Reported speech

Reported speech

1- Reported statements

In reported speech (also known as indirect speech], the tense used in the speaker's

original words is usually (but not always) moved back a tense when the reporting

verb (said, told, etc.) is in the past. The tense does not change if the reporting

verb is in the present, present perfect or future.

Tense changes

Direct Speech Reported speech

present simple past simple

present continuous past continuous

present perfect simple past perfect simple

present perfect continuous past perfect continuous

past simple past perfect simple

past continuous past perfect continuous

past perfect past perfect

going to future was going to

shall /will would

shall in offers and suggestions should

must had to

can could

Examples

1. “I have something to show you”, I said to her.

I said to her that I had something to show her.

2. “My wife has just bought a new one”, he said to her.

He said to her that his wife had just bought a new one.

3. “I will sit here till she comes in, but I hope she won’t be late”, said he.

He said that he would sit there till she came in, and added that he hoped she

wouldn’t be late.

4. “I wrote to him yesterday. I wonder why he hasn’t rung up”, she said.

She said he had written to him the day before and wondered why he hadn’t rung up.

5. “I can’t speak any foreign languages”, he said to me.

He said to me (that) he couldn’t speak any foreign languages.

2- Time and place changes

It is often necessary to change time, place and other references in reported speech,

depending on when and where the reporting takes place in relation to the actual

words.

Some common changes

now then

tonight that night

yesterday the day before/ the previous day

tomorrow the following day/the next day / the day after

this morning that morning

last week the previous week / the week before

next Saturday the following Saturday

next week / month the following week / the week after

ago before/previously

here there

this + the place that/the + the place

this that/the



3- Reported questions

The rules about tense changes apply to questions in the same way as they apply to

statements.

• Wh questions The subject and verb are NOT inverted in reported speech:

'Why didn't you tell me the truth?' = inversion

She asked me / She wanted to know why I hadn't told her the truth. subject + verb

• Yes/ no questions Put if or whether before the subject + verb: 'Have I seen you

before?'

She asked me / She wanted to know if she had seen me before.

Examples

1. “Why did you travel first class?”, I asked him.

I asked him why he had travelled first class.

2. “What is your new house like?”, I asked them.

I asked them what their new house was like.

3. “Are you leaving today or tomorrow morning?”, asked his secretary.

His secretary asked him if he was leaving that day or the following day.

4. “Are you a foreigner?” they asked Julia.

They asked Julia if she was a foreigner.

5. “Are you enjoying yourself?” she asked me.

She asked me if I was enjoying myself.

6. “Do you like Tom Cruise?” she asked Peter.

She asked Peter if he liked Tom Cruise.

7. “Does your father work here?” Mary asked me.

Mary asked me if my father worked there.

8. “Did you invite Jim and Tom to the party?”, I asked her.

I asked her if she had invited Jim and Tom to the party.

4- To-infinitive in reported speech ( for commands / requests / advice etc )

• In reported requests, advice, commands, etc., use to-infinitive 'Can you help me

write my speech?' She asked me to help her write her speech. 'Don't stay out too

late.' She told me not to stay out too late.

• When reporting shall/should questions, we can use to-infinitive after the question

word:

'How much should we give them?'

He wanted to know how much to give them.

'What should I buy for Peter?'

She asked me what to buy for Peter

'Should I tell her what happened?'

He wanted to know whether to tell her what had happened.

Examples

1. “Don’t use bent coins in a slot machine”, I advised him.

I advised him not to use bent coins in a slot machine.

2. “Wash it in warm water”, recommended the assistant.

The assistant recommended to wash it in warm water.

3. “Sit down Mary”, he said.

He told Mary to sit down.

4. “Would you pass my suitcase, please?” he asked me.

He asked me to pass his suitcase.

5. “Could you sit down, please?” the teacher told me.

The teacher asked me to sit down.