Reported Speech (Indirect Speech) is used to report what someone said WITHOUT using their exact words. We change PRONOUNS (I → he/she), TENSES (usually go back one step), and TIME WORDS. Use: He said (that)..., She told me (that)...
Quick tip: Tenses go BACK one step. Change I/we → he/she/they. Change now/today/tomorrow/here. SAY + that. TELL + person + that.
tense CHANGES: Go back one step
When reporting past statements, move tenses BACK: Simple Present → Simple Past, Present Continuous → Past Continuous, Present Perfect → Past Perfect, Simple Past → Past Perfect, Will → Would, Can → Could.
Direct: "I am happy." → Reported: He said he WAS happy. (am → was)
Direct: "I work here." → Reported: She said she WORKED there. (work → worked)
Direct: "I have finished." → Reported: He said he HAD FINISHED. (have finished → had finished)
Direct: "I will help." → Reported: She said she WOULD help. (will → would)
PRONOUN CHANGES: Change perspective
Change pronouns to match the NEW speaker's perspective: I → he/she, we → they, my → his/her, you → I/we (depending on context).
Direct: "I am tired." → Reported: She said SHE was tired. (I → she)
Direct: "We are leaving." → Reported: They said THEY were leaving. (we → they)
Direct: "My car is red." → Reported: He said HIS car was red. (my → his)
Direct: "You can come." → Reported: She told me I could come. (you → I)
TIME & PLACE CHANGES
Change time and place words: now → then, today → that day, tomorrow → the next day, yesterday → the day before/the previous day, here → there, this → that, ago → before.
Direct: "I'm busy NOW." → Reported: He said he was busy THEN. (now → then)
Direct: "I'll call you TOMORROW." → Reported: She said she would call me THE NEXT DAY. (tomorrow → next day)
Direct: "I saw her YESTERDAY." → Reported: He said he had seen her THE DAY BEFORE. (yesterday → day before)
Direct: "I live HERE." → Reported: She said she lived THERE. (here → there)
Common mistakes
Not "He said he is happy." — say "He said he was happy.". Move tense back: present (is) → past (was) in reported speech..
Not "She said me she was tired." — say "She told me she was tired. OR She said she was tired.". SAY doesn't take object person! Use TELL + person OR SAY (without person)..
Not "He said I am coming tomorrow." — say "He said he was coming the next day.". Change pronouns (I → he) and time words (tomorrow → the next day)..
Practise it
Step 1: Change pronouns (I → he/she). Step 2: Move tense back one step. Step 3: Change time/place words (now/today/here). Step 4: Use SAY or TELL correctly!