What is reported speech?

Reported speech (indirect speech) is when we tell someone what another person said without quoting their exact words (e.g., John said that he was hungry, rather than: John said, 'I am hungry').

What is backshifting in grammar?

Backshifting is the grammatical shifting of tenses one step into the past when transforming direct speech into indirect speech (e.g., Present Simple becomes Past Simple).

Do we always have to change tenses?

No. If the reported statement is a general truth or is still true at the time of reporting, you can choose to keep the original tense (e.g., 'The teacher said that water boils at 100 degrees').

Reported Speech — Rules, Tense Changes & Examples (2026)

How do you report what someone else said? In English, there are two ways to do this: Direct Speech and Indirect Speech (commonly known as Reported Speech).

Direct speech repeats the exact words spoken, enclosed in quotation marks:
• Mary said, “I am going home.”

Reported speech conveys the meaning of what was said without using the exact words, removing the quotation marks and shifting pronouns, tenses, and time references:
• Mary said that she was going home.

Because we are repeating words that were spoken in the past, the verb tenses in reported speech usually need to shift backward. This is called backshifting. In this guide, we will review the rules of tense shifting, pronoun modifications, reporting questions, and commands.

1. Tense Changes Table (Backshifting)

When the reporting verb is in the past tense (e.g., said, told, explained), the tenses in the reported clause backshift as follows:

Direct Speech Tense	Indirect Speech Tense	Example Transformation
Present Simple	Past Simple	“I work,” → He said he worked.
Present Continuous	Past Continuous	“I am working,” → He said he was working.
Present Perfect	Past Perfect	“I have worked,” → He said he had worked.
Past Simple	Past Perfect	“I worked,” → He said he had worked.
will	would	“I will work,” → He said he would work.
can	could	“I can work,” → He said he could work.

2. Pronoun & Place-Time Shifts

Because the perspective of the speaker changes, you must update pronouns, spatial words, and time expressions:

Pronoun Shifts

I → he / she
we → they
me → him / her
my → his / her
our → their

Time & Place Shifts

here → there
now → then / at that time
today → that day
yesterday → the day before / the previous day
tomorrow → the next day / the following day

3. Reporting Verbs Beyond “Said”

Repeating “said” and “told” constantly makes your writing repetitive. You can use descriptive reporting verbs to add context and tone:

explain: He explained that the project had encountered some delay.
warn: The guide warned us that the road was icy.
suggest: She suggested meeting on Friday. (Note: suggest takes V-ing or a subjunctive clause)
promise: He promised to call me as soon as he arrived.
deny: They denied taking the files.

4. How to Report Questions

Reporting questions requires two key grammar adjustments:

Drop the Auxiliary verb: Drop helper verbs like do, does, and did, and change the word order to standard statement format (Subject + Verb).
• Direct: “Where do you work?” she asked.
• Indirect: She asked me where I worked. (Not: where did I work)
Use IF or WHETHER for Yes/No questions:
• Direct: “Do you want coffee?” he asked.
• Indirect: He asked me if I wanted coffee.

5. Reporting Commands & Requests

When reporting a command, request, or advice, use the formula: **Reporting Verb + Object + infinitive (to + verb)**:

Direct: “Please open the door,” he said. → Indirect: He asked me to open the door.
Direct: “Sit down!” the boss yelled. → Indirect: The boss ordered us to sit down.
Direct: “Don't touch it!” she cried. → Indirect: She warned me not to touch it.

6. When NOT to Backshift

You do not need to backshift the tense if:

The statement describes a general fact or scientific law: He said that light travels faster than sound.
The situation is still true at the time of reporting: John said he lives in London. (He still lives there today)
The reporting verb is in the present tense: Mary says she is tired.

7. Interactive Practice Quiz

Test your reported speech transformation skills! Choose the best option for each question.

Direct: 'I am tired,' John said. Indirect: John said that he ___ tired.

Direct: 'I have lost my keys,' she said. Indirect: She explained that she ___ her keys.

Direct: 'We will call you tomorrow,' they said. Indirect: They promised they ___ us the next day.

Direct: 'Where do you live?' she asked me. Indirect: She asked me where I ___.

Direct: 'Do you want a coffee?' he asked. Indirect: He asked me ___ I wanted a coffee.

Direct: 'Don't touch that wire!' the electrician warned. Indirect: The electrician warned us ___ that wire.

Direct: 'I visited Paris last month,' Mark said. Indirect: Mark said that he had visited Paris ___.

Direct: 'Can you help me?' he asked. Indirect: He asked me if I ___ help him.

Direct: 'The Earth is round,' the teacher said. Indirect: The teacher explained that the Earth ___ round.

Direct: 'I am reading a book here,' she said. Indirect: She said that she was reading a book ___.