If we report what another person has said, we

usually do not use the speaker’s exact words

(direct speech) but reported (indirect) speech.
When we use reported speech, the main verb
is usually in the past form (He said, She told)

here there
ago before
When we report statements that were made in the past, we change before earlier
the tense of the original (direct) speech. last week the week before
next week the week after/the following week
Changes are following: now then/that day
DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH this morning that morning
Present Simple Past Simple today that day
tomorrow the next day/the following day
‘I want to buy it.’ She said (that) she wanted to buy it.
yesterday the day before/ the previous day
Present Continuous Past Continuous
‘I am reading a book.’ He said (that) he was reading a book.
Present Perfect Past Perfect
‘I have made a mistake.’ He said (that) he had made a
mistake.  When we report questions, we do not
follow the normal question order. Instead,
Past Simple Past Perfect
we use the word order of a statement.
‘I saw you in the city.’ She said (that) she had seen me in ‘Can I leave?’ I asked if I could
the city. leave.
Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous  We do not use question mark in the
‘I was trying to do it.’ He said(that) he had been trying to reported question.
do it.  Tense changes are the same as for reported
will would statements.
‘I’ll do it.’ He said (that) he would do it. When we report questions that can be answered with:
-yes or no: we use a noun clause beginning with if or whether.
can could
‘Does he live in a big flat?’ She asked if/whether he lived in
‘I can do it.’ He said (that) he could do it. a big flat.
may might We must use whether not if, when we are asking someone
‘I may do it.’ He said he might do it. to make a choice or with the phrase… or not .
‘Do you want coffee or tea?’ She asked me whether I
wanted tea or
coffee.
When we report requests, orders or commands we
‘Is he coming or not?’ She asked whether he was coming
often use the pattern:
or not.
ask somebody to do something
-wh question we use the wh-word (who, what, where, when) or
Examples how, how long, …
‘Please, let me watch the match, Mum,’ Jack said.
Jack asked his mum to let him watch the match.
Change The following sentences into indirect
‘Don’t do it.’ She told him not to do it.
speech.
Read the statements then rewrite them into indirect speech:
1. ‘Can I have some more money?’
The boy asked if he could have some more money. 1. Betty said her sister had a baby the
2. ‘I won’t help you.’ previous Monday, so she gone to see her.
Joan said that he wouldn’t help me.
3. ‘I’ll bring it back tomorrow.’ 2. Ana said that she had been to London.
Peter promised that he would bring it back the 3. Ian said he had been fixing his car.
next day. 4. Eva said she hadn't done much but the
4. ‘Did he bring the book back?’
Eva asked if he had brought the book back. next day she was going to the cinema.
5. ‘Stay in bed for few days.’ 5. John said that his friend from America
Doctor told me to stay in bed for the following
days. was visiting him.
6. ‘Will you marry me?’ 6. Mary said she gone shopping the day
John asked her if she would marry him.
7. ‘I was working yesterday.’ before.
She said she was working the day before. 7. Phil said was sick.
8. Are you going to buy it or not?
Daniel asked whether we were going to buy it or 8. Mark said he had been working all
not. week.
9.’We have been running.’