Reported Speech
Grammar 7: Reported Speech
Reported speech (or indirect speech) is used to repeat what someone said—without using their exact words. It’s essential for writing dialogues, summaries, and formal letters in your Bac exam!
Basic Structure
Reporting clause + that + reported clause
→ “I am tired,” she said.
→ She said (that) she was tired.
Tense Changes (Backshift)
When the reporting verb is in the past (e.g., said, told, asked), the tense usually moves “back”:
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
|---|---|
| Present Simple → | Past Simple “I live in Rabat.” → He said he lived in Rabat. |
| Present Continuous → | Past Continuous “She is studying.” → He said she was studying. |
| Present Perfect → | Past Perfect “They have finished.” → She said they had finished. |
| Will → | Would “I will help.” → He said he would help. |
| Can → | Could “I can swim.” → She said she could swim. |
Other Changes
- Pronouns change to match the speaker:
“I love English,” → She said she loved English. - Time/place words shift:
→ today → that day, tomorrow → the next/following day, here → there, etc.
Reporting Questions & Commands
- Yes/No questions: use if/whether
→ “Are you ready?” → He asked if I was ready. - Wh- questions: keep the question word
→ “Where do you live?” → She asked where I lived. - Commands/Requests: use told/asked + to + infinitive
→ “Close the door.” → He told me to close the door.
→ “Please help me.” → She asked me to help her.
Quick Practice
Report these sentences:
- “I will call you tomorrow,” he said.
- “Can you speak louder?” she asked.
- “Don’t forget your homework!” the teacher said.
✅ Answers:
1. He said he would call me the next day.
2. She asked if I could speak louder.
3. The teacher told us not to forget our homework.
Final Tips
- If the original statement is still true, you can keep the present tense (optional):
→ “The Earth is round,” he said. → He said the Earth is/was round. - Memorize common reporting verbs: said, told, asked, explained, promised, warned.
Reported speech shows strong grammar control—perfect for high scores!