Reported Statements: Keep the Speaker, Time and Meaning

Report a statement from the right point of view

Reported speech carries a message from one speaking situation into another. The words may change because a new person is speaking, the day has changed or the reporter is somewhere else. A successful report keeps the original message recognisable.

Before rewriting, record five things: the original speaker, the original listener, the reporter, the reporting time and the reporting place. Also identify the new audience. Without those details, a substitution such as I → he or tomorrow → the next day may be wrong. The exchanges below are entirely fictional and contain statements only.

For these examples, Eri, Nemi, Vela and Teni use she/her; Aro, Kori and the caretaker use he/him. These are supplied character details, not deductions from names or jobs.

Build the reporting frame

Direct speech gives the speaker’s words: “I have the display key,” Eri said. A reported statement might be “Eri said that she had the display key.” The report does not need quotation marks around the reported content because it is no longer presented as an exact quotation.

That can often be omitted: “Eri said she had the display key.” Keep it if it makes a longer sentence easier to follow. Its presence does not decide whether the report is accurate; the references and verb choices do.

Use said + statement, said to + listener + statement, or told + listener + statement. Thus “Eri told me that she had the key” is correct. “Eri said me” and “Eri told that she had the key” do not fit these reporting patterns. This guidance concerns reporting someone’s words; expressions such as “tell a story” have a different pattern.

Worked exchange 1: reporting later and elsewhere

Context card: On Monday in the art room, Nemi speaks to Taro. On Wednesday in the library, Taro reports the exchange to the librarian.

Nemi: “I will bring your sketch here tomorrow.”
Taro: “I have left a folder on the table.”

Taro’s report: Nemi told me that she would bring my sketch to the art room on Tuesday. I told her that I had left a folder on the table.

Will becomes would in this backshifted report, and have left becomes had left. “The following day” could replace “on Tuesday” if the Monday speaking date is clear. The report does not claim that Nemi actually brought the sketch; it reports what she said she would do.

Mechanical error: “Nemi said she would bring his sketch here tomorrow” gives Taro’s sketch to an unidentified male, relocates the delivery to the library and points tomorrow towards Thursday. Grammatically smooth wording can still misreport all three references.

Worked exchange 2: the same day and place

Context card: At nine on Friday in the reading room, Aro speaks to Bina. At ten, still there, Bina reports to Keli. The activity is still underway, and Bina still needs the blue cards.

Aro: “I am sorting the cards here today.”
Bina: “I need the blue cards.”

Bina’s report: Aro told me that he is sorting the cards here today. I told him that I need the blue cards.

The present forms emphasise that the sorting and need are still current. “Aro told me that he was sorting the cards here today. I told him that I needed the blue cards” is also a normal backshifted report. Backshift alone does not prove that the activity has stopped or the need has disappeared.

Changing here to there would be justified if Bina had moved elsewhere. Changing today to that day would be useful in a report made after Friday. Neither change is compulsory merely because told is past tense.

Worked exchange 3: information that remains true

Context card: On Tuesday at the school gate, the caretaker tells Sani about the reading room. On Thursday at home, Sani reports to a neighbour. The stated opening arrangement is still in force, and Sani still lives near the west gate.

Caretaker: “The reading room opens at eight on weekdays.”
Sani: “I live near the west gate.”

Sani’s report: The caretaker said that the reading room opens at eight on weekdays. I told him that I live near the west gate.

“Opened” and “lived” are acceptable backshifted alternatives. They locate the statements within the past reporting frame without necessarily denying their present truth. If the room’s hours have since changed, the reporter should make that clear rather than leaving readers to infer it from tense alone.

Backshift is a tool, not a verdict on truth

With a past reporting verb, common backshifts include present simple to past simple, present continuous to past continuous, and present perfect to past perfect. A past simple statement may become past perfect when the report looks back to an earlier event. Past perfect itself does not need an invented “further past” form.

These relationships help organise time. They do not authorise changes to certainty or content. “I may attend” is not the same promise as “I will attend”. Similarly, reporting that someone said a room was open is different from independently confirming the room was open. Keep the attribution visible.

Three solved practice tasks

Practice 1: map the people and date

On Monday in a classroom, Vela tells Omi, “I will return your ruler tomorrow.” On Wednesday at home, Omi reports to a sibling. Write Omi’s report.

Solution: “Vela told me that she would return my ruler on Tuesday.” Vela becomes she; Omi remains me/my because Omi is reporting. Tuesday is the day originally meant. “The next day” works if Monday is established. The report does not establish whether the ruler was returned.

Practice 2: keep a valid same-day reference

At nine in the hall, Teni tells Rafi, “I am displaying my model here today.” At ten in the same hall, Rafi reports to a visitor; the display continues. Give two acceptable versions.

Solution: “Teni said that she is displaying her model here today” emphasises present relevance. “Teni said that she was displaying her model here today” uses ordinary backshift. Here and today still identify the right place and day in both. My becomes her because the model belongs to Teni.

Practice 3: repair the reporting pattern

Kori said to Sena on Tuesday, “I have finished the index.” Sena reports on Thursday: “Kori said me that I have finished the index.” Repair the sentence, then provide a version using told.

Solution: “Kori said to me that he had finished the index.” Alternatively, “Kori told me that he had finished the index.” He identifies Kori as the person who finished; had finished backshifts have finished. Keeping I would falsely make Sena the finisher.

Frequently asked questions

Must every I become he or she?

No. If the original speaker is also the reporter, I can stay I. Resolve the person before choosing the pronoun.

Must tomorrow become the next day?

Only when that wording suits the reporting situation. An explicit weekday or date can be clearer; tomorrow may remain accurate in same-day reporting.

Does backshift mean the statement is no longer true?

No. It can simply follow the past reporting frame. Add context if present truth or a later change matters.

Can a present tense follow said?

Yes, especially when the information remains true or relevant. The choice should fit what the reporter means.

What is the main difference between said and told here?

Use said that, said to someone that, or told someone that. Told takes the listener directly in this statement-reporting pattern.

Do reported statements need quotation marks?

Not around the reported clause. Quotation marks would present wording as a direct quotation instead.

How can I check my final version?

Ask who owns each object, who performs each action, which day is meant and which place is meant. Check that the report adds no unsupported fact.

Reference

See the British Council guidance on reported statements and contextual changes and say and tell patterns. The dialogues, reference maps and solutions here are original.