Reported Speech Short Note
Changes
present simple past simple
present continuous past continuous
past simple past perfect
past continuous past perfect continuous
present perfect past perfect
past perfect* past perfect
past perfect continuous* past perfect continuous
● Backshift: A tense which is further back in time.
● If what the speaker said is still true, we don’t backshift.
will would
would* would
can could
could* could
shall would
should* should
might* might
must must/had to
this that
here there
today that day
these those
now then/ at that time
yesterday the day before/ the previous day
tomorrow the day after/ the next day/ the following day
ago before
last week the week before/ the previous week
next week the week after/ the following week
last night the night before/ the previous night
next night the night after/ the following night
* don’t change
Reporting Verbs
said Reported Statements
told + object pronoun Reported Statements/ Reported Orders
asked + object pronoun Reported ‘Wh’ Questions/ Reported Requests
● If the reporting verb is in simple present tense (eg: says). We don’t backshift.
Reported Statements
Speaker + reporting verb (said/ told+object pronoun) + that (optional) + subject + verb
Eg:
● Dad → Child: “I will buy you a laptop.”
● Child → Friends: “My dad said that he would buy a laptop for me.”
● “I’ll be late.”
● “John told me he would be late.”
Reported Questions
Wh Questions
Speaker + reporting verb (asked+object pronoun) + wh questions + subject + verb
Eg:
● Dad → Child: “What did you learn today?”
● Child → Friends: “My dad asked me what I learned that day.”
● “Where do you live?”
● “She asked me where I lived”
★ Inverting: changing the position of the subject and verb
Yes/No Questions
Speaker + reporting verb (asked+object pronoun) + if + subject + verb
Eg:
● A → B: “Do you like my new trousers?”
● B → C: “She asked me if I liked her new trousers.”
● “Do you like pizza?”
● “He asked me if I liked pizza.”
Reported Requests
Speaker + reporting verb (asked+object pronoun) + to/ not to (neg.) + infinitive
Eg:
● A → B: “If it’s not trouble, can you please open the door?”
● B → C: “She asked me to close the window.”
If it’s not trouble, can you please open the door?
● “Please don’t be late.”
● “He asked us not to be late.”
Reported Orders
Speaker + reporting verb (told+object pronoun) + to/ not to (neg.) + infinitive
Eg:
● A → B: “Sit down!”
● B → C: “He told me to sit down.”
● “Don’t sleep in the classroom!”
● “He told me not to sleep in the classroom. ”
Time Expressions with Reported Speech
Sometimes when we change direct speech into reported speech we have to change
time expressions too.
We don't always have to do this, however.
It depends on when we heard the direct speech and when we say the reported
speech.
For example:
Monday: Julie says "I'm leaving today".
Monday: "Julie said she was leaving today".
Tuesday: "Julie said she was leaving yesterday".
Wednesday: "Julie said she was leaving on Monday".
A Month Later: "Julie said she was leaving that day".
