What Is Reported Speech?
Reported speech tells someone what another person said, without quotation marks. After a past reporting verb (said, told), the verb in the report moves one step back into the past.
THE WORDSWhat Hương said
“I am tired,” Hương said.
REPORTEDam → was, I → she
Hương said she was tired.
TELL + LISTENERwill → would, tomorrow → the next day
He told me he would call me the next day.
After said or told, move the tense one step back.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"He said he blank help me, but he didn't."
How Does the Tense Change?
ONE STEP BACK
- am / is / arewas / were
- is doingwas doing
- did / has donehad done
- willwould
- cancould
could, would, should, might and must usually stay the same.
TIME AND PLACE WORDS
- todaythat day
- tomorrowthe next day
- yesterdaythe day before
- herethere
Change them only when the day or place has changed.
No change is needed when it's still true: Trang said she lives in Đà Nẵng. And a present reporting verb changes nothing: Mum says dinner is ready.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"I love my job." → Tuấn said blank loved his job.
When to use it
Passing on a message
Dad said he'd be home late.
Dad phoned and you tell the family. He'd = he would.
A broken promise
You said you'd call me!
Would here is will, moved back.
Say or Tell?
| SAY | TELL | |
|---|---|---|
| Right after the verb | the words, or to + listener | the listener, then the words |
| Patterns | said (that)… · said to me (that)… | told me (that)… · told Nam (that)… |
| Never | said me… | told that… |
That is optional after both: Hùng said (that) the film was boring.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"Mai blank me she was moving to Huế."
Common mistakes
Incorrect:He said me that he was busy.
Correct:He told me that he was busy.
Use told before a listener, or said to me.
Incorrect:She told that she was tired.
Correct:She said that she was tired.
When you report words, tell needs a listener: told me, told us.
Incorrect:He said he will come, but he didn't.
Correct:He said he would come, but he didn't.
The promise is past now. Will moves back to would.
Incorrect:Nam said I was hungry.
Correct:Nam said he was hungry.
Nam was hungry, not you. Change I to he.
Incorrect:Last week Minh said he would visit us tomorrow.
Correct:Last week Minh said he would visit us the next day.
Last week's tomorrow is long gone. Use the next day.
Quick check · 5 questions
Choose the correct word:
My sister told me she had a new boyfriend.
- A. told — Correct
- B. said
- C. say
Answer: A. told
Said can't go straight before me. You would need said to me.
Choose the correct word:
Two years ago Lan told me she was a student. Now she works in a bank.
- A. was — Correct
- B. is
Answer: A. was
It isn't true any more, so the tense must move back.
Choose the correct word:
When I saw Tú in June, he said he had just come back from Japan.
- A. had — Correct
- B. has
Answer: A. had
He said it in June. The present perfect becomes the past perfect.
Choose the correct word:
“My car is old.” → Phong said his car was old.
- A. his — Correct
- B. my
Answer: A. his
With my, the listener thinks your car is old.
Choose the correct words:
On Monday Hoa said, “I'll call you tomorrow.” On Wednesday you say: “Hoa said she would call me the next day, but she didn't.”
- A. the next day — Correct
- B. tomorrow
Answer: A. the next day
It's Wednesday, so tomorrow would mean Thursday.
See whether it really stuck.
Start the quiz · 14 questions