Lesson 6 · Reported speech
Reported speech: ‘He/she said that…’
In meetings, emails and updates you constantly pass on what other people said – a client, your manager, a supplier. This is reported speech, and the tense you choose shows whether the information is still true now.
From How to Use English Verb Tenses in Business by David Cox · 200+ diagrams for professional English
What is reported speech?
Reported speech (also called indirect speech) is when we tell someone what another person said, without quoting their exact words.
Anna: “I’m working on the proposal.”
Anna said that she was working on the proposal.
Because ‘said’ is in the past, the verb after it usually moves one step back into the past. But if we use ‘says’ – because the information is still true now – the verb stays the same.
The main verb tenses
| Direct speech | Reported speech |
|---|---|
| “I work in the HR department.” | He said that he worked in the HR department.present simple → past simple |
| “I am working on a new product.” | He said that he was working on a new product.present continuous → past continuous |
| “I worked at Google in 2010.” | He said that he had worked at Google in 2010.past simple → past perfect |
| “I have never worked in an international company.” | He said that he had never worked in an international company.present perfect → past perfect |
| “I have been working in the HR department for 3 years.” | He said that he had been working in the HR department for 3 years.present perfect continuous → past perfect continuous |
| “I will work on the report.” | He said that he would work on the report.will → would |
| “I am going to work late on Monday.” | He said that he was going to work late on Monday.going to → was going to |
“I work in the HR department”
Still true now
He says that
A temporary situation, but we often use present simple with ‘say’
he works in the HR department.
Present simple for a general, long-term situation
Reported from the past
He said that
Past simple to talk about a finished event in the past
he worked in the HR department.
Past simple to talk about a finished event in the past
“We are working on a new product”
Still true now
He says that
A temporary situation, but we often use present simple with ‘say’
they are working on a new product.
Present continuous to talk about a present temporary situation
Reported from the past
He said that
Past simple to talk about a finished event in the past
they were working on a new product.
Past continuous to talk about a temporary event in the past in reported speech
“I have finished the report”
Still true now
She says that
A temporary situation, but we often use present simple with ‘say’
she has finished the report.
Present perfect to talk about a past event which we still haven’t moved on from (she has finished the report, but not everyone has seen it yet)
Reported from the past
She said that
Past simple to talk about a finished event in the past
she had finished the report.
Past perfect to move back to a time before the event
“I have been working on the proposal over the last week”
Still true now
She says that
A temporary situation, but we often use present simple with ‘say’
she has been working on the proposal over the last week.
Present perfect continuous to talk about something which has been continuing from the past to now, when we say how long it has been happening
Reported from the past
She said that
Past simple to talk about a finished event in the past
she had been working on the proposal over the last week.
Past perfect continuous to move back to a continuing time before the event, when we say how long it had been continuing
Practise this lesson
Said or says? One step back, or no change? Test yourself with business examples.
Teachers: use these diagrams
You are welcome to use these diagrams in your lessons and materials. Please credit Fluency Space with a link to this page.
Diagram: Fluency Space – fluencyspace.com/grammar/verb-tenses/reported-speech/Correct on paper is not the same as natural in the boardroom
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