Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)
In reported speech, we use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. If this verb is in the present tense, we just put '[she]
says' and then the sentence:
• “I like ice cream” ---> She says she likes ice cream
But, if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change the tenses in the reported speech:
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Present Simple -> Past Simple “I like ice cream” She said (that) she liked ice cream.
Present Continuous -> Past Continuous “I am living in London” She said she was living in London.
Present Perfect -> Past Perfect “I haven’t seen Julie” She said she hadn’t seen Julie.
Present Perfect Continuous -> Past
“We have been playing tennis.” They said they had been playing tennis.
Perfect Continuous
She said she had bought a car OR She said
Past Simple -> Past Perfect “I bought a car”
she bought a car.
Past Continuous -> Past Perfect She said she had been walking along the
“I was walking along the street”
Continuous street.
will -> would “I’ll see you later” She said she would see me later.
can -> could “I can speak perfect English” She said she could speak perfect English.
“It may become colder over She said it might become colder over
may -> might
night” night.
She said she must study at the weekend
must -> must / had to "I must study at the weekend" OR She said she had to study at the
weekend
Past Perfect, Past Perfect Continuous, would, could, should, might do not [Link], we don’t need to
change the present tense into the past if the information in direct speech is still true. Also, when we are reporting
past tenses, and we see the events from the same viewpoint as the original speaker, it is not necessary to change
the tense.
• “The sky is blue” ---> She said that the sky is/was blue.
• “The earthquake happened at half past seven” ---> The radio said that the earthquake happened at half past
seven.
If the reported sentence contains an expression of time, you must change it to fit in with the time of reporting. For
example we need to change words like here and yesterday if they have different meanings at the time and place of
reporting.
This (evening) --> that (evening) today --> that day these (days) --> those
(days)
(A week) ago --> (a week) before now --> then here --> there
Yesterday --> the day before/the previous day this --> that
next (week) --> the following (week) / the (week) after tomorrow --> the next/following
day/the day after
last (weekend) --> the (weekend) before / the previous (weekend)
• “I have worked here for two years.” --> She said she had worked there for two years.
• “I’ll meet you at school tomorrow.” --> She said she would meet me at school the next day.
Imagine you want to repeat sentences that you heard two weeks ago in another place. Rewrite the sentences in reported speech.
1. They said, "This is our book." → They said
2. She said, "I went to the cinema yesterday." →
3. He said, "I am writing a test tomorrow." →
4. You said, "I will do this for him." →
5. She said, "I am not hungry now." →
6. They said, "We have never been here before." →
7. They said, "We were in London last week." →
8. He said, "I will have finished this paper by tomorrow." →
9. He said, "They won't sleep." →
10. She said, "It is very quiet here."→