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.
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
|
He said he lived in
|
§ SIMPLE
PAST to
PAST
PERFECT
|
He said, ‘I went to
|
He said he had gone to
|
§ 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
|
He said he had visited
|
§ 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
|
He said he had
to go to
|
§ 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.
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.
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.
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.
|
Click HERE to continue learning REPORTING STATEMENTS!
AND NOW...
Click on the following exercises and practise reporting statement.
