Reported speech

  Reported speech is used when you want to tell someone else what a person said before.
  The tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech.
I/ you/ we/ they He/ she/ it/ James
 Present simple Ex: “I go  Past simple Ex: My mom said
shopping every Friday”, my (that) she went shopping every
mom said. Friday.
 Present continuous Ex:
“We are watching TV”, they  Past continuous Ex: They told
told me. me (that) they were watching TV.
 Present perfect Ex: “I have  Past perfect Ex: David said
lived here for 10 years”, (that) he had lived there for 10
David said. years.
 Past simple Ex: “I was at  Past perfect Ex: My sister
school yesterday”, my sister said (that) she had been at school
said. the day before.
 Past continuous Ex: “We  Past perfect continuous Ex:
were cooking when she They told me (that) they had been
came”, they told me. cooking when he had come.
 Past perfect Ex: “I had had  Past perfect Ex: Marry told
a car accident”, Marry told me (that) she had had a car
me. accident.
 Present perfect
continuous Ex: “I have been  Past perfect continuous Ex:
explaining to her for hours”, Jim said (that) he had been
Jim said. explaining to her for hours.
 Simple future with  WOULD + bare infinitive Ex:
WILL Ex: “I will travel to My cousin told me (that) she
Asia next year”, my cousin would travel to Asia the
told me. following year.
 WAS/ WERE GOING TO +
 Simple future with BE Bare infinitive Ex: Sarah said
GOING TO Ex: “I am going (that) she was going to write a
to write a story”, Sarah said. story.
 Future continuous Ex: “I  WOULD BE verb-ING Ex:
will be coming back in an Michael told me (that) he would
hour”, Michael told me. be coming back in an hour.
 modal verb MAY Ex: “I  MIGHT/ COULD Ex: Jane
may see you in the said (that) she might see me in
afternoon”, Jane said. the afternoon.
 modal verb MIGHT  MIGHT Ex: My sister said
 Ex: “Jim might visit me (that) Jim might visit her the
tomorrow”, my sister said. following day.
 modal verb MUST Ex:
“You must make your final  MUST/ HAD TO Ex: She said
decision by 20th May”, she (that) I had to make my final
said. decision by 20th May.
 modal verb SHALL Ex:  WOULD/ SHOULD Ex: They
“We shall need your help”, told me (that) they would need
they told me. my help.
 modal verb CAN Ex: “You  COULD Ex: My boss said
can wait for me in the office”, (that) I could wait for him in the
my boss said. office.
 modal verb COULD Ex:  COULD Ex: My husband told
“We could finish everything me (that) we could finish
soon”, My husband told me. everything soon.
 I/ you/ we/ they He/ she/ it/ James
 modal verb SHOULD Ex:
“You should go to bed early”,  SHOULD Ex: My mom said
my mom said. (that) I should go to bed early.
 modal verb WOULD Ex:  WOULD Ex: My mom said
“I would teach you how to (that) she would teach me how to
make cookies”, my mom said. make cookies.
 modal verb NEED Ex:
“You need to drink more  NEED Ex: My doctor told me
water a day”, my doctor told (that) I need to drink more water
me. a day.
Place, time words and demonstratives
Direct speech Reported speech
Today That day
Yesterday The day before
Tomorrow The next day/ the following day
… days ago … days before
Last week The week before
Next week The following week
Time Now Then
Place Here There
Demonstrative This That
s These Those
Reported questions
 There are two types of questions: WH-question and Yes/No question.
 In reported speech, the word orders change.
 In WH-question, the WH-words (what, where, why, how, etc.) remains the same.
...ASK ME + WH-WORDS
 In Yes/ No question, the auxiliary is deleted. We use if/ whether instead.
... ASK ME + IF/ WHETHER 
Direct speech Reported speech
“Where do you go?” She asked me where I
She asked. went.
“What have you He asked me what I
done?” He asked. had done.
“Why are you She asked me why I
WH-questions crying?” She asked. was crying.
“Are you going Jenny asked me if/
shopping?” Jenny whether I was going
asked. shopping?
“Have you ever been He asked me if/
to London?” He whether I had ever
asked. been to London.
“Can you help me Tom asked me if/
with this whether I could help
homework?” Tom him with that
Yes/ No questions asked. homework.
Reported commands/ requests
...ASK ME + (NOT) TO DO SOMETHING
Direct speech Reported speech
“Go away.” She said. She asked me to go away.
“Don’t come any closer.” He He asked me not to come any
 Direct speech Reported speech
said. closer.
“Jack, wait for a second.” He He asked Jack to wait for a
said. second.