Reported speech

Direct speech repeats the exact words inside quotation marks. Reported speech gives the meaning without quotation marks: said / told + (that) + clause. You can leave out that, especially in speech. Remember to change the pronouns to fit.

• “I'm tired,” Minh said. → Minh said (that) he was tired.

• “I've lost my keys,” Lan told me. → Lan told me she had lost her keys.

When the reporting verb is past (said, told, asked), the verb in the reported clause usually moves one step back into the past.

Would, could, should, might, ought to and the past perfect stay the same.

💡After said / told, ask yourself when the words were spoken. If it was in the past and the situation is over, move the tense back: Minh said he was tired (not: is tired).

1. The reporting verb is present (says, tells, has said) — often when passing on a message straight away, or saying what someone always says

• My brother says he lost his wallet on the bus this morning.

• The weather forecast says it's going to rain all weekend.

2. It is still true now — you can move the tense back or keep it

• Lan said she lives in Da Nang. / Lan said she lived in Da Nang.

  she still lives there → both are fine

• The receptionist told us that the pool closes at nine.

3. But you must move it back when it is no longer true, or is different from the real situation now

• You said you didn't like durian, but you've eaten three pieces!

  not: you don't like

If you are reporting on a different day or in a different place, the time and place words change too. If it is still the same day and place, keep them.

• Last week Nam said, “I'll call you tomorrow.” → Last week Nam said he would call me the next day.

• tell + person (you must say who heard it): She told me (that) she was busy. Not “told that…” or “told to me”.
• say + (that) + clause, with no listener right after it: She said (that) she was busy. To mention the listener, use say to + person: He said to me that… (less common than told me).
• Set phrases: tell the truth / a lie / a story / a joke / the time; say hello / goodbye / sorry / something / no.
• Other reporting verbs: explain (to sb) that, promise (that), warn sb that, admit that, complain that, agree that.

• The waiter told us that the kitchen was closed.

• She promised she would never be late again.

• The guide warned us that the path was slippery.

A reported question becomes a statement: the subject comes before the verb, do / does / did disappear, there is no question mark, and the tense still moves back.

• Wh- questions: asked (+ person) + question word + subject + verb.
• Yes/no questions: asked (+ person) + if / whether + subject + verb.
• Requests and orders: asked / told + person + (not) to + verb — see the lesson “Verb + person + to-infinitive”.

• “Where do you live?” → She asked me where I lived.

• “Where did you buy this jacket?” → My friend asked me where I had bought that jacket.

• “Are you cooking?” → Mai asked if I was cooking.

• “Please wait here.” → The nurse asked us to wait there.

• “Don't touch it!” → He told me not to touch it.

💡Polite questions such as Do you know where… is? also use statement word order, but without moving the tense back — see the lesson “Indirect questions”.

• ✗She said me she was hungry.

  ✓She told me she was hungry.

  say can't have the listener right after it; use tell + person.

• ✗She told that she was busy.

  ✓She said that she was busy.

  tell always needs a listener: told me / told him.

• ✗The waiter told to us that the kitchen was closed.

  ✓The waiter told us that the kitchen was closed.

  tell + person, with no to.

• ✗He asked me where was the bus station.

  ✓He asked me where the bus station was.

  Reported questions use statement word order.

• ✗Nam asked me did I want to join his team.

  ✓Nam asked me if I wanted to join his team.

  Yes/no questions → if/whether, with no did.

• ✗My boss said he will give me a day off, but he forgot.

  ✓My boss said he would give me a day off, but he forgot.

  The promise is in the past and didn't happen → will becomes would.