Reported speech

This page has information on how to report what someone said to you.

Introduction

We often want to tell someone what another person has said to us. In most cases we do not report the exact words that we hear. Instead we make some changes so that what we say sounds more natural. This is called reported speech (or indirect speech). Here are some examples:

  • Miho told me that she's returning to Japan next year.
  • He said that you're angry with me.
  • The teacher told me to go to the office.
  • She asked if you were feeling better.
  • She wanted to know if I had ever ridden a horse.*

We can report our own or someone else's thoughts too. For example:

  • I wonder why she did that. (Thought: Why did she do that?)
  • He realized he had forgotten his phone. (Thought: I've forgotten my phone.)

Note: In writing, particularly in fiction writing, it is common to use direct speech: She asked me: "Have you ever ridden a horse?" However, direct speech is unusual in spoken language.

Changes in reported speech

As noted above when we report words or thoughts we need to make some changes to make what we say sound natural. Some of these changes may be as easy as changing pronouns or correcting time references:

Direct speech
Reported speech
"I can't come to your party."
She said she can't come to my party.
"My mother called me today."
He said his mother called that day.

In many cases more extensive changes are needed to produce correct and natural-sounding reported speech, particularly when reporting questions or commands. Here are some examples:

Direct speech
Reported speech
"Do you have children?"
He asked me if I had children.
"Did you go to the party?"
She wanted to know if I went to the party.
"What's the time?"
She asked me what the time was.
"Please speak more slowly!"
She asked me to speak more slowly.
"Do not open that box!"
She told me not to open the box.

Tense change in reported speech: No change

The main problem for the learner of English is to decide which tense is needed for the verb(s) in what is reported. Generally, English speakers do not change the tense if what is said is still true or has not happened yet, and they believe the speaker. For example:

Direct speech
Reported speech
"I don't feel very well."
She said she doesn't feel very well. (at the time of my reporting this fact - shortly after hearing it - I know that it is still true)
"I'm returning to Japan in August."
He said he's returning to Japan in August. (I am reporting this fact in April and I have no reason to disbelieve him)
"I hate doing grammar exercises!"
She told me that she hates doing grammar exercises. (she told me this a few months ago but I'm sure that it is still true)

Tense change in reported speech: Backshift

Tense change in reported speech happens in one of the following cases:

  • when what was said is no longer true
  • when the reporter does not believe/trust the speaker
  • when the reporter wants to be neutral (i.e. convey neither belief nor disbelief in what the speaker said).
  • when what was said is still true but the reporter is not interested in conveying any opinion about truth. He or she is more focussed on reporting a past conversation.

In all such cases it is usual to shift the tense from present (simple, continuous or perfect) to past (simple, continuous or perfect). This tense change is often called backshift.

Here are some examples of backshift:

Direct speech
Reported speech
"I don't feel very well."
She said she didn't feel very well. (she told me this last week and I know she is better now)
"I'm returning to Japan in August."
He said he was returning to Japan in August. (I am reporting this fact in April, but I don't trust him as he has already told me 3 times he was leaving, and each time it turned out to be incorrect)
"I hate doing grammar exercises!"
She told me that she hated doing grammar exercises. (she told me this a few months ago but now that she can do them on the internet I know that she has changed her mind)
"I'll help you move house."
He told me that he would help me move house. (I'm neutral on this: I don't want to imply that I think he will keep his promise; and I don't want to imply that I don't think he will keep his promise)
"I had an accident on the way to work."
He told me he'd had an accident on the way to work. (the speaker was talking about an accident some time ago - the reporter has shifted the tense from present to past perfect *)
"Have you done your homework?"
My mother asked if I had done my homework. (she asked me just now and I haven't done my homework - but it is usual to shift the tense when reporting questions in the present perfect)
"I'm from London."
I told him that I was from London. (it is clearly still true that I am from London, but when reporting what I said I am not interested in emphasising this fact; my concern is to report a conversation that took place in the past and so I use past tense)

* It is common not to shift from past simple to past perfect in reported speech (unless this causes confusion about the sequence in which events happened). So sentences such as He told me he had an accident on the way to work ("I had an accident on the way to work") or She said she didn't enjoy the party ("I didn't enjoy the party.") are perfectly grammatical.

Mandatory backshift

Many English learners are taught to follow the mandatory backshift rule (also called the sequence of tenses). This rule states that you must put the verb in the reported speech clause into the past simple or past perfect tense even if what is reported is still true.

For example: She said: "I live in London." → She said she lived in London. Or He said: "I have bought a new phone." → He said he had bought a new phone.

If you are studying for a grammar examination in reported speech, you may be expected to backshift in all cases.

Reporting verbs

The three most common verbs when reporting what you have heard or read are said, told and asked. These are fairly neutral. But very often reporters add their own interpretation by using other verbs. For example, instead of just saying John said he would help me with my homework, the reporter says John promised to help me with my homework.

Here are a few of the many reporting verbs that add the reporter's interpretation:

Direct speech
Reported speech
"Yes, you are right."
He agreed with me.
"I didn't use your phone."
He denied using my phone.
"Let's go swimming!"
She suggested going swimming.
"You need to give up smoking."
She urged me to give up smoking.
"Do not open that box!"
She forbade me to open the box.

It is useful to know these alternative reporting verbs. But note that they have their own grammar, which must be learned for each one.

More resources on reported speech

Note: This is a complex aspect of English grammar. Learners who wish to know more are advised to consult a good reference work, such as Collins Cobuild English Grammar or Swan's Practical English Usage.

There are several interactive quizzes on reported speech in the Other grammar drop-down menu on the Grammar index.