He SaidHe Was Tired
Reported speech & indirect questions
CEFR Pathway · You are here
Get talking · Section 1
5 minWarm up
Whisper a sentence to your partner. They report it to the class: 'She said that…'. How much survived?
What is the best news anyone has ever told you? Who told you?
Which sounds better to a stranger: 'Where is the station?' or 'Could you tell me where the station is?' Why?
Grammar focus · Section 2
8–10 minReported speech — moving words one step into the past
Read the examples. What is the pattern? Say the rule in your own words first.
→ 'I'm busy.' → He said he was busy.
→ 'We've finished.' → They said they had finished.
→ 'Call me tomorrow.' → She told me to call her the next day.
→ 'Do you speak Italian?' → He asked if I spoke Italian.
→ 'What time does it start?' → Do you know what time it starts?
Reveal the rule
When you report what someone said earlier, the verb usually moves ONE STEP BACK in time.
More detail
Direct: 'I am tired.' → Reported: He said (that) he WAS tired. Direct: 'I saw her.' → Reported: She said she HAD seen her. Direct: 'I will call.' → Reported: He said he WOULD call. Three things change together: 1. TENSE: present → past, past → past perfect, will → would, can → could, must → had to. 2. PRONOUNS: I → he/she, my → his/her, we → they. 3. TIME AND PLACE WORDS: now → then, today → that day, tomorrow → the next day, here → there. QUESTIONS lose the question word order and the auxiliary: 'Where do you live?' → He asked where I LIVED. (not 'where did I live') Yes/no questions use IF or WHETHER: 'Are you coming?' → She asked IF I was coming. The same word order makes INDIRECT QUESTIONS, which are far more polite: 'Could you tell me where the station is?' — statement order, no 'does/is' inversion.
said / told + (that) + subject + shifted verb
e.g. She told me she was leaving on Friday.
When to use
- Passing on a message: 'She said she'd be late.'
- Telling a story about a conversation.
- Writing emails: 'You mentioned that you were interested.'
- Asking politely: 'Could you tell me if…?'
| Direct | Reported |
|---|---|
| present simple | 'I work here.' → he said he worked there |
| present continuous | 'I'm working.' → he said he was working |
| past simple | 'I saw it.' → he said he had seen it |
| will | 'I'll help.' → he said he would help |
| can / must | 'I can swim.' → he said he could swim |
say vs tell
'tell' needs a person: 'He TOLD ME he was late.' 'say' does not: 'He SAID he was late.' ✗ 'He said me…'
No inversion in reported questions
✗ 'He asked where did I live.' ✓ 'He asked where I lived.'
Indirect questions sound polite
'Do you know if the bank is open?' is much softer than 'Is the bank open?' — very useful in the speaking exam.
Build the sentence → spot the natural chunks → say it aloud → reply like a real conversation.
1.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
2.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
3.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
Question 1.'I'm hungry.' → He said he ____ hungry.
Question 2.'I'll be there.' → She said she ____ be there.
Question 3.'Where do you work?' → He asked where I ____.
Question 4.'Are you ready?' → She asked ____ I was ready.
Question 5.Which is correct?
Answer from memory first. Type what you think, and only open the choices if you need them.
Quick check 1.will →
Quick check 2.can →
Quick check 3.tomorrow →
Vocabulary · Section 3
5–7 minWords & phrases to own
Don't just read these — say one out loud, then use it about your life.
mention
say something briefly
"He mentioned that he might be late."
Report something a friend mentioned recently.
admit
agree something is true, often unwillingly
"She admitted she had forgotten."
Report an admission.
explain
make something clear
"He explained why the train was cancelled."
Report an explanation you heard.
promise
say you will definitely do something
"They promised they would call back."
Report a promise.
complain
say you are unhappy about something
"He complained that the room was cold."
Report a complaint.
warn
tell someone about a danger or problem
"She warned me not to park there."
Report a warning.
Discuss with a partner
- →Report three things someone told you this week.
- →Report the last piece of advice you were given.
Finish the sentence about you
- She mentioned that… …
- He admitted that… …
- They warned me not to… …
Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.
Pronunciation · Section 4
3–4 minWeak 'that' and swallowed 'said'
- • He said that he'd call → /hi sed ðət hid kɔːl/
- • She told me she was busy
- • They asked if I was free
- • Could you tell me where it is?
How to say it
In reported speech 'that' is almost always weak — /ðət/ — and very often dropped completely: 'He said he was tired.' 'said' links straight into the next word: 'said_he' → /sedi/. Stress the CONTENT of the message, not the reporting verb.
Reading · Section 5
8–10 minThe message that got lost
In 1964 a psychologist ran a simple experiment. He whispered a two-line story to one student, who whispered it to the next, and so on down a line of twenty people. The first version said that a man had missed his train and had waited an hour in the rain. The last version said that a man had crashed his car and had spent a night in hospital. Nothing had been invented deliberately. Each person reported what they believed they had heard, and each small change was reasonable on its own. The researcher noted that details disappear first, then emotion grows: every version was slightly more dramatic than the one before. He warned that the same thing happens with news, gossip and even witness statements. His advice was simple. If a message matters, do not report it — repeat it word for word, and say who told you.
Read once for the overall message. Decide true or false first, then answer from memory — check the text only to find the sentence that proves you right.
Q1.The students changed the story on purpose.
Q2.Details disappear before emotion does.
Q3.The researcher said the effect only happens in experiments.
Answer from memory first. Type what you think, and only open the choices if you need them.
Question 1.What happened in the first version?
Question 2.What grows as the message travels?
Question 3.What is his advice?
Listening · Section 6
8–10 minPassing on a message at work
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Leo:Did Clara say anything before she left?
Mia:She said she was going to the client meeting and she'd be back by four.
Leo:Did she mention the report?
Mia:She told me she had already sent it, and she asked if you had read her email.
Leo:I haven't. Did she say anything else?
Mia:She explained that the deadline had moved to Thursday, and she warned us not to promise anything to the client yet.
Leo:Could you tell me where she saved the file?
Mia:She said it was in the shared folder — the one called 'March'.
First listening: catch the language, not the details. Tick what you hear, then listen again for the answers.
Question 1.When will Clara be back?
Question 2.What did she say about the report?
Question 3.What is the new deadline?
Exam skills · Section 7
5 minCambridge PET — reporting and polite indirect questions
Task
Report a short conversation, then ask three indirect questions.
Strategy
Reported speech appears in PET Reading (understanding emails and messages) and pays off in Speaking, where candidates who report what their partner said ('You mentioned that you preferred…') score higher for interaction. Indirect questions ('Could you tell me whether…?') are also the safest way to sound polite in a roleplay. Remember: statement word order after the question word.
Example
'My partner said that she would rather visit the museum, and she asked if I minded the extra cost. I explained that I preferred the park, so we agreed to do both. Could I just ask whether we have to decide now?'
Practice · Section 8
8–10 minFill in the blank
Q1.Report: 'I'm working late.' (he)
Q2.Report the question: 'Do you like jazz?' (she asked)
Q3.Make it polite: 'Where is the toilet?'
Question 1.He ____ me he was sorry.
Question 2.She said she ____ finish it that evening.
Question 3.They asked ____ I needed any help.
Question 4.He asked me where I ____ from.
Question 5.Could you tell me what time the shop ____?
Writing · Section 9
5 minPut it in writing
Plan first: three bullet points, then study the model and notice how it links ideas. Write only after that.
Your task
A friend missed a meeting. Write them a 80–100 word message reporting what was said. Use 'said', 'told', 'asked if' and two other reporting verbs (mentioned / explained / warned / promised).
Plan (3 bullets)
- 1. What is the situation?
- 2. What are your two main points?
- 3. How will you finish it?
Study the model
Hi Sam — you missed a lot. Ana said the launch had been moved to April, and she told us the budget wouldn't change. Marco explained that the design team needed two more weeks, and he warned us not to promise anything to the client. Someone asked if you were still leading the testing, and Ana said you were. She also mentioned that she'd send the notes tonight, and she asked whether you could join the call on Friday. Let me know and I'll pass it on.
Speaking · Section 10
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
CHINESE WHISPERS, EXAM VERSION · Groups of four. Student A reads a short message card silently, then reports it to B, B to C, C to D. D says the final version aloud and the card is revealed. Every report must use a reporting verb and correct tense shift.
Useful phrases
- • She said (that)…
- • He told me…
- • They asked if…
- • She explained that…
- • Could you tell me whether…?
Decide & report
Work through the situation and agree on one decision together. Then report your decision in 30 seconds, giving two reasons.
- AWhat did the doctor say?
- B_______________
- ADid they ask you anything difficult?
- B_______________
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
The tense shift is mechanical; the pronoun and time-word changes are where students slip. ~26 min total
Homework · Section 11
Take-homeTake it home
Report five things you heard today — on TV, at work or from a friend.
Rewrite ten direct questions as polite indirect questions.
Watch two minutes of a series and report what three characters said.
Recap · Section 12
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- Reported speech shifts the verb one step back: is → was, will → would, can → could.
- Change pronouns and time words too: tomorrow → the next day.
- 'tell' needs a person, 'say' doesn't.
- Reported questions use statement order: 'He asked where I lived.'
- Yes/no questions use 'if' or 'whether' — and indirect questions sound polite.
Extra Practice
Grammar · Vocabulary · Speaking · Review
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