1Reported Speech

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Do not change the tense if the introductory clause is in Simple Present (e. g. He

says). Note, however, that you might have to change the form of the present

tense verb (3rd person singular).

Example

He says, I speak English. He says that he speaks English.

Backshift

You must change the tense if the introductory clause is in Simple Past (e. g. He

said). This is called backshift.

Example

He said, I am happy. He said that he was happy.

Direct SpeechReported Speech

Simple PresentSimple Past

Present ProgressivePast Progressive

Simple PastPast Perfect Simple

Present Perfect Simple

Past Perfect Simple

Past ProgressivePast Perfect Progressive

Present Perfect Progressive

Past Perfect Progressive

Future I (going to)was / were going to

Future I (will)Conditional I (would)

Conditional I (would)

The verbs could, should, would, might, must, neednt, ought to, used to do not

normally change.

Example:

He said, She might be right. He said that she might be right.

Place and Time expressions

For place and time expressions you have to check whether place and time are the same in direct and

reported speech or not. Check out the following example:


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It is Friday and you meet James at a restaurant. James tells you that he saw Caroline in this restauran

today. (I saw Caroline here today.) A few minutes later, Helen joins you and you want to report wh

James has told you. Place (here) and time (today) are the same and you can say:

James said that he had seen Caroline here today.

One day later, you meet Mary at the same restaurant. Again, you want to report to her what James ha

told you. The place is the same, but not the time (it happened yesterday). So you would say:

James said that he had seen Caroline here yesterday.

Still a few days later, Tom rings you at home. Again, you want to report to him what James has told

you. However, now you are not at the restaurant (but at home) and a few days have passed since then

So you would say:

James said that he had seen Caroline at the restaurant on Friday.

I met James in a restaurant on Friday and he said that he had seen Caroline there that day.

Therefore you always have to think which place and time expressions are logical in a certain situation

In the following table, you will find ways of transforming place and time expressions into reported

speech.

Direct SpeechReported Speech

todaythat day

nowthen

yesterdaythe day before

days ago days before


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last weekthe week before

next yearthe following year

tomorrowthe next day / the following day

herethere

thisthat

Questions

When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:

pronouns

present tense verbs (3rd person singular) place and time expressions

tenses (backshift)

Also note that you have to:

transform the question into an indirect question

use the interrogative orif/ whether

Type Example with interrogativedirect speech Why dont you speak

English? reported speech He asked me why I didnt speak English.

without interrogativedirect speech Do you speak English? reported

speech He asked me whether / if I spoke English.

Questions in Reported Speech

For pronouns, tenses and place / time expressions see statements in reported speech.

Besides, note that instead ofthatyou use the interrogative. If there is no interrogative,

use whether/ if.

Direct Speech Reported Speech

statement He said: She lives in London. He said that she lived in London

question with interrogative He asked:Where does she live? He asked where she lived.question without

interrogative

He asked: Does she live in

London?

He asked whether she lived in

London.


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He asked if she lived in London.

It is also important that you use an indirect question in reported speech, i.e. after the

interrogative orwhether/ ifyou continue the sentence as if it were a statement

(subject-verb etc.). The auxiliary verb dois not used in indirect questions.

Example:

He asked: Where does she live? He asked where she lived.

Requests

When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:

pronouns

place and time expressions

Type Exampledirect speech Carol, speak English.reported speech He told Carol to speak English.

For pronouns and place / time expressions see statements in reported speech. Tenses are

not relevant for requests simply use to+ infinite verb.

Example:

She said, Say hello to your mum. She asked me to say hello to my mum.

For negative requests, use not to+ infinite verb.

Example:

He said, Dont give up, Bob. He advised Bob not to give up.

Additional Information and Exceptions

Apart from the above mentioned basic rules, there are further aspects that you should

keep in mind, for example:

main clauses connected with and/ but

tense of the introductory clause

reported speech for difficult tenses


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exceptions for backshift

requests with must,should, ought to and lets

Main Clauses connected with and / butIf two complete main clauses are connected with and or but, put

that after the conjunction.

Example:

He said, I saw her but she didnt see me. He said that he had seen

her but that she hadnt seen him.

If the subject is left out in the second main clause (the conjunction is

followed by a verb), do not use that.

Example:

She said, I am a nurse and work in a hospital. He said that she was

a nurse and worked in a hospital.

Tense of the Introductory Clause

The introductory clause usually is in Past Tense.

Example:

He said that

Present Tense is often used to report a conversation that is still going

on, e. g. during a phone call or while reading a letter.

Example:

I am fine. Tom says / writes that he is fine.

The introductory clause can also be in another tense. In the following

table you can see, for which tense of the introductory clause you have

to use backshift in reported speech.

No Backshiftif introductory clause is in

Backshiftif introductory clause is in

Simple Present (He says )

Present Perfect (He has said )

Future I will (He will say )

Future I going to (He is going to

Simple Past (He said )

Past Perfect (He had said )

Future II ( He will have said )

Conditional I (He would say )


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say ) Conditional II (He would have

said )

Backshift in Reported Speech

The basic rules for backshift when transforming direct speech into

reported speech are:

Direct Speech Reported SpeechSimple Present Simple PastPresent Progressive Past ProgressiveSimple Past Past Perfect Simple

Present Perfect

Past Perfect

Past Progressive Past Perfect ProgressivePresent Perfect Progressive

Past Perfect Progressive

Future I (going to) was / were going toFuture I (will) Conditional IConditional I

Future II Conditional II

Conditional II

Exceptions

Backshift ofSimple Present is optional if the situation is stillunchanged or if you agree with the original speaker.

Beispiel:

Canberra is the capital of Australia.

She said that Canberra is / was the capital of Australia.

Backshift ofSimple Past and Past Progressive is optional if they

cannot be mistakenly taken for backshift of Present Tense. So backshift

is not necessary if there is a time expression indicating past.

Example:

She left Boston on Monday.

He said that she left / had left Boston on Monday.

Simple Past and Past Progressive do not normally change in

sentences with when / if.


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Example:

When I was having breakfast, the telephone suddenly rang.

She said that when she was having breakfast, the telephone suddenly

rang.

Example:

If I had more time, I would learn French.

He said that if he had more time, he would learn French.

Requests

The basic rule for requests is: introductory clause + to + infinite verb.

Example:

Say hello to your mum.

She asked me to say hello to my mum.

Advise expressions with must, should and ought are usually reported

using advise / urge.

Example:

You must read that book.

He advised / urged me to read that book.

The expression lets is usually reported using suggest. In this case,

there are various possibilities for reported speech: gerund or

statement with should.

Example:

Lets go to the cinema.

He suggested going to the cinema.

He suggested that we should go.to the cinema.

Documents

1Reported Speech