Dùng để thuật lại lời nói của người khác — thay vì trích dẫn trực tiếp, ta tường thuật lại bằng lời của mình.

Loại	Cách dùng	Ví dụ
Direct Speech (Lời nói trực tiếp)	Trích nguyên văn, có dấu ngoặc kép	She said, "I am tired."
Reported Speech (Lời nói gián tiếp)	Thuật lại, không có ngoặc kép	She said (that) she was tired.

1. QUY TẮC LÙI THÌ (Backshift)

Khi chuyển sang Câu tường thuật, động từ lùi về một thì trong quá khứ.

Direct	Reported
"I am happy."	She said she was happy.
"I am working."	He said he was working.
"I went to school."	She said she had gone to school.
"I will call you."	He said he would call me.
"I can help."	She said she could help.
"You must go."	He said I had to go.

2. THAY ĐỔI ĐẠI TỪ VÀ TRẠNG TỪ

Khi thuật lại, đại từ và trạng từ chỉ thời gian/nơi chốn cũng thay đổi theo.

Direct	Reported
now	then
today	that day
yesterday	the day before
tomorrow	the next day / the following day
here	there
this	that
these	those
last week	the week before
next week	the following week

S + said (that) + S + V(lùi thì)...
S + told + O + (that) + S + V(lùi thì)...

⚠️ say không có tân ngữ trực tiếp | tell phải có tân ngữ (tell me, tell her...)

Direct	Reported
"I love this city," she said.	She said (that) she loved that city.
"We are leaving tomorrow," he said.	He said they were leaving the following day.
"I have finished," she told me.	She told me (that) she had finished.
"I will be there," he said.	He said he would be there.

⚠️ Câu hỏi tường thuật không đảo ngữ và không dùng dấu ?

S + asked + (O) + if/whether + S + V(lùi thì)

Direct	Reported
"Are you okay?" she asked.	She asked if I was okay.
"Do you like coffee?" he asked.	He asked whether I liked coffee.
"Will you come?" she asked me.	She asked me if I would come.

S + asked + (O) + Wh- + S + V(lùi thì)

S + told / asked / ordered + O + to + V (nguyên mẫu)
S + told / asked / ordered + O + not + to + V (phủ định)

Direct	Reported
"Close the door," he said.	He told me to close the door.
"Please help me," she said.	She asked me to help her.
"Don't be late," the teacher said.	The teacher told us not to be late.
"Stop talking!" he said.	He ordered us to stop talking.

Không cần lùi thì khi điều được nói vẫn còn đúng ở hiện tại.

Direct	Reported (không lùi thì)
"The Earth is round," she said.	She said the Earth is round. (sự thật vĩnh cửu)
"I live in Hanoi," he told me.	He told me he lives in Hanoi. (vẫn đúng)