Reported Speech

Present Simple ‘ I know about it.’ Present Continuous ‘I’m writing a test.’ Present Perfect ‘I’ve bought a car.’ Past Simple ‘I saw the film.’ Past Continuous ‘I was waiting for Ann.’ Past Perfect ‘I had done it by 9.’

He said (that)…

Past Simple he knew about it. Past Continuous he was writing a test. Past Perfect he had bought a car. Past Perfect he had seen the film. Past Perfect Continuous he had been waiting for Ann. Past Perfect he had done it by 9.

Note: Future tenses in the reported speech become Future-in-the Past tenses (would/should)

II. There are the following types of reported speech:

1.Reported statements.

Reported statements are introduced by verbs like these, followed by that:

add; admit; announce; answer; complain; explain; find out; inform smb;

let smb know; reply; report; say; shout; suggest; tell smb; whisper

“I’m afraid I made a mistake”. She admitted that she had made a mistake.

“Oh, and I’m sorry ”. She added that she was sorry.

“Listen everyone we’re getting married! ”They announced that they were getting married.

2.Reported orders, promises, offers, requests and advice.

Reported orders, promises, offers, requests and advice are introduced by verbs like these, followed by to… :

advise; ask; encourage; invite; offer; order; persuade; promise; recommend;

Remind; tell; threaten; want; warn

“You’d better be careful. ” She advised me to be careful.

“ Will you help me, please?” He asked me to help him.

“ Don’t drop it.” She warned me not to drop it.

“Go on, have another try.” She encouraged me to try again.

3. Reported questions.

Reported questions are introduced by verbs like these, followed by a Wh- question word:

ask; inquire; try; find out; wonder; want to know

“ What are you doing?” He asked me what I was doing.

Yes/No questions are reported with if or whether:

“Are you feeling all right?” She asked me if / whether I was feeling all right.

III. When you’re reporting times and places, words like these may have to be changed, depending when the original conversation took place:

tomorrow ® the next day

yesterday ® the day before

this week ® that week

last week ® the week before

next week ® the week after

here ® there

now ® then

this ® that

these ® those

NOTES: