Now that you know some of the reported speech rules about backshift, let’s learn some exceptions.
There are two situations in which we do NOT need to change the verb tense.
For example, if someone says “I have three children” (direct speech) then we would say “He said he has three children” because the situation continues to be true.
If I tell you “I live in the United States” (direct speech) then you could tell someone else “She said she lives in the United States” (that’s reported speech) because it is still true.
When the situation is still true, then we don’t need to backshift the verb.
But when the situation is NOT still true, then we DO need to backshift the verb.
Imagine your friend says, “I have a headache.”
We also don’t need to backshift to the verb when somebody said something about the future, and the event is still in the future.
Here’s an example:
Let’s look at a different situation:
Quick review:
Those were the rules for reported statements, just regular sentences.
What about reported speech for questions, requests, and orders?
For reported requests, we use “asked (someone) to do something”:
For reported orders, we use “told (someone) to do something:”
The main verb stays in the infinitive with “to”:
For yes/no questions, we use “asked if” and “wanted to know if” in reported speech.
The main verb changes and back shifts according to the rules and exceptions we learned earlier.
Notice that we don’t use do/does/did in the reported question:
For other questions that are not yes/no questions, we use asked/wanted to know (without “if”):
Again, notice that we don’t use do/does/did in reported questions:
Also, in questions with the verb “to be,” the word order changes in the reported question:
Learn more about reported speech:
If you want to take your English grammar to the next level, then my Advanced English Grammar Course is for you! It will help you master the details of the English language, with clear explanations of essential grammar topics, and lots of practice. I hope to see you inside!
I’ve got one last little exercise for you, and that is to write sentences using reported speech. Think about a conversation you’ve had in the past, and write about it – let’s see you put this into practice right away.
Hi, I’m Shayna. I create courses helping English as a Second Language learners become more fluent in just a few minutes a day – so they can speak English naturally and confidently in work and daily life.
Reported speech can be more complicated than I showed you on the Reported speech – basic page. For example, there are more words that change besides pronouns , possessive adjectives , and verb tenses . Place words and time words also change.
To review, the first kind of reported speech is with statements . All the examples below are statements. Later we’ll look at imperatives, questions and other types of sentences.
In a statement that can be dropped anytime before a subject and verb, so I will put it in parentheses – ( that ) . When you see this word in the examples that follow, remember that you can drop it if you want to.
It’s important to know which words you have to change in reported speech.
These verb tenses change :
present simple –> past simple
Example: He said, “ I like to eat watermelon in the summertime.” He said ( that ) he liked to eat watermelon in the summertime..
present continuous –> past continuous
Example: They said, “ We are putting together a basketball team.” They said ( that ) they were putting together a basketball team.
past simple –> past perfect
Example: He told them, “ I went to our usual pub, but none of you were there.” He told them ( that ) he had gone to their usual pub, but ( that ) none of them had been there.
present perfect –> past perfect
Example: He said, “ My family have lived in this area for generations.” He said ( that ) his family had lived in that area for generations.
present perfect continuous –> past perfect continuous
Example: They said, “ We ’ve been practicing for hours.” They said ( that ) they ’d been practicing for hours.
Past continuous –> past perfect continuous
Example: She said, “ I was working in the garden all afternoon.” She said ( that ) she had been working in the garden all afternoon.
However, these verb tenses don’t change:
past perfect –> past perfect
Example: I said to her, “ I had forgotten to lock the door.” I told her ( that ) I had forgotten to lock the door.
past perfect continuous –> past perfect continuous
Example: She said, “ I had been wondering about that for a long time.” She said ( that ) she had been wondering about that for a long time.
The following modals change :
will –> would
Example: He told me, “ I ’ll be there at 11:00 at the very latest.” He told me ( that ) he would be here at 11:00 at the very latest.
can –> could
Example: She said, “ I can be at the meeting tomorrow morning.” She said ( that ) she could be at the meeting tomorrow morning.
may –> might
Example: She said, “ I may be late, but I ’ll be there.” She said ( that ) she might be late, but ( that ) she ’d be there.
have to –> had to
Example: He told her, “ I have to go to New York on business.” He told her ( that ) he had to go to New York on business.
must –> had to
Example: She said, “ I must see the dentist sometime this month.” She said ( that ) she had to see the dentist sometime this month.
However, these modals don’t change:
might –> might
Example: He told them, “There’s one thing I might do for you .” He told them ( that ) there was one thing he might do for them .
could –> could
Example: He said, “ I could n’t come yesterday because I lost my car keys.” He said ( that ) he could n’t come yesterday because he had lost his car keys.
would –> would
Example: I told them, “ I would visit more often if I could.” I told them ( that ) I would visit more often if I could.
should –> should
Example: She said to him, “I think I should go stay with my aunt in Toronto.” She told him ( that ) she thought she should go stay with her aunt in Toronto
ought to –> ought to
Example: Mother told the children,” You ought to keep your rooms clean.” Mother told the children ( that ) they ought to keep their rooms clean.
had better –> had better
Example: I said to her, “ You ’d better not be late for your appointment.” I said ( that ) she ’d better not be late for her appointment.
used to –> used to
Example: He said, “ I used to be a fireman in Chicago.” He said ( that ) he used to be a fireman in Chicago.
Place words often change . However, if the place hasn’t changed from the direct speech to the reported speech, then don’t change these words:
here –> there this –> that these –> those
Examples: He said, “ I ’m supposed to meet him here later.” He told me ( that ) he was supposed to meet him there later. (I’m in a different place when I report the speech.)
They said to us, “ You can use this room for a meeting. They said ( that ) we could use that room for a meeting. (We’re in a different place when we report the speech.)
He said, “ I read these books when I was young.” He said ( that ) he had read those books when he was young. (The person is in a different place when he reports the speech.)
Time words often change . However, if the time is still the same at the time of the reporting, then don’t change the time word.
next –> the following last –> the previous / the ____ before today –> that day tomorrow –> the next day / the following day yesterday –> the previous day / the day before now –> then in ____ –> ____ later this –> that
Examples: She said, “The store is having a sale next Friday.” She told us ( that ) the store was having a sale the following Friday.
I said to him, “ I didn’t sleep very well last night.” I told him ( that ) I hadn’t slept very well the previous night ( the night before .)
He told me, “ My girlfriend is leaving for Los Angeles today .” He told me ( that ) his girlfriend was leaving for Los Angeles that day .
They told us, “ We ’re having a game tomorrow at the park.” They told us ( that ) they were having a game the next day ( the following day ) at the park.
He said to him, ” I could n’t find my bus pass yesterday .” He told him ( that ) he could n’t find his bus pass the previous day ( the day before .)
I told her, “ You have to come with me now .” I told her ( that ) she had to come with me then .
She said, “ I ‘ll be finished in half an hour .” She said ( that ) she would be finished half an hour later .
John said, “ I can help you this Saturday.” John said ( that ) he could help us that Saturday.
In addition to statements, there are other kinds of sentences that you can report.
The imperative ( commands ) is a little different than statements in reported speech . The verb becomes an infinitive (with to ). Use told for your reporting verb or asked if there is a “please.”
Examples: I said to her, “ Go pick up the kids.” I told her to go pick up the kids.
He said to them, “Please take your seats.” He asked them to take their seats.
We said to the team, “ Do your best but most of all have fun.” We told the team to do their best but most of all to have fun.
The nurse said to us, “Please wait here and someone will be with you shortly.” The nurse asked us to wait here and ( that ) someone would be with us shortly.
Questions are also different in reported speech .
If it is a yes/no or a choice question , then use if . Always use the reporting verb asked . Also, there is no inversion of the subject and verb like in a real question. Also remember to drop the question mark (?) because it’s no longer a question.
Examples: He said , “ Would you like coffee or tea?” (Choice) He asked us if we would like coffee or tea.
My neighbor said , “ Could you look after my dog for a week?” (Yes or no) My neighbor asked me if I could look after her dog for a week.
He said , “ Is it on the top or the bottom shelf?” (Choice) He asked if it was on the top or the bottom shelf.
He asked her, “ Do you live around here?” (Yes or no) He asked her if she lived around here.
Notice that there is no subject-verb inversion ( would we or could we ) in reported questions. Always put the subject before the verb in reported speech ( we would or we could ).
If it’s an information question ( who , what , where , when , why , how ), then repeat the question word. As above, don’t invert the subject and verb . Again, drop the question mark.
Examples: She said, “ What time is it ?” She asked me what time it was .
He asked her, “ Where can I go for coffee around here?” He asked her where he could go for coffee around there.
He asked me, “ Why are you always so tired?” He asked me why I was always so tired.
We asked him, “ How can we find out if we passed or not?” We asked him how we could find out if we had passed or not.
When reporting invitations , there are 2 ways to do it – the regular way or with an infinitive . Use the reporting verbs invited or asked . Once again, drop the question mark.
Examples: She said to him, “ Would you like to go on a picnic with us ?” She asked him if he would like to go on a picnic with them . She invited him to go on a picnic with them .
He said to her, “ Would you please not smoke in my car?” He asked her if she would not smoke in his car.. He asked her not to smoke in his car. [Note that the not is before to , not after.]
We said to them, “ Would you like to come over for coffee?” We asked them if they would like to come over for coffee. We invited them to come over for coffee.
When reporting advice , there are 2 ways to do it – the regular way or with the infinitive . Use the reporting verb told or advised .
Examples: He said to his daughter, “ You should clean up a bit before he arrives.” He told his daughter ( that ) she should clean up a bit before he arrived. He advised his daughter to clean up a bit before he arrived.
She told her boyfriend, “ You should call me when you arrive in Calgary.” She told her boyfriend ( that ) he should call her when he arrived in Calgary. She advised her boyfriend to call her when he arrived in Calgary.
The teacher said to the students, “ You should check your writing for mistakes.” The teacher told the students ( that ) they should check their writing for mistakes. The teacher advised the students to check their writing for mistakes.
When reporting requests , do it the regular way or use the infinitive . The reporting verb is asked .
Examples: The coach said to the team, “ Could you please be on time tomorrow ?” The coach asked the team if they could be on time the following day . The coach asked the team to be on time the following day .
The man said to us, “ Would you please be quiet so I can hear my cellphone.?” The man asked us if we would please be quiet so he could hear his cellphone. The man asked us to please be quiet so he could hear his cellphone
I said to him, “ Can you help me move on the weekend?” I asked him if he could help me move on the weekend. I asked him to help me move on the weekend.
When reporting permission given, do it the regular way or use an infinitive . The reporting verbs to use are told , invited or gave (someone) permission .
Examples: I said to Jonathan, “ You ca n stay at my place for awhile.” I told Jonathan ( that ) he could stay at my place for awhile. I invited Jonathan to stay at my place for awhile.
He said to his friend, “ You can use my bike this afternoon.” He told his friend ( that ) he could use his bike that afternoon.” He gave his friend permission to use his bike that afternoon.
We told them, “ You can stay here until the store closes.” We told them ( that ) they could stay until the store closed. We invited them to stay until the store closed.
One last thing. If the reporting verb is in the present tense ( say , tell , ask ), or if you’re reporting the speech immediately, then make no verb changes.
Examples: She said, “ What time are we going home?” She asked what time we are going home. [Immediate reporting. No change in time or place.]
His friend always tells him, “ You would be rich if you worked harder.” His friend always tells him ( that ) he would be rich if he worked harder. [Reporting verb is present tense.]
They asked us, “ Will you help us.” They asked us if we will help them. [Immediate reporting.]
Let’s review:
Statements:
She said , “The rainbow is beautiful.” She said ( that ) the rainbow was beautiful.
Imperative:
He told the class, “ Take your seats.” He told the class to take their seats.
Yes/no or choice question:
John said , “ Would you please stop talking.” John asked them if they would stop talking.
Information question:
They asked me, “ When will the game start?” They asked me when the game would start.
Reporting invitations, advice, requests and permission:
We told them, “ You can stay overnight, but you must leave in the morning. We told them ( that ) they could stay overnight but they had to leave in the morning. We invited them to stay overnight but they had to leave in the morning.
Immediate reporting or when the reporting verb is present tense – no verb tense change:
She asks me all the time, “ Are you going for a run?” She asks me all the time if I ‘m going for a run.
Study this page again, and when you’re ready, take the following quiz .
Your ranking: .
© 2013 Ambien Malecot
Hi, Ambien, i really love this one !
You must be logged in to post a comment
Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words. In indirect speech , the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command.
direct | indirect | reported clause | |
statement | ) I was tired. | -clause | |
question | . . | clause clause clause | |
command | . | -infinitive clause |
Indirect speech: reporting statements
Indirect reports of statements consist of a reporting clause and a that -clause. We often omit that , especially in informal situations:
The pilot commented that the weather had been extremely bad as the plane came in to land. (The pilot’s words were: ‘The weather was extremely bad as the plane came in to land.’ )
I told my wife I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday. ( that -clause without that ) (or I told my wife that I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday .)
Reporting yes-no questions and alternative questions.
Indirect reports of yes-no questions and questions with or consist of a reporting clause and a reported clause introduced by if or whether . If is more common than whether . The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:
She asked if [S] [V] I was Scottish. (original yes-no question: ‘Are you Scottish?’ )
The waiter asked whether [S] we [V] wanted a table near the window. (original yes-no question: ‘Do you want a table near the window? )
He asked me if [S] [V] I had come by train or by bus. (original alternative question: ‘Did you come by train or by bus?’ )
Questions: yes-no questions ( Are you feeling cold? )
Indirect reports of wh -questions consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a wh -word ( who, what, when, where, why, how ). We don’t use a question mark:
He asked me what I wanted.
Not: He asked me what I wanted?
The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:
She wanted to know who [S] we [V] had invited to the party.
Not: … who had we invited …
In indirect questions with who, whom and what , the wh- word may be the subject or the object of the reported clause:
I asked them who came to meet them at the airport. ( who is the subject of came ; original question: ‘Who came to meet you at the airport?’ )
He wondered what the repairs would cost. ( what is the object of cost ; original question: ‘What will the repairs cost?’ )
She asked us what [S] we [V] were doing . (original question: ‘What are you doing?’ )
Not: She asked us what were we doing?
We also use statement word order (subject + verb) with when , where, why and how :
I asked her when [S] it [V] had happened (original question: ‘When did it happen?’ ).
Not: I asked her when had it happened?
I asked her where [S] the bus station [V] was . (original question: ‘Where is the bus station?’ )
Not: I asked her where was the bus station?
The teacher asked them how [S] they [V] wanted to do the activity . (original question: ‘How do you want to do the activity?’ )
Not: The teacher asked them how did they want to do the activity?
Questions: wh- questions
Indirect reports of commands consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a to -infinitive:
The General ordered the troops to advance . (original command: ‘Advance!’ )
The chairperson told him to sit down and to stop interrupting . (original command: ‘Sit down and stop interrupting!’ )
We also use a to -infinitive clause in indirect reports with other verbs that mean wanting or getting people to do something, for example, advise, encourage, warn :
They advised me to wait till the following day. (original statement: ‘You should wait till the following day.’ )
The guard warned us not to enter the area. (original statement: ‘You must not enter the area.’ )
Verbs followed by a to -infinitive
We can use the reporting verb in the present simple in indirect speech if the original words are still true or relevant at the time of reporting, or if the report is of something someone often says or repeats:
Sheila says they’re closing the motorway tomorrow for repairs.
Henry tells me he’s thinking of getting married next year.
Rupert says dogs shouldn’t be allowed on the beach. (Rupert probably often repeats this statement.)
We often use the present simple in newspaper headlines. It makes the reported speech more dramatic:
JUDGE TELLS REPORTER TO LEAVE COURTROOM
PRIME MINISTER SAYS FAMILIES ARE TOP PRIORITY IN TAX REFORM
Present simple ( I work )
Reported speech
Reported speech: direct speech
In indirect speech, we can use the past continuous form of the reporting verb (usually say or tell ). This happens mostly in conversation, when the speaker wants to focus on the content of the report, usually because it is interesting news or important information, or because it is a new topic in the conversation:
Rory was telling me the big cinema in James Street is going to close down. Is that true?
Alex was saying that book sales have gone up a lot this year thanks to the Internet.
‘Backshift’ refers to the changes we make to the original verbs in indirect speech because time has passed between the moment of speaking and the time of the report.
direct speech | indirect speech |
not very happy at work.’ | not very happy at work. |
going home.’ | going home. |
be late.’ | be late. |
been working,’ she said. | . |
to make her so angry?’ he asked. | to make her so angry. |
In these examples, the present ( am ) has become the past ( was ), the future ( will ) has become the future-in-the-past ( would ) and the past ( happened ) has become the past perfect ( had happened ). The tenses have ‘shifted’ or ‘moved back’ in time.
direct | indirect | |
present simple | → | past simple |
present continuous | → | past continuous |
present perfect simple | → | past perfect simple |
present perfect continuous | → | past perfect continuous |
past simple | → | past perfect simple |
past continuous | → | past perfect continuous |
future (will) | → | future-in-the-past (would) |
past perfect | ↔ | past perfect (no change) |
The past perfect does not shift back; it stays the same:
Direct speech | Indirect speech |
| already left. |
Some, but not all, modal verbs ‘shift back’ in time and change in indirect speech.
direct speech | indirect speech | change | |
| be there,’ he promised. | be there. | becomes |
| need more money.’ I open it?’ she asked. | need more money. open it. | usually becomes in reported questions, becomes |
| see you at 2.30,’ he added. | see me at 2.30. | becomes |
| be back later,’ she said. wait in the hallway,’ he said. | be back later. wait in the hallway. | (possibility) becomes (permission) becomes |
| pay by 30th April.’ be awful to live in such a noisy place,’ she said. | pay by 30th April. be awful to live in such a noisy place. | (obligation) usually becomes (speculation) does not change |
| sell it for about 2,000 euros,’ he said. | sell it for about 2,000 euros. | no change |
| go there immediately,’ she said. | go there immediately. | no change |
| buy it if I had the money,’ he said. | buy it if he had the money. | no change |
| snow tonight,’ he warned. | snow that night. | no change |
| come till six o’clock,’ he said. | come till six o’clock. | no change |
We can use a perfect form with have + - ed form after modal verbs, especially where the report looks back to a hypothetical event in the past:
He said the noise might have been the postman delivering letters. (original statement: ‘The noise might be the postman delivering letters.’ )
He said he would have helped us if we’d needed a volunteer. (original statement: ‘I’ll help you if you need a volunteer’ or ‘I’d help you if you needed a volunteer.’ )
Used to and ought to do not change in indirect speech:
She said she used to live in Oxford. (original statement: ‘I used to live in Oxford.’ )
The guard warned us that we ought to leave immediately. (original statement: ‘You ought to leave immediately.’ )
We don’t need to change the tense in indirect speech if what a person said is still true or relevant or has not happened yet. This often happens when someone talks about the future, or when someone uses the present simple, present continuous or present perfect in their original words:
He told me his brother works for an Italian company. (It is still true that his brother works for an Italian company.)
She said she ’s getting married next year. (For the speakers, the time at the moment of speaking is ‘this year’.)
He said he ’s finished painting the door. (He probably said it just a short time ago.)
She promised she ’ll help us. (The promise applies to the future.)
Changes to personal pronouns in indirect reports depend on whether the person reporting the speech and the person(s) who said the original words are the same or different.
direct | indirect | |
don’t want to shock people,’ Tom said. | said he didn’t want to shock people. | different speakers ( changes to ) |
’ll look after Toby,’ I said. | said I would look after Toby. | same speaker (no change) |
need to be here at nine o’clock,’ George told Beatrice. | told Beatrice she needed to be there at nine o’clock. | different speakers ( changes to ) |
hope you will join us tonight,’ I said to James. | told James I hoped he would join us that night. | same speaker (no change to ; changes to ) |
We often change demonstratives ( this, that ) and adverbs of time and place ( now, here, today , etc.) because indirect speech happens at a later time than the original speech, and perhaps in a different place.
direct speech | indirect speech |
.’ | the next/following day. |
this moment in time.’ | . |
.” | . |
,’ the boy protested. | . |
direct | indirect | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The word order in indirect reports of wh- questions is the same as statement word order (subject + verb), not question word order:
She always asks me where [S] [V] I am going .
Not: She always asks me where am I going .
We don’t use a question mark when reporting wh- questions:
I asked him what he was doing.
Not: I asked him what he was doing?
Word of the Day
Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio
a child's toy in the shape of a small person or baby
Treasure troves and endless supplies (Words and phrases meaning ‘source’)
To add ${headword} to a word list please sign up or log in.
Add ${headword} to one of your lists below, or create a new one.
{{message}}
Something went wrong.
There was a problem sending your report.
ENGLISH 4U English Language Learning
Change of the tenses.
If the reporting verb is in the past form (said, told,...), you have to change the tense .
Direct speech Present simple Present progressive Past simple Past progressive Present perfect simple Present perfect progr. Future |
| Direct Speech go am/is/are going went was/were going has/have gone has/have been going will go |
|
Example: Peter said, "Carol is a nice girl." Peter said (that) Carol was a nice girl.
Don't change these verbs: might, could, would, should
He said, "I might arrive late." He said (that) he might arrive late.
It isn't necessary to change the present tense into the past tense if the information in the direct speech is still true or a general statement .
Frank said, "My sister is a secretary." Frank said (that) his sister is (was) a secretary.
He told us, "The sun rises in the east." He told us that the sun rises (rose) in the east.
When you form the reported speech, you have to pay attention that the pronouns refer to the correct persons.
Susan said, " My parents are clever scientists." Susan said (that) her parents were clever scientists.
Tom said, " I like PE best." Tom said (that) he liked PE best.
They said, " We went swimming with our friends." They said (that) they had gone swimming with their friend.
Betty said, "Sam told me the truth." Betty said (that) Sam had told her the truth.
Direct speech | Indirect speech | |
She said | I - my - me | she - her - her |
He said | I - my - me | he - his - him |
They said | we - our - us | they - their - them |
You and your:
They told her / him / me / them / us , "George likes you ."
They told her / him / me / them / us (that) George liked her / him / me / them / us .
They told her / him / me / them / us ,"George likes your sister."
They told her / him / me / them / us (that) George likes her / his / my / their / our sister.
They told her / him / me / them / us ," You are clever."
They told her / him / me / them / us (that) she / he / I / they / we was / were clever.
Direct speech | |
now | |
today | |
yesterday | |
tomorrow | |
last week, month,... | |
next week, month,... | |
a (week,...) ago | |
here | |
this | |
these |
Example: She said, "I have already seen Carol today ." She said (that) she had already seen Carol that day .
If there is a question word , we keep it.
They asked me, " Where is the next supermarket?" They asked me where the next supermarket was.
She asked them, " How often do you play golf?" She asked them how often they played golf.
If there is no question word , we start the reported speech with if or whether .
She asked me, "Do you like some tea?" She asked me if/whether I liked some tea.
We asked them, "Did she arrive in time?" We asked them if/whether she had arrived in time.
If someone asks you in a polite way, use (not) to + infinitive
He asked her, "Could you close the door, please?" He asked her to close the door.
She asked them, "Help me, please." She asked them to help her.
If someone doesn't ask you politely or gives you an order, use (not) to + infinitive .
She told us, "Don't stay up too late!" She told us not to stay up too late.
Reported Speech Exercise 1 - statements - mixed tenses
Reported Speech Exercise 2 - statements - present tense
Reported Speech Exercise 3 - statements - present tense
Reported Speech Exercise 4 - statements - mixed tenses
Reported Speech Exercise 5 - statements - mixed tenses
Reported Speech Exercise 6 - statements, questions, commands
Reported Speech Exercise 7 - statements, questions, commands
Reported Speech Exercise 8 - questions, commands
Reported Speech Exercise 9 - questions, commands
Reported Speech Exercise 10 - statements, questions, commands
CONTACT / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy / SITEMAP
© Copyright 2001-2024 Herwig Rothländer - All Rights Reserved
Perfect english grammar.
Here's a list of all the reported speech exercises on this site:
( Click here to read the explanations about reported speech )
Reported Statements:
Reported Questions:
Reported Orders and Requests:
Hello! I'm Seonaid! I'm here to help you understand grammar and speak correct, fluent English.
Read more about our learning method
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Reported questions are one form of reported speech. direct question. reported question. She said: "Are you cold?" She asked me if I was cold. He said: "Where's my pen?" He asked where his pen was. We usually introduce reported questions with the verb "ask": He asked (me) if / whether...
Direct speech: I like ice cream. Reported speech: She said (that) she liked ice cream. She said (that) she liked ice cream. She said (that) she was living in London. She said (that) she had bought a car OR She said (that) she bought a car. She said (that) she had been walking along the street.
Indirect question: He asked where she was going. A. When we turn direct questions into indirect speech, the following changes are necessary: a. tenses, pronouns and possessive adjectives, and adverbs of time and place change as in statements. b. the interrogative form of the verb changes to the affirmative form. c. the question mark is omitted ...
There are two kinds of reported speech you can use: direct speech and indirect speech. I'll break each down for you. A direct speech sentence mentions the exact words the other person said. For example: Kryz said, "These are all my necklaces.". Indirect speech changes the original speaker's words. For example: Kryz said those were all ...
Questions in Reported Speech. Exercise 1; Exercise 2; Requests in Reported Speech. Exercise 1 - requests (positive) Exercise 2 - requests (negative) Exercise 3 - requests (mixed) Mixed Exercises on Reported Speech. Exercise 1; Exercise 2; Grammar in Texts „ The Canterville Ghost " (highlight direct speech and reported speech)
had been. 5. Conversion of expressions of time and place. If there is an expression of time/place in the sentence, it may be changed, depending on the situation. Direct Speech → Peter, "I worked in the garden yesterday.". Reported Speech → Peter said (that) he had worked in the garden the day before. Direct Speech.
Questions in reported speech. When turning questions into reported speech, we follow the same rules as for declarative sentences: we change the pronouns as well as the time and place markers and backshift the tense as needed.. In addition, we also have to bear in mind the following: instead of that, we use a question word after the reporting verb; if there is no question word, we use whether ...
No Change in Verb Tenses in Reported Speech. In some cases, verb tenses do not change when you report speech indirectly.Here are the key instances: When the introductory verb is in the present, present perfect, or future.; When the reported sentence deals with a fact or general truth.; When the reported sentence contains a time clause.; If the verb of the sentence is in the unreal past (the ...
When we use reported speech, we often change the verb tense backwards in time. This can be called "backshift.". Here are some examples in different verb tenses: "I want to go home.". She said she wanted to go home. "I 'm reading a good book.". She said she was reading a good book. "I ate pasta for dinner last night.".
1. We use direct speech to quote a speaker's exact words. We put their words within quotation marks. We add a reporting verb such as "he said" or "she asked" before or after the quote. Example: He said, "I am happy.". 2. Reported speech is a way of reporting what someone said without using quotation marks.
Reported speech - advanced. May 25,2014 1 Comment english grammar, english grammar explained, ESL grammar, Intermediate English grammar. Reported speech can be more complicated than I showed you on the Reported speech - basic page. For example, there are more words that change besides pronouns, possessive adjectives, and verb tenses.
Reported Speech. Greg: "I am cooking dinner Maya.". Maya: "Greg said he was cooking dinner.". So most often, the reported speech is going to be in the past tense, because the original statement, will now be in the past! *We will learn about reporting verbs in part 2 of this lesson, but for now we will just use said/told.
Reported speech: indirect speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary
Exactly. Verbs in the present simple change to the past simple; the present continuous changes to the past continuous; the present perfect changes to the past perfect; can changes to could; will changes to would; etc. She said she was having the interview at four o'clock. (Direct speech: 'I'm having the interview at four o'clock.') They said they'd phone later and let me know.
Example: She said, "I have already seen Carol today."She said (that) she had already seen Carol that day.. Reported Questions. If there is a question word, we keep it.. Examples: They asked me, "Where is the next supermarket?"They asked me where the next supermarket was.. She asked them, "How often do you play golf?"She asked them how often they played golf.. If there is no question word, we ...
Exercises: 1 2 3. Reported speech - indirect speech. Exercise 1. Choose say/said or tell/told to complete the following sentences in reported speech. 1 He me that he didn't have enough money. 2 I the waiter the soup was cold. 3 Everybody that I had been great. 4 She I was her favourite student. 5 Victor he would change the windows.
Perfect English Grammar. Here's a list of all the reported speech exercises on this site: (Click here to read the explanations about reported speech) Reported Statements: Present Simple Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here) Present Continuous Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy)
Questions and imperatives in indirect speech. Download full-size image from Pinterest. We use the normal order of words in reported questions: subject + verb. We don't use an auxiliary verb like do or did. When we report an order or instruction, we use the form ask or tell someone to do something. Pronoun changes in indirect speech
A baseless claim that illegal immigrants from Haiti have been eating domestic pets in a small Ohio city has been repeated by Donald Trump. During ABC's presidential debate, Trump said: "In ...