Say it again (the smart way): Mastering Reported Speech in English (B1)

Ever told a friend what someone else said? That’s reported speech. It helps you share news, retell conversations, and sound natural in English. In this lesson, you’ll learn the key patterns, common reporting verbs, how to handle questions and commands, and the time word changes that make your English accurate and clear.

English
Sarah said, "I’m tired."
Direct quote (exact words)
English
Sarah said that she was tired.
Reported speech (paraphrase)

Must-know reporting verbs

These verbs introduce reported speech. Learn how they’re used in real life.

say
to speak words; no object required
verb
He said that he was late.
tell
to give information to someone; needs an object
verb
She told me that the train was delayed.
ask
to request information or help
verb
They asked if we could join them.
explain
to make something clear
verb
He explained that the file had been deleted.
promise
to say you will definitely do something
verb
She promised to call me back.

She me to call her.

He said me the news. → He told me the news. Use say + to someone or tell + someone. Example: He said to me… / He told me…

Pronouns and tense changes (backshift)

When reporting past statements, we often move the tense “one step back” (especially if the original statement is clearly in the past). Pronouns also change to match the reporter’s perspective.

to be past simple Irregular
Pronoun Conjugation
I was
he/she/it was
you were
we were
they were
🔠 Put the words in order

Start with the subject, then the reporting verb.

Questions in reported speech

We don’t use do/does/did in reported questions, and we don’t use a question mark unless the sentence is actually a question you’re asking now.

  • Wh- questions: keep the question word and change the order to statement order.
  • Yes/No questions: use if or whether.
English
“Where do you live?” → He asked where I lived.
Wh-question becomes statement order in reported speech.
English
“Do you like coffee?” → She asked if I liked coffee.
Yes/No question uses if/whether.

He asked me I could help.

Commands, requests, and advice

Use tell/ask + object + to-infinitive for positive commands and requests. For negatives, use not + to-infinitive.

  • “Please be quiet.” → He asked us to be quiet.
  • “Don’t forget.” → She told me not to forget.
English
“Close the door, please.” → She asked me to close the door.
🧠 Report it correctly

Time and place word changes

When we report, time and place references often shift. Here are the common changes:

💬 Put the conversation in order

Reported summary: Anna asked Ben if he was coming to the meeting that day. Ben replied that he couldn’t and that he had a dentist appointment. Anna said she would see him the next day, and Ben promised he would bring the report the following day.

Notice the changes: today → that day, tomorrow → the next/following day, can → could, will → would.

report root (to give information) -ed suffix (past participle adjective) speech noun (spoken words)

Quick checklist for reported speech

  • Choose the right reporting verb: say (no object), tell (needs object), ask (for questions/requests).
  • Change pronouns: “I” → he/she; “we” → they, etc.
  • Backshift tenses when appropriate: present → past, past → past perfect.
  • Adjust time/place words: today → that day, here → there, etc.
  • Questions: use if/whether for Yes/No; keep wh-word and use statement order.
  • Commands/requests: tell/ask + object + (not) to-infinitive.

Final practice

Try retelling something you heard today. For example: “My manager said we have a deadline on Friday.” → My manager said that we had a deadline on Friday. If it’s still true, you may keep the present: “My manager said we have a deadline on Friday.”

You’ve got this! With these patterns and a little practice, reported speech will become natural and effortless in your everyday English.