What Is Reported Speech in English: Direct vs Indirect Forms

Reported speech is used when we tell someone what another person said, asked, explained, promised, or requested. Takeaway: direct speech repeats the exact words, while indirect speech reports the meaning in a new sentence. To use reported speech well, you usually need to adjust pronouns, tense, time words, place words, and question or command structure.

What reported speech is and why it is used

Reported speech is a way to share another person’s words, message, question, command, or idea. It is especially useful when the exact wording is less important than the meaning. For example, instead of repeating Anna said, “I am tired”, you can say Anna said that she was tired.

Reported speech is also called indirect speech, but in a broad sense, the topic includes both direct speech and indirect speech. Direct speech quotes the original words. Indirect speech reports the message in your own sentence.

Simple example

Why English uses reported speech

• To tell someone what another person said without quoting every word.
• To summarize a conversation, meeting, interview, or message.
• To report questions, instructions, promises, warnings, and requests.
• To make writing smoother in stories, news reports, emails, and academic work.
• To focus on the important meaning instead of the exact wording.
• To adapt a message to a new time, place, speaker, or listener.

How reported speech works

When you change direct speech into indirect speech, the sentence often changes in several ways:

• Pronouns change: I may become he, she, or they.
• Tenses may backshift: am may become was, will may become would.
• Time words may change: today may become that day.
• Questions use statement word order: Where are you going? becomes where I was going.
• Commands often use to + verb: Close the door becomes told me to close the door.

Quick examples

For a focused lesson on statement reporting, see reported statements.

Direct speech and its key features

Direct speech repeats the speaker’s exact words. It is useful when the exact wording matters, when you want to show emotion, or when you are writing dialogue in a story or interview.

How direct speech is shown

Direct speech usually uses quotation marks. The reporting clause tells us who spoke.

• She said, “I’m learning English.”
• “I’m learning English,” she said.
• “Are you coming?” he asked.
• “Watch out!” the coach shouted.

Main features of direct speech

• Exact words: The quoted words stay the same.
• Quotation marks: The spoken words are shown inside quotation marks.
• Original pronouns: The speaker’s original pronouns remain inside the quote.
• Original tense: The quote keeps the tense used by the original speaker.
• Original tone: Direct speech can show emotion, hesitation, surprise, or personality.
• Dialogue use: Direct speech is common in stories, interviews, examples, and scripts.

Direct speech examples

• Tom said, “It’s raining.”
• Maria asked, “Are you coming to the party?”
• The teacher said, “Please open your books.”
• He whispered, “Don’t tell anyone.”
• She replied, “I can do it.”
• My brother said, “I left my keys at home.”
• Anna shouted, “Stop!”

Direct speech punctuation basics

Reporting verbs for direct speech

Direct speech often uses simple reporting verbs. Do not overuse dramatic verbs if said or asked is enough.

• said: He said, “I agree.”
• asked: She asked, “Where are we going?”
• replied: “I don’t know,” he replied.
• shouted: “Look out!” she shouted.
• whispered: “Be quiet,” he whispered.

Indirect speech and its main characteristics

Indirect speech reports what someone said without using their exact words. It is common in everyday conversation, business communication, storytelling, news, and academic writing.

How indirect speech works

Indirect speech usually begins with a reporting verb such as said, told, asked, explained, or promised. The reported message then becomes part of a new sentence.

• Direct: “I am tired,” he said.
• Indirect: He said that he was tired.
• Direct: “Where are you going?” she asked.
• Indirect: She asked where I was going.

Key features of indirect speech

• No quotation marks: The original words are not quoted exactly.
• Pronouns often change: I, you, my, and our must match the reporting context.
• Tenses may backshift: This often happens when the reporting verb is in the past.
• Time and place words may change: now can become then; here can become there.
• Questions change word order: Reported questions use statement word order.
• Commands often use infinitives: Close the window becomes told me to close the window.
• That can often be omitted: She said that she was tired and She said she was tired are both common.

Common transformations in indirect speech

Say vs tell

Say usually does not need a personal object. Tell usually needs one.

• Correct: She said that she was tired.
• Correct: She told me that she was tired.
• Incorrect: She said me that she was tired.
• Correct: She said to me that she was tired. (possible but less common than told me)

For more reporting verb patterns, see reporting verbs.

Core differences between direct and indirect forms

Direct and indirect speech differ in wording, punctuation, tense, pronouns, and structure. Direct speech keeps the original words visible. Indirect speech adapts the message to fit the new sentence.

Direct vs indirect speech table

Examples by sentence type

Typical shifts from direct to indirect

• Present simple → past simple: I like it → she liked it.
• Present continuous → past continuous: I am working → he was working.
• Will → would: I will call → she would call.
• Can → could: I can help → he could help.
• Today → that day: I am busy today → she was busy that day.
• Here → there: Wait here → he told me to wait there.

For a deeper tense lesson, review tense changes in reported speech.

How meaning is preserved when reporting speech

The goal of reported speech is not to change the speaker’s meaning. The goal is to keep the original message clear while adapting it to a new grammar context.

What must stay the same?

• The core message: The main idea should not change.
• The speaker’s intention: A question should stay a question in meaning, even if the grammar changes.
• The relationship between people: Pronouns must show who did what to whom.
• The time reference: Time words must make sense from the new reporting point of view.
• The tone when important: Reporting verbs can show whether someone warned, promised, admitted, explained, or complained.

Pronouns must match the new viewpoint

Pronoun changes are not random. They depend on who is reporting the speech and who was speaking originally. For more practice, use the guide to pronoun changes.

• Direct: Anna said, “I lost my keys.”
• Reported: Anna said that she had lost her keys.
• Direct: Tom said to me, “I will call you.”
• Reported: Tom told me that he would call me.

Time and place words must fit the reporting context

Words like today, tomorrow, here, and now may need to change if the reporting situation is different.

Questions must keep their meaning, not their question order

• Direct: “Where are you going?”
• Reported: He asked where I was going.
• Incorrect: He asked where was I going.

Reported questions are important enough to study separately: reported WH questions and reported yes/no questions.

Commands and requests must preserve intention

• Direct: “Close the window,” she said.
• Reported: She told me to close the window.
• Direct: “Please help me,” he said.
• Reported: He asked me to help him.
• Direct: “Don’t touch that,” the nurse said.
• Reported: The nurse told me not to touch that.

For commands and instructions, continue with reported commands.

Choosing direct or indirect speech in context

Direct and indirect speech are both useful. The better choice depends on your purpose. Use direct speech when exact wording matters. Use indirect speech when the message matters more than the exact words.

Use direct speech when...

• You need the exact words.
• You are writing dialogue in a story.
• You want to show emotion, personality, or tone.
• You are quoting an interview, speech, or memorable phrase.
• The wording is important for accuracy or responsibility.

Use indirect speech when...

• You are summarizing a conversation.
• The exact words are not important.
• You want a smoother, less repetitive sentence.
• You are reporting decisions, instructions, or information.
• You are writing in a more formal or academic style.

Context comparison

Useful reporting verbs by purpose

Typical beginner mistakes with reported speech

Reported speech mistakes usually happen in five places: tense, pronouns, question order, reporting verbs, and time expressions. The table and examples below show the most common beginner errors.

Mistake 1: forgetting tense backshift

Mistake 2: changing tense when no backshift is needed

Backshift is common, but not automatic in every context. If the reporting verb is present, or the information is still true, the original tense may stay.

• Direct: She says, “I am tired.”
• Reported: She says that she is tired.
• Direct: The teacher said, “Water boils at 100°C.”
• Reported: The teacher said that water boils at 100°C. (general truth)

Mistake 3: pronoun confusion

• Direct: Anna said, “I love your music.”
• Incorrect: Anna said I loved your music.
• Correct: Anna said that she loved my music.
• Direct: Tom asked, “Are you coming?”
• Incorrect: Tom asked are you coming.
• Correct: Tom asked if I was coming.

Mistake 4: wrong word order in reported questions

• Direct: “Where are you going?”
• Incorrect: He asked where was I going.
• Correct: He asked where I was going.
• Direct: “What do you want?”
• Incorrect: She asked what did I want.
• Correct: She asked what I wanted.

Mistake 5: say vs tell

• Incorrect: She said me the answer.
• Correct: She told me the answer.
• Correct: She said that she knew the answer.
• Correct: She said to me that she knew the answer. (possible, but less common)

Mistake 6: treating that as always necessary

That is often optional in reported statements.

• Correct: She said that she would call me.
• Also correct: She said she would call me.

But after ask in yes/no questions, use if or whether, not that.

• Incorrect: He asked that I was ready.
• Correct: He asked if I was ready.
• Correct: He asked whether I was ready.

Quick correction table

Practice: convert direct and indirect speech

Now practice changing direct speech into reported speech. Focus on the meaning first, then check pronouns, tense, time words, and sentence structure.

Exercise 1: Report the statements

Change each direct sentence into reported speech.

1. Anna said, “I am busy today.”
2. Tom said, “I will call you tomorrow.”
3. Maria said, “I have finished the report.”
4. They said, “We can help.”
5. John said, “I saw Lisa yesterday.”
6. My brother said, “I don’t like this song.”
7. She said, “I am learning English.”
8. He said, “I must leave now.”
9. The teacher said, “The test is difficult.”
10. Emma said, “I have never been there.”

Exercise 2: Report the questions

Change each direct question into reported speech.

1. He asked, “Are you ready?”
2. She asked, “Where do you live?”
3. They asked, “Can we join you?”
4. Tom asked, “Why are you late?”
5. Anna asked, “Did you finish the task?”
6. He asked, “What time does the train leave?”
7. She asked, “Have you seen my bag?”
8. The manager asked, “Who sent this email?”
9. My friend asked, “Will you come tomorrow?”
10. He asked, “How much does it cost?”

Exercise 3: Report commands and requests

Use told / asked + object + to + verb or not to + verb.

1. She said, “Open the window.”
2. He said, “Please wait here.”
3. The teacher said, “Don’t use your phone.”
4. Mom said, “Call me later.”
5. The doctor said, “Take this medicine twice a day.”
6. He said, “Don’t tell anyone.”
7. The officer said, “Show me your ID.”
8. She said, “Please send the file today.”
9. The coach said, “Run faster.”
10. He said, “Don’t be late.”

Exercise 4: Homework — write your own reported speech

Write one sentence for each prompt. Then compare your answers with the sample answers.

1. Report a statement with said that.
2. Report a statement with told me that.
3. Report a yes/no question with asked if.
4. Report a WH question with statement word order.
5. Report a command with told me to.
6. Report a negative command with not to.
7. Report a sentence where will changes to would.
8. Report a sentence where can changes to could.
9. Report a sentence where today changes to that day.
10. Report a sentence where I changes to she, he, or they.

FAQ

1. What is reported speech in English?

Reported speech is a way to tell someone what another person said, asked, ordered, promised, or explained. It can quote the exact words in direct speech or report the meaning in indirect speech.

2. What is the difference between direct and indirect speech?

Direct speech repeats the exact words and uses quotation marks: She said, “I am tired.” Indirect speech reports the meaning without quotation marks: She said that she was tired.

3. Does reported speech always change tense?

No. Tense often changes when the reporting verb is in the past, but not always. If the reporting verb is present, or the information is still true, the tense may stay the same. For example: She says that she is tired.

4. Why do pronouns change in reported speech?

Pronouns change because the point of view changes. If Anna says I am ready, another person reports it as Anna said that she was ready. The pronoun must match the person being reported.

5. What happens to questions in reported speech?

Reported questions use statement word order. Say He asked where I was going, not He asked where was I going. Yes/no questions use if or whether.

6. What is the difference between say and tell?

Say usually does not take a personal object directly: She said that she was ready. Tell usually needs a person: She told me that she was ready. Do not say She said me.

7. Do I need to use that in reported speech?

In reported statements, that is often optional. Both She said that she was tired and She said she was tired are correct. But reported yes/no questions need if or whether, not that.

8. How do commands change in reported speech?

Commands usually change to told + object + to + verb. For example, “Open the door,” she said becomes She told me to open the door. Negative commands use not to: She told me not to open the door.

9. What is the easiest way to learn reported speech?

Start with four checks: pronouns, tense, time words, and sentence type. Ask yourself: Who said it? When was it said? Who is reporting it now? Was it a statement, question, command, or request?