Reported Speech Explained (+ Examples & Interactive Exercises)

 

Teaching reported speech can feel challenging, but it doesn’t have to be.

 

This guide on reported speech walks you through the key rules, tense changes, and examples.

 

Want practical tips and engaging exercises? You’ll find them here. Use it to make indirect speech easier to teach, simpler to understand, and far more effective in your classroom.

 

Let’s begin.

 

Understanding the Basics: Direct vs. Indirect Speech

 

First things first. Let's clarify the difference between quoting someone directly and reporting what they said. 

 

What Exactly is Reported Speech?

 

Reported speech, also called indirect speech, is how we report what another person said without quoting them directly. 

 

Unlike direct speech, which uses quotation marks, reported speech paraphrases the message.

 

• Direct Speech: She said, "I need help."
• Reported Speech: She said that she needed help.

The main goal when you report what someone said is to integrate the content of a statement, question, or command into your own sentence.

 

Why is Reported Speech Essential for Learners?

 

Why teach reported speech? Because it’s essential for strong English communication.

 

Students need it for:

• Recounting Events: Sharing stories or reporting conversations accurately.
• Academic Writing: Summarizing sources or interviews using indirect speech.
• Formal Communication: Reporting in meetings and discussions at work.
• Proficiency Tests: Many English tests assess the use of reported speech.

Bottom line? Mastering reported speech helps learners speak and write with confidence and fluency.

 

Key Changes When Reporting Speech

 

Let’s break down the grammar changes that happen when students report speech. This is where most mistakes show up, so clarity is key.

 

Backshifting Tenses: The Fundamental Shift

 

The biggest grammar change is in the verb tense, known as "backshifting." When the reporting verb (like said or told) is in the past, the tense in the reported clause usually shifts one step back.

 

Here’s how it works:

 

• Present simple → Past simple: “I am happy.” → He said he was happy.

• Present continuous → Past continuous: “She is studying.” → He said she was studying.

• Past simple → Past perfect: “We went home.” → He said they had gone home.

• Present perfect → Past perfect: “I have finished.” → He said he had finished.

The British Council provides further details on these shifts. Remember to change the tense when you report past statements.

 

Changes to Pronouns and Possessive Adjectives

 

When using reported speech or indirect speech, you may need to change pronouns and possessive adjectives. This is key when you report what someone or another person said.

 

Here’s how it works:

 

Pronoun Change Example:

 

• Direct: He said, "I need your help."
• Reported: He said that he needed my help. (If he spoke to me)

Possessive Adjective Change Example:

 

• Direct: She said, "My car is blue."
• Reported: She said that her car was blue.

This grammar usage depends on the reference and tense changes in the conversation.

 

Adjusting Time and Place Expressions

 

Words indicating time and place often change, too, reflecting the shift from the original speaker to the reporter.

 

Common changes include:

 

• now →→ then

• today →→ that day

• yesterday →→ the day before / the previous day

• tomorrow →→ the next day / the following day

• here →→ there

• this →→ that

• these →→ those

For example:

 

• Direct: He said, "I will see you here tomorrow."
• Reported: He said that he would see me there the next day.

These adverbs and expression adjustments maintain logical consistency. Pay attention to the context of the time and place when you report.

 

Modal Verb Transformations

 

Modal verbs (can, may, will, must) usually change to their past forms in reported speech, following the backshifting pattern.

 

Common modal verb changes:

 

• can →→ could

• may →→ might

• will →→ would

• must →→ had to (or sometimes must if the obligation remains universal or current)

For example:

 

• Direct: She said, "I can help." → Reported: She said that she could help.
• Direct: He said, "You must leave." → Reported: He said that I had to leave.

This change aligns with the general principle of moving the verb tense back.

 

Beyond 'Said': Using Diverse Reporting Verbs

 

While 'say' and 'tell' are common, using only these two verbs makes writing repetitive. To help students write with more precision, introduce them to stronger reporting verbs.

 

Choosing More Precise Reporting Verbs

 

Each verb brings a different tone. 

 

Did the speaker explain, advise, suggest, or warn? These words give the statement more meaning and help learners match intent with expression.

 

For example, “He said I should go” becomes “He advised me to go.” Or better yet: “He warned me to go.”

 

See the difference? 

 

Each offers a different nuance. Encourage students to move beyond basic verbs. It makes every sentence count. 

 

Sentence Structures with Different Reporting Verbs

 

Different reporting verbs often require specific grammatical structures. Practicing these patterns is key.

 

Common structures:

 

• Verb + that-clause: He explained that he was running late. (Use with explain, announce, admit, agree, deny, promise, say)
• Verb + object + to-infinitive: She advised me to wait. (Use with advise, ask, encourage, invite, order, remind, tell, warn)
• Verb + gerund (-ing form): He suggested leaving. (Use with suggest, recommend, admit, deny)
• Verb + preposition + gerund: They apologized for being late. (Use with apologize for, insist on)

Teaching these helps students use varied reporting verbs correctly and confidently.

 

Reporting Questions, Commands, and Requests

 

We don’t just report statements. We also report questions, commands, and requests—each with its own structure.

 

Transforming Questions into Reported Speech

 

When reporting a question, use reporting verbs like 'ask' or 'wonder'.

 

The key changes involve word order and conjunctions. The reported question becomes part of a statement, losing its question mark.

 

Yes/No Questions: Use 'if' or 'whether'.

 

• Direct: "Are you okay?"
• Reported: She asked if I was okay. / She asked whether I was okay.

Wh- Questions: Use the original question word (who, what, where, etc.).

 

• Direct: "Where is the exit?"
• Reported: He asked where the exit was.

The word order in reported questions must change from question order (verb-subject) to statement order (subject-verb). For example, "where is it?" becomes "where it was." 

 

Don’t forget: subject comes before verb in reported questions.

 

Reporting Imperatives (Commands and Requests)

 

To report a command or request, start with a reporting verb like tell, ask, order, command, request, followed by an object and the to-infinitive.

 

• Structure: Reporting Verb + Object + (not) + to-infinitive
• Command Example:
  • Direct: "Be quiet."
  • Reported: The librarian told the students to be quiet.
• Request Example:
  • Direct: "Please wait here."
  • Reported: She asked me to wait there.

The choice between verbs like order and ask depends on the original tone. You order someone to do something in a command, but ask them in a request.

 

Exceptions and Common Pitfalls

 

Reported speech isn’t always black and white. Some rules have exceptions. Here’s what to watch out for.

 

When Tenses Don't Need to Backshift

 

Backshifting isn't always necessary, even if the reporting verb is in the past:

 

• Universal Truths/Facts: If the statement is a fact that remains true.
  • Direct: "Water boils at 100°C."
  • Reported: He said that water boils at 100°C.
• Habitual Actions Still True: If the habit continues.
  • Direct: "I walk to work."
  • Reported: She said she walks to work. 
• Immediate Reporting: Reporting very soon after something is said (less common).
• Reporting Verb in Present Tense: If you use says or tells, the original tense usually remains.
  • Direct: "I am busy."
  • Reported (Present): He says he is busy.

Sometimes, keeping the original tense is optional if the situation is still true.

 

Avoiding Frequent Mistakes

Guide your students away from these common errors:

 

• Pronoun Errors: Forgetting to change 'I' to 'he/she', 'your' to 'my/his/her', etc.
• Incorrect Tense Shifts: Not changing past simple to past perfect, or present simple to past simple when needed. You usually need to change the tense.
• Wrong Word Order in Reported Questions: Using question order ("He asked where was it.") instead of statement order ("He asked where it was.").
• Ignoring Time/Place Changes: Forgetting 'here' →→ 'there', 'today' →→ 'that day'.

Consistent practice helps overcome these grammar hurdles.

 

Reinforce Grammar Learning with Interactive Exercises

 

Understanding grammar rules is only half the battle. The real progress happens when students apply what they’ve learned.

 

Engaging Students with Liveworksheets.com

 

Move beyond static drills. At Liveworksheets.com, we offer interactive worksheets that provide immediate feedback, making grammar exercises dynamic.

You can find many reported speech exercises covering:

 

• Fill-in-the-blanks: Practice tense, pronoun, and adverb changes.
• Sentence transformation: Convert direct speech to reported speech.
• Matching: Link statements, commands, and questions with their indirect speech forms.

Interactive grammar exercises help reinforce reported speech in a way that your students will remember.

 

Classroom Activity Ideas

Supplement worksheets with active classroom practice:

 

• Role-plays: Students act out (reporting news) using reported speech.
• Reporting chains: Pass along a sentence and report each step.
• Video/Dialogue reports: Watch a clip, then report what someone said.

These hands-on tasks make English grammar practical and fun.