Reported speech is used to report what a person has said by changing the verb tenses and pronouns. For questions, the question word is kept the same but the reporting verb is changed to "ask" or "whether/if". The verb is changed to the past tense when reporting statements using "say" or "tell". Common changes include present simple becoming past simple, present continuous becoming past continuous, and so on as outlined in the reported speech chart.

1. REPORTED SPEECH

2. WHAT IS “REPORTED SPEECH”?: To report what a person
has said.
In questions, we ask with a question word. For YES/NO questions, we use
WHETHER/IF
Where are you fromShe ASKED
me WHERE I WAS FROM
Do you want to dance? I ASKED
her IF SHE WANTED TO DANCE.
To report statements, we use SAY and
TELL.
The doctor TOLD ME I WAS
STRESSED.
I SAID I KNEW THAT.
The verb goes one tense back.
I like ice creamShe said she
liked ice cream.
“I like Sarah”He said he liked
Sarah.

3. REPORTED SPEECH CHARTTense Direct Speech Go back
one tense
Reported Speech
Present simple I like ice cream” Past simple She said (that) she liked ice
cream.
Present continuous I am living in London” Past
continuous
She said she was living in
London.
Past simple I bought a car” Past
perfect
She said she had bought a car
Present perfect I haven't seen Julie” Past
perfect
She said she hadn't seen Julie.
Past perfect I had taken English
lessons before”
Past
perfect
She said she had taken English
lessons before.
Will I'll see you later” Would She said she would see me later.
Would I would help, but… Would She said she would help but...
Can I can speak perfect
English”
Could She said she could speak perfect
English.
Could I could swim when I was
four”
Could She said she could swim when
she was four.