Reported speech – Present Perfect – Sentences – Exercise

Task no. 2335.

Finish the sentences using Reported speech. Always change the tense, although it is sometimes not necessary.

Jeremy, "I have always wanted a dog." Jeremy said (that)  

Jeremy said (that) he had always wanted a dog .

Do you need help?

Reported speech

  • Grandma, "Dad has made breakfast." Grandma said (that) .
  • Mia and Zoe, "We have cleaned the kitchen." Mia and Zoe said (that) .
  • Tom, "She has left the house." Tom remarked (that) .
  • Ella, "I have taken great photos." Ella told me (that) .
  • Max, "They haven't written text messages." Max said (that) .
  • Henry, "Lisa has tried skateboarding." Henry mentioned (that) .
  • Anna, "Richard has never touched a snake." Anna said (that) .
  • Lucas, "I haven't seen my brother since 2018." Lucas remarked (that) .
  • Grace, "Ken has fed the pets." Grace told me (that) .
  • Ruby, "Adam has not collected stickers." Ruby told me (that) .
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Direct and Indirect Speech of Present Perfect Tense

Direct and Indirect Speech of Present Perfect Tense

Learn how to convey a message what someone has said, felt or thought in present perfect tense. Direct and indirect speech of present perfect tense along with structures and examples for affirmative, negative, interrogative and negative interrogative sentences.

For direct and indirect speech complete rules click: Direct and indirect speech complete rules

Tense Change As a rule, when you report something that someone has said you go back a tense, therefore, when we report what someone has said we go one tense back. Instead we use past perfect tense in reported speech instead of present perfect tense.

Affirmatives

  • Direct speech: RP +, + S + have/has (adverb) + V3 + ROTS You said, “I have never been to Iran.”
  • Indirect speech: RP + that + S + had + (adverb) + V3 + ROTS You told me that you had never been to Iran
  • Direct speech: RP +, + S + have/has (adverb) + not + V3 + ROTS They said, “We have not committed any crime.”
  • Indirect speech: RP + that + S + had (adverb) + not + V3 + ROTS They said that they had not committed any crime.

Interrogatives

  • Direct speech: RP +, + have/has (adverb) + S +V3 + ROTS She asked, “Has your brother learned English at Learn ESL?”
  • Indirect speech: RP + if + S + had + V3 + ROTS She asked me if my brother had learned English at Learn ESL.

Negative interrogatives

  • Direct speech: RP +, + have/has not + S + V3 + ROTS He asked, “Haven`t they left yet?”
  • Indirect speech: RP + if + S +had not + V3 + ROTS He asked me if they hadn`t left yet.

WH/Information questions

  • Direct speech: RP +, + WH + have/has + S + V3 + ROTS She asked, “Where have you been these days?”
  • Indirect speech: RP + WH + S + had + V3 + ROTS She wanted to know where I had been those days.

Was the article helpful? Please feel free to leave your feedback about the lesson in the comment box below.

Check out Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises With Answers

If you would like to know more about direct or quoted speech, or indirect or reported speech, check out more in the book below.

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What is Reported Speech and how to use it? with Examples

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Olivia Drake

Reported speech and indirect speech are two terms that refer to the same concept, which is the act of expressing what someone else has said.

On this page:

Reported speech is different from direct speech because it does not use the speaker’s exact words. Instead, the reporting verb is used to introduce the reported speech, and the tense and pronouns are changed to reflect the shift in perspective. There are two main types of reported speech: statements and questions.

1. Reported Statements: In reported statements, the reporting verb is usually “said.” The tense in the reported speech changes from the present simple to the past simple, and any pronouns referring to the speaker or listener are changed to reflect the shift in perspective. For example, “I am going to the store,” becomes “He said that he was going to the store.”

2. Reported Questions: In reported questions, the reporting verb is usually “asked.” The tense in the reported speech changes from the present simple to the past simple, and the word order changes from a question to a statement. For example, “What time is it?” becomes “She asked what time it was.”

It’s important to note that the tense shift in reported speech depends on the context and the time of the reported speech. Here are a few more examples:

  • Direct speech: “I will call you later.”Reported speech: He said that he would call me later.
  • Direct speech: “Did you finish your homework?”Reported speech: She asked if I had finished my homework.
  • Direct speech: “I love pizza.”Reported speech: They said that they loved pizza.

When do we use reported speech?

Reported speech is used to report what someone else has said, thought, or written. It is often used in situations where you want to relate what someone else has said without quoting them directly.

Reported speech can be used in a variety of contexts, such as in news reports, academic writing, and everyday conversation. Some common situations where reported speech is used include:

News reports:  Journalists often use reported speech to quote what someone said in an interview or press conference.

Business and professional communication:  In professional settings, reported speech can be used to summarize what was discussed in a meeting or to report feedback from a customer.

Conversational English:  In everyday conversations, reported speech is used to relate what someone else said. For example, “She told me that she was running late.”

Narration:  In written narratives or storytelling, reported speech can be used to convey what a character said or thought.

How to make reported speech?

1. Change the pronouns and adverbs of time and place: In reported speech, you need to change the pronouns, adverbs of time and place to reflect the new speaker or point of view. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I’m going to the store now,” she said. Reported speech: She said she was going to the store then.

In this example, the pronoun “I” is changed to “she” and the adverb “now” is changed to “then.”

2. Change the tense: In reported speech, you usually need to change the tense of the verb to reflect the change from direct to indirect speech. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I will meet you at the park tomorrow,” he said. Reported speech: He said he would meet me at the park the next day.

In this example, the present tense “will” is changed to the past tense “would.”

3. Change reporting verbs: In reported speech, you can use different reporting verbs such as “say,” “tell,” “ask,” or “inquire” depending on the context of the speech. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “Did you finish your homework?” she asked. Reported speech: She asked if I had finished my homework.

In this example, the reporting verb “asked” is changed to “said” and “did” is changed to “had.”

Overall, when making reported speech, it’s important to pay attention to the verb tense and the changes in pronouns, adverbs, and reporting verbs to convey the original speaker’s message accurately.

How do I change the pronouns and adverbs in reported speech?

1. Changing Pronouns: In reported speech, the pronouns in the original statement must be changed to reflect the perspective of the new speaker. Generally, the first person pronouns (I, me, my, mine, we, us, our, ours) are changed according to the subject of the reporting verb, while the second and third person pronouns (you, your, yours, he, him, his, she, her, hers, it, its, they, them, their, theirs) are changed according to the object of the reporting verb. For example:

Direct speech: “I love chocolate.” Reported speech: She said she loved chocolate.

Direct speech: “You should study harder.” Reported speech: He advised me to study harder.

Direct speech: “She is reading a book.” Reported speech: They noticed that she was reading a book.

2. Changing Adverbs: In reported speech, the adverbs and adverbial phrases that indicate time or place may need to be changed to reflect the perspective of the new speaker. For example:

Direct speech: “I’m going to the cinema tonight.” Reported speech: She said she was going to the cinema that night.

Direct speech: “He is here.” Reported speech: She said he was there.

Note that the adverb “now” usually changes to “then” or is omitted altogether in reported speech, depending on the context.

It’s important to keep in mind that the changes made to pronouns and adverbs in reported speech depend on the context and the perspective of the new speaker. With practice, you can become more comfortable with making these changes in reported speech.

How do I change the tense in reported speech?

In reported speech, the tense of the reported verb usually changes to reflect the change from direct to indirect speech. Here are some guidelines on how to change the tense in reported speech:

Present simple in direct speech changes to past simple in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I like pizza.” Reported speech: She said she liked pizza.

Present continuous in direct speech changes to past continuous in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I am studying for my exam.” Reported speech: He said he was studying for his exam.

Present perfect in direct speech changes to past perfect in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I have finished my work.” Reported speech: She said she had finished her work.

Past simple in direct speech changes to past perfect in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I visited my grandparents last weekend.” Reported speech: She said she had visited her grandparents the previous weekend.

Will in direct speech changes to would in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I will help you with your project.” Reported speech: He said he would help me with my project.

Can in direct speech changes to could in reported speech. For example: Direct speech: “I can speak French.” Reported speech: She said she could speak French.

Remember that the tense changes in reported speech depend on the tense of the verb in the direct speech, and the tense you use in reported speech should match the time frame of the new speaker’s perspective. With practice, you can become more comfortable with changing the tense in reported speech.

Do I always need to use a reporting verb in reported speech?

No, you do not always need to use a reporting verb in reported speech. However, using a reporting verb can help to clarify who is speaking and add more context to the reported speech.

In some cases, the reported speech can be introduced by phrases such as “I heard that” or “It seems that” without using a reporting verb. For example:

Direct speech: “I’m going to the cinema tonight.” Reported speech with a reporting verb: She said she was going to the cinema tonight. Reported speech without a reporting verb: It seems that she’s going to the cinema tonight.

However, it’s important to note that using a reporting verb can help to make the reported speech more formal and accurate. When using reported speech in academic writing or journalism, it’s generally recommended to use a reporting verb to make the reporting more clear and credible.

Some common reporting verbs include say, tell, explain, ask, suggest, and advise. For example:

Direct speech: “I think we should invest in renewable energy.” Reported speech with a reporting verb: She suggested that they invest in renewable energy.

Overall, while using a reporting verb is not always required, it can be helpful to make the reported speech more clear and accurate

How to use reported speech to report questions and commands?

1. Reporting Questions: When reporting questions, you need to use an introductory phrase such as “asked” or “wondered” followed by the question word (if applicable), subject, and verb. You also need to change the word order to make it a statement. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “What time is the meeting?” Reported speech: She asked what time the meeting was.

Note that the question mark is not used in reported speech.

2. Reporting Commands: When reporting commands, you need to use an introductory phrase such as “ordered” or “told” followed by the person, to + infinitive, and any additional information. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “Clean your room!” Reported speech: She ordered me to clean my room.

Note that the exclamation mark is not used in reported speech.

In both cases, the tense of the reported verb should be changed accordingly. For example, present simple changes to past simple, and future changes to conditional. Here are some examples:

Direct speech: “Will you go to the party with me?”Reported speech: She asked if I would go to the party with her. Direct speech: “Please bring me a glass of water.”Reported speech: She requested that I bring her a glass of water.

Remember that when using reported speech to report questions and commands, the introductory phrases and verb tenses are important to convey the intended meaning accurately.

How to make questions in reported speech?

To make questions in reported speech, you need to use an introductory phrase such as “asked” or “wondered” followed by the question word (if applicable), subject, and verb. You also need to change the word order to make it a statement. Here are the steps to make questions in reported speech:

Identify the reporting verb: The first step is to identify the reporting verb in the sentence. Common reporting verbs used to report questions include “asked,” “inquired,” “wondered,” and “wanted to know.”

Change the tense and pronouns: Next, you need to change the tense and pronouns in the sentence to reflect the shift from direct to reported speech. The tense of the verb is usually shifted back one tense (e.g. from present simple to past simple) in reported speech. The pronouns should also be changed as necessary to reflect the shift in perspective from the original speaker to the reporting speaker.

Use an appropriate question word: If the original question contained a question word (e.g. who, what, where, when, why, how), you should use the same question word in the reported question. If the original question did not contain a question word, you can use “if” or “whether” to introduce the reported question.

Change the word order: In reported speech, the word order of the question changes from the inverted form to a normal statement form. The subject usually comes before the verb, unless the original question started with a question word.

Here are some examples of reported questions:

Direct speech: “Did you finish your homework?”Reported speech: He wanted to know if I had finished my homework. Direct speech: “Where are you going?”Reported speech: She wondered where I was going.

Remember that when making questions in reported speech, the introductory phrases and verb tenses are important to convey the intended meaning accurately.

Here you can find more examples of direct and indirect questions

What is the difference between reported speech an indirect speech?

In reported or indirect speech, you are retelling or reporting what someone said using your own words. The tense of the reported speech is usually shifted back one tense from the tense used in the original statement. For example, if someone said, “I am going to the store,” in reported speech you would say, “He/she said that he/she was going to the store.”

The main difference between reported speech and indirect speech is that reported speech usually refers to spoken language, while indirect speech can refer to both spoken and written language. Additionally, indirect speech is a broader term that includes reported speech as well as other ways of expressing what someone else has said, such as paraphrasing or summarizing.

Examples of direct speech to reported

  • Direct speech: “I am hungry,” she said. Reported speech: She said she was hungry.
  • Direct speech: “Can you pass the salt, please?” he asked. Reported speech: He asked her to pass the salt.
  • Direct speech: “I will meet you at the cinema,” he said. Reported speech: He said he would meet her at the cinema.
  • Direct speech: “I have been working on this project for hours,” she said. Reported speech: She said she had been working on the project for hours.
  • Direct speech: “What time does the train leave?” he asked. Reported speech: He asked what time the train left.
  • Direct speech: “I love playing the piano,” she said. Reported speech: She said she loved playing the piano.
  • Direct speech: “I am going to the grocery store,” he said. Reported speech: He said he was going to the grocery store.
  • Direct speech: “Did you finish your homework?” the teacher asked. Reported speech: The teacher asked if he had finished his homework.
  • Direct speech: “I want to go to the beach,” she said. Reported speech: She said she wanted to go to the beach.
  • Direct speech: “Do you need help with that?” he asked. Reported speech: He asked if she needed help with that.
  • Direct speech: “I can’t come to the party,” he said. Reported speech: He said he couldn’t come to the party.
  • Direct speech: “Please don’t leave me,” she said. Reported speech: She begged him not to leave her.
  • Direct speech: “I have never been to London before,” he said. Reported speech: He said he had never been to London before.
  • Direct speech: “Where did you put my phone?” she asked. Reported speech: She asked where she had put her phone.
  • Direct speech: “I’m sorry for being late,” he said. Reported speech: He apologized for being late.
  • Direct speech: “I need some help with this math problem,” she said. Reported speech: She said she needed some help with the math problem.
  • Direct speech: “I am going to study abroad next year,” he said. Reported speech: He said he was going to study abroad the following year.
  • Direct speech: “Can you give me a ride to the airport?” she asked. Reported speech: She asked him to give her a ride to the airport.
  • Direct speech: “I don’t know how to fix this,” he said. Reported speech: He said he didn’t know how to fix it.
  • Direct speech: “I hate it when it rains,” she said. Reported speech: She said she hated it when it rained.

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Reported Speech – Rules, Examples

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| Candace Osmond

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Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond studied Advanced Writing & Editing Essentials at MHC. She’s been an International and USA TODAY Bestselling Author for over a decade. And she’s worked as an Editor for several mid-sized publications. Candace has a keen eye for content editing and a high degree of expertise in Fiction.

They say gossip is a natural part of human life. That’s why language has evolved to develop grammatical rules about the “he said” and “she said” statements. We call them reported speech.

Every time we use reported speech in English, we are talking about something said by someone else in the past. Thinking about it brings me back to high school, when reported speech was the main form of language!

Learn all about the definition, rules, and examples of reported speech as I go over everything. I also included a worksheet at the end of the article so you can test your knowledge of the topic.

What Does Reported Speech Mean?

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Reported speech is a term we use when telling someone what another person said. You can do this while speaking or writing.

There are two kinds of reported speech you can use: direct speech and indirect speech. I’ll break each down for you.

A direct speech sentence mentions the exact words the other person said. For example:

  • Kryz said, “These are all my necklaces.”

Indirect speech changes the original speaker’s words. For example:

  • Kryz said those were all her necklaces.

When we tell someone what another individual said, we use reporting verbs like told, asked, convinced, persuaded, and said. We also change the first-person figure in the quotation into the third-person speaker.

Reported Speech Examples

We usually talk about the past every time we use reported speech. That’s because the time of speaking is already done. For example:

  • Direct speech: The employer asked me, “Do you have experience with people in the corporate setting?”

Indirect speech: The employer asked me if I had experience with people in the corporate setting.

  • Direct speech: “I’m working on my thesis,” I told James.

Indirect speech: I told James that I was working on my thesis.

Reported Speech Structure

A speech report has two parts: the reporting clause and the reported clause. Read the example below:

  • Harry said, “You need to help me.”

The reporting clause here is William said. Meanwhile, the reported clause is the 2nd clause, which is I need your help.

What are the 4 Types of Reported Speech?

Aside from direct and indirect, reported speech can also be divided into four. The four types of reported speech are similar to the kinds of sentences: imperative, interrogative, exclamatory, and declarative.

Reported Speech Rules

The rules for reported speech can be complex. But with enough practice, you’ll be able to master them all.

Choose Whether to Use That or If

The most common conjunction in reported speech is that. You can say, “My aunt says she’s outside,” or “My aunt says that she’s outside.”

Use if when you’re reporting a yes-no question. For example:

  • Direct speech: “Are you coming with us?”

Indirect speech: She asked if she was coming with them.

Verb Tense Changes

Change the reporting verb into its past form if the statement is irrelevant now. Remember that some of these words are irregular verbs, meaning they don’t follow the typical -d or -ed pattern. For example:

  • Direct speech: I dislike fried chicken.

Reported speech: She said she disliked fried chicken.

Note how the main verb in the reported statement is also in the past tense verb form.

Use the simple present tense in your indirect speech if the initial words remain relevant at the time of reporting. This verb tense also works if the report is something someone would repeat. For example:

  • Slater says they’re opening a restaurant soon.
  • Maya says she likes dogs.

This rule proves that the choice of verb tense is not a black-and-white question. The reporter needs to analyze the context of the action.

Move the tense backward when the reporting verb is in the past tense. That means:

  • Present simple becomes past simple.
  • Present perfect becomes past perfect.
  • Present continuous becomes past continuous.
  • Past simple becomes past perfect.
  • Past continuous becomes past perfect continuous.

Here are some examples:

  • The singer has left the building. (present perfect)

He said that the singers had left the building. (past perfect)

  • Her sister gave her new shows. (past simple)
  • She said that her sister had given her new shoes. (past perfect)

If the original speaker is discussing the future, change the tense of the reporting verb into the past form. There’ll also be a change in the auxiliary verbs.

  • Will or shall becomes would.
  • Will be becomes would be.
  • Will have been becomes would have been.
  • Will have becomes would have.

For example:

  • Direct speech: “I will be there in a moment.”

Indirect speech: She said that she would be there in a moment.

Do not change the verb tenses in indirect speech when the sentence has a time clause. This rule applies when the introductory verb is in the future, present, and present perfect. Here are other conditions where you must not change the tense:

  • If the sentence is a fact or generally true.
  • If the sentence’s verb is in the unreal past (using second or third conditional).
  • If the original speaker reports something right away.
  • Do not change had better, would, used to, could, might, etc.

Changes in Place and Time Reference

Changing the place and time adverb when using indirect speech is essential. For example, now becomes then and today becomes that day. Here are more transformations in adverbs of time and places.

  • This – that.
  • These – those.
  • Now – then.
  • Here – there.
  • Tomorrow – the next/following day.
  • Two weeks ago – two weeks before.
  • Yesterday – the day before.

Here are some examples.

  • Direct speech: “I am baking cookies now.”

Indirect speech: He said he was baking cookies then.

  • Direct speech: “Myra went here yesterday.”

Indirect speech: She said Myra went there the day before.

  • Direct speech: “I will go to the market tomorrow.”

Indirect speech: She said she would go to the market the next day.

Using Modals

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If the direct speech contains a modal verb, make sure to change them accordingly.

  • Will becomes would
  • Can becomes could
  • Shall becomes should or would.
  • Direct speech: “Will you come to the ball with me?”

Indirect speech: He asked if he would come to the ball with me.

  • Direct speech: “Gina can inspect the room tomorrow because she’s free.”

Indirect speech: He said Gina could inspect the room the next day because she’s free.

However, sometimes, the modal verb should does not change grammatically. For example:

  • Direct speech: “He should go to the park.”

Indirect speech: She said that he should go to the park.

Imperative Sentences

To change an imperative sentence into a reported indirect sentence, use to for imperative and not to for negative sentences. Never use the word that in your indirect speech. Another rule is to remove the word please . Instead, say request or say. For example:

  • “Please don’t interrupt the event,” said the host.

The host requested them not to interrupt the event.

  • Jonah told her, “Be careful.”
  • Jonah ordered her to be careful.

Reported Questions

When reporting a direct question, I would use verbs like inquire, wonder, ask, etc. Remember that we don’t use a question mark or exclamation mark for reports of questions. Below is an example I made of how to change question forms.

  • Incorrect: He asked me where I live?

Correct: He asked me where I live.

Here’s another example. The first sentence uses direct speech in a present simple question form, while the second is the reported speech.

  • Where do you live?

She asked me where I live.

Wrapping Up Reported Speech

My guide has shown you an explanation of reported statements in English. Do you have a better grasp on how to use it now?

Reported speech refers to something that someone else said. It contains a subject, reporting verb, and a reported cause.

Don’t forget my rules for using reported speech. Practice the correct verb tense, modal verbs, time expressions, and place references.

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reported speech in present perfect

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Reported Speech: Important Grammar Rules and Examples

Reported speech is a very common aspect of the English language. You use it nearly every day, both in conversations and in writing. This reference covers key sections about reported speech, including what it is, examples, rules, and verb tense changes. You’ll also learn about modal verbs, changes in time and place, and different reporting verbs.

Reported Speech

Verb Tense Changes in Reported Speech

What Is Reported Speech?

Reported speech is simply when you tell somebody what someone else said. You can do this in your writing, or in speech. Reported speech is very different from  direct speech , which is when you show what somebody said  in the exact way that they said it . In reported speech though, you do not need to quote somebody directly.

Instead, you use a reporting verb, such as ‘say’ or ‘ask’. These reporting verbs are used to report the speech to someone else. There are many different reporting verbs that can be used.

In short, reported speech is the linguistic technique that you use to tell somebody what someone else’s  direct speech  was. In reported speech though, you may need to make certain changes to the grammar to make the sentence make sense. Some examples below highlight what needs to be changed.

Reported Speech Examples

When using reported speech, you are usually talking about the past. The verbs, therefore, usually have to be in the past too.

For example :

  • Direct speech:  I’ve lost my umbrella .
  • Reported speech:  He said (that) he had lost his umbrella.

Another example :

  • Direct speech:  She is doing her homework .
  • Reported speech:  He said (that) she was doing her homework.

Table of Changes :

Direct Speech Reported Speech
I am He said he was
I have She said she had
I will They said they would

Reported Speech Rules

Verb tense changes in reported speech.

When the reporting verb is in the present tense, only small changes are needed.

  • Direct speech:  I like dogs.
  • Reported speech:  She  says  she likes dogs.

When the reporting verb is in the past tense, you need to change the tense of both the reporting verb and the main verb.

  • Reported speech:  She  said  she  liked  dogs.

The tenses generally move backward as follows:

Direct Speech Reported Speech
Past Simple
Present Continuous Past Continuous
Past Perfect
Past Simple Past Perfect
Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect Past Perfect (remains unchanged)

For sentences about the future, you also need to change the future verbs.

  • Direct speech:  I shall leave in a moment.
  • Reported speech:  She said that she would leave in a moment.

Here are the changes for future tenses:

Direct Speech Reported Speech
Will Would
Will be Would be
Will have Would have
Will have been Would have been

Modal Verbs and Reported Speech

Modal verbs also change when used in reported speech.

Direct Speech Reported Speech
Can Could
Could Could (unchanged)
Have to Had to
Must Must/Had to
May Might
Might Might (unchanged)
Should Should (unchanged)
  • Direct speech:  Will I see you later?
  • Reported speech:  He asked if he  would  see me later.

Some modal verbs do not need to change tense because they fit naturally.

  • Direct speech:  I should go to the park.
  • Reported speech:  He told me he  should  go to the park.

Here are both correct and incorrect examples of reported speech for clarity:

  • Reported speech:  He told  me  he should go to the park.
  • Reported speech:  He said he should go to the park.
  • Incorrect reported speech:  He told he should go to the park.
  • Incorrect reported speech:  He said me he should go to the park.

To correct these:

  • Add ‘me’: He told  me  he should go to the park.
  • Remove ‘me’ or add ‘to’: He said he should go to the park or He said  to  me he should go to the park.

Direct and Indirect Speech

Changes in time and place in reported speech.

References to  time  and  place often need to change when you use indirect speech. Here is a useful guide to these changes:

Direct Speech Indirect Speech
Now Then
Today That day
Here There
This That
Tomorrow The following day/ The next day
Next week The following week/ The week after
Yesterday The previous day/ The day before
Last week The previous week/ The week before
Ago Previously/ Before
Tonight That night

No Change in Verb Tenses in Reported Speech

In some cases,  verb tenses  do not change when you report speech indirectly. Here are the key instances:

  • When the introductory verb is in the present , present perfect , or future .
  • When the reported sentence deals with a  fact  or  general truth .
  • When the reported sentence contains a  time clause .
  • If the verb of the sentence is in the  unreal past  (the  second  or the  third conditional ).
  • The  subjunctive  stays unchanged in the  subordinate clause .
  • Had better ,  could ,  would ,  used to ,  should ,  might ,  ought to , and  mustn’t  remain unchanged.
  • If the speaker reports  something immediately  or  soon after it was said .

Reporting Verbs in Indirect Speech

Reporting verbs are crucial in indirect speech. Here is a list categorized by their usage:

  • Basic Verbs : Tell, say, ask
  • Verb + that + clause : Complain, deny, explain, exclaim, remark, promise, boast, inform somebody, claim, agree, suggest
  • Verb + to + infinitive : Agree, offer, refuse, demand, threaten, promise, claim
  • Verb + indirect object + to + infinitive : Advise, allow, beg, command, encourage, forbid, invite, want, instruct, permit, urge, order, remind, warn
  • Verb + “ing” form : Admit (to), accuse somebody of, apologize for, boast about/of, complain to somebody of, deny, insist on, suggest
  • Verb + how : Explain to somebody

Reported Questions

When converting questions from direct to indirect speech, you follow rules similar to those for statements.  Verbs  used include inquire, wonder, want to know, ask.

Reported Commands and Requests

Commands and requests  in Indirect Speech are formed using the  to-infinitive  and  not to-infinitive . Common reporting verbs include order, shout, demand, warn, beg, command, tell, insist, beseech , threaten, implore, ask, propose, forbid.

Pronoun and tense changes  are needed when shifting from direct to indirect speech.

Reported Speech Video

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Reported Speech: Rules, Examples, Exceptions

reported speech in present perfect

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What is reported speech?

“Reported speech” is when we talk about what somebody else said – for example:

  • Direct Speech: “I’ve been to London three times.”
  • Reported Speech: She said she’d been to London three times.

There are a lot of tricky little details to remember, but don’t worry, I’ll explain them and we’ll see lots of examples. The lesson will have three parts – we’ll start by looking at statements in reported speech, and then we’ll learn about some exceptions to the rules, and finally we’ll cover reported questions, requests, and commands.

Use reported speech to talk about what someone said in the past

So much of English grammar – like this topic, reported speech – can be confusing, hard to understand, and even harder to use correctly. I can help you learn grammar easily and use it confidently inside my Advanced English Grammar Course.

In this course, I will make even the most difficult parts of English grammar clear to you – and there are lots of opportunities for you to practice!

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Backshift of Verb Tenses in Reported Speech

When we use reported speech, we often change the verb tense backwards in time. This can be called “backshift.”

Here are some examples in different verb tenses:

Simple present

“I to go home.”

Simple past

She said she to go home.

Present continuous

“I a good book.”

Past continuous

She said she a good book.

Simple past

“I pasta for dinner last night.”

Past perfect

She said she pasta for dinner the night before.

Present perfect

“I just cleaning my room.”

“My mother never to Japan.”

Past perfect

She said she just cleaning her room.

She said her mother never to Japan.

Can/can’t

“I meet with you next Monday.”

“Sorry, I talk now; I’m at work.”

Could/couldn’t

She said she meet with me next Monday.

She said she talk at the moment because she was at work.

Will/won’t

“I pick him up from the airport.”

“I tell anyone your secret.”

Would/wouldn’t

She said she pick him up from the airport.

She said she tell anyone my secret.

Should

“You apologize.”

Should

She said I apologize.

Reported Speech (Part 1) Quiz

Exceptions to Backshift in Reported Speech

Now that you know some of the reported speech rules about backshift, let’s learn some exceptions.

There are two situations in which we do NOT need to change the verb tense.

No backshift needed when the situation is still true

For example, if someone says “I have three children” (direct speech) then we would say “He said he has three children” because the situation continues to be true.

If I tell you “I live in the United States” (direct speech) then you could tell someone else “She said she lives in the United States” (that’s reported speech) because it is still true.

When the situation is still true, then we don’t need to backshift the verb.

reported speech in present perfect

But when the situation is NOT still true, then we DO need to backshift the verb.

Imagine your friend says, “I have a headache.”

  • If you immediately go and talk to another friend, you could say, “She said she has a headache,” because the situation is still true
  • If you’re talking about that conversation a month after it happened, then you would say, “She said she had a headache,” because it’s no longer true.

No backshift needed when the situation is still in the future

We also don’t need to backshift to the verb when somebody said something about the future, and the event is still in the future.

Here’s an example:

  • On Monday, my friend said, “I ‘ll call you on Friday .”
  • “She said she ‘ll call me on Friday”, because Friday is still in the future from now.
  • It is also possible to say, “She said she ‘d (she would) call me on Friday.”
  • Both of them are correct, so the backshift in this case is optional.

Let’s look at a different situation:

  • On Monday, my friend said, “I ‘ll call you on Tuesday .”
  • “She said she ‘d  call me on Tuesday.” I must backshift because the event is NOT still in the future.

Backshift is not necessary when the event is still in the future

Review: Reported Speech, Backshift, & Exceptions

Quick review:

  • Normally in reported speech we backshift the verb, we put it in a verb tense that’s a little bit further in the past.
  • when the situation is still true
  • when the situation is still in the future

Reported Requests, Orders, and Questions

Those were the rules for reported statements, just regular sentences.

What about reported speech for questions, requests, and orders?

For reported requests, we use “asked (someone) to do something”:

  • “Please make a copy of this report.” (direct speech)
  • She asked me to make a copy of the report. (reported speech)

For reported orders, we use “told (someone) to do something:”

  • “Go to the bank.” (direct speech)
  • “He told me to go to the bank.” (reported speech)

The main verb stays in the infinitive with “to”:

  • She asked me to make a copy of the report. She asked me  make  a copy of the report.
  • He told me to go to the bank. He told me  go  to the bank.

For yes/no questions, we use “asked if” and “wanted to know if” in reported speech.

  • “Are you coming to the party?” (direct)
  • He asked if I was coming to the party. (reported)
  • “Did you turn off the TV?” (direct)
  • She wanted to know if I had turned off the TV.” (reported)

The main verb changes and back shifts according to the rules and exceptions we learned earlier.

Notice that we don’t use do/does/did in the reported question:

  • She wanted to know did I turn off the TV.
  • She wanted to know if I had turned off the TV.

For other questions that are not yes/no questions, we use asked/wanted to know (without “if”):

  • “When was the company founded?” (direct)
  • She asked when the company was founded.” (reported)
  • “What kind of car do you drive?” (direct)
  • He wanted to know what kind of car I drive. (reported)

Again, notice that we don’t use do/does/did in reported questions:

  • “Where does he work?”
  • She wanted to know  where does he work.
  • She wanted to know where he works.

Also, in questions with the verb “to be,” the word order changes in the reported question:

  • “Where were you born?” ([to be] + subject)
  • He asked where I was born. (subject + [to be])
  • He asked where was I born.

reported speech in present perfect

Reported Speech (Part 2) Quiz

Learn more about reported speech:

  • Reported speech: Perfect English Grammar
  • Reported speech: BJYU’s

If you want to take your English grammar to the next level, then my Advanced English Grammar Course is for you! It will help you master the details of the English language, with clear explanations of essential grammar topics, and lots of practice. I hope to see you inside!

I’ve got one last little exercise for you, and that is to write sentences using reported speech. Think about a conversation you’ve had in the past, and write about it – let’s see you put this into practice right away.

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  • Reported Speech
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Table of Contents

Direct speech and reported speech

Reported speech (also called indirect speech) gives the meaning of what someone said, not the exact words, while direct speech gives the exact words of the speaker, enclosed in quotation marks (or inverted commas.

With reported speech, we do not use quotation marks.

We use that  to connect the introduction with the reported words. Using the connecting word that  is optional.

  • Direct: I am going to help you,” he said.
  • Reported: He said (that) he was going to help us.

Introductory verbs

There are certain verbs that we use to introduce reported speech. Here are the most common of them. (More introductory verbs with examples are given below.)

1. say / said

  • Direct: “I need a break,” she said.
  • Reported: She said (that) she needed a break.

2. tell / told

  • Direct: “I need a break,” she said to me.
  • Reported: She told me (that) she needed a break.

3. ask / asked

  • Direct: “Are you ready?” she asked  me.
  • Reported: She asked me if I was ready.

Note: Unlike told and asked , with the verb said ,  we do not mention the person to whom the words were said.

Change of verb tenses 

Because speech is often reported after it was said, verb tenses in the original statements change.

Here is a summary of tense changes with examples

Direct SpeechReported Speech
"I swim daily," he said.He said he swam daily.
   
"I swam daily," he said. He said he had swum daily.
"I am swimming now," he said.He said he was swimming then.

"I was swimming," he said. He said he had been swimming.
"I have already swum," he said.He said he had already swum.
"I had swum," he said. He said he had already swum.
"I will swim tomorrow," he said. He said he would swim the following day.
"I must swim every day," he said.He said he had to swim every day.
"I should swim every day," he said.He said he should swim every day.

When not to change verb tenses?

If the speech is reported immediately , the tense does not change. 

  • Direct: “It is hot these days,” she said.
  • Reported: She said it is hot these days.

If the introductory verb used is in the present simple, future simple or present perfect , we do not change verb tense.

  • Direct: “This information is confidential.”
  • Reported: She says this information is confidential.
  • Reported: She has said this information is confidential.
  • Reported: She will say this information is confidential.

In addition, tense does not change when we talk about general truths, permanent states, and conditions .

  • Direct: He said, “Earth travels around the sun. ” 
  • Reported: He said Earth travels around the sun.

We do not change verb tense when we report wishes, preferences, and unreal past.

  • Direct: He said, “I wish I could fly. ” 
  • Reported: He said he wishes he could fly.

⇔  Try this quiz on reporting statements.

How to report imperatives

To report imperative verbs (commands, requests, suggestions), we use an infinitive verb and we use tell / told or ask / asked , but not say / said. 

Other verbs that can be used to report imperatives are: a dvise, order, beg, etc.

  • Direct: “ Open the door.” 
  • Reported: He told me to open the door.
  • Direct: “Will you pass the salt, please?” 
  • Reported: He asked me to pass the salt.
  • Direct: “ Forgive my son, please.” 
  • Reported: He begged me to forgive his son.

To report a negative imperative, we use not to infinitive .

  • Direct: “ Don’t open this document.” 
  • Reported: He ordered them not to open that document.

With the verb suggest, we use that-clause or verb-ing.

  • Direct: “I suggest that you go to the doctor.” 
  • Reported: He suggested that I (should) go to the doctor.
  • Direct: “I suggest that you take a home remedy.” 
  • Reported: He suggested taking a home remedy.

⇔  Take a quiz on how to report imperatives.

How to report questions

When we report questions we change the helping verb-subject order to subject-helping verb/verb .

We follow the same rules of tense changes.

Yes/No questions

We use if or whether to connect the introduction with reported words.

  • Direct: “ Are you tired?” 
  • Reported: He asked me if I was tired.
  • Direct: “ Does she   eat tuna fish?” 
  • Reported: He asked me if she ate tuna fish.
  • Direct: “ Did they arrive ?” 
  • Reported: He asked me if they had arrived .
  • Direct: “ Has she resigned ?” 
  • Reported: He asked me whether she had resigned or not.

Wh-questions

  • Direct: “What are you doing ?” 
  • Reported: He wanted to know what I was doing .
  • Direct: “When will they arrive ?” 
  • Reported: He wanted to know when they would arrive.
  • Direct: “What has she eaten ?” 
  • Reported: He wanted to know what she had eaten.
  • Direct: “When do they wake up ?” 
  • Reported: He wanted to know when they woke up .
  • Direct: “Why did they leave early?” 
  • Reported: He wanted to know why they had left early.

⇔  Take a quiz on how to report questions.

Change of time expressions

Because the time of reported speech is later than that of direct speech, time reference will be different. As a result, time expressions in reported speech change according to the context.

This is a table of the most common time expressions and how they change.

Direct SpeechReported Speech
tonight, today, this week / month / yearthat night, that day, that week / month / year
nowthen, at the time, at once, immediately
yesterday, last night / week / month / yearthe day before. the previous night / week / month / year
tomorrowthe following day, the day after, the next day
next week/month/yearthe following / the next week / month / year
two days / weeks / months / years agotwo days/ weeks / months / years before

Special introductory verbs

Sometimes we use verbs other than say , tell , ask to introduce reported speech. We need to choose an appropriate reporting verb  because each verb expresses how the reporting person interprets the speech.  Here are some of these verbs with examples.

advise somebody to infinitive

  • “ You should visit the doctor.”
  • She advised me to visit a doctor.

accuse somebody of verb-ing

  • “ You spoiled my plan.”
  • She accused me of spoiling her plan.

admit verb-ing

  • “ I broke the screen.”
  • She admitted breaking the screen.

apologize for + verb-ing

  • “ I apologize for breaking the screen.”
  • She apologized for breaking the screen.
  • “ I was the one who developed the app.”
  • She boasted that she had developed the app.
  • “ I fixed the errors in the program.”
  • She claimed that she had fixed the errors in the program.

complain that

  • “ The place is not clean.”
  • She complained that the place was not clean.

demand that

  • “Pull down the curtains immediately.”
  • She demanded that I should pull down the curtains immediately.

deny verb-ing

  • “ I didn’t use your laptop.”
  • She denied using (or having used) my laptop.

encourage somebody to infinitive

  • “ You should read more about the topic.”
  • She encouraged me to read more about the topic.

inform somebody that

  • “ The parental meeting will be tomorrow.”
  • She informed us that the parental meeting would be the following day.

insist that

  • “ You have to pay immediately.”
  • She insisted that I had to pay immediately.

refuse to infinitive

  • “ I won’t let you use my car.”
  • She refused to lend me her car.

remind somebody to

  • “ Remember to switch off the lights.”
  • She reminded me to switch off the lights.
  • “ Our company ranking has improved.”
  • The manager stated that the company ranking had improved.

threaten to infinitive

  • “ If you keep annoying me, I will tell the teacher.”
  • She threatened to tell the teacher if he kept annoying her.

suggest verb-ing

  • “ Why don’t you try the new software?”
  • She suggested trying the new software.

warn somebody to infinitive

  • “ Don’t throw the ball.”
  • She warned him not to throw the ball.

More resources on the Site:

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  •   Lesson 1: Present simple with 'do' for emphasis (1:15)
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  •   Lesson 1: Verbs + infinitive without 'to' (make and let) (3:42)
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  •   Lesson 1: Nouns that are always plural (2:37)
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  •   Lesson 1: How to make the passive (7:06)
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  •   Lesson 1: How to make reported speech (9:13)
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  •   Lesson 2: Reported speech with modal verbs (1:35)
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  •   Lesson 5: 'Who' or 'whom' in a relative clause? (1:45)
  •   Exercise - Who or whom?
  •   Lesson 6: 'Whose' in relative clauses (1:31)
  •   Exercise - Whose in relative clauses
  •   Lesson 7: 'When' in relative clauses (0:43)
  •   Exercise - 'When' in relative clauses
  •   Lesson 8: 'Where' in relative clauses (2:25)
  •   Exercise - 'Where' in relative clauses
  •   Section 12 review quiz
  •   Download the section 13 PDFs here
  •   Lesson 1: Reflexive pronouns (4:05)
  •   Exercise - Reflexive pronouns 1 (reflexive pronoun or object pronoun?)
  •   Exercise - Reflexive pronouns 2 (reflexive pronouns with verbs like 'dress', 'wash' and 'concentrate')
  •   Lesson 2: Each other (2:08)
  •   Exercise - Each other
  •   Lesson 3: By myself = alone (0:44)
  •   Exercise - By myself
  •   Section 13 review quiz
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  •   Lesson 1: Zero conditionals (present real conditionals) (1:23)
  •   Exercise - Make zero conditionals
  •   Lesson 2: First conditionals (future real conditionals) (0:59)
  •   Exercise - Make first conditionals
  •   Lesson 3: Unless (0:59)
  •   Exercise - Unless
  •   Exercise - If and unless
  •   Lesson 4: Future real conditionals with modal verbs (might, can, must) (2:22)
  •   Exercise - Make future real conditionals with modals
  •   Lesson 5: Second conditionals (future unreal conditionals) (1:47)
  •   Exercise - Make second conditionals
  •   Lesson 6: 'Was' or 'were' with the second conditional? (1:55)
  •   Exercise - 'Was' or 'were' with the second conditional
  •   Lesson 7: If not and if so (1:21)
  •   Exercise - If so and if not
  •   Exercise - Make zero / first / second conditionals 1
  •   Exercise - Make zero / first / second conditionals 2
  •   Section 14 review quiz
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  •   Lesson 1: Order of adjectives (2:48)
  •   Exercise - Order of adjectives
  •   Lesson 2: Comparatives: get better and better (1:12)
  •   Exercise - Comparatives: get better and better
  •   Lesson 3: Comparatives: using a clause after 'than' (2:47)
  •   Exercise - Comparatives: using a clause after 'than'
  •   Lesson 4: Comparatives: verb+ing after 'than' (0:56)
  •   Exercise - Comparatives: verb+ing after 'than'
  •   Lesson 5: Superlatives with the present perfect tense (1:01)
  •   Exercise - Superlatives with the present perfect tense
  •   Lesson 6: Adjectives that are only used predicatively (asleep / alone / alive / alright / afraid) (2:14)
  •   Exercise - Adjectives that are only used predicatively
  •   Lesson 7: Compound adjectives (2:20)
  •   Exercise - Compound adjectives
  •   Section 15 review quiz
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  •   Lesson 1: Adverbs of focus: even (2:27)
  •   Exercise - Even
  •   Lesson 2: Adverbs of focus: particularly / especially (1:16)
  •   Exercise - Particularly / especially
  •   Lesson 3: Adverbs of time: still (1:23)
  •   Exercise - Still
  •   Lesson 4: Adverbs of time: any more / any longer (1:26)
  •   Exercise - Any more / any longer
  •   Lesson 5: Adverbs for linking: although / though / however (1:32)
  •   Exercise - Although / though / however
  •   Lesson 6: Adverbs for linking: so / therefore (1:22)
  •   Exercise - So / therefore
  •   Lesson 7: Adverbs for linking: Because / as / since / because of / as a result of / on account of (2:21)
  •   Exercise - Because / as / since / because of / as a result of / on account of
  •   Lesson 8: Rather than / would rather (1:31)
  •   Exercise - Rather than / would rather
  •   Section 16 review quiz
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  •   Lesson 1: 'As' and 'like' (1:48)
  •   Exercise - 'As' and 'like'
  •   Lesson 2: 'By' and 'with' to explain how we do something (1:20)
  •   Exercise - 'By' and 'with'
  •   Lesson 3: 'For' to show purpose (0:41)
  •   Exercise - 'For' to show purpose
  •   Lesson 4: 'At' or 'in' with buildings (1:29)
  •   Exercise - 'At' or 'in' with buildings
  •   Lesson 5: 'On time' or 'in time' (2:28)
  •   Exercise - 'On time' or 'in time'?
  •   Lesson 6: 'At the end' or 'in the end' (1:34)
  •   Exercise - 'At the end' or 'in the end'?
  •   Lesson 7: Prepositions after adjectives (2:55)
  •   Exercise - Prepositions after adjectives
  •   Lesson 8: Prepositions after verbs (2:35)
  •   Exercise - Prepositions after verbs
  •   Lesson 9: Prepositions after nouns (2:14)
  •   Exercise - Prepositions after nouns
  •   Section 17 review quiz
  •   Take the final quiz here. :)
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  Lesson 1: How to make reported speech

Here's how it works:

We use a reporting verb like 'say' or 'tell'. If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence:

  • Direct speech: "I love coffee."
  • Reported speech: She says that she loves coffee.

We don't need to change the tense of the verb 'loves', though probably we do need to change the pronoun from 'I' to 'she', for example. We also may need to change words like 'my' and 'your'.

But, if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change the tenses in the reported speech.

  • Reported speech: She said that she loved coffee.

The verb 'love' changes from the present simple to the past simple ('loved'). This change is called 'backshifting'. It's just a grammatical change – we use it even if the thing is still true in real life.

Here are some more examples.

Present simple positive with 'be' ('am / is' change to 'was' and 'are' changes to 'were').

  • Direct speech: "The children are hungry."
  • Reported speech: She said that the children were hungry.

Present simple negative with 'be' ('am not / isn't' change to 'wasn't' and 'aren't' changes to 'weren't').

  • Direct speech: "Lucy isn't from Brazil."
  • Reported speech: She said that Lucy wasn't from Brazil.

Present simple positive with verbs that are not 'be' (present simple changes to past simple)

  • Direct speech: "I work in a bank."
  • Reported speech: He said that he worked in a bank.

Present simple negative with verbs that are not 'be' ('doesn't / don't' change to 'didn't').

  • Direct speech: "The class doesn't start at ten."
  • Reported speech: You said that the class didn't start at ten.

Now let's look at the present continuous. It changes to the past continuous.

  • Direct speech: "I am going to work."
  • Reported speech: She said that she was going to work.
  • Direct speech: "I'm not sleeping."
  • Reported speech: She said that she wasn't sleeping.
  • Direct speech: "Lucy is working."
  • Reported speech: She said that Lucy was working.

      

  • Direct speech: "James isn't coming."
  • Reported speech: She said that James wasn't coming.

The past simple is a little different. You have a choice! You can keep the past simple as the past simple, with no change. Or you can change it to the past perfect.

  • Direct speech: "I went home."
  • Reported speech: She said that she went home / had gone home.
  • Direct speech: "They didn't meet Lucy."
  • Reported speech: She said that they didn't meet / hadn't met Lucy.
  • Direct speech: "The laptop broke."
  • Reported speech: She said that the laptop broke / had broken.
  • Direct speech: "We called Julie."
  • Reported speech: She said that they had called Julie.

With the past continuous, we use 'had been + verb-ing'.

  • Direct speech: "I was watching TV."
  • Reported speech: She said that she had been watching TV.
  • Direct speech: "The children weren't sleeping."
  • Reported speech: She said that the children hadn't been sleeping.
  • Direct speech: "We were chatting."
  • Reported speech: She said that they had been chatting.
  • Direct speech: "James was studying."
  • Reported speech: She said that James had been studying.

With the present perfect, we use 'had + past participle' (the past perfect).

  • Direct speech: "I have been to Mexico."
  • Reported speech: She said that she had been to Mexico.
  • Direct speech: "The students haven't finished the exam."
  • Reported speech: She said that the students hadn't finished the exam.
  • Direct speech: "Maria has gone out."
  • Reported speech: She said that Maria had gone out.
  • Direct speech: "He has lost his keys."
  • Reported speech: She said that he had lost his keys.

With the past perfect, we don't need to change anything.

  • Direct speech: "I had been late."
  • Reported speech: She said that she had been late.
  • Direct speech: "They hadn't had lunch."
  • Reported speech: She said that they hadn't had lunch.
  • Direct speech: "The boys had done their homework."
  • Reported speech: She said that the boys had done their homework.
  • Direct speech: "We had paid for everything."
  • Reported speech: She said that they had paid for everything.

With 'will', we change it to 'would'.

  • Direct speech: "I will come to the party."
  • Reported speech: She said that she would come to the party.
  • Direct speech: "They won't help."
  • Reported speech: She said that they wouldn't help.
  • Direct speech: "It will rain later."
  • Reported speech: She said that it would rain later.
  • Direct speech: "The children will be tired."
  • Reported speech: She said that the children would be tired.

This is the same for the future continuous. We just change 'will' to 'would'.

  • Direct speech: "I will be waiting."
  • Reported speech: She said that she would be waiting.
  • Direct speech: "They won't be coming."
  • Reported speech: She said that they wouldn't be coming.
  • Direct speech: "It will be snowing."
  • Reported speech: She said that it would be snowing.
  • Direct speech: "We will be sleeping."
  • Reported speech: She said that they would be sleeping.

With 'be going to', we use 'was / were going to'.

  • Direct speech: "I'm going to meet David."
  • Reported speech: She said that she was going to meet David.
  • Direct speech: "They aren't going to travel."
  • Reported speech: She said that they weren't going to travel.
  • Direct speech: "The students are going to pass the test."
  • Reported speech: She said that the students were going to pass the test.
  • Direct speech: "We are going to go to bed early."
  • Reported speech: She said that they were going to go to bed early.
  • English Grammar
  • Reported Speech

Reported Speech - Definition, Rules and Usage with Examples

Reported speech or indirect speech is the form of speech used to convey what was said by someone at some point of time. This article will help you with all that you need to know about reported speech, its meaning, definition, how and when to use them along with examples. Furthermore, try out the practice questions given to check how far you have understood the topic.

reported speech in present perfect

Table of Contents

Definition of reported speech, rules to be followed when using reported speech, table 1 – change of pronouns, table 2 – change of adverbs of place and adverbs of time, table 3 – change of tense, table 4 – change of modal verbs, tips to practise reported speech, examples of reported speech, check your understanding of reported speech, frequently asked questions on reported speech in english, what is reported speech.

Reported speech is the form in which one can convey a message said by oneself or someone else, mostly in the past. It can also be said to be the third person view of what someone has said. In this form of speech, you need not use quotation marks as you are not quoting the exact words spoken by the speaker, but just conveying the message.

Now, take a look at the following dictionary definitions for a clearer idea of what it is.

Reported speech, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a report of what somebody has said that does not use their exact words.” The Collins Dictionary defines reported speech as “speech which tells you what someone said, but does not use the person’s actual words.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, reported speech is defined as “the act of reporting something that was said, but not using exactly the same words.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines reported speech as “the words that you use to report what someone else has said.”

Reported speech is a little different from direct speech . As it has been discussed already, reported speech is used to tell what someone said and does not use the exact words of the speaker. Take a look at the following rules so that you can make use of reported speech effectively.

  • The first thing you have to keep in mind is that you need not use any quotation marks as you are not using the exact words of the speaker.
  • You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech.
Subject said that (report whatever the speaker said)
  • You can use verbs like said, asked, requested, ordered, complained, exclaimed, screamed, told, etc. If you are just reporting a declarative sentence , you can use verbs like told, said, etc. followed by ‘that’ and end the sentence with a full stop . When you are reporting interrogative sentences, you can use the verbs – enquired, inquired, asked, etc. and remove the question mark . In case you are reporting imperative sentences , you can use verbs like requested, commanded, pleaded, ordered, etc. If you are reporting exclamatory sentences , you can use the verb exclaimed and remove the exclamation mark . Remember that the structure of the sentences also changes accordingly.
  • Furthermore, keep in mind that the sentence structure , tense , pronouns , modal verbs , some specific adverbs of place and adverbs of time change when a sentence is transformed into indirect/reported speech.

Transforming Direct Speech into Reported Speech

As discussed earlier, when transforming a sentence from direct speech into reported speech, you will have to change the pronouns, tense and adverbs of time and place used by the speaker. Let us look at the following tables to see how they work.

I He, she
Me Him, her
We They
Us Them
You He, she, they
You Him, her, them
My His, her
Mine His, hers
Our Their
Ours Theirs
Your His, her, their
Yours His, hers, theirs
This That
These Those
Here There
Now Then
Today That day
Tomorrow The next day / The following day
Yesterday The previous day
Tonight That night
Last week The week before
Next week The week after
Last month The previous month
Next month The following month
Last year The previous year
Next year The following year
Ago Before
Thus So
Simple Present

Example: Preethi said, “I cook pasta.”

Simple Past

Example: Preethi said that she cooked pasta.

Present Continuous

Example: Preethi said, “I am cooking pasta.”

Past Continuous

Example: Preethi said that she was cooking pasta.

Present Perfect

Example: Preethi said, “I have cooked pasta.”

Past Perfect

Example: Preethi said that she had cooked pasta.

Present Perfect

Example: Preethi said, “I have been cooking pasta.”

Past Perfect Continuous

Example: Preethi said that she had been cooking pasta.

Simple Past

Example: Preethi said, “I cooked pasta.”

Past Perfect

Example: Preethi said that she had cooked pasta.

Past Continuous

Example: Preethi said, “I was cooking pasta.”

Past Perfect Continuous

Example: Preethi said that she had been cooking pasta.

Past Perfect

Example: Preethi said, “I had cooked pasta.”

Past Perfect (No change)

Example: Preethi said that she had cooked pasta.

Past Perfect Continuous

Example: Preethi said, “I had been cooking pasta.”

Past Perfect Continuous (No change)

Example: Preethi said that she had been cooking pasta.

Will Would
May Might
Can Could
Shall Should
Has/Have Had

Here are some tips you can follow to become a pro in using reported speech.

  • Select a play, a drama or a short story with dialogues and try transforming the sentences in direct speech into reported speech.
  • Write about an incident or speak about a day in your life using reported speech.
  • Develop a story by following prompts or on your own using reported speech.

Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written. Check them out.

  • Santana said that she would be auditioning for the lead role in Funny Girl.
  • Blaine requested us to help him with the algebraic equations.
  • Karishma asked me if I knew where her car keys were.
  • The judges announced that the Warblers were the winners of the annual acapella competition.
  • Binsha assured that she would reach Bangalore by 8 p.m.
  • Kumar said that he had gone to the doctor the previous day.
  • Lakshmi asked Teena if she would accompany her to the railway station.
  • Jibin told me that he would help me out after lunch.
  • The police ordered everyone to leave from the bus stop immediately.
  • Rahul said that he was drawing a caricature.

Transform the following sentences into reported speech by making the necessary changes.

1. Rachel said, “I have an interview tomorrow.”

2. Mahesh said, “What is he doing?”

3. Sherly said, “My daughter is playing the lead role in the skit.”

4. Dinesh said, “It is a wonderful movie!”

5. Suresh said, “My son is getting married next month.”

6. Preetha said, “Can you please help me with the invitations?”

7. Anna said, “I look forward to meeting you.”

8. The teacher said, “Make sure you complete the homework before tomorrow.”

9. Sylvester said, “I am not going to cry anymore.”

10. Jade said, “My sister is moving to Los Angeles.”

Now, find out if you have answered all of them correctly.

1. Rachel said that she had an interview the next day.

2. Mahesh asked what he was doing.

3. Sherly said that her daughter was playing the lead role in the skit.

4. Dinesh exclaimed that it was a wonderful movie.

5. Suresh said that his son was getting married the following month.

6. Preetha asked if I could help her with the invitations.

7. Anna said that she looked forward to meeting me.

8. The teacher told us to make sure we completed the homework before the next day.

9. Sylvester said that he was not going to cry anymore.

10. Jade said that his sister was moving to Los Angeles.

What is reported speech?

What is the definition of reported speech.

Reported speech, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a report of what somebody has said that does not use their exact words.” The Collins Dictionary defines reported speech as “speech which tells you what someone said, but does not use the person’s actual words.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, reported speech is defined as “the act of reporting something that was said, but not using exactly the same words.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines reported speech as “the words that you use to report what someone else has said.”

What is the formula of reported speech?

You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech. Subject said that (report whatever the speaker said)

Give some examples of reported speech.

Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written.

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Reported Speech in English Grammar

What is reported speech, changing direct speech to reported speech, changing the tense (backshifting), no change of tenses, questions in reported speech, demands/requests, expressions with who/what/how + infinitive, typical changes to time and place markers.

  • Exercises – Reported Speech

Reported speech is when we repeat what another person has said but instead of using their exact words in quotation marks (direct speech), we use subordinate clause introduced by a reporting verb like the ones below:

Often, we have to change the tense, pronouns and time markers in reported speech.

Learn the rules for writing indirect speech in English with Lingolia’s simple explanation. In the exercises, you can test your grammar skills.

“I’ve prepared a presentation about the product, if you’re interested?”
“I would love to see it. … This product is exactly what my company has been looking for! Is there any room to negotiate on price?”
“I’m happy to hear that. Unfortunately, pricing is fixed.”
“That’s a shame, but I appreciate your transparency. Could you send me a written offer?”
“Yes, I will contact you tomorrow to finalise the details.”

I had an appointment with a new client yesterday. I told him that and he said .
After, he said that and asked .
I said no and he said that .
I said .

When turning direct speech into reported speech, we may have to change all or some of the following:

  • the pronouns
  • information about time and place (see the table at the end of this page)
  • the tense (backshift)

If the reporting verb is in the simple past (e.g. said, told, asked, replied … ), the tense has to be set back by one degree (see the table below). This is known as backshifting .

Direct Speech Reported Speech
simple present simple past
present progressive past progressive
simple past past perfect simple
present perfect simple
past perfect simple
past progressive past perfect progressive
present perfect progressive
past perfect progressive
future with going to was / were going to
future with will conditional (would)
would

The verbs could, should, would, might, must, needn’t, ought to, used to normally do not change.

If the reporting verb is in the simple present (e.g. says, tells, asks, replies … ), then the tense remains unchanged.

While the tense remains unchanged, we often still have to change the verb form to match the new pronouns.

that after a reporting verb

We often omit the word that after a reporting verb, especially in spoken language and informal contexts.

When turning questions into reported speech, we follow the same rules as for declarative sentences: we change the pronouns as well as the time and place markers and backshift the tense as needed.

In addition, we also have to bear in mind the following:

  • instead of that , we use a question word after the reporting verb; if there is no question word, we use whether / if instead
  • questions in reported speech follow declarative sentence word order (subject + verb)
  • we don’t use the auxiliary verb do/did for questions in reported speech; instead, the main verb appears in the simple past without an auxiliary verb
  • put the verb directly after who or what in subject questions.

Questions in reported speech do not end in a question mark.

When turning orders, demands and requests into reported speech, we only need to change the pronouns and the time and place information.

We don’t have to pay attention to the tense – we simply use an infinitive rather than a conjugated verb.

If the imperative is negated, then we use not + infinitive .

To express what someone should or can do in reported speech, we leave out the subject and the modal verb and instead we use the construction who/what/where/how + infinitive .

Direct Speech Indirect Speech
today that day
now then
at that moment/time
yesterday the day before
… days ago … days before
last week the week before
next year the following year
tomorrow the next day
the following day
here there
this that
these those

say vs. tell

The words say and tell are not interchangeable.

  • say = say something
  • tell = say something to someone

Head over to the vocabulary section to learn more about the difference between say and tell .

How good is your English?

Find out with Lingolia’s free grammar test

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Direct Indirect Speech Rules of Present Perfect

Last updated at April 16, 2024 by Teachoo

6.jpg

In this case,Present Perfect of Direct Speech becomes Past Perfect of Indirect Speech

He said " I have watched Avengers movie"

He said that he had watched Avengers movie

She said "I have seen the Taj Mahal"

She said that she had seen the Taj Mahal

Boss said "I have some work"

Boss said that they had some work

She said "You have a great sense of humour"

She said that You had a great sense of humour

The poor man said "I have no money"

The poor man said that I had no money

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English EFL

Reported speech

Tense changes in reported speech

Indirect speech (reported speech) focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words.  In indirect speech, the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command.

Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech: She said, "I  am  tired." = She said that she  was  tired.

Phrase in Direct Speech Equivalent in Reported Speech
"I always   coffee", she said She said that she always   coffee.
"I   a book", he explained. He explained that he   a book
"Bill   on Saturday", he said. He said that Bill   on Saturday.
"I   to Spain", he told me. He told me that he   to Spain.
"I   the light," he explained. He explained that he   the light.
They complained, "We   for hours". They complained that they   for hours.
"We   in Paris", they told me. They told me that they   in Paris.
"I   in Geneva on Monday", he said. He said that he   in Geneva on Monday.
She said, "  the car next Friday". She said that she   the car next Friday.

You do not need to change the tense if the reporting verb is in the present, or if the original statement was about something that is still true (but this is only for things which are general facts, and even then usually we like to change the tense) , e.g.

  • He says  he has missed  the train but  he'll catch  the next one.
  • We explained that  it is  very difficult to find our house.
  • Direct speech: The sky is blue.
  • Reported speech: She said (that) the sky  is/was  blue.

These modal verbs do not change in reported speech:  might, could, would, should, ought to :

  • We explained, "It  could  be difficult to find our house." = We explained that it  could  be difficult to find our house.
  • She said, "I  might  bring a friend to the party." = She said that she  might  bring a friend to the party.

Course Curriculum

  • Changing time and place in reported speech 20 mins
  • Direct and indirect speech 15 mins
  • Tense changes in reported speech 20 mins
  • Reported questions 20 mins
  • Reporting verbs 20 mins
  • Reporting orders and requests 15 mins
  • Reporting hopes, intentions and promises 20 mins

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Present Perfect Reported Speech 1

Reported Speech Exercise 9

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reported speech in present perfect

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COMMENTS

  1. Reported Speech

    Direct speech: I like ice cream. Reported speech: She said (that) she liked ice cream. She said (that) she liked ice cream. She said (that) she was living in London. She said (that) she had bought a car OR She said (that) she bought a car. She said (that) she had been walking along the street.

  2. Reported speech

    Lucas, "I haven't seen my brother since 2018." Lucas remarked (that) . Grace, "Ken has fed the pets." Grace told me (that) . Ruby, "Adam has not collected stickers." Ruby told me (that) . Sentences in Reported speech in the Present Perfect in English in an Online Exercise.

  3. Direct and Indirect Speech of Present Perfect Tense

    Direct and Indirect Speech of Present Perfect Tense. Tense Change As a rule, when you report something that someone has said you go back a tense, therefore, when we report what someone has said we go one tense back. Instead we use past perfect tense in reported speech instead of present perfect tense. Affirmatives. Direct speech: RP +, + S ...

  4. What is Reported Speech and How to Use It? with Examples

    Reported speech: She said she was going to the store then. In this example, the pronoun "I" is changed to "she" and the adverb "now" is changed to "then.". 2. Change the tense: In reported speech, you usually need to change the tense of the verb to reflect the change from direct to indirect speech. Here's an example:

  5. Reported Speech

    For example: Direct speech: I dislike fried chicken. Reported speech: She said she disliked fried chicken. Note how the main verb in the reported statement is also in the past tense verb form. Use the simple present tense in your indirect speech if the initial words remain relevant at the time of reporting.

  6. Reported Speech: Important Grammar Rules and Examples

    No Change in Verb Tenses in Reported Speech. In some cases, verb tenses do not change when you report speech indirectly.Here are the key instances: When the introductory verb is in the present, present perfect, or future.; When the reported sentence deals with a fact or general truth.; When the reported sentence contains a time clause.; If the verb of the sentence is in the unreal past (the ...

  7. Reported Speech: Rules, Examples, Exceptions

    When we use reported speech, we often change the verb tense backwards in time. This can be called "backshift.". Here are some examples in different verb tenses: "I want to go home.". She said she wanted to go home. "I 'm reading a good book.". She said she was reading a good book. "I ate pasta for dinner last night.".

  8. Reported Speech Exercise 11

    Make reported speech from the direct speech. Use 'she said' at the beginning of each. It's the same day, so you don't need to change the time expressions. 1) "She has visited Paris three times." [ . 2) "He has read War and Peace." [ . 3) "I haven't seen Julie for ages." [ .

  9. Reported Speech

    Reported Speech — Present Perfect — Exercise 1. Next . Change the direct speech into reported speech. Show example. 1. Kevin, "I have written four emails to my friends.". Kevin said (that). he had written four emails to his friends. 2.

  10. Reported Speech

    When not to change verb tenses? If the speech is reported immediately, the tense does not change.. Direct: "It is hot these days," she said.; Reported: She said it is hot these days. If the introductory verb used is in the present simple, future simple or present perfect, we do not change verb tense.. Direct: "This information is confidential." Reported: She says this information is ...

  11. Reported Speech Exercises

    Perfect English Grammar. Here's a list of all the reported speech exercises on this site: (Click here to read the explanations about reported speech) Reported Statements: Present Simple Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here) Present Continuous Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy)

  12. Lesson 1: How to make reported speech

    Later, maybe we want to tell someone else what the first person said. Here's how it works: We use a reporting verb like 'say' or 'tell'. If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence: Direct speech: "I love coffee." Reported speech: She says that she loves coffee.

  13. Reported Speech

    Reported Speech: In this article, you will be introduced to reported speech, its meaning and definition, how and when to use it. You can also check out the examples given for a much better understanding of reported speech. Login. Study Materials. ... Present Perfect. Example: Preethi said, "I have cooked pasta." ...

  14. Reported Speech in English Grammar

    Reported speech is when we repeat what another person has said but instead of using their exact words in quotation marks (direct speech), we use subordinate clause introduced by a reporting verb like the ones below: He says/said …. She explains/explained …. She tells/told me …. He asks/asked …. Often, we have to change the tense ...

  15. Reported speech: indirect speech

    Reported speech: indirect speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary

  16. REPORTED SPEECH: Verb Tense Changes

    REPORTED SPEECH! https://7esl.com/reported-speech/Reported speech is often also called indirect speech in English.Direct Speech: https://7esl.com/direct-spee...

  17. Direct Indirect Speech Rules of Present Perfect

    In this case,Present Perfect of Direct Speech becomes Past Perfect of Indirect Speech. He said " I have watched Avengers movie". She said "I have seen the Taj Mahal". Boss said "I have some work". She said "You have a great sense of humour". The poor man said "I have no money".

  18. Tense changes in reported speech

    In indirect speech, the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command. Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech: She said, "I am tired." = She said that she was tired. Phrase in Direct Speech. Equivalent in Reported Speech.

  19. Present Perfect Reported Speech 1

    Present Perfect Reported Speech 1 Present Perfect Reported Speech 1. Belkis Martínez Meza. Member for 3 years 5 months Age: 9+ Level: 7. Language: English (en) ID: 2237160. 07/12/2022. Country code: CR. Country: Costa Rica. School subject: Grammar ...

  20. Reporting Verbs

    The meaning is exactly the same if you use 'that' or if you don't use 'that'.) 1: SAY. Let's look first at the verbs we've already talked about. The basic verb pattern for using 'say' for reported speech is: say + (that) + clause. She said (that) she had already eaten. (The direct speech for this is "I've already eaten".)

  21. Present perfect simple or present perfect continuous?

    Present perfect simple or present perfect continuous? - English Grammar Today - довідка про письмову й розмовну граматику та використання англійської мови - Cambridge Dictionary

  22. Reported Speech Exercise 9

    English grammar exercise about reported speech with the past simple tense. Login Contact Courses Membership Speaking Explanations Exercises Method. Reported Speech Exercise 9. Perfect English Grammar. This reported speech exercise looks at statements with the past simple. Review reported statements here;