English Reported Speech - Explanation and Exercises
Reported speech, tense backshift, and reporting commands, explained and practiced: free interactive exercises with instant answer checking, from intermediate (B1) to advanced (C1).
Quick Grammar Review: Reported Speech in English
What is reported speech?
When we report what someone said, we have two options. Direct speech quotes the exact words: She said, "I am tired." Reported (indirect) speech relays the meaning without quoting directly: She said (that) she was tired. When we shift from direct to reported speech, we typically change the verb tense, pronouns, and time/place expressions.
Tense backshift
When the reporting verb (e.g. said, told) is in the past, the verb in the reported clause usually shifts one tense back into the past. This is called tense backshift.
| Direct speech | Reported speech | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simple present | Simple past | "I work here." → He said he worked there. |
| Present continuous | Past continuous | "I am leaving." → She said she was leaving. |
| Simple past | Past perfect | "I saw him." → She said she had seen him. |
| Present perfect | Past perfect | "I have finished." → He said he had finished. |
| will | would | "I will call you." → She said she would call me. |
| can | could | "I can help." → He said he could help. |
| may | might | "It may rain." → She said it might rain. |
| must | had to / must | "You must leave." → He said I had to leave. |
Reporting commands and requests
To report commands and requests, we use tell/ask + object + infinitive. Negative commands use tell/ask + object + not + infinitive.
- "Sit down!" → He told me to sit down.
- "Please don't be late." → She asked us not to be late.
Changes to pronouns, time, and place expressions
| Direct speech | Reported speech |
|---|---|
| I / we | he / she / they (depending on context) |
| my / our | his / her / their |
| now | then / at that moment |
| today | that day |
| yesterday | the day before / the previous day |
| tomorrow | the next day / the following day |
| here | there |
| this / these | that / those |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Forgetting tense backshift: ✗ She said she is tired. → ✓ She said she was tired.
- Not changing pronouns: ✗ He said "I will come" → He said I will come. → ✓ He said he would come.
- Using "say" instead of "tell" with an object: ✗ She said me to wait. → ✓ She told me to wait.
- Reporting commands with "said": ✗ He said me to leave. → ✓ He told me to leave.
All Reported Speech Exercises
(B) = Beginner (A1/A2) | (I) = Intermediate (B1/B2) | (A) = Advanced (C1/C2)
Reported Speech: Simple Past
These exercises focus on converting simple past direct speech statements into reported speech, the most fundamental backshift pattern.
Reported Speech: Mixed Tenses
These exercises cover reported speech across a range of tenses, requiring you to apply the correct backshift depending on the original verb form.
Reported Speech: Commands
Reporting commands uses a different structure from reporting statements: tell/ask + object + (not) + infinitive. These exercises focus specifically on that pattern.
Reported Speech: Questions
Reporting a question uses statement word order, not question word order, and drops the question mark.
