Imagine you’ve just spent a week in Morocco. You wander the medieval alleyways of Fez, sip sweet mint tea poured from a dizzying height, and hear your guide say: “The University of Al-Qarawiyyin is the oldest continuously operating university in the world.” Later, you want to tell someone back home what you learned. That’s reported speech — and it’s one of the most powerful tools a B2 learner can master.
In this lesson you’ll see exactly how direct speech transforms into reported speech, practise the tense backshift rules that trip up so many learners (especially Spanish speakers), and explore Morocco’s remarkable culture along the way.
What is Reported Speech?
Reported speech — also called indirect speech — is how we pass on what someone else said, thought, or asked, without quoting their exact words. The key change is the tense backshift: the verb in the reported clause shifts one step into the past.
Direct speech: She said, “I love Moroccan food.”
Reported speech: She said that she loved Moroccan food.
The Tense Backshift Table
| Direct speech tense | Reported speech tense | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present simple | Past simple | “I live in Marrakech.” → He said he lived in Marrakech. |
| Present continuous | Past continuous | “We are exploring the souk.” → She said they were exploring the souk. |
| Present perfect | Past perfect | “I’ve visited Fez.” → He said he had visited Fez. |
| Past simple | Past perfect | “We built this in 859.” → The guide said they had built it in 859. |
| Will | Would | “I will return to Morocco.” → She said she would return to Morocco. |
| Can | Could | “You can visit for free.” → He said we could visit for free. |
| Must / Have to | Had to | “You must try the tagine.” → She said we had to try the tagine. |
Changes to Time and Place Expressions
Words that point to “now” or “here” also shift when the reporting happens later or in a different place:
| Direct | Reported |
|---|---|
| today | that day |
| yesterday | the day before |
| tomorrow | the next day / the following day |
| now | then |
| here | there |
| this / these | that / those |
| last week | the week before |
Reporting Questions
When we report a question, the word order flips from question order back to statement order — and we lose the auxiliary do/does/did:
“Are you visiting the atlas mountains?” → She asked if/whether I was visiting the Atlas Mountains.
Wh- questions: keep the question word
“Where do you want to go?” → He asked where I wanted to go.
Morocco in Focus: Facts Worth Reporting
Morocco is one of the most fascinating countries in the world to talk about — which makes it perfect for practising reported speech. Here are five verified facts you might want to share with someone else.
📚 The world’s oldest university — Historians and the Guinness World Records confirm that the University of Al-Qarawiyyin in Fez was founded in 859 AD by Fatima Al-Fihri. It is the oldest continuously operating degree-granting university in the world. A tour guide in Fez once told a group of tourists: “Fatima Al-Fihri donated her entire inheritance to build this university.” He added that she had believed education should be open to all.
🍵 The art of Moroccan tea — Serving mint tea is a deeply meaningful ritual across Morocco. Hosts pour green tea mixed with fresh mint and sugar from a height of 30–40 cm, creating a froth in the glass. A Moroccan host once explained: “The first glass is as gentle as life, the second is as strong as love, the third is as bitter as death.” She said the ritual had been passed down for generations.
🌍 The indigenous Amazigh people — Morocco is home to the Amazigh (Berber) people, one of the oldest continuously present populations on earth, with evidence stretching back at least 10,000 years. In 2011, the Moroccan constitution officially recognised Tamazight as an official language alongside Arabic. A Moroccan historian told a conference that Tamazight would become part of the national school curriculum.
⚽ The 2030 FIFA World Cup — Morocco will co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal — the first tournament to span two continents. The Grand Stade Hassan II, under construction near Casablanca, is planned as the world’s largest stadium, with a capacity of 115,000. Officials announced that the stadium would be ready before the tournament’s opening match.
🏛️ UNESCO heritage cities — Morocco has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country in North Africa, including the ancient medinas of Fez, Marrakech, Meknes and Essaouira. A UNESCO spokesperson once noted that the medina of Fez was one of the most complete medieval cities in the Arab world still inhabited today.
Common Mistakes for Spanish Speakers
Spanish and English handle reported speech quite differently. These are the five errors that come up most in class.
In Spanish, the present tense can often stay present after dijo que: Dijo que vive en Fez. In English, the tense must shift to the past.
❌ She said that she lives in Fez.
✅ She said that she lived in Fez.
English often omits that, but Spanish learners sometimes include the Spanish que as that in every position — which can cause awkward constructions with reporting questions. More importantly, learners sometimes forget that that is optional but if/whether/wh-word is compulsory for reported questions.
❌ He asked that where I was going.
✅ He asked where I was going.
Spanish question structure can lead learners to keep inverted word order in reported questions.
❌ She asked me where was I staying in Morocco.
✅ She asked me where I was staying in Morocco.
Say does not take a direct object (no person); tell always takes a person directly.
❌ She said me that the medina was beautiful.
✅ She told me that the medina was beautiful.
Influenced by Spanish, learners sometimes keep the original time word.
❌ He said that today was the last day of the festival.
✅ He said that that day was the last day of the festival.
Example Bank: Reported Speech in Morocco
- The guide said that the medina of Fez had been founded in the 9th century.
- She told us that mint tea was served three times during a traditional visit.
- He explained that the university of Al-Qarawiyyin had attracted scholars from across Africa and Europe.
- The historian said that Fatima Al-Fihri had donated her entire inheritance to build the mosque and library.
- Officials announced that Morocco would co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
- The engineer said that the Grand Stade Hassan II would be the largest stadium in the world.
- My friend told me that the Atlas Mountains were even more dramatic than she had expected.
- The shopkeeper asked me where I was from.
- She asked whether I had tried pastilla before.
- He wanted to know if I was planning to visit Essaouira that weekend.
- The linguist noted that the Moroccan constitution had recognised Tamazight as an official language in 2011.
- A UNESCO spokesperson confirmed that Morocco had more World Heritage Sites than any other country in North Africa.
- She told the class that Moroccan cuisine blended Amazigh, Arab, Andalusian and sub-Saharan African influences.
- He warned us that the souks in Marrakech could be very crowded on Friday afternoons.
- The traveller said she had never felt so welcome anywhere in the world as she had in Morocco.
Quick Practice Quiz
Rewrite the direct speech as reported speech, or choose the correct option.
- Direct: “I am visiting the Roman ruins at Volubilis.” (He said…)
a) He said he is visiting the ruins.
b) He said he was visiting the ruins.
c) He said he had visited the ruins. - Direct: “We will arrive in Chefchaouen tomorrow.” (She told me…)
a) She told me they will arrive in Chefchaouen the next day.
b) She told me they would arrive in Chefchaouen the following day.
c) She told me they would arrive in Chefchaouen tomorrow. - Direct: “Did you enjoy the hammam?” (She asked him…)
a) She asked him did he enjoy the hammam.
b) She asked him if he had enjoyed the hammam.
c) She asked him that he had enjoyed the hammam. - Direct: “Fatima Al-Fihri founded the university in 859.” (The guide explained…)
Complete the sentence in your own words using the past perfect. - Which sentence is correct?
a) He said me that the tea was delicious.
b) He told me that the tea was delicious.
c) He told that the tea was delicious.
Show answer key ▾
- b) He said he was visiting the ruins. (present continuous → past continuous)
- b) She told me they would arrive in Chefchaouen the following day. (“will” → “would”; “tomorrow” → “the following day”)
- b) She asked him if he had enjoyed the hammam. (yes/no question → “if” + statement order + past perfect backshift)
- The guide explained that Fatima Al-Fihri had founded the university in 859. (past simple → past perfect)
- b) He told me that the tea was delicious. (“tell” + person, no “say + person”)
Al-Qarawiyyin University facts: Colors of Morocco ·
Morocco UNESCO heritage: Not Just a Tourist ·
Amazigh culture and language: Culture Bladi ·
2030 FIFA World Cup: Al Jazeera ·
Morocco tourism 2026: Travel and Tour World