Reported Speech

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B1 (Intermediate)Grammar

Reported Speech

Tell what others said with the tense shifting one step back, plus say vs tell and reported questions with if/whether. B1 grammar with 20 questions.

Reported speech (or indirect speech) is how we tell someone what another person said, without using their exact words. Direct: Omar said, “I am tired.” Reported: Omar said (that) he was tired.

The main rule: the tense moves back

When the reporting verb is in the past (said, told), the tense usually shifts one step into the past.

Direct speech Reported speech
present simple (am/work) past simple (was/worked)
present continuous (am working) past continuous (was working)
past simple (worked) past perfect (had worked)
will would
can could
One step back“I am happy” → she said she was happy. “I will come” → he said he would come. “I can help” → she said she could help.

Pronouns and time words change too

Direct Reported
I / my he/she / his/her
today that day
tomorrow the next day
yesterday the day before

say vs tell

Use tell + a person (tell me, tell her). Use say without a person, or with “to”.

  • She told me (that) she was busy.
  • She said (that) she was busy. (no person after “said”)

Reported questions

In reported questions, use normal word order (no inversion) and no question mark. Use if/whether for yes/no questions.

  • “Where do you live?” → She asked where I lived.
  • “Are you ready?” → He asked if I was ready.
Tutor tip for Arabic speakersTwo habits to build: (1) shift the tense back one step (am→was, will→would), and (2) in reported questions, drop the question word order — say “She asked where I lived,” not “where did I live.” And remember: tell needs a person, say doesn’t.
Common mistakes

  • He said me that… → He told me that… / He said that…
  • She asked where did I live. → She asked where I lived.
  • He said he will come. → He said he would come.

Practise reported speech with the 20 questions below.

Check your understanding

Answer the questions below. You will see instantly if you are right.

1."I am tired" → He said he ___ tired.
present → past: was.
2.In reported speech (after "said"), the tense usually moves ___.
one step into the past.
3."I will come" → She said she ___ come.
will → would.
4."I can help" → He said he ___ help.
can → could.
5."I work here" → She said she ___ there.
present → past: worked.
6."I am working" → He said he ___ working.
present continuous → past continuous: was working.
7."today" in reported speech becomes ___.
today → that day.
8."tomorrow" becomes ___.
tomorrow → the next day.
9.Use "tell" + ___.
tell + a person (tell me).
10."say" is used ___.
say (no person directly after).
11.Which is correct?
tell + me; or "said that".
12."Where do you live?" → She asked where I ___.
normal order + tense back: lived.
13."Are you ready?" → He asked ___ I was ready.
yes/no question → if/whether.
14.Which is correct?
no inversion, no question mark.
15.Which is correct?
will → would.
16."I saw him yesterday" → She said she ___ him the day before.
past simple → past perfect: had seen.
17."I live in KL" → Omar said he ___ in KL.
present → past: lived.
18."Do you like tea?" → She asked if I ___ tea.
if + tense back: liked.
19."my book" reported by another person becomes ___.
pronoun changes: his/her.
20.Choose the full correct reported sentence:
said that (or told me that).

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