REPORTED SPEECH

How to use Reported Speech

If you have a sentence in Direct Speech, try to follow our 5 steps to put the sentence into Reported Speech..

1. Define the type of the sentence (statement, questions, command)
2. What tense is used in the introductory sentence?
3. Do you have to change the person (pronoun)?
4. Do you have to backshift the tenses?
5. Do you have to change expressions of time and place?

1. Statements, Questions, Commands

Mind the type of sentences when you use Reported Speech. There is more detailed information on the following pages.

Statements in Reported Speech

If you use a statement in Reported Speech, follow the steps described on our page Reported Speech – Summary.

• changing of the person, backshift of tenses, shifting of expressions of time/place

1. The introductory sentence

1.1. The introductory sentence in the Simple Present

If the introductory sentence is in the Simple Present, there is no backshift of tenses.

• Direct Speech → Susan: “Mary works in an office.”
• Reported Speech → Susan says (that)* Mary works in an office.

The introductory sentence is here: Susan says ... → this sentence is in the Simple Present, so there is no backshift of tenses.

1.2. The introductory sentence in the Simple Past

If the introductory sentence is in the Simple Past, there is mostly backshift of tenses.

• Direct Speech → Susan: “Mary works in an office.”
• Reported Speech → Susan said (that)* Mary worked in an office.

The introductory sentence is here: Susan said ... → this sentence is in the Simple Past, so there is backshift of tenses.

1.3. Types of introductory sentences

The word say in introductory sentences can be substituted with other words, e.g.

• add
• decide
• know
• mention
• remark
• tell *
• think

2. Change of persons/pronouns

The person/pronoun used in Direct Speech may be adapted in Reported Speech, depending of the situation.

Emily and John are talking about fashion at school. Emily says to John: 

• Emily: “I like your new T-shirt.”

Possibility 1:

John says to his friend Max in the afternoon: 

• Emily said (that) she liked my new T-shirt.

Possibility 2:

Emily says to her friend Julia in the afternoon:

• I said (that) I liked his new T-shirt.

3. Backshift of tenses

If the introductory sentence in in the Simple Past, there is backshift of tenses in Reported Speech. We shift the tense used in Direct Speech one step back in Reported Speech. If we use Past Perfect or the modals would, could, should, might, must, ought to and needn't in Direct Speech there is possibility to shift the tense back in Reported Speech.

3.1. Simple Present → Simple Past

3.2. Simple Past, Present Perfect, Past Perfect → Past Perfect

3.3. Auxiliaries, Modals

3.4. Present Progressive → Past Progressive

3.5. Past Progressive, Present Perfect Progressive, Past Perfect Progressive → Past Perfect Progressive

4. Shifting/Conversion of expressions of time and place

If there is an expression of time/place in the sentence, it my be shifted, depending on the situation.

Emily is at school, writing in her workbook. She misses her red pen at lunchtime. Emily says to John:

• “I lost my red pen here this morning.”

Possibility 1:

John says to his friend Max who is in the same room.

• Emily said (that) she had lost her red pen here this morning.

Possibility 2:

One day later, John sees his friend Gerry at his house. They talk about school.

• John says to Gerry → Emily said (that) she had lost her red pen at our school that morning.
• John says to Gerry → Emily said (that) she had lost her red pen there yesterday morning.

* Do not forget the person after the word tell: 

• She told me (that) ...
• She told George (that) ...

2. The introductory sentence

If you use Reported Speech there are mostly two main differences.

The  introductory sentence in Reported Speech can be in the Present or in the Past.

If the introductory sentences is in the Simple Present, there is no backshift of tenses.

Direct Speech: 

• Susan: “Mary works in an office.”

Reported Speech:

• Introductory sentence in the Simple Present → Susan says (that)* Mary works in an office.
• Introductory sentence in the Simple Past → Susan said (that)* Mary worked in an office.

3. Change of persons/pronouns

If there is a pronoun in Direct Speech, it has possibly to be changed in Reported Speech, depending on the siutation.

• Direct Speech → Susan: “I work in an office.”
• Reported Speech → Susan said (that)* she worked in an office.

Here I is changed to she.

4. Backshift of tenses

If there is backshift of tenses in Reported Speech, the tenses are shifted the following way.

• Direct Speech → Peter: “I work in the garden.”
• Reported Speech → Peter said (that)* he worked in the garden.

5. Conversion of expressions of time and place

If there is an expression of time/place in the sentence, it may be changed, depending on the situation.

• Direct Speech → Peter: “I worked in the garden yesterday.”
• Reported Speech → Peter said (that) he had worked in the garden the day before.

¡Texto! Puede insertar contenido, moverlo, copiarlo o eliminarlo.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing elitr, sed diam nonumy eirmod tempor invidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquyam.