Reported Speech / Indirect Speech — Explanation

Get a free A2 Reported (Indirect) Speech quiz with easy-to-understand answers. Learn how to change direct speech into reported speech, including statements, questions, and commands. Great for people who are new!

What is Reported Speech? (Indirect Speech)

Today we are learning about reported speech, which is also known as indirect speech.

There are two ways we can repeat what someone says:

1. Direct Speech (we use quotation marks)
   Example: Anna said, "I am tired."
2. Reported Speech (we tell what Anna said without quotation marks)
   Example: Anna said that she was tired.

When we talk about what someone said in the past, we use reported speech.

The Most Common Change: Say → Said

• Direct: "I like pizza," Tom said.
• Reported: Tom said that he liked pizza.

Important Changes for A2 Level

1. Pronouns change
   "I" → he/she
   "We" → they
   "My" → his/her
   Example: "My dog is big," said Lisa.
   → Lisa said that her dog was big.
2. This/These → That/Those
   "I want this book," he said.
   → He said that he wanted that book.
3. Time words often change
   now → then
   today → that day
   tomorrow → the next day / the following day
   yesterday → the day before
   next week → the next week / the following week
   last week → the week before Example: "I will call you tomorrow," said Mom.
   → Mom said that she would call me the next day.
4. Tense changes (backshift) – Very simple rules for A2
   Present Simple → Past Simple
   Present Continuous → Past Continuous
   Will → Would
   Can → Could Examples:
   "I play football." → He said that he played football.
   "I am playing now." → She said that she was playing then.
   "I will help you." → Dad said that he would help me.
   "I can swim." → Mike said that he could swim.

Questions in Reported Speech

We don't use question marks, and we switch the order of the words.

1. Yes/No questions → use if or whether
   Direct: "Are you hungry?" asked Peter.
   Reported: Peter asked if I was hungry.
2. Wh-questions → keep the question word
   Direct: "Where is my bag?" she asked.
   Reported: She asked where her bag was. We usually use asked (not said) for questions.

Requests and Orders

We often use tell, ask, or order + to + verb

Direct: "Close the door," the teacher said.
Reported: The teacher told me to close the door.

Direct: "Please help me," he said.
Reported: He asked me to help him.

A Quick Summary Table (A2 Level)

Direct Speech	Reported Speech
"I am happy," she said.	She said that she was happy.
"We live in London."	They said that they lived in London.
"I will come tomorrow."	He said that he would come the next day.
"Can you swim?"	She asked if I could swim.
"Where are you?"	He asked where I was.
"Don't run!"	Mom told me not to run.

Tips for Practicing

• When the reporting verb is in the past (said, told, asked), always change the tense one step back.
• Change the words for time and pronouns.
• You don't have to use "that" every time.

You're ready! Every day, change direct sentences into reported speech, and you'll be great at A2 level.