Reported Speech
Unit 7, Lesson 1A
statements, imperatives, time expressions
When we report what someone said in the past, the main verb usually "moves back" one tense into the past.
The Speaker says:
"My spelling isn't very good."
You report it:
He said (that) his spelling wasn't very good.
How verbs change from Direct to Reported Speech
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present Continuous | Past Continuous | "I'm watching TV" → He said he was watching TV. |
| Present Simple | Past Simple | "You need help" → She said he needed help. |
| Past Simple | Past Perfect | "I crashed my car" → He said he had crashed his car. |
| Present Perfect | Past Perfect | "I've won!" → She said she had won. |
| will | would | "I'll write it" → He said he would write it. |
| can | could | "I can't go" → She said she couldn't go. |
| must | had to | "We must leave" → They said they had to leave. |
Present Simple
"I like ice cream."
→ He said he liked ice cream.
Past Simple
"We visited Petra."
→ They said they had visited Petra.
Will (Future)
"It will rain later."
→ The forecast said it would rain later.
Exception (Modals)
"I should study."
→ He said he should study. (No Change)
The Formula:
tell / ask + someone + (not) to + infinitive
"Remember!"
→ She told me to remember.
"Open your books."
→ The teacher asked us to open our books.
"Please stay here."
→ He asked me to stay there.
"Don't forget!"
→ She told me not to forget.
"Don't shout."
→ He told us not to shout.
"Never give up."
→ He told them never to give up.
"Put it here" → He told me to put it there.
"I'm busy now" → He said he was busy then.
"I'll go tomorrow" → He said he would go the next day.
Pronouns change depending on who is speaking.
Example 1 (Male Speaker)
Ali: "I like my car."
→ Ali said (that) he liked his car.
Example 2 (Female Speaker)
Nour: "I lost my phone."
→ Nour said (that) she had lost her phone.
Example 3 (Plural)
Boys: "We are tired."
→ The boys said (that) they were tired.
Rule: Tell + Person + Clause
Rule: Say + Clause
Test your knowledge on tenses, imperatives, and time expressions.