Reported Speech

When do we use reported

speech?
Sometimes someone says a sentence, for
example "I'm going to the cinema tonight".
Later, maybe we want to tell someone else
what the first person said.
 A) PRESENT SIMPLE changes to
PAST SIMPLE
Example:
Direct Speech:
Mary: I work very hard.
Reported Speech:
She said (that) she worked very hard.
She told him (that) she worked very hard.
 B) PRESENT CONTINUOUS
changes to PAST CONTINUOUS
Examples:
Direct Speech:
Luis: Im travelling to the USA next week.
Reported Speech:
He said (that) he was travelling to the USA next
week.
He told her (that) he was travelling to the USA.
C) PRESENT PERFECT changes to
PAST PERFECT
Examples:
Direct Speech:
Miguel: Ive found a new job.
Reported Speech:
He said (that) he had found a new job.
He told them (that) he had found a new
job.
D) PAST SIMPLE changes to PAST
PERFECT
Examples:
Direct Speech:
Leo and Polina: We bought a big house.
Reported Speech:
They said (that) they had bought a big house.
They told us (that) they had bought a big house.
 E) WILL changes to WOULD
Examples:
Direct Speech:
Anna: I wont go picnic.
Reported Speech:
She said (that) she wouldnt go picnic.
She told her (that) she wouldnt go picnic.
 F) CAN changes to COULD
Examples:
Direct Speech:
Henry and Daniel: We cant type very fast.
Reported Speech:
They said (that) they couldnt type very fast.
They told him (that) they couldnt type very
fast.
 G) MUST changes to HAD TO
Examples:
Direct Speech:
The teacher: The students must study
hard.
Reported Speech:
He/She said (that) they had to study hard.
He/She said (that) they had to study hard.
 Tense Direct Speech Reported Speech

She said (that) she liked ice

present simple I like ice cream
cream.

present She said (that) she was living

I am living in London
continuous in London.

She said (that) she had bought

past simple I bought a car
a car.

She said (that) she had been

past continuous I was walking along the street
walking along the street
 Tense Direct Speech Reported Speech

She said (that) she hadn't

present perfect I haven't seen Julie
seen Julie.

She said (that) she had

I had taken English
past perfect* taken English lessons
lessons before
before.

She said (that) she would

will I'll see you later
see me later.

She said (that) she could

can I can speak perfect English
speak perfect English.
Some tenses and verbs dont change

Tense Direct Speech Reported Speech

She said (that) she would

would* I would help, but..
help but...

I could swim when I was She said (that) she could

could*
four swim when she was four.

She said (that) she should

should* I should call my mother
call her mother

She said (that) she might

might* "I might be late"
be late

"I must study at the She said (that) she had to

must
weekend" study at the weekend.
Here we have a table where we can see the changes that the
expressions of time had when they are into Indirect Speech.
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
today that day
tonight that night

this week/month/year that week/month/year

tomorrow the next day

the
next week/month/year
following week/month/year

the day before or the previous

yesterday
day

the week/month
last week/month/year year before or the
previous week/month/year

now then/at that moment

Other changes
here there
Web pages:
http://www.perfect-english-
grammar.com/reported-speech.html

http://www.curso-
ingles.com/aprender/cursos/nivel-
avanzado/direct-and-reported-speech/direct-
and-reported-speech