Reported Speech Dragana Filipović

Direct Speech Quoting someone’s actual words: “I knew the answer,” he said. “Do you take sugar?” she asked. “Let’s go swimming,” Peter suggested.

Common reporting verbs addadmitadviseagree announce answer ask beg brag claim demand explaininsist order persuade promise remind reply report say suggest tell think warn whisper

Reporting Statements “I can’t help you.”  He admits that he can’t help us.  He admitted that he couldn’t help us. “I’m very clever.”  He thinks he’s very clever.  He thought he was very clever.

No change of tenses When we report the statements that were made in the present, we don’t change the tense of the original (direct) speech. “Intelligent life in the universe does not exist.”  He says that intelligent life in the universe does not exist.

We don’t need to change the tense when we report things which are ‘timeless’, e.g. scientific theories. Already in ancient times, some philosophers believed that matter consists of atoms.

Change of tenses When we report the statements that were made in the past, we change the tense of the original (direct) speech. “My mobile phone has been out of action all day.”  He said that his mobile phone had been out of action all day.

Tense Change

Present Simple  Past Simple “I want to buy it.”  He said that he wanted to buy it. Present Continuous  Past Continuous I’m writing a letter.”  He said that he was writing a letter.

Present Perfect  Past Perfect “I’ve come to mend your car.”  He said (that) he had come to mend my car. Present Perfect Continuous  Past Perfect Continuous “We’ve been living here for years.”  He said (that) they’d been living there for years. (‘d = had)

Past Simple  Past Perfect “I saw your brother.”  He said (that) he had seen my brother.  He said (that) he saw my brother. (We need not change the tense if the order of events is clear.) Past Continuous  Past Perfect Continuous “I was trying to do it.”  He said (that) he had been trying to do it.

will  would “I’ll help you.”  He said (that) he would help me. can  could “I can do it.”  He said (that) he could do it.

may  might “I may do it.”  He said (that) he might do it. must  had to (or: must) “I must go.”  He said (that) he had to go.  He said (that) he must go.

The Past Perfect Simple and Continuous do not change! “They had arrived an hour early.”  I said they had arrived an hour early.

Changes of Pronoun and Adverb Alex said, “I’ll meet you here again tomorrow at 3.30.”  Alex said he would meet us there again the next day at 3.30.

here  there ago  before before  earlier last week  the week before next week  the next week / the week after / the following week now  then / that day / at that moment this  that / the these  those / the

this morning  that morning today  that day tomorrow  the next day tonight  that night yesterday  the day before / the previous day

What did he say? He said (that) … 1.I have a problem. 2.I must ask you to come with me. 3.I have called my friends to help me. 4.I don’t have enough money. 5.My car won’t start. 6.I left my jacket here yesterday.

He said (that) … 1.… he had a problem. 2.… he must / had to ask me to come with him. 3.… he had called his friends to help him. 4.… he didn’t have enough money. 5.… his car wouldn’t start. 6.… he had left his jacket there the day before.

What did she tell you? She told me (that) … 1.I want to see you tomorrow. 2.I may be late. 3.Your English is getting better. 4.I’ve already bought the tickets. 5.I was at a wonderful concert last week. 6.I am writing a report now.

She told me (that) … 1.… she wanted to see me the next day. 2.… she might be late. 3.… my English was getting better. 4.… she had already bought the tickets. 5.… she had been at a wonderful concert the week before. 6.… she was writing a report then / at that moment.