Reported Statements

Real Speech Reported Speech ‘My family comes from the Bronx.’ Present Simple Sandra said that her family came from the Bronx. Past Simple ‘We’ve had some difficult cases.’ Present Perfect She said they had had some difficult cases. Past Perfect ‘We’re working on a big case’. Present Continuous She said they were working on a big one. Past Continuous ‘I didn’t want to she had joined sit there and do nothing, so I joined the NYPD.’ She said she hadn’t wanted to sit there and do nothing, so she had joined the NYPD. ‘We were looking for a suspect.’ She said that they had been looking for a suspect. Past Perfect Continuous ‘I’m going to stop doing it after I get married.’ am/is/are going to She said she was going to stop doing it after she got married. was/ were going to ‘I won’t feel the same about taking risks.’ Future Simple She said she wouldn’t feel the same about taking risks. Future-in-the Past

Tense Shift Present Simple - Past Simple Present Perfect - Past Perfect Present Continuous - Past Continuous Past Simple - Past Perfect Past Continuous - Past Perfect Continuous am/is/are going to - was/ were going to Future Simple - Future-in-the Past

Time and place expressions here now last year last month yesterday today next year there then the year before, the previous year the month before, the previous month the day before that day the following year

said He said (that) … He said to me (that)… Say and tell said He said (that) … He said to me (that)… told He told me that…

Other reporting verbs decided thought added explained answered, replied announced, claimed complained denied, refused promised admitted