Reported Speech rule, examples, exercises and tests

Reported speech use

We use it to retell someone else’s words by changing their form so they become part of your text rather than a direct quote.
We turn direct speech into reported speech.

Reported speech Form

Subject + reporting V, that subject + V (with tense changes when needed)

“I am tired”, she said. She said that she was tired.

Reported speech Rule

Reported speech in English is not written with quotation marks, unlike direct speech:

George said, “I am ready to dance with you.”

George said (that) he was ready to dance with me.

Reported speech Changes of tense

Direct speech (Direct speech)	Reported speech (Reported speech)
Present Simple I know	Past Simple he said he knew
Present Continuous I am doing	Past Continuous he said he was doing
Present Perfect I have done	Past Perfect he said he had done
Past Simple I did	Past Perfect he said he had done
Past Continuous I was doing	Past Perfect Continuous he said he had been doing
Past Perfect I had done	Past Perfect I had done
Future (will) I will go	would he said he would go

❗ When the tense does not change

General truths, facts, laws of nature.
If something is always true, the tense does not change:
The Earth moves around the Sun. He said that the Earth moves around the Sun.
When the action is relevant at the moment of speaking.
If the statement is still true now.
I live in Paris. She said she lives in Paris. (because she still lives there)
If the subordinate clause is in the Past Continuous, the verb tense may remain unchanged in spoken English.
He said, “I was playing football when she called me.”.
He said that he was playing football when she called him.
If the reporting verb is in the present
With says, tells, has said there is no tense shift.
I’m busy. She says she is busy

Reported speech Modal verbs

Modal verbs that change:

Direct speech (Direct speech)	Reported speech (Reported speech)
will	would
can	could
may	might
shall	should
must (obligation)	had to
must (expresses an order or an arrangement)	was to

He said, “I will help you.” He said (that) he would help me.

She said, “I can finish it today.” She said (that) she could finish it that day.

John said, “I may go to the party.” John said (that) he might go to the party.

I asked, “Shall we begin?” I asked if we should begin.

My mother said, “You must do your homework.” My mother said (that) I had to do my homework.

The officer said, “You must be there by 6.” The officer said (that) I was to be there by 6.

Modal verbs that do NOT change
(have no past form):
could, should, would, might, ought to
“I could help you,” he said. He said he could help me.

“You should study more,” the teacher said. The teacher said I should study more.

“I would love to join you,” she said. She said she would love to join us.

“It might rain later,” John said. John said it might rain later.

“You ought to be more careful,” she said. She said I ought to be more careful.

Reported speech Pronouns

Pronouns change depending on who is speaking and to whom the words are addressed.

“I like your car,” he said. He said he liked my car.

Reported speech Time and place

the previous weektd>two days earlier

Direct speech (Direct speech)	Reported speech (Reported speech)
today	that day
yesterday	the day before
tomorrow	the next day
now	then
last week
tonight	that night
two days ago
here	there
this	that
these	those

“We have a meeting today,” he said. He said they had a meeting that day.

I bought these shoes yesterday. She said she had bought those shoes the day before.

I will come tomorrow. He said he would come the next day.

I can’t talk now. He said he couldn’t talk then.

I finished the course last week. She said she had finished the course the previous week.

I’m going out tonight. He said he was going out that night.

I moved here two days ago. She said she had moved there two days earlier.

Come here. She told him to come there.

This place is beautiful. He said that place was beautiful.

I bought these shoes. He said he had bought those shoes.

Reported speech Verbs

Verbs followed by a that-clause :
say, tell, add, explain, mention, reply, answer, admit, agree, deny, promise…
I’m tired. She said that she was tired.
Verbs followed by a to-infinitive:
advise, ask, tell, order, persuade, remind, warn, invite, encourage…
Don’t be late. He told me to not be late.

Reported speech Negation

Add / keep not before the main verb
I don’t like it. She said she didn’t like it.
If the modal verb has a negation with not, change the modal verb and add not.
I can’t help you. He said he couldn’t help me.
If not refers to meaning rather than grammar, we keep it as it is.
Don’t worry. He told me not to worry.

Reported speech Questions

General (yes/no) questions in reported speech are introduced with if or whether. The word order of the question changes to that of a statement.
- If is used in standard Yes/No questions when the goal is simply to find out “yes or no.”
  Do you like it? He asked if I liked it.
- Whether is used when the question includes an alternative or a choice.
  Do you want tea or coffee? He asked whether I wanted tea or coffee.
Questions with a question word (wh-questions)
Reporting verb + wh-word + direct word order (no inversion)

“Where do you live?” she asked. She asked where I lived.

“What is he doing?” I asked. I asked what he was doing.

“Why did you leave early?” he asked. He asked why I had left early.

“How can we solve this?” they asked. They asked how they could solve it.

“When will you call me?” she asked. She asked when I would call her.
General questions (Yes/No questions) Begin with Do / Does / Did / Are / Is / Can / Will, etc.
Reporting verb + if/whether + direct word order

“Do you like coffee?” she asked. She asked if I liked coffee.

“Are they coming to the party?” he asked. He asked if they were coming to the party.

“Did you see the movie?” I asked. I asked if she had seen the movie.

“Will it rain tomorrow?” Tom asked. Tom asked if it would rain the next day.

“Can you help me?” she asked. She asked if I could help her.

“Is this your book?” he asked. He asked whether that was my book.

Reported speech Imperative mood

Affirmative sentence: reporting verb + object + to + verb

Open the door. He told me to open the door.

Prohibition: reporting verb + object + not to + verb

Don’t be late. She told me not to be late.

Reported speech Common mistakes

Keep inversion in questions
❌ He asked where was I going
✔️ He asked where I was going
Use “said me”
❌ He said me that…
✔️ He told me that…
✔️ He said that…
say — без объекта, tell — с объектом
Do not change the tense
❌ He said he is happy.
✔️ He said he was happy. Если reporting verb в прошедшем — делаем сдвиг времени.
Do not change the pronouns
❌ She said I am tired.
✔️ She said she was tired. Местоимения всегда подстраиваются под новый контекст.

Reported speech Sentences

“I am learning French,” she said. She said she was learning French.

“He has finished his project,” they said. They said he had finished his project.

“I shall return soon,” he said. He said he should return soon.

“You must call her today,” Mom said. Mom said I had to call her that day.

“What time does the train leave?” I asked. I asked what time the train left.

“Why are you crying?” he asked. He asked why I was crying.

“Can she swim?” I asked. I asked if she could swim.

“Is your brother at home?” she asked. She asked whether my brother was at home.

Leave your shoes outside. He told me to leave my shoes outside.

Don’t touch that button. She told me not to touch that button.

Reported speech Examples

“I was reading a book,” she said. She said she had been reading a book.

“We have seen this movie,” they said. They said they had seen that movie.

“He will help us tomorrow,” I said. I said he would help us the next day.

“When did she arrive?” he asked. He asked when she had arrived.

“Where are my keys?” she asked. She asked where her keys were.

“Does he like pizza?” I asked. I asked if he liked pizza.

“Will they join us?” she asked. She asked if they would join us.

“You ought to apologize,” he said. He said I ought to apologize.

Be quiet, please. She told me to be quiet.

Don’t forget your umbrella. He reminded me not to forget my umbrella.

Reported Speech: sentences, exercises, tests and examples