Most of what you say about other people is reported speech: what the lecturer announced, what your friend promised, what the notice said. B1 speakers need to report statements, questions, and instructions.
What you can do after this lesson
You can pass on someone's words accurately without quoting them directly — the skill behind minutes, summaries, and everyday storytelling.
The lesson
When the reporting verb is past (said, told, asked), the original tense usually steps one back:
| Direct | Reported |
|---|---|
| "I am tired." | She said she was tired. |
| "I finished the draft." | He said he had finished the draft. |
| "I will help." | She said she would help. |
| "I can come." | He said he could come. |
Questions lose question order and do/does/did:
"Where do you live?" → She asked where I lived. "Are you coming?" → He asked if I was coming.
Instructions and requests use told/asked + object + to-infinitive:
"Please submit by Friday." → The lecturer asked us to submit by Friday.
Pronouns and time words shift with the new viewpoint: tomorrow → the next day, here → there, my → her/his.
Examples
- Notice on the door: "The clinic is closed." → The notice said the clinic was closed.
- Your friend, yesterday: "I'll pay you back tomorrow." → She said she**'d pay** me back today.
Common mistakes
- ✗ He said me that… → ✓ He told me that… / He said that… (Tell takes a person; say does not.)
- ✗ She asked where did I live. → ✓ She asked where I lived. (No question order inside the report.)
- Backshifting when the fact is still true is optional: He said PNG is/was in the Pacific — both acceptable; don't panic over it.
Self-check — what can I do now?
Report these:
- "I have lost my ID card." (Anna) (Anna said she had lost her ID card.)
- "Do you understand the question?" (the tutor) (The tutor asked if I understood the question.)
- "Don't forget the reference list." (the lecturer) (The lecturer told us not to forget the reference list.)
Then report one real thing somebody told you this week — aloud, in one breath.