Reported speech helps you tell others what someone else said without repeating their exact words. To do this correctly, you usually change the verb tense, pronouns, and sometimes time expressions. This guide will show teens how to master reported speech simply and avoid common mistakes.
The biggest challenge with reported speech is knowing how and when to change verb tenses, pronouns, and adverbs of time and place. It’s not just about adding 'said that'; it's about shifting the whole sentence correctly. We will break down these rules step by step.
"When using reported speech, always remember that you are 'reporting' a past event, even if the original statement was in the present," says a LearnLink tutor. "This often means moving the original verb tense one step back in time."
👉 You can gently support your child’s progress by starting with a free lesson on LearnLink.
Understanding Reported Speech: Why It Matters
Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is how we talk about what someone else said. Instead of quoting their exact words (direct speech), we rephrase them. This is very useful for sharing conversations, telling stories, and summarizing information. Imagine you want to tell your friend what your teacher said about homework. You wouldn’t say, "The teacher said, 'You must finish this by Friday.'" Instead, you’d say, "The teacher said we had to finish it by Friday." This makes your conversation flow better.
It’s important because it helps you communicate clearly and naturally. Mastering it improves your storytelling and lets you share information easily. It’s a key part of fluent English, helping you share details from everyday conversations.
💡 Key Idea
Reported speech lets you share what others said without direct quotes, making your stories smoother.
How to Change Direct Speech to Reported Speech
When you change direct speech to reported speech, several things usually change:
1. Verb Tense Changes (Backshift)
Most common rule: move the tense one step back into the past.
- Present Simple → Past Simple
Direct: She said, "I am happy."
Reported: She said that she was happy. - Present Continuous → Past Continuous
Direct: He said, "I am reading."
Reported: He said that he was reading. - Present Perfect → Past Perfect
Direct: They said, "We have finished."
Reported: They said that they had finished. - Past Simple → Past Perfect
Direct: She said, "I went to the store."
Reported: She said that she had gone to the store. - Will → Would
Direct: He said, "I will come."
Reported: He said that he would come.
Exception: If the reported statement is still true or a general fact, the tense may not change. Also, if the reporting verb (said, told) is in the present tense, no backshift occurs.
2. Pronoun Changes
Pronouns (like I, you, we) change to match the new speaker's perspective.
- Direct: She said, "I love ice cream."
Reported: She said that she loved ice cream. - Direct: He told me, "You are kind."
Reported: He told me that I was kind.
3. Time and Place Expression Changes
Words referring to time and place often shift because the context has changed.
- Now → Then
- Today → That day
- Tomorrow → The next day / The following day
- Yesterday → The day before / The previous day
- Here → There
- This → That
Direct: She said, "I will see you tomorrow."
Reported: She said that she would see me the next day.
Direct: He said, "I live here."
Reported: He said that he lived there.
💡 Key Idea
Remember to change tenses, pronouns, and time/place words when moving from direct to reported speech.
Common Mistakes in Reported Speech
Here are some mistakes learners often make and how to fix them:
| ❌ Incorrect | ✅ Correct |
|---|---|
| He said that I am hungry. (Forgot tense change) | He said that he was hungry. |
| She told me she want a new book. (Forgot tense change) | She told me she wanted a new book. |
| They asked if 'When is the party?' (Used direct question form) | They asked when the party was. |
| He said he went to school yesterday. (Forgot adverb change) | He said he had gone to school the day before. |
💡 Key Idea
Always check for correct tense, pronoun, and time/place word changes.
Step-by-Step Learning Progression
Learning reported speech can be fun and easy if you follow these steps:
1. Input (Listen and Read)
For ages 4–6: Listen to simple stories where characters tell what others said (e.g., "Mommy said, 'Time for bed!'" becomes "Mommy said it was time for bed."). Focus on understanding the meaning.
For ages 7–10: Read short dialogues or comic strips. Identify when someone is telling what another person said. Notice how the words change.
For ages 11–15: Read articles or short stories. Pay attention to how quotes are integrated. Watch movies and note how reported speech is used in daily conversations.
2. Controlled Practice (Guided Exercises)
For ages 4–6: Use picture cards. "The boy says, 'I have a ball.'" (Picture of a boy with a ball). Then ask, "What did the boy say?" (He said he had a ball). Practice with very simple sentences.
For ages 7–10: Fill-in-the-blank exercises. Give direct speech, and students fill in the reported version, with some words already provided. For example: "She said, 'I am tired.'" → "She said that she _______ tired." (was).
For ages 11–15: Rewrite sentences from direct to reported speech, focusing on all the necessary changes (tense, pronouns, adverbs). For example, "He said, 'I saw her here yesterday.'" → "He said that he had seen her there the day before."
3. Semi-Controlled Practice (Rewrite and Adapt)
For ages 4–6: Look at an image of an animal making a sound. "The cat says, 'Meow.'" Ask: "What did the cat say?" Encourage them to say, "The cat said it meowed."
For ages 7–10: Give short stories or scenarios. Ask students to report key sentences from the story. For example, a story about a visit to the zoo, then ask: "What did the zookeeper say about the lions?"
For ages 11–15: Create a short dialogue (2-3 turns). Then, ask students to rewrite the entire dialogue in reported speech. This requires careful attention to all changes and context.
4. Free Production (Create and Share)
For ages 4–6: Play a 'telephone' game. Whisper a simple sentence to one child, who whispers it to the next, then the last child says what they heard. Discuss how it changed.
For ages 7–10: Ask children to recount a recent conversation with a friend or family member. Encourage them to use phrases like "He said that..." or "She told me that..."
For ages 11–15: Role-play interviews or news reports. One student acts as an interviewer, the other gives answers. Then, the interviewer reports the answers to the class using reported speech. This builds confidence in real-world use.
5. Feedback (Review and Correct)
For all ages: When mistakes happen, gently correct them by rephrasing the sentence correctly. For example, if a child says, "He said he is happy," you can say, "Yes, he said he *was* happy. Good job remembering to change 'he'!". Focus on one correction at a time. Encourage self-correction by asking, "Does that sound right? What word needs to change?"
✍️ Task: Look at the image above and complete the tasks using only what you can clearly see.
1. Fill in the gaps with the correct words (was / were / had).
a) The friend asked the vendor if the scarf _______ handmade.
b) The vendor said the scarves _______ from a special village.
c) The friend told me she _______ found a unique gift.
2. Choose the correct option (A/B) to complete the reported speech.
a) The friend asked, "How much is this?"
A. She asked how much this was.
B. She asked how much that was.
3. Correct the mistake in this sentence based on the image.
The younger child said he likes that toy over here.
Make sure all answers are based only on visible details in the image.
💬 Task: Use the same image and create your own reported sentences based on imaginary conversations.
1. Imagine the vendor told your friend something interesting about the market. Report what the vendor said.
2. Your friend is telling someone else about their shopping trip. Report two things your friend said about the scarf or other items.
3. The younger child saw a toy he wanted. Imagine he asked his parent for it. Report what the child asked.
Base your answers only on what could be said or asked about visible details in the image.
Conclusion
Reported speech is a fundamental part of telling stories and sharing information effectively. By understanding the simple rules for tense changes, pronouns, and time expressions, teens can confidently communicate what others have said without mistakes. Consistent practice, from listening to free production, will solidify these skills and make your English sound more natural and fluent.
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