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Reported Speech Short Summary

1. When reporting speech, pronouns and tenses often change depending on whether the original statement was in the past or present tense. 2. Common changes include changing present to past tense, and use of past perfect or conditional tense for statements that were in the present perfect or future in direct speech. 3. Time, place and demonstrative references also often change to reflect the new temporal context of the reported speech, such as changing "today" to "that day".

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107 views

Reported Speech Short Summary

1. When reporting speech, pronouns and tenses often change depending on whether the original statement was in the past or present tense. 2. Common changes include changing present to past tense, and use of past perfect or conditional tense for statements that were in the present perfect or future in direct speech. 3. Time, place and demonstrative references also often change to reflect the new temporal context of the reported speech, such as changing "today" to "that day".

Uploaded by

federica fissore
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Reporting Statements

1- Pronouns: She says, “My dad likes roast chicken.” – She says that her dad likes roast chicken.

2- Tenses:

-no backshift : Do not change the tense if the introductory clause is in a present tense
(Example: He says, “I write poems.” – He says that he writes English)

-If the sentence starts in the past, there is often backshift of tenses in reported speech.

Direct speech Reported speech


(no backshift) “I write poems.” He says that he writes poems.
(backshift) “I write poems.” He said that he wrote poems.

Examples of the main changes in tense:

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

Simple Present Simple Past


He said: "I am happy" He said that he was happy
Present Progressive Past Progressive
He said: "I'm looking for my keys" He said that he was looking for his keys
Simple Past Past Perfect Simple
He said: "I visited New York last year" He said that he had visited New York the previous year.

Present Perfect Past Perfect


He said: " I've lived here for a long time " He said that he had lived there for a long time
Past Perfect Past Perfect
He said: "They had finished the work when He said that they had finished the work when he had
I arrived" arrived"
Past Progressive Past Perfect Progressive
He said: "I was playing football when the He said that he had been playing football when the
accident occurred" accident had occurred
Present Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Progressive
He said:"I have been playing football for He said that he had been playing football for two hours
two hours."
Past Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Progressive
He said: "I had been reading a newspaper He said that he had been reading a newspaper when
when the light went off" the light had gone off
Future Simple (will+verb) Conditional (would+verb)
He said: "I will open the door." He said that he would open the door.
Conditional (would+verb) Conditional (would+verb)
He said: "I would buy Mercedes if I were He said that he would buy Mercedes if he had been
rich" rich"

The modal verbs could, should, would, might, needn't, ought to, used to do not normally change.
Example:
He said, "She might be right." – He said that she might be right.

BUT ->>Other modal verbs may change:


Modal Direct speech Reported speech
can "I can do it." He said he could do it.
may "May I go out?" He wanted to know if he might go out.
must "She must apply for the job." He said that she must/had to apply for the job.
will "They will call you." He told her that they would call her.

3-Time, place, demonstratives:

Time Expressions Place


Today-> that day Here-> there
Now-> then Demonstratives
Yesterday-> the day before This-> that
… days ago-> … days before These-> those
last week-> the week before
next year-> the following year
Tomorrow-> the next day / the following day

Reporting Questions
Types of questions Direct speech Reported speech
With question word (what, why, "Why" don’t you speak He asked me why I didn’t speak
where, how...) English?” English.
Without question word (yes or no “Do you speak English?” He asked me whether / if I spoke
questions) English.
Reporting requests / commands
Direct speech Reported speech
“Nancy,do the exercise.“ He told Nancy to do/not to do the exercise.
"Nancy, give me your pen, please." He asked Nancy to give/not to give him her pen.
Other transformations

-must, should and ought -> advise / urge ("You must read this book."= He advised / urged me to read that book).
- let’s -> suggest
("Let’s go to the cinema." = 1. He suggested going to the cinema. / 2. He suggested that we should go to the cinema).

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