What is Reported Speech?
Reported speech (also called indirect speech) is used to tell someone what another person said, without quoting their exact words. When we report speech, we usually shift the tenses back one step into the past.
Direct speech: "I am tired," she said.
Reported speech: She said (that) she was tired.
The word that is optional after the reporting verb. Both forms are correct: She said that she was tired. / She said she was tired.
Tense Changes
When the reporting verb is in the past (said, told, asked), tenses usually shift back:
present simple → past simple
"I work here." → He said he worked there.
present continuous → past continuous
"She is sleeping." → He said she was sleeping.
past simple → past perfect
"We arrived late." → She said they had arrived late.
will → would
"I will call you." → He said he would call me.
can → could
"I can help." → She said she could help.
Say vs Tell
Say and tell are the most common reporting verbs, but they are used differently.
say — no person object: She said she was hungry. ✓
With person, use say to: She said to me that she was hungry.
tell — always needs a person object: She told me she was hungry. ✓
She told that she was hungry. ✗
Pronoun & Time/Place Changes
Pronouns, possessives, and time/place expressions also change to reflect the new speaker's perspective.
"I left my bag here yesterday."
→ She said she had left her bag there the day before.
today → that day | yesterday → the day before | tomorrow → the next day
now → then | here → there | this → that
⚠ Common mistakes:
✗ She said me she was tired. → ✓ She told me she was tired. / She said she was tired.
✗ He said that he will come. → ✓ He said that he would come.
✗ She told that the film was good. → ✓ She said that the film was good. / She told me the film was good.