reported speech

Reported speech gives the meaning of someone's words without quoting them exactly. You use said or told, then what the person said. That after the verb is optional and often left out in speech.

Say or tell

Tell needs a person after it: told me, told Sam. Say doesn't take a person directly. If you add one, use to.

The verb moves back

When the reporting verb is in the past (said, told), the verb in the reported part usually moves one step back.

• am / is → was; are → were
• like → liked; is going → was going
• have done → had done; did → had done
• will → would; can → could

If what was said is still true now, you can keep the present.

Other words change too

Pronouns change to fit the new speaker: I becomes he or she, my becomes his or her. Words about time and place change when the moment has passed: today → that day, tomorrow → the next day, here → there.

Requests and orders

For a request or an order, use told or asked + person + to + verb.

Common mistakes

• × She said me that she was tired. → She told me that she was tired.
• × He told that he was hungry. → He said that he was hungry.
• × She told me don't be late. → She told me not to be late.