Direct Speech "I'm tired," John said. My mother said, "I'll be late". He said, "I can't ride a bike.

" Original tense Simple Present Simple Past Present Perfect Present Continuous Past Continuous can may must will

Reported Speech John said he was tired. My mother said she would be late. He said he couldn't ride a bike. Reported tense Simple Past Past Perfect Past Perfect Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous could might had to would Example "We enjoy fishing" - They said they enjoyed fishing "He saw it" - She said he had seen it "She's gone" - You said she had gone "I'm leaving" - You said you were leaving "He was reading" - He said he had been reading "I can sing" - She said she could sing "We may stay" - They said they might stay "I must go" - He said he had to go "I'll buy them" - You said you would buy them

Place come bring this these here today tomorrow yesterday this week next month now Pronouns in reported speech I you he/she/it we they us our his/hers/its he/she he/she/they he/she/it they they them their his/hers/its

Time that day/then the next/following day the day before that week the following month then

He said, "I am late" - He said he was late. "Will you help me?" - She asked if he would help her. She said, "He hit me" - She said he had hit her. I said, "We are lost" - He said they were lost. They said, "We are hungry" - They said they were hungry. John said, "She gave us presents" - John said she had given them presents. He said, "Our jobs are at risk" - He said their jobs were at risk. She said, "It's hers" - She said that it was hers.