1. How it is formed
Direct speech: exact words in quotation marks.
Reported speech: reporting the meaning without exact quotation.
Direct: "I am tired," she said. Reported: She said (that) she was tired.
Rule details
B1 (Intermediate)
Direct speech: exact words in quotation marks.
Reported speech: reporting the meaning without exact quotation.
Direct: "I am tired," she said. Reported: She said (that) she was tired.
Direct speech:
"I am learning French," she said.
Reported speech:
She said that she was learning French.
Direct speech:
"We will arrive tomorrow," they said.
Reported speech:
They said that they would arrive the next day.
Direct speech:
"I have finished my homework," he said.
Reported speech:
He said that he had finished his homework.
Tense backshift
In many cases, present tense shifts to past in reported speech.
Pronouns and time words
Pronouns and words like today, tomorrow, here may change based on context.
No backshift cases
If the statement is still true or very recent, backshift is often optional.