The Best Guide to Reported Speech

Reported speech is when tell what someone else said.^[1]https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/reported-speech.html

Direct vs. Indirect Speech

There are two ways to use reported speech.

Direct speech: “I am a teacher,” Fred said.

Indirect speech: Fred said that he was a teacher.

Depending on the original tense, we must change the tense in the indirect reported speech. This is called a backshift.

Present Simple

When using reported speech, we must backshift from the present simple to past simple.

For example:

I work
a lot. → He said that he travelled
a lot.
Susie is
a teacher. → Susie said that she was
a teacher.
We are
sick. → They said that they were
sick.

Present Continuous

For the present continuous, we must backshift to the past continuous.

For example:

They are
talking very loudly. → She told me that they were talking very loudly.
We are
singing. → She said that we were
singing.
I am
studying for the test. → He said that I was studying for the test.

Present Perfect

For the present perfect, we must change to the past perfect.

For example:

She has
hurt her arm. → She said that she had hurt her arm.
I have
studied for the test. → He said that he had studied for the test.
We have
lived in the house for a long time. → They said that they had lived in the house for a long time.

Past Simple

For the past simple, we must change to the past perfect simple.

For example:

We lived
in Paris for 2 years. → They said that they had lived in Paris for 2 years.

Past Continuous

For the past continuous, we must change to the past perfect continuous.

For example:

It was
snowing all day. → The weatherman said that it had been snowing all day.
We were
working hard yesterday. → They said that they had been working hard yesterday.
Susie was
studying last night. → She said that she had been studying last night.

Past Perfect

The past perfect does not change when using reported speech.

Example Exercises

Change the following sentences into the reported speech.

13%

Question 1 of 8

1. We have eaten breakfast already. → They said that ____________ already.

Question 1 of 8

Question 2 of 8

2. Mark is an Engineer. → Mark said that he ____________ an engineer.

Question 2 of 8

Question 3 of 8

3. I am having a party next week. → Frank said ____________ a party next week.

Question 3 of 8

Question 4 of 8

4. We ate dinner at 8 pm. → They said that they ____________ at 8 pm.

Question 4 of 8

Question 5 of 8

5. I live in New York City. → Susie said that she ____________ in New York City.

Question 5 of 8

Question 6 of 8

6. I have studied Spanish for 5 years. → He said that he ____________ Spanish for 5 years.

Question 6 of 8

Question 7 of 8

7. She lived in Los Angeles. → She said that she ____________ in Los Angeles.

Question 7 of 8

Question 8 of 8

8. It was raining yesterday. → He said that it ____________ yesterday.

Question 8 of 8

How did you do?

If some of these questions were tricky don’t worry — this is one of the topics that confuses English learners the most.

Sometimes reading alone isn’t enough. A private one on one lesson can clear up any confusion quickly and help you use this grammar naturally and confidently.

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