Reported speech

Ted: I’m cleaning my room. (Direct Speech)

Ofir: Ted said (that) he was cooking dinner. Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)

Ted:  I have to go to work early. (Direct Speech)

Ofir: Ted said (that) he had to go to work early. Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)

Ted: I can swim well. (Direct Speech)

Ofir: Ted told me (that) he could swim well. Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)

Ted: I will buy you some toys. (Direct Speech)

Ofir: Ted told me (that) he would buy some toys. Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)

Ted: My father looks old. (Direct Speech)

Ofir: Ted said (that) his father looked old. Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)

Most often, the reported speech is going to be in the past tense, because the original statement, will now be in the past. 

DIRECT SPEECH: “I usually play basketball,” Ted said. 

REPORTED SPEECH: Ted said (that) he usually played basketball.

DIRECT SPEECH: “I am taking care of my siblings,” Ted said. 

REPORTED SPEECH: Ted said (that) he was taking care of his siblings.

DIRECT SPEECH: “I stayed in a hotel,” Ted said. 

REPORTED SPEECH: Ted told me (that) he had stayed in a hotel. or Ted told me (that) he stayed in a hotel.

DIRECT SPEECH: “I have drunk beer,” Ted said. 

REPORTED SPEECH: Ted said (that) he had drunk beer.

DIRECT SPEECH: “I had visited that place,” Ted said. 

REPORTED SPEECH: Ted said (that) he had visited that place.

DIRECT SPEECH: “They were dancing,” Ted said. 

REPORTED SPEECH: Ted said (that) they had been dancing. 

DIRECT SPEECH: “My mother can cook well,” Ted said.

REPORTED SPEECH: Ted told me (that) his mother can cook well. 

DIRECT SPEECH: “We must wait,” Ted said. 

REPORTED SPEECH: Ted said (that) we had to wait. 

DIRECT SPEECH: “I might go out tonight,” Ted said. 

REPORTED SPEECH: Ted told me (that) he might go out. 

SAY and TELL

Say — Said

He said that he needed to buy something. (not He said me) 

What did she say to you? (not say you)

But we could say, he said to me…

He said to me that he needed to buy something. 

Tell — Told

He told me that he needed to buy something. 

What did she tell you? (not tell to you)