Purpose

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to correctly convert direct speech into reported speech, applying the standard backward tense shift.

Lesson Explanation

Reported speech tells someone what another person said, without quoting their exact words. When the reporting verb is in the past (like said), the tense inside the reported clause generally shifts one step back:

Direct:   "I am tired," she said.
Reported: She said she was tired.  (present → past)

Direct:   "I saw the movie," he said.
Reported: He said he had seen the movie.  (simple past → past perfect)

Pronouns also often change to match the new perspective: “I am tired” becomes she was tired, since we are now reporting from a different point of view. The word that is often optional after said: She said (that) she was tired.

Practice Questions