Reported speech restates what another person said without reproducing the speaker’s exact words. When the reporting verb is in the past, the verb in the original statement often moves one step back in time. This change is called backshift. Backshift is a common pattern, not an automatic substitution: the speaker’s meaning, the reporting time, and whether the information is still true all affect the final sentence.
How Do Tenses Change in Reported Speech?
When a past reporting verb such as said or told introduces a statement, English normally moves the original tense one step back.[1] The pronouns and possessive words must also match the new speaker.
| Direct speech | Typical reported form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| present simple | past simple | “I work at home.” → She said that she worked at home. |
| present continuous | past continuous | “I am waiting.” → He said that he was waiting. |
| present perfect | past perfect | “We have finished.” → They said that they had finished. |
| past simple | past perfect | “I lost the key.” → Maya said that she had lost the key. |
| will | would | “I will return.” → Leo said that he would return. |
| can | could | “I can help.” → Nina said that she could help. |
The reporting verb determines whether this pattern is needed. A present reporting verb generally does not require a tense change.[1]
- Past report: Omar said, “I need more time.” → Omar said that he needed more time.
- Present report: Omar says, “I need more time.” → Omar says that he needs more time.
Several modal verbs normally keep the same form. Might, could, would, should, and ought to do not change merely because they appear in reported speech.[1]
- “You should check the address.” → She said that I should check the address.
- “The train might be late.” → He said that the train might be late.
Backshift can be unnecessary when the reported information remains true or when the reporter wants to present it as current. Compare these sentences:
- The teacher said that water boils at 100°C at standard atmospheric pressure.
- The teacher said that water boiled at 100°C at standard atmospheric pressure.
The first version presents the fact as still valid. The second follows the ordinary backshift pattern. In a classroom exercise, the requested pattern may determine the expected answer. In real communication, context determines which version best preserves the intended meaning.
Say and tell use different structures. Use tell with a person: “She told me that the room was ready.” Use say without that object, or add to: “She said that the room was ready” or “She said to me that the room was ready.”[2] The word that is often omitted after reporting verbs such as say and think, especially in ordinary conversation.[2]
When Do Time Words and Other Details Change?
Time and place expressions change only when the new reporting situation requires a different reference point. A mechanical list is useful for practice, but it is not a rule that every occurrence must change.
| Original expression | Common later report | Why it may change |
|---|---|---|
| now | then / at that time | the report happens at a later time |
| today | that day | the original day is no longer “today” |
| yesterday | the day before / the previous day | the reporter is speaking on a later day |
| tomorrow | the next day / the following day | the original “tomorrow” has a new reference point |
| last week | the week before / the previous week | the reporting week has changed |
| next month | the following month | the report occurs in a later month |
| here | there | the reporter is in a different place |
| this / these | that / those | the reporter points to different or more distant items |
Suppose Lina says on Monday, “I will submit the form tomorrow.” A report on Wednesday could be: “Lina said that she would submit the form the next day.” The word tomorrow would incorrectly point to Thursday from the Wednesday reporter’s perspective.
The same words can remain when the context has not moved. Lina’s colleague could report her statement later on Monday: “Lina said that she will submit the form tomorrow.” The future event is still tomorrow, so the original time word remains clear. Would is also possible if the colleague chooses full backshift.
Pronouns must identify the intended people rather than follow a fixed replacement table.
- Eva said to Dan, “I will send you my notes.”
- Dan reports: Eva said that she would send him her notes.
- I report as Eva’s recipient: Eva said that she would send me her notes.
Commands and questions require structural changes beyond tense. A reported command commonly uses tell + object + to-infinitive: “Close the window,” Amir said to Jo → Amir told Jo to close the window. A reported yes-or-no question commonly uses ask + if/whether and statement word order: “Are you ready?” she asked → She asked whether I was ready. These patterns matter when a mixed exercise includes more than statements.
Can You Complete These Reported Speech Exercises?
Each item supplies enough context for one clear answer. Minor alternatives such as including or omitting that are acceptable unless the instruction tests that feature.
Exercise 1: Backshift each statement. Assume the named speaker uses the pronouns shown in parentheses, the reporter heard the statement directly, and the reporter is outside any group described as “we.” The report is made one week later.
- Priya (she) said, “I work in the city center.”
- Ben (he) said, “We are repairing the roof.”
- Marta (she) said, “I have sent the invoice.”
- Luis (he) said, “I bought the tickets yesterday.”
- Hana (she) said to the reporter, “I will call you tomorrow.”
- Raj (he) said, “I might arrive late.”
Answer key
- Priya said that she worked in the city center.
- Ben said that they were repairing the roof.
- Marta said that she had sent the invoice.
- Luis said that he had bought the tickets the day before.
- Hana said that she would call me the next day. The supplied context makes the reporter the original recipient.
- Raj said that he might arrive late. Might remains unchanged.
Exercise 2: Choose the form that fits the stated context.
- A guide explains a permanent museum rule: “The museum closes at six.” Report it with The guide says…
- On Tuesday, Kim said, “I am busy today.” Report this on Friday without assuming Kim’s pronouns.
- A scientist stated, “Light travels faster than sound.” Report the still-valid fact.
- On the same morning, Alex (they) said, “I will meet you here this afternoon.” You remain in the same place, report it immediately, and retain the still-current future with will.
- A manager said to Noor, “You should update the file.” Report the advice.
Answer key
- The guide says that the museum closes at six. A present reporting verb does not call for backshift.
- Kim said that Kim was busy that day. Friday is no longer the day Kim called “today.” Repeating the name avoids adding an unstated pronoun.
- The scientist stated that light travels faster than sound. The present tense presents the fact as still true.
- Alex said that they will meet me here this afternoon. The supplied instruction retains will, and the time and place references still match.
- The manager told Noor that Noor should update the file. Tell takes the person as its object, and should remains unchanged.
Exercise 3: Correct the structural error.
- Mia told that the meeting had ended.
- Theo said me that he needed help.
- Ava asked was I available.
- The coach told us practice quietly.
- Inez said on Monday, “I will finish the work on Friday.” The report is made on Wednesday as: “Inez said that she would finish the work yesterday.”
Answer key
- Mia said that the meeting had ended, or Mia told us that the meeting had ended.
- Theo told me that he needed help, or Theo said to me that he needed help.
- Ava asked whether I was available.
- The coach told us to practice quietly.
- Inez said that she would finish the work on Friday. Wednesday’s yesterday points to Tuesday, so it cannot preserve the stated Friday reference.