 p.m.
  • Kumar said that he had gone to the doctor the previous day.
  • Lakshmi asked Teena if she would accompany her to the railway station.
  • Jibin told me that he would help me out after lunch.
  • The police ordered everyone to leave from the bus stop immediately.
  • Rahul said that he was drawing a caricature.

Transform the following sentences into reported speech by making the necessary changes.

1. Rachel said, “I have an interview tomorrow.”

2. Mahesh said, “What is he doing?”

3. Sherly said, “My daughter is playing the lead role in the skit.”

4. Dinesh said, “It is a wonderful movie!”

5. Suresh said, “My son is getting married next month.”

6. Preetha said, “Can you please help me with the invitations?”

7. Anna said, “I look forward to meeting you.”

8. The teacher said, “Make sure you complete the homework before tomorrow.”

9. Sylvester said, “I am not going to cry anymore.”

10. Jade said, “My sister is moving to Los Angeles.”

Now, find out if you have answered all of them correctly.

1. Rachel said that she had an interview the next day.

2. Mahesh asked what he was doing.

3. Sherly said that her daughter was playing the lead role in the skit.

4. Dinesh exclaimed that it was a wonderful movie.

5. Suresh said that his son was getting married the following month.

6. Preetha asked if I could help her with the invitations.

7. Anna said that she looked forward to meeting me.

8. The teacher told us to make sure we completed the homework before the next day.

9. Sylvester said that he was not going to cry anymore.

10. Jade said that his sister was moving to Los Angeles.

What is reported speech?

What is the definition of reported speech.

Reported speech, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a report of what somebody has said that does not use their exact words.” The Collins Dictionary defines reported speech as “speech which tells you what someone said, but does not use the person’s actual words.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, reported speech is defined as “the act of reporting something that was said, but not using exactly the same words.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines reported speech as “the words that you use to report what someone else has said.”

What is the formula of reported speech?

You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech. Subject said that (report whatever the speaker said)

Give some examples of reported speech.

Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written.

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7ESL

Reporting Verbs in English Grammar

In this reference, you will learn about reporting verbs in English, how they are used in  indirect speech , important grammar rules, and helpful examples. You will find sections that explain what reporting verbs are, a comprehensive list of reporting verbs with examples, and illustrative images to support your learning.

What is a Reporting Verb?

Reporting Verbs

Direct speech  is where the speaker gives first-hand information, while indirect speech reports what someone else said. For example, “I am watching TV” is direct speech, and “She said that she was watching TV” is indirect speech.

We use  reported speech  to tell what another person said without using their exact words, adapting them to the new circumstances.

A reported speech sentence has two parts:

  • Introductory Clause + Indirect Clause

Example:  He said that they were classmates.  (Introductory clause:  He said that , Indirect clause:  They were classmates. )

In the introductory clause, a  reporting verb  is needed. There are about 248 verbs to introduce reported speech in English.

List of Reporting Verbs (with Examples)

Tell, say & ask.

The most common verbs to introduce reported speech are  Tell ,  Say , and  Ask . Important aspects of these verbs include:

  • Can be followed by THAT but it can be omitted.
  • Needs an indirect object.

Example:  He told me that she was his wife.

  • Can have an indirect object introduced by the particle “to.”
  • He said that Sarah was working.  (no indirect object)
  • He said to me that Sarah was working.  (with indirect object)
  • Can have an indirect object or not.
  • Can be used to  report questions .

Example:  She asked (me) where I lived.

  • Can be used to report imperatives or requests.

Example:  She asked (me) to  babysit  for her on Friday.

Verb + that + Clause

Example:  She complained that I was always late.

Example:  She denied that she had flown in an aeroplane.

Example:  He explained that it was an easy recipe to follow.

Exclaim/Remark

Example:  She exclaimed/remarked that he was a beautiful baby.

Example:  She promised that she would call me.

Example:  He boasted that he was a brilliant dentist.

Inform  somebody

Example:  He informed me that I would be called for an interview.

Example:  He claimed that he knew the answer.

Example:  He agreed that it was a beautiful hat.

Example:  He suggested that I (should) take the other road.

Verb + to + Infinitive

Example:  He agreed to cook for me.

Example:  He offered to carry her baby.

Example:  She refused to buy me a car.

Example:  He demanded to be told the truth.

Example:  He threatened to punish me if I didn’t behave myself.

Example:  He promised to marry her when he returned.

Example:  He claimed to have heard her say that.

Verb + Indirect Object + to + Infinitive

Example:  He advised me to take a coat.

Example:  He allowed me to park over there.

Example:  She begged me to call the police.

Example:  He commanded them to drop their weapons.

Example:  He encouraged me to phone her.

Example:  My doctor forbade me to eat sweets.

Example:  She invited me to go to his house.

Example:  He wanted me to drink a cup of tea.

Example:  He instructed me to insert coin.

Example:  My parents permitted me to travel with my friends.

Example:  He urged me to finish reading the book.

Example:  She ordered me to get out of bed.

Example:  She reminded me to take out the garbage.

Example:  She warned me not to go near the oven.

Verb + “ing” Form

Example:  He admitted (to) stealing/having stolen her money.

Accuse somebody of

Example:  She accused me of breaking the cup.

Apologize for

Example:  He apologized for shouting/having shouted at me.

Boast about/of

Example:  He boasted of/about being the cleverest of all.

Complain to somebody of

Example:  She complained to me of having a toothache.

Example:  He denied murdering/having murdered his wife.

Example:  She insisted on me/my wearing warm clothes.

Example:  She suggested going to the theatre.

Explain to somebody

Example:  He explained to me how to make polite conversation.

Wonder where/what/why/how + clause

When the subject of the reporting verb is not the same as the subject in the  reported question .

  • She wondered how he could reach the top.
  • He wondered where Joan was.
  • He wondered why she was crying.

‘Wonder + whether + to-inf or clause’ or ‘Wonder where/what/how + to-inf or clause’

When the subject of the infinitive is the same as the subject of the verb.

  • He wondered whether to buy that blender.
  • He wondered where he had gone wrong in his calculations.
  • He wondered what he should wear.
  • He wondered how to get to the post office.

Introductory Verbs

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English EFL

Reported speech

Tense changes in reported speech

Indirect speech (reported speech) focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words.  In indirect speech, the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command.

Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech: She said, "I  am  tired." = She said that she  was  tired.

Phrase in Direct Speech Equivalent in Reported Speech
"I always   coffee", she said She said that she always   coffee.
"I   a book", he explained. He explained that he   a book
"Bill   on Saturday", he said. He said that Bill   on Saturday.
"I   to Spain", he told me. He told me that he   to Spain.
"I   the light," he explained. He explained that he   the light.
They complained, "We   for hours". They complained that they   for hours.
"We   in Paris", they told me. They told me that they   in Paris.
"I   in Geneva on Monday", he said. He said that he   in Geneva on Monday.
She said, "  the car next Friday". She said that she   the car next Friday.

You do not need to change the tense if the reporting verb is in the present, or if the original statement was about something that is still true (but this is only for things which are general facts, and even then usually we like to change the tense) , e.g.

  • He says  he has missed  the train but  he'll catch  the next one.
  • We explained that  it is  very difficult to find our house.
  • Direct speech: The sky is blue.
  • Reported speech: She said (that) the sky  is/was  blue.

These modal verbs do not change in reported speech:  might, could, would, should, ought to :

  • We explained, "It  could  be difficult to find our house." = We explained that it  could  be difficult to find our house.
  • She said, "I  might  bring a friend to the party." = She said that she  might  bring a friend to the party.

Course Curriculum

  • Changing time and place in reported speech 20 mins
  • Direct and indirect speech 15 mins
  • Tense changes in reported speech 20 mins
  • Reported questions 20 mins
  • Reporting verbs 20 mins
  • Reporting orders and requests 15 mins
  • Reporting hopes, intentions and promises 20 mins

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IMAGES

  1. reported speech rules table

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  2. Reported Speech: Important Grammar Rules and Examples • 7ESL

    reported speech verbs table

  3. Reported Verbs List

    reported speech verbs table

  4. Reported Speech: Important Grammar Rules and Examples

    reported speech verbs table

  5. REPORTED SPEECH

    reported speech verbs table

  6. DIRECT SPEECH TO REPORTED SPEECH TABLE

    reported speech verbs table

VIDEO

  1. Parts of Speech: Verbs #Grammar #EnglishLearning

  2. Reported speech. Statement

  3. Reporting Verbs| Reported Speech 2 PUC English Grammar 2023|

  4. Verbs

  5. English Class Practice "WHOM; Phrasal Verbs; Prepositions:reported speech"

  6. Public Speaking| English Shine Academy| Education

COMMENTS

  1. Reported Speech Tenses Chart: How to convert tenses

    Below is a reported speech tense change chart with the rules for backshifting for each tense and for modal verbs. You will see reported speech does not go back a tense if it is already in the past perfect (there is no further back it can go), and some modal verbs also do not change. If you are tested on this, though, these are the changes you ...

  2. Reported Speech Tense Chart

    Reported Speech Tense Chart. When we convert from direct speech to indirect speech, the tense of the sentence changes. See the chart below to understand direct to indirect speech tense shift. Greg said, "I am an English teacher." Greg said that he was an English teacher. Edward said, "I am watching the news."

  3. Reported Speech: Important Grammar Rules and Examples

    No Change in Verb Tenses in Reported Speech. In some cases, verb tenses do not change when you report speech indirectly.Here are the key instances: When the introductory verb is in the present, present perfect, or future.; When the reported sentence deals with a fact or general truth.; When the reported sentence contains a time clause.; If the verb of the sentence is in the unreal past (the ...

  4. Reported Speech

    Practise reported speech - clear explanations and lots of exercises. ... But, if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change the tenses in the reported speech: ... So, there's no easy conversion. You really have to think about when the direct speech was said. Here's a table of some possible conversions: now: then / at that ...

  5. Reported Speech

    For example: Direct speech: I dislike fried chicken. Reported speech: She said she disliked fried chicken. Note how the main verb in the reported statement is also in the past tense verb form. Use the simple present tense in your indirect speech if the initial words remain relevant at the time of reporting.

  6. Reporting Verbs

    The meaning is exactly the same if you use 'that' or if you don't use 'that'.) 1: SAY. Let's look first at the verbs we've already talked about. The basic verb pattern for using 'say' for reported speech is: say + (that) + clause. She said (that) she had already eaten. (The direct speech for this is "I've already eaten".)

  7. Reported Speech in English Grammar

    Reported speech is when we repeat what another person has said but instead of using their exact words in quotation marks (direct speech), we use subordinate clause introduced by a reporting verb like the ones below: He says/said …. She explains/explained …. She tells/told me …. He asks/asked …. Often, we have to change the tense ...

  8. Reported speech: indirect speech

    Reported speech: indirect speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary

  9. Reporting Verbs: List & Examples

    The verb "forbid" means to prohibit someone from doing something. We forbade our kids to use the computer without supervision. Other reporting verbs: boast + that. The verb "boast" means to arrogantly say good things about yourself or your accomplishments. He boasted that he always got the best grades in the class. propose + that

  10. Reported Speech: Rules, Examples, Exceptions

    When we use reported speech, we often change the verb tense backwards in time. This can be called "backshift.". Here are some examples in different verb tenses: "I want to go home.". She said she wanted to go home. "I 'm reading a good book.". She said she was reading a good book. "I ate pasta for dinner last night.".

  11. Reported speech

    Yes, and you report it with a reporting verb. He said he wanted to know about reported speech. I said, I want and you changed it to he wanted. Exactly. Verbs in the present simple change to the past simple; the present continuous changes to the past continuous; the present perfect changes to the past perfect; can changes to could; will changes ...

  12. The Reported Speech

    1. We use direct speech to quote a speaker's exact words. We put their words within quotation marks. We add a reporting verb such as "he said" or "she asked" before or after the quote. Example: He said, "I am happy.". 2. Reported speech is a way of reporting what someone said without using quotation marks.

  13. Reported speech and direct speech

    What is reported speech? Reported speech is a structure used to repeat what somebody has said before (direct speech): John: "My name is John" (direct speech) He said (that*) his name was John (reported speech) * that can be omitted. Note that after the verb said, which is in past tense, it is natural to continue the rest of the sentence in the ...

  14. Reporting Verbs in English: List with Examples & Exercises

    These verbs are used in reported speech, which can be direct or indirect. The first reporting verbs that English students learn are usually say and tell. For example compare i) and ii) below: "It's my birthday next weekend. Please, make a birthday cake for me!" Charlotte said to her mum (direct speech) Charlotte told her mum to make a ...

  15. Reported Speech

    This is a table of the most common time expressions and how they change. Direct Speech. Reported Speech. tonight, today, this week / month / year. that night, that day, that week / month / year. now. then, at the time, at once, immediately. yesterday, last night / week / month / year. the day before. the previous night / week / month / year.

  16. Reported speech

    Reported speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary

  17. PDF Reported speech

    The indirect (reported) speech: He said he liked it. He thought that Irene was late. She hoped she would pass the exam. The indirect (reported) speech is typically introduced by verbs such as say, tell, admit, complain, explain, remind, reply, think, hope, offer, refuse etc. He said (that) he didn't want it. She explained that she had been at ...

  18. Reported Speech

    Reported Speech: In this article, you will be introduced to reported speech, its meaning and definition, how and when to use it. You can also check out the examples given for a much better understanding of reported speech. ... Table 4 - Change of Modal Verbs. Direct Speech: Reported Speech: Will: Would: May: Might: Can: Could: Shall: Should ...

  19. Reporting Verbs in English Grammar

    Reporting Verbs - Created by 7ESL. Direct speech is where the speaker gives first-hand information, while indirect speech reports what someone else said. For example, "I am watching TV" is direct speech, and "She said that she was watching TV" is indirect speech. We use reported speech to tell what another person said without using ...

  20. Tense changes in reported speech

    In indirect speech, the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command. Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech: She said, "I am tired." = She said that she was tired. Phrase in Direct Speech. Equivalent in Reported Speech.

  21. PDF Unit 12A Grammar: Reported Speech(1

    Reported Speech. Greg: "I am cooking dinner Maya.". Maya: "Greg said he was cooking dinner.". So most often, the reported speech is going to be in the past tense, because the original statement, will now be in the past! *We will learn about reporting verbs in part 2 of this lesson, but for now we will just use said/told.