Direct and reported speech

Direct speech gives someone's exact words in speech marks: ⟦“I'm tired,” said Mia.⟧ Reported (indirect) speech tells us what they said, without speech marks: ⟦Mia said that she was tired.⟧ The verb moves back in time, and pronouns and time words change.

Key facts

• Use ⟦said⟧ or ⟦told⟧ + a person, with or without ⟦that⟧: ⟦Leo said (that) he was hungry.⟧ ⟦Leo told me (that) he was hungry.⟧
• The verb moves one step back into the past: ⟦am/is⟧ → ⟦was⟧, ⟦are⟧ → ⟦were⟧, ⟦like⟧ → ⟦liked⟧, ⟦am reading⟧ → ⟦was reading⟧, ⟦will⟧ → ⟦would⟧, ⟦can⟧ → ⟦could⟧.
• The past simple and the present perfect become the past perfect: ⟦“I lost my keys.”⟧ → ⟦He said he had lost his keys.⟧
• Pronouns and time words change: ⟦I⟧ → ⟦he/she⟧, ⟦my⟧ → ⟦his/her⟧, ⟦today⟧ → ⟦that day⟧, ⟦tomorrow⟧ → ⟦the next day⟧, ⟦yesterday⟧ → ⟦the day before⟧, ⟦here⟧ → ⟦there⟧.
• Questions keep normal word order (no ⟦do⟧ or ⟦did⟧); yes/no questions use ⟦if⟧: ⟦She asked where I lived.⟧ ⟦She asked if I was hungry.⟧ Commands use ⟦to⟧: ⟦He told us to sit down.⟧

Worked examples