Reported Speech Simplified — Learn English the Easy Way (Pre-Intermediate)
- Nov 6, 2025
- 7 min read
Updated: Jul 30
What Is Reported Speech?
When we tell someone what another person said without using quotation marks, we use reported speech (also called indirect speech).
✅ Direct Speech:
Mia said, “I love learning English.”
✅ Reported Speech:
Mia said (that) she loved learning English.
✨ Notice how we changed the verb “love” → “loved”? That’s because we usually shift the tense one step back in reported speech.
Related post:
🧩 Story Practice: “The Mysterious Letter” ✉️ (Intermediate)
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🧭 When Do We Use Reported Speech?
We use it when we want to:
✅ Tell a story about something someone said.
✅ Report a conversation.
✅ Share information from a message or interview.
✅ Talk about past news or experiences.
Example:
Tom told me he was starting a new job.
📚 How to Change Direct to Reported Speech
🗣️ 1. Change the Tense (One Step Back)
Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
“I am tired.” | She said she was tired. |
“I saw him yesterday.” | She said she had seen him the day before. |
“I will call you.” | She said she would call me. |
📚Related post
🕓 2. Change Pronouns & Time Words
Direct | Reported |
I → | he / she |
my → | his / her |
today → | that day |
yesterday → | the day before |
tomorrow → | the next day |
now → | then |
this → | that |
Related post
📢 3. Choose the Correct Reporting Verb
We don’t only use say — we also use:
👉 tell, ask, explain, promise, advise, warn, suggest
Examples:
She told me to study harder.
He asked where I was going.
They suggested visiting Italy.
Reported Speech Simplified Story: Lily and the Lost Letter
🌸 Before You Read
Have you ever found something that didn't belong to you?
What would you do if you found a lost letter or envelope?
Do you think it's right to open a letter that isn't addressed to you? Why or why not?
Have you ever helped someone find a lost item?
What kinds of messages make people happy?
Lily worked in a small seaside café.
One quiet morning, she was cleaning the tables when she saw an old envelope under a chair.
On the front, it said: “For Someone Who Cares.”
Lily showed it to her boss.
Her boss said, “I saw a woman reading a letter here yesterday.”
Lily asked, “Did she leave it behind?”
Her boss replied, “I’m not sure.”
Later, Lily spoke to the cleaner.
The cleaner said, “I didn’t see any letter. I only found a piece of paper near the window.”
That evening, Lily told her friend Anna about it.
Anna said, “Maybe the letter has a secret message.”
When Lily opened the envelope, it was empty — except for a small note that said, “Thank you for caring.”
🧠 Grammar Focus — Reported Speech Examples
Her boss said he had seen a woman reading a letter the day before.
Lily asked if the woman had left it behind.
The cleaner said she hadn’t seen any letter.
Anna said the letter might have a secret message.
🪶 Comprehension Check
Where did Lily find the letter? ________________________________
What did her boss say about the woman? _________________________
What did the cleaner say? ________________________________
What was inside the envelope? ________________________________
✨ Reflect & Write
Write 3–4 sentences about what you think the note meant.
Use reported speech in at least two sentences.
Example:
Lily said the letter made her feel happy.
Anna said it was like a thank-you note from a stranger.
✏️__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
✏️ Comment your answers below! ⬇️
👀Watch Shorts Video:
🎥 Reported Speech in Action - Lily & the Lost Letter
📥 Download the printable worksheet to practise changing direct speech into reported speech. 👉 Reported Speech Simplified PDF
🧠 Quick Grammar Tip
If the reporting verb is in the present, we don’t change the tense.
Example:
✅ She says, “I’m happy.” → She says she’s happy.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
🚫 Don’t forget to change time words:
❌ She said she met me yesterday.
✅ She said she had met me the day before.
🚫 Don’t use “say” with a person:
❌ She said me the truth.
✅ She told me the truth.
🚫 Don’t always change the tense if the fact is still true:
✅ She said the Earth is round.
🪶 Mini Practice Zone
Change the sentences below into reported speech.
“I’m cooking dinner,” said Emma.
__________________________________
“Where did you buy this dress?” asked Lily.
__________________________________
“Don’t forget to call me,” said Tom.
__________________________________
“I will travel to Japan next year,” said Nina.
__________________________________
🔑Answer
Emma said she was cooking dinner.
Lily asked where I had bought that dress.
Tom told me not to forget to call him.
Nina said she would travel to Japan the following year.
💡 Quick Recap
✔ We use reported speech to tell what someone said.
✔ We often change tenses, pronouns, and time words.
✔ Use the correct reporting verb (say, tell, ask, etc.).
✔ Don’t forget — no quotation marks in reported speech!
We hope you enjoyed Reported Speech (Simplified) version.
💬 Discussion Questions – Lily and the Lost Letter
📖 After Reading
Where did Lily find the envelope?
What words were written on the envelope?
What did Lily's boss tell her?
What did the cleaner say?
Why do you think Anna believed the letter had a secret message?
Were you surprised by the ending? Why or why not?
What do you think the note, "Thank you for caring," really meant?
If you were Lily, what would you have done differently?
🗣️ Personal Discussion
Have you ever lost something important?
Has a stranger ever helped you?
Do you believe small acts of kindness can change someone's day?
What would you write in a letter to a stranger?
If you found an envelope that said "For Someone Who Cares," would you open it? Explain your answer.
🎯 Reported Speech Practice
Answer these questions using reported speech.
Example
Question: What did Lily's boss say?
Answer: He said he had seen a woman reading a letter there the day before.
Now try these:
What did the cleaner say?
What did Anna say?
What did Lily ask her boss?
What did the note say?
Tell the story using reported speech instead of direct speech.
💭 Critical Thinking
Why do you think the envelope was left in the café?
Could the note have been written for Lily? Why or why not?
Why is kindness important in everyday life?
How would the story change if Lily had ignored the envelope?
What lesson can we learn from this story?
✍️ Speaking Challenge
Retell the story to a partner using reported speech.
Try to use these reporting verbs:
said
told
asked
replied
explained
suggested
Challenge: Can you retell the whole story without using any quotation marks?
🌟 Creative Writing
Choose one activity.
Option A
Write a different ending for the story.
Option B
Imagine the letter contained a secret message. What did it say?
Option C
Write a short conversation between Lily and Anna. Then rewrite it using reported speech.
🎓 Real-Life English
Think about the last conversation you had with a friend or family member.
Can you report what they said?
For example:
My friend said she was planning a holiday.
My teacher told us to practise every day.
My colleague asked if I had finished the report.
My neighbour said they had found a lost cat.
🌊 "Let's Talk" Challenge
Imagine you're sitting in the seaside café with Lily.
Discuss these questions:
Who do you think left the envelope?
Why didn't anyone claim it?
Was it a coincidence that Lily found it?
Do you think the message was meant for everyone or just one person?
What would you do with the envelope after reading the note?
💬 Your Turn:
Have you ever found a lost item with a surprising story behind it?
✏️ Tell us in the comments below. ⬇️
If someone asked about your experience later, could you report the conversation using reported speech?
We'd love to read your answers!
❓ FAQ: Reported Speech Made Simple
💬 What is Reported Speech in English?
Reported speech (also called indirect speech) is when we tell someone what another person said without using quotation marks.
👉 Example:
Direct: “I found a letter,” Lily said.
Reported: Lily said she had found a letter.
🔄 Do we always change the tense in Reported Speech?
Not always. We usually change the tense when the reporting verb is in the past.
👉 Example:
“I am tired.” → She said she was tired.
💡 But if the information is still true, we can keep the tense:
“The café opens at 8.” → He said the café opens at 8.
🧠 Why do tenses change in Reported Speech?
Tenses change because we are talking about something that was said in the past.This is called backshifting.
👉 Example:
is → was
have → had
will → would
👤 Do Pronouns change in Reported Speech?
Yes! Pronouns change depending on who is speaking.
👉 Example:
“I love this café,” Anna said.
→ Anna said she loved that café.
🕓 What happens to time words like “today” or “yesterday”?
Time expressions usually change to match the new time context.
👉 Examples:
today → that day
yesterday → the day before
tomorrow → the next day
now → then
❓ How do we report questions?
We use ask + if/whether for yes/no questions, and remove the question form.
👉 Example:
“Did she leave it?” → Lily asked if she had left it.
For WH-questions:
“Where is the letter?” → She asked where the letter was.
⚡ How do we report commands or requests?
We use:
👉 told + object + to + verb
👉 told + object + not to + verb
👉 Examples:
“Sit down.” → She told me to sit down.
“Don’t touch it.” → She told me not to touch it.
🧩 What are common mistakes in Reported Speech?
🚫 Forgetting to change the tense
🚫 Using “say” instead of “tell” with a person
🚫 Not changing time expressions
🚫 Keeping the question word order
👉 Example mistake:
❌ She asked where is the café.
✅ She asked where the café was.
🎥 Watch the Lesson Video (coming)
Title: The Mysterious Letter – Learn Reported Speech Through Story
🎧 Listen, read, and practise changing sentences from direct to reported speech!
👉 Next, check out these guides:
YouTube Playlist:
🎥 Related Videos: YouTube Channel Playlist
🔖Prefer to Read?
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