Grammar
Direct and reported speech: say what someone said
A colleague says, "I will send the agenda tonight." Later, you tell the team what she said: "Nora said that she would send the agenda that evening." The second sentence is reported speech.
Change a short direct statement, question, or command into clear reported speech while choosing an appropriate reporting verb, word order, and time reference.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
She said that she would call the next day. /ʃiː sed ðæt ʃiː wʊd kɔːl ðə nekst deɪ/
The short answer
Use quotation marks for direct speech. For reported speech, choose a reporting verb such as said, told, asked, or advised, then change pronouns and time references as needed. After a past reporting verb, present forms often move one step back: "I am ready" becomes she said that she was ready.
Omar said, "I need more time."
Why it works: In reported speech, this becomes: Omar said that he needed more time. The pronoun changes with the speaker, and need commonly moves back to needed.
5 more examples
-
Mina said, "I am looking for a new flat."
With a past reporting verb, am looking commonly changes to was looking. Mina becomes she when the listener knows who Mina is.
Not this:Mina
says that she is lookingfor a new flat. What changes: A present reporting verb keeps the message connected to the current moment, so the present continuous form can remain unchanged. -
Theo said, "I finished the draft yesterday."
Finished often changes to had finished when the report places the action before a past reporting moment. Yesterday may become the day before if the reference day has changed.
Not this:Theo said that
he finishedthe draft on Monday. What changes: Keeping the past simple can work when the date is clear and the speaker is simply reporting a completed event. The time phrase removes doubt. -
Leah asked, "Do you know the address?"
A yes-no question becomes asked if or asked whether. The reported clause uses statement order: I knew, not did I know.
Not this:Leah asked
where I lived. What changes: With a question word, keep where, what, when, why, or how. Do not add if after a question word. -
The supervisor said, "Please check the figures again."
A polite imperative can become asked plus an object plus to and the base verb.
Not this:The supervisor
warned us not to sharethe figures. What changes: A negative command uses not to before the verb. Warning gives the instruction a stronger meaning than asking. -
Iris said, "I will meet you here tomorrow."
Will often changes to would after a past reporting verb. Here and tomorrow can change to there and the next day when the report happens in a different place or on a later day.
Not this:Iris says that she
will meet me here tomorrow. What changes: If Iris is speaking now and the meeting is still at this location tomorrow, the original time and place words can stay the same.
Read the full guide
First decide what kind of message you are reporting. A statement normally follows said or told. A yes-no question uses if or whether. A question word such as where or why stays in a reported question, but the word order becomes statement order. A command usually uses told, asked, warned, or advised plus an object and to plus a verb.
Choose direct speech or reported speech
Use direct speech when the exact wording matters. Put the quoted words in quotation marks. Use reported speech when you want to pass on the message in your own sentence. You can report the meaning without copying every hesitation or repeated word.
Direct: Farah said, "The bus is late." Reported: Farah said that the bus was late.
The direct sentence shows Farah's words. The reported sentence puts those words inside a new sentence spoken later.
Which form would you use when writing the exact words from a witness statement?
Use direct speech when the exact wording matters and quote the words accurately.
Report statements with said and told
Use said when you name the message but not the listener: Ben said that the room was free. Use told when you name the listener: Ben told me that the room was free. Do not say Ben told that the room was free without an object after told.
The receptionist told us that the lift was out of service.
Us is the object after told. Without a listener object, use said: The receptionist said that the lift was out of service.
Which reporting verb fits before the object me in a sentence about a message?
Use told: He told me that the meeting had moved.
Check the timeline before changing a verb
After a past reporting verb, English often moves the reported verb back one step. Present simple can become past simple, present continuous can become past continuous, and will can become would. This is common when the original words belong to an earlier time.
Ravi said, "I work from home on Fridays." Ravi said that he worked from home on Fridays.
Worked places Ravi's statement before the report. If Ravi still works from home on Fridays and that fact matters now, a speaker may keep works in some contexts.
What often replaces will after a past reporting verb?
Would often replaces will: She said that she would reply later.
Put reported questions in statement order
Reported questions do not keep question order. Start a yes-no question with if or whether, then use subject before verb. Keep a question word in an information question, but still use statement order after it.
The visitor asked whether the museum was open on Sunday.
Do not write whether was the museum open. That repeats direct-question order inside a reported clause.
How can you report the question, Where does the train stop?
Write: She asked where the train stopped. The clause uses subject then verb.
Report instructions with an infinitive
For commands, requests, advice, and warnings, choose a verb that shows the speaker's purpose. Then add the listener and to plus the base verb. For a negative instruction, put not before to.
The nurse advised him to drink water slowly.
Advised shows helpful guidance. Told is firmer, asked is more neutral, and warned shows that the speaker saw a risk.
How do you report the instruction, Do not leave the door open?
Write: They told us not to leave the door open.
Adjust time and place words when the viewpoint changes
Words such as now, today, tomorrow, here, and this depend on the speaker's time and place. They may change when you report the message later or elsewhere. The right choice comes from the real situation, not from a fixed replacement list.
On Tuesday, Ken reported that the delivery would arrive the following day.
The following day is clear because Ken reports on Tuesday. If he repeats the message on the original day, tomorrow may still be the natural word.
When might here change to there in reported speech?
Change here to there when the report is made from a different place than the original speaker's location.
Before you go
Remember this
Identify the message type first. Use said or told for a statement, if or whether for a yes-no question, a question word for an information question, and object plus to for a command. Then check pronouns, verb time, and words such as today, tomorrow, here, and this that may depend on the reporting situation.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Direct and reported speech: say what someone said"
What is the difference between direct and reported speech?
Direct speech gives the speaker's exact words in quotation marks. Reported speech explains the message inside a new sentence. It often changes pronouns, verb time, and words that depend on the original speaker's place or day.
Mina said, "I am looking for a new flat."
Do I always need to change the tense in reported speech?
No. A tense change is common after a past reporting verb, especially when you report an earlier conversation. You can sometimes keep a present form when the fact remains true or the report is still connected to the present. Make the timeline clear for the listener.
Mina says that she is looking for a new flat.
When should I use said and when should I use told?
Use said when you do not name the listener directly: She said that the train was late. Use told when you include a listener object: She told me that the train was late. Told normally needs that object after it.
Theo said, "I finished the draft yesterday."
How do I report a yes-no question?
Use asked with if or whether, then use ordinary statement order. For example, a direct question about an opening time becomes a reported clause with the subject before the verb. Do not keep do, does, or did question order inside the clause.
Theo said that he finished the draft on Monday.
How do I report a command or request?
Choose a reporting verb that matches the purpose, such as asked, told, advised, or warned. Add the listener, then to plus the base verb. Put not before to when the instruction tells someone not to do something.
Leah asked, "Do you know the address?"
Questions & comments
Ask about this lesson, share an example, or help another learner.
