Reported Speech in English: Structures and Examples

Reported speech is an important part of English grammar that allows speakers to communicate what someone else has said without repeating their exact words. It is frequently used in everyday conversations, storytelling, academic writing, and English language examinations.

However, changing direct speech into reported speech can be challenging, particularly when dealing with tense changes, pronouns, time expressions, and different sentence structures. Understanding these rules will help you report statements, questions, commands, and requests accurately.

This guide explains reported speech rules and structures with practical examples, useful grammar tables, and reported speech exercises with answers to help you develop confidence in using this grammar point.

What Is Reported Speech in English?

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is a grammatical structure used to communicate what another person has said, asked, or requested without quoting their exact words.

Instead of repeating the original sentence, the speaker conveys its meaning through a reporting clause. This often requires adjustments to verb tenses, pronouns, possessive adjectives, and expressions of time or place.

Example:

Direct speech: Emily said, “I am studying English.”

Reported speech: Emily said that she was studying English.

In this example, the pronoun I changes to she, while the present continuous tense am studying changes to the past continuous tense was studying.

The change happens because the speaker is reporting Emily’s words from a different perspective and time.

Reported speech commonly appears in conversations, news reports, interviews, personal stories, and written communication. Learning how it works helps English learners communicate information clearly and naturally.

Direct Speech vs. Reported Speech: Key Differences

Before studying reported speech structures, it is useful to understand how direct and indirect speech differ.

Direct speech repeats someone’s exact words, usually inside quotation marks. Reported speech communicates the original meaning without necessarily preserving the same sentence structure.

Important: Reported speech does not always require tense changes. The correct structure depends on when the statement was made, whether it is still true, and the context in which it is reported.

Common Reported Speech Structures and Formulas

There are several forms of reported speech in English, each used for a different communication purpose.

The most common forms include statements, Yes/No questions, Wh-questions, commands, requests, advice, and suggestions.

Reported Speech for Statements

Reported statements are used to communicate information, opinions, or facts expressed by another person.

The reporting verbs say and tell are frequently used in this structure.

Formula:

Subject + said + (that) + subject + verb

Subject + told + object + (that) + subject + verb

Examples:

Direct: Sarah said, “I enjoy reading novels.”

Reported: Sarah said that she enjoyed reading novels.

Direct: James said to me, “I have a meeting today.”

Reported: James told me that he had a meeting that day.

The word that introduces the reported clause. It is often optional, especially in informal English.

Remember: Tell normally requires an object identifying the person who receives the information.

For example, She told me that she was busy is correct, while She told that she was busy is incorrect in this structure.

Reported Speech for Yes/No Questions

Reported speech questions require a different structure from reported statements.

For questions that can be answered with yes or no, use if or whether to introduce the reported question.

Formula:

Subject + asked + (object) + if/whether + subject + verb

Examples:

Direct: Daniel asked, “Are you ready?”

Reported: Daniel asked if I was ready.

Direct: The teacher asked Lisa, “Have you finished your homework?”

Reported: The teacher asked Lisa whether she had finished her homework.

When changing Yes/No questions into reported speech:

• Replace the direct question structure with if or whether.
• Use statement word order rather than question word order.
• Remove do, does, or did when they function as question auxiliaries.
• Adjust the verb tense when necessary.

A reported question inside a statement normally ends with a period rather than a question mark.

Reported Speech for Wh-Questions

Wh-questions begin with question words such as what, where, when, why, who, and how.

When converting these questions into reported speech, the question word is generally retained.

Formula:

Subject + asked + (object) + Wh-word + subject + verb

Examples:

Direct: Michael asked, “Where do you live?”

Reported: Michael asked where I lived.

Direct: Anna asked me, “Why did you leave early?”

Reported: Anna asked me why I had left early.

In reported Wh-questions, the verb normally follows the subject.

Incorrect: She asked where did I work.

Correct: She asked where I worked.

However, when the question word itself acts as the subject, the sentence does not require the same rearrangement.

Example:

Direct: He asked, “Who broke the window?”

Reported: He asked who had broken the window.

Reported Speech for Commands and Requests

Commands and requests are commonly reported using verbs such as tell, ask, and order.

Instead of using a complete clause, these structures usually contain an object followed by a to-infinitive.

Affirmative formula:

Subject + told/asked + object + to + base verb

Negative formula:

Subject + told/asked + object + not to + base verb

Examples:

Direct: The teacher said, “Open your books.”

Reported: The teacher told the students to open their books.

Direct: My father said, “Don’t touch the computer.”

Reported: My father told me not to touch the computer.

For polite requests, ask is often more appropriate than tell.

Direct: Mary said, “Please help me with this exercise.”

Reported: Mary asked me to help her with that exercise.

Reported Speech for Advice and Suggestions

Reported speech can also communicate advice, recommendations, warnings, or suggestions.

The structure depends on the reporting verb.

Formula with advise:

Subject + advised + object + to/not to + base verb

Example:

Direct: The doctor said, “You should get more rest.”

Reported: The doctor advised me to get more rest.

Formulas with suggest:

Subject + suggested + verb-ing

Subject + suggested + (that) + subject + (should) + base verb

Example:

Direct: Tom said, “Let’s take a break.”

Reported: Tom suggested taking a break.

Another possible form is:

Tom suggested that we should take a break.

Unlike advise, the verb suggest is not normally followed by an object and a to-infinitive.

Learning the patterns associated with different reporting verbs is an important part of mastering reported speech.

Reported Speech Tense Changes and Backshift Rules

One of the most important reported speech rules involves changing verb tenses.

This process is called backshift. When the reporting verb is in the past tense, the verb in the original statement often moves one step further into the past.

Reported Speech Tense Changes Table

The following table summarizes common tense changes in reported speech.

Examples:

Present Simple → Past Simple

Direct: She said, “I work at a hospital.”

Reported: She said that she worked at a hospital.

Present Perfect → Past Perfect

Direct: He said, “I have completed the project.”

Reported: He said that he had completed the project.

Will → Would

Direct: Lucy said, “I will call you tomorrow.”

Reported: Lucy said that she would call me the following day.

These changes are common when describing past conversations, although the original tense may sometimes remain appropriate.

Modal Verbs in Reported Speech

Modal verbs do not always follow the same backshift patterns as ordinary verbs.

Example:

Direct: David said, “I must finish this task.”

Reported: David said that he had to finish that task.

However, must may remain unchanged when expressing a logical deduction.

The meaning of the modal verb should therefore be considered before changing its form.

When Reported Speech Does Not Require Backshift

Although backshift is common, it is not necessary in every reported sentence.

When the reporting verb is in the present tense:

Direct: Anna says, “I love classical music.”

Reported: Anna says that she loves classical music.

When the information is still true:

Direct: Peter said, “I live in London.”

Reported: Peter said that he lives in London.

This is appropriate if Peter still lives in London.

When reporting general truths or scientific facts:

Direct: The teacher said, “Water freezes at 0°C under standard atmospheric pressure.”

Reported: The teacher said that water freezes at 0°C under standard atmospheric pressure.

In these situations, keeping the original tense can preserve the meaning and indicate that the information remains valid.

Changing Pronouns and Time Expressions in Reported Speech

Another essential aspect of reported speech grammar is changing pronouns, possessive adjectives, and expressions of time or place.

These adjustments help ensure that the reported message makes sense from the new speaker’s perspective.

Pronoun Changes in Reported Speech

Pronoun changes depend on who originally spoke and who is reporting the information.

Example:

Direct: Emma said, “My brother is an engineer.”

Reported: Emma said that her brother was an engineer.

Here, my changes to her because Emma is the original speaker.

Pronoun changes should never be applied automatically without considering the people involved.

Time and Place Expressions in Reported Speech

Words referring to time and location may also change when the reporting context differs from the original conversation.

Example:

Direct: Mike said, “I will meet you here tomorrow.”

Reported: Mike said that he would meet me there the following day.

These expressions do not always need changing. If the speaker reports the message on the same day or from the same location, keeping words such as today or here may be appropriate.

How to Change Direct Speech into Reported Speech

To convert direct speech into reported speech correctly, follow a clear sequence of steps.

Step 1: Identify the sentence type

Determine whether the original sentence is a statement, Yes/No question, Wh-question, command, or request.

Step 2: Choose the reporting verb

Select a suitable verb such as say, tell, ask, advise, or suggest.

Step 3: Adjust the pronouns

Identify the original speaker and listener, then change pronouns where necessary.

Step 4: Check the verb tense

Decide whether backshift is needed based on the reporting verb and the context.

Step 5: Update time and place expressions

Change expressions such as tomorrow, yesterday, and here when the reporting situation requires it.

Step 6: Check sentence structure

Make sure reported questions use statement word order and reported commands follow the appropriate infinitive structure.

Complete example:

Direct: Lisa said to me, “I am working on this project today.”

Reported: Lisa told me that she was working on that project that day.

This example demonstrates the use of a reporting verb, tense backshift, pronoun changes, and adjustments to time expressions.

Common Reported Speech Mistakes to Avoid

Even learners who understand the formulas may make mistakes when applying reported speech in longer sentences.

Incorrect Use of Say and Tell in Reported Speech

Incorrect: He told that he was tired.

Correct: He said that he was tired.

Also correct: He told me that he was tired.

The verb tell generally requires an object in this structure, whereas say can introduce a reported clause directly.

Incorrect Word Order in Reported Speech Questions

Incorrect: She asked where did I live.

Correct: She asked where I lived.

Reported questions follow statement word order instead of direct question word order.

Incorrect Pronouns in Reported Speech

Incorrect: Anna said that I was happy.

Correct: Anna said that she was happy.

If Anna was originally talking about herself, the pronoun I should become she when another person reports her words.

Incorrect Reporting Verb Structures in Reported Speech

Incorrect: He suggested me to study harder.

Correct: He suggested that I should study harder.

Also correct: He advised me to study harder.

Different reporting verbs require different grammatical patterns. Learning these structures through examples helps prevent common errors.

Reported Speech Exercises with Answers

Practicing reported speech exercises is an effective way to improve your understanding of statements, questions, commands, and tense changes.

For the following exercises, assume that the sentences are reported later, from a different speaker’s perspective, unless the context suggests otherwise.

Reported Speech Practice Exercises

Rewrite the following sentences using reported speech.

Exercise 1: Mary said, “I am watching a movie now.”

→ ……………………………………

Exercise 2: Tom said to me, “I can help you tomorrow.”

→ ……………………………………

Exercise 3: Lily said, “I have finished my homework.”

→ ……………………………………

Exercise 4: The teacher asked Nam, “Do you understand this rule?”

→ ……………………………………

Exercise 5: Jane asked me, “Where did you buy this bag?”

→ ……………………………………

Exercise 6: My mother said to me, “Don’t leave the window open.”

→ ……………………………………

Exercise 7: The manager said to us, “Please arrive on time.”

→ ……………………………………

Exercise 8: Ben said, “We went to the museum yesterday.”

→ ……………………………………

Exercise 9: Anna said to me, “I will call you next week.”

→ ……………………………………

Exercise 10: The teacher said, “The Earth orbits the Sun.”

→ ……………………………………

Reported Speech Exercise Answers and Explanations

Exercise 1

Mary said that she was watching a movie then.

Explanation: Am watching changes to was watching, I becomes she, and now changes to then.

Exercise 2

Tom told me that he could help me the following day.

Explanation: Can changes to could, while tomorrow becomes the following day.

Exercise 3

Lily said that she had finished her homework.

Explanation: The present perfect tense have finished changes to the past perfect tense had finished.

Exercise 4

The teacher asked Nam if he understood that rule.

Explanation: The Yes/No question is introduced by if. The auxiliary do is removed, and understand becomes understood.

Exercise 5

Jane asked me where I had bought that bag.

Explanation: The question word where remains, while did buy changes to had bought. Statement word order is used.

Exercise 6

My mother told me not to leave the window open.

Explanation: Negative commands use the pattern told + object + not to + base verb.

Exercise 7

The manager asked us to arrive on time.

Explanation: Polite requests commonly follow the structure asked + object + to + base verb.

Exercise 8

Ben said that they had gone to the museum the day before.

Explanation: Went changes to had gone, we becomes they, and yesterday becomes the day before.

Exercise 9

Anna told me that she would call me the following week.

Explanation: Will changes to would, and next week becomes the following week.

Exercise 10

The teacher said that the Earth orbits the Sun.

Explanation: The statement describes a scientific fact, so the present simple tense can remain unchanged.

These answers illustrate standard reported speech transformations. Depending on the context, some sentences may also have other grammatically acceptable forms.

Mastering reported speech requires more than memorizing tense changes. Learners should understand the purpose of each sentence, choose suitable reporting verbs, and adjust grammar according to the original speaker and reporting context. By reviewing the rules, studying examples, and completing regular practice exercises, you can use reported speech more accurately and confidently in both spoken and written English.

Frequently Asked Questions About Reported Speech

Is “That” Always Necessary in Reported Speech?

No. In reported statements, that can often be omitted without changing the meaning.

For example:

She said that she was tired.

She said she was tired.

Both sentences are grammatically correct. However, including that can improve clarity, particularly in longer or more complex sentences.

When Can Reported Speech Keep the Original Tense?

Reported speech can retain the original tense when the reporting verb is in the present tense or when the information remains true.

Example:

He says that he works in a bank.

The original tense may also remain unchanged when reporting scientific facts or information that is still relevant.

How Are Questions Changed into Reported Speech?

Questions in reported speech use statement word order.

Yes/No questions are generally introduced by if or whether, while Wh-questions retain their original question words.

Examples:

Direct: “Are you busy?”

Reported: She asked if I was busy.

Direct: “Where are you going?”

Reported: She asked where I was going.

A reported question embedded in a statement does not normally end with a question mark.

What Is the Difference Between Reported Speech and Indirect Speech?

Reported speech and indirect speech are commonly used to describe the same grammatical concept: communicating another person’s words without quoting them directly.

For example:

Direct speech: He said, “I am hungry.”

Indirect speech: He said that he was hungry.

In English grammar lessons, the two terms are often used interchangeably when referring to indirect reporting structures.

What Is the Easiest Way to Learn Reported Speech?

A practical approach is to study reported speech in groups, starting with statements before moving on to questions, commands, and suggestions.

Next, review the tense changes, pronoun rules, and time expressions through simple examples.

Finally, complete reported speech exercises and compare your answers with explanations. Regular practice will help you recognize sentence patterns and apply them more naturally.

Related Keywords:

• Reported speech exercises with answers
• Reported speech rules and structures
• Reported speech questions
• Reported speech tense changes
• Reported speech examples in English