Reported Speech
Go beyond basic backshifting — discover how suggest, recommend, warn, advise, and tell each demand a different grammatical structure when reporting what someone said.
Choose a subject. A structure. A scenario.
Five subjects, three reporting verb structures, three scenarios — 45 combinations. Watch how the grammar after the reporting verb changes each time you switch structure.
Got the patterns? Jump to the practice →
Three structures, three different grammars
The reporting verb you choose determines the grammar of everything that follows.
Structure 1
Direct: “I am tired.”
Reported: She said she was tired.
Direct: “We will finish it.”
Reported: They said they would finish it.
Use tell when you name the listener: she told me. Use say without an object: she said.
Structure 2
Direct: “Why don’t we take a taxi?”
Reported: He suggested taking a taxi.
Direct: “You should apply early.”
Reported: She recommended applying early.
“Suggested to take” is one of the most common B2 errors. There is no to after suggest.
Structure 3
Direct: “Don’t be late!”
Reported: She warned us not to be late.
Direct: “Please don’t ignore this.”
Reported: He advised us not to ignore it.
Warn, advise, tell, ask, remind all take object + (not) to + infinitive.
Backshift: tenses step one level back
When the reporting verb is past, the verb in the reported clause shifts back in time.
Tense backshift table
| Direct speech | Reported speech |
|---|---|
| present simple: is / goes | past simple: was / went |
| present continuous: is going | past continuous: was going |
| past simple: went | past perfect: had gone |
| present perfect: has gone | past perfect: had gone |
| will: will go | would: would go |
| can: can go | could: could go |
| must: must go | had to: had to go |
Time and place expressions also change:
When NOT to backshift
Do not backshift if the statement is still true when reported. Scientific facts, general truths, and ongoing states stay in the present tense.
Example: She said water boils at 100 degrees. (not boiled — it still does.)
Example: He told me he lives in Prague. (if he still does)
Reporting verb quick reference
Different verbs, different grammatical patterns — always check which structure follows.
Practice: 10 questions
Five multiple choice + five gap-fill. Type carefully — spelling counts.
She told me she ___ tired after the long meeting.
He suggested ___ a taxi instead of walking.
They warned the students ___ their phones during the test.
The teacher said the Sun ___ in the east — she was teaching geography.
He told me he ___ the report by Friday.
She suggested ___ the meeting to a later date.
Hint: suggest + ___-ing
He warned us ___ late for the presentation.
Hint: not to ___
She said she ___ the email before I arrived.
Hint: had ___
They recommended ___ early to get a good seat.
Hint: recommend + ___-ing
He told us he ___ the answer.
Hint: didn't ___
The three rules to remember
The reporting verb determines the grammar: say/tell takes a backshifted that-clause; suggest/recommend takes a gerund (-ing); warn/advise/tell takes object + (not) to + infinitive. Always backshift — unless the fact is still true. And remember: time expressions change too (now→then, tomorrow→the next day).