REPORTED SPEECH - STATEMENTS

             

When we use reported speech, all tenses move back one tense into the past from the original. This is called backshift.

e.g. Jack said, ‘The test is very difficult’   
ð becomes: He said (that) the test was very difficult.       

That is optional. The following chart includes the tense changes and an example from direct speech to indirect (or reported) speech.

TENSE CHANGES	DIRECT SPEECH	INDIRECT SPEECH
§  SIMPLE PRESENT to  SIMPLE PAST	He said, ‘I live in Paris.’	He said he lived in Paris.
§  SIMPLE PAST to PAST      PERFECT	He said, ‘I went to New York on holiday.’	He said he had gone to New York on holiday.
§  SIMPLE FUTURE to SIMPLE      CONDITIONAL	He said, ‘I will give Jack a call.’	He said he would give Jack a call.
§  PRESENT CONTINUOUS to      PAST CONTINUOUS	He said, ‘I am cooking dinner.’	He said he was cooking dinner.
§  PRESENT PERFECT to PAST      PERFECT	He said, ‘I have visited London twice.’	He said he had visited London twice.
§  PAST PERFECT to PAST      PERFECT	He said, ‘I had already eaten.’	He said he had already eaten.
§  BE GOING TO (+ infinitive) to      WAS/WERE GOING TO (+       infinitive)	He said, ‘I am going to find a new job.’	He said he was going to find a new job.
§  CAN to COULD	He said, ‘I can’t get you out of my mind.’	He said he couldn’t get her out his mind.
§  MUST to HAD TO (+ infinitive)	He said, ‘I must finish the project.’	He said he had to finish the project.
§  HAVE TO to HAD TO	He said, ‘I have to go to Manchester tomorrow’	He said he had to go to Manchester the following day.
§  SHOULD to SHOULD	He said, ‘I should be early.’	He said he should be early.

In reported speech, references to people, places and times often change, because the point of view changes.

e.g. She said, ‘I want to bring my children.’   
ð becomes:  She said she wanted to bring her children.

      

       Jack said, ‘I’ll see you here on Monday.’  
ð becomes:  Jack said he would see me there on Monday.

                                    

       Ron said, ‘I bought this book yesterday.’ 
 ð becomes:  Ron said he had bought The book the day before.

The following chart includes the changes which are necessary when using time and place signifiers (reference to people and places.) It is also included an example from direct speech to indirect (or reported) speech.

TIME & PLACE CHANGES	DIRECT SPEECH	INDIRECT SPEECH
§  TODAY to THAT DAY	He said, ‘I’ve done it today.’	He said he’d done it that day.”
§  TOMORROW to THE NEXT/     FOLLOWING DAY	He said, ‘I’ll bring that tomorrow.’	He said he would bring that the following day.
§  YESTERDAY to THE DAY      BEFORE	He said, ‘I lost my keys yesterday.’	He said he had lost his keys the day before.
§  NEXT to THE FOLLOWING	He said, ‘I’ll come back next week.’	He said he would come back the following week.
§  TONIGHT to THAT NIGHT	He said, ‘I’ll be back tonight.’	He said he would be back that night.
§  LAST to THE PREVIOUS	He said, ‘I arrived last Monday.’	He said he had arrived the previous Monday.
§  NOW to AT THAT MOMENT/THEN	He said, ‘I’m watching TV now.’	He said he was watching TVthen.
§  THIS to THE/THAT/IT	He said, ‘I must finish this before leaving.’ He said, “I bought this car.”	He said he had to finish that/itbefore leaving. He said he had bought the/thatcar.
§  AGO to BEFORE	He said, ‘I was there a week ago’	He said he had been there a week before.
§  HERE to THERE	He said, ‘I’ll be here very soon.’	He said he would be there very soon.

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Click on the following exercises and practise reporting statement.

EXERCISE 1

EXERCISE 2

EXERCISE 3

EXERCISE 4

EXERCISE 5