Reported Speech

Reported speech (also called indirect speech) is the grammar you use to tell someone what another person said without quoting their exact words. In IELTS, reported speech appears frequently in Writing Task 2 (when referencing opinions and research), in Reading (where authors report others' views), and in Speaking (when recounting conversations or opinions).

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Direct vs Reported Speech

Direct speech quotes the exact words:

The professor said, "Climate change is the greatest threat to humanity."

Reported speech conveys the meaning without quoting:

The professor said that climate change was the greatest threat to humanity.

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The Backshift Rule

When the reporting verb is in the past tense (said, told, reported, claimed, argued), the verb in the reported clause usually shifts back one tense: