Reported speech is how we represent the speech of other people,

or what they say. There are two main types of reported speech:
direct speech and indirect speech.

TERMS
• direct speech *
Direct speech repeats the exact words the person used.

• Indirect speech *
Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words.

• reporting clause *
The reporting clause includes a verb such as say, tell, ask, reply, shout, usually in the
past simple.

• reported clause *
The reported clause includes what the original speaker said.

(*) Definitions from: http://dictionary.cambridge.org

Read this dialog from the movie ‘The pursuit of Happiness´ (1992)
Dream on.

Christopher Gardner: Hey. Don't ever let somebody tell you... You can't do
something. Not even me. All right?
Christopher: All right.
Christopher Gardner: You got a dream... You got to protect it.
People can't do something themselves, they want to tell you you
can't do it. If you want something, go get it. Period.
Keep it simple, silly.
Martin Frohm: What would you say if man walked in here with
no shirt, and I hired him? What would you say?
Christopher Gardner: He must have had on some really nice
pants.

Source: The Pursuit of Happiness. Muccino, G. (Director), Black, T., Blumenthal, J., Tisch, S., Lassiter, J., & Smith, W.
(Producers), & Conrad, S. (Writer). (n.d.). The pursuit of happiness [Video file].
Reported Speech
Reported speech (“speech”: habla, discurso) is the representation of what other people,
or ourselves, said. Speech reports consist of two parts: the reporting clause and the
reported clause.

• I said: “Can you listen to me?”

“I said” reporting clause “Can you listen to me?” reported clause

Direct Speech
Direct speech is a representation of the actual words someone said. A direct speech
report usually has a reporting verb in the past simple. The most common reporting verb is
said. The reporting clause comes usually first.

Mary said: “I speak English.”

(reporting clause) (reported clause)

If we report what another person has said, we usually do not use the speaker’s exact
words (direct speech), but reported (indirect) speech. So, we transform direct speech into
reported speech.

Reported Speech – Statements

When we report what was said, usually, it is in a different situation: the time is different,
the person is different, the place may be different.

• Christopher Gardner said: “People who can't do something themselves, want to

tell you you can't do it.” (direct speech)

• Christopher Gardner said that people who could not do something themselves,
wanted to tell him he couldn't do it. (indirect / reported speech)

(I am not Christopher, and I am writing this after he said it, so all references to person and time,
must change.)

Let’s look at more examples:

Direct speech Mary: “I speak English here.”

Reported speech Mary said that she spoke English there.
Reporting verb (say) + reference to person + reference to time + reference to place
 Direct speech John: “Sue is coming to my house today”.
Reported speech John said that she was coming to his house that day.
Reporting clause + reference to person + reference to time + reference to place

Note that the punctuation changes, as well:

Direct speech __________: “__________________________”.

Reported speech _______________________________________.
In short, we have to pay attention to:

 Pronouns  verbs (tense)  place and time

expressions

Tenses (verbs)
Let’s look at changes in Tenses:

Direct Speech Reported Speech

Past Simple Mary: “I went to Hawaii.” Past Simple or Mary said (that) she went to Hawaii.
Past Perfect Or:
Mary said (that) she had gone to Hawaii.
Past John: “We were watching Past John said (that) they were watching TV.
Continuous TV.” Continuous or John said (that) they had been watching TV.
Past Perfect
Continuous
Present Sue: “Tom drinks a lot of Past Simple Sue said (that) Tom drank a lot of coffee.
Simple coffee.”

Present Zoe: “They are coming Past Zoe said (that) they were coming home.
Continuous home.” Continuous

Present Pam: “I have worked hard Past Perfect Pam said (that) she had worked hard that
Perfect this week.” week.”

Future Tim: “I will answer the WOULD Tim said (that) he would answer the phone.
WILL phone!”

Future My parents: “We are going WAS/WERE My parents said (that) they were going to
GOING TO to move soon.” GOING TO move in a short time.

Note that the word “that” can be omitted.

Sometimes, it is not necessary to backshift the verb to the Past:

• Mary: “People speak English in the USA”.

She said that people speak English in the USA. (People continue to speak English, so it is
correct to use the Present)

• Joshua: “It is very cold in Russia”.

He said it is very cold in Russia. (The cold weather is a characteristic of that country, and
it still is cold in the present)

Place and Time expressions

Let’s look at changes in Time Expressions:

Direct Speech Reported Speech

PAST last night the previous night, the night before

yesterday the previous day, the day before
last year the previous year, the year before
two minutes ago two minutes before
PRESENT now then, at that moment
today that day
tonight that night
this week that week
FUTURE tomorrow the next day, the following day
next week the following week, the week after
in one hour one hour later
will would

Let’s look at changes in Place Expressions:

Direct Speech Reported Speech

here there (or “in Madrid”, “at her home”, etc.)

this that
these those

The structure is a little different depending on whether you want to transform a

statement, question or request.
Questions
When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:
• pronouns • place and time • tenses (backshift)
expressions
Also, note that you have to:
• transform the question into an indirect question
• use the interrogative pronoun (WH) or if / whether (for Yes/No questions)

Type of Direct Speech Reported Speech

Question
with Mary: “Where are you from?” She asked me where I am from.
interrogative
Mom and dad: “What are you They asked us what we were doing.
(Wh- questions)
doing?”

Tom: “Why don’t you come with He asked me why I didn’t go with
us? them.

Woman: “When does the bank The woman asked when the bank
open?” opens. *

No interrogative My friends: “Will you come to the My friends asked me if I would go to

(Yes/No party?” the party.
questions)
Peggy: “Do you speak English?” She asked whether I speak English
(or not).

Justin: “Is Mary home?” He asked if Mary was home.

Man: “Can I sit here?” The man asked if he could sit there.

Note that the reported sentence (column 2) is NOT a question, it is a statement.

The order of the words will change to have the order of an affirmative or negative
sentence, but not a question. (*) This also means that we don’t use the auxiliary verb for
the affirmative sentences.
We usually use the reporting verb “ASK” for questions.

Requests
Requests (pedidos) can be in the form of orders or questions. When transforming
requests, check:

 pronouns  place and time  infinitive / modal

expressions verbs
 Direct Speech Reported Speech Comment
“Carol, speak English. “ He told Carol to speak Orders, or imperatives, use
English. the Infinitive form of the
verb.
“Listen to me!” He ordered me to listen to There are two people in
him. the conversation.
“Can you please be quiet?” She told me to be quiet. This is an order, in the form
of a question.

Note that we can use other reporting verbs: tell/told, explain/explained,

order/ordered, ask/asked, etc. Remember that “ASK” means preguntar y pedir.

Some additional comments

Must, might, could, would and should stay the same in reported speech.

• “You must study.”  They told us we must study.

• “I could read at the age of 3. “  He could read at the age of 3.

Say and tell

If you say who you are talking to, use tell:

• Tom told me (that) he didn't like Brian. (not Tom said me…)
• Tom said (that) he didn't like Brian. (not Tom told (that) he…)

If you don't say who he told, you have to say:

• Tom talked (or spoke) about his trip to Mexico. (but not said about)

Further reading and Practice on Reported Speech:

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/490/grammar/reported-speech.htm
http://mbonillo.xavierre.com/gramatica/report0.html

References:
Murphy, R. (1998). Grammar in Use - Reference and Practice for Intermediate Students of English.
Cambridge, Reino Unido: Cambridge University Press. Units 45, 46