Reported Speech

REPORTED SPEECHStatements

The verb shifts back into the pastSheila: I am having a party on Saturday

Pres. contReported: She said she was having a party

Past cont.

BACKSHIFT OF TENSES

PRESENT SIMPLE PAST SIMPLEPRESENT CONTINUOUS PAST CONTINUOUS

PRESENT PERFECT PAST PERFECT PAST SIMPLE PAST PERFECT / PAST SIMPLE

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUSPAST PERFECT PAST PERFECT

FUTURE SIMPLE CONDITIONAL SIMPLE(...)

REPORTED SPEECHStatements

MODAL VERBS

CAN COULDSHALL SHOULD

SHOULD SHOULDMUST HAD TO

MAY MIGHTMIGHT MIGHTWILL WOULD

REPORTING VERBS

SAY: She said she was goingTELL: She told me she was going

IND.

REPORTED SPEECHQuestions

1) Yes / No QuestionsThere are some steps which are the same as in statements (changing of the person, backshift of

tenses, changing of expressions of time).In Reported speech the question becomes a statement.

Word order is: subject – verb - complementsDid he travel there?

She asked IF he had travelled there

2) Wh- / How Questions When are you leaving?

She asked when she was leavingWhere can we go?

She asked where they could go

REPORTING VERBSAsk: He asked me where I live

He asked how much it was

REPORTED SPEECHOrders

1) Aff irmative commands

tel l + to + inf ini t ive.Father: "Do your homework.“

Father told me to do my homework.

2) Negative commands

tel l + NOT + to + infinit ive.Teacher. "Don't talk to your neighbour.“

The teacher told me not to talk to my neighbour.

REPORTING VERBSAsk: He asked me to stop talkingTell: He told me not to go there

REPORTED SPEECHHere-and-now words

This (evening) that (evening)These thoseHere thereNow then

Today That dayTonight that night

Yesterday the day before / the day beforeLast night the night before

Last weekend the weekend before / the previous weekend 2 days ago 2 days before

Tomorrow the next/following daynext (week) the following (week)

REPORTED SPEECHHere-and-now words

This (evening) that (evening)These thoseHere thereNow then

Today That dayTonight that night

Yesterday the day before / the day beforeLast night the night before

Last weekend the weekend before / the previous weekend 2 days ago 2 days before

Tomorrow the next/following daynext (week) the following (week)