Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)
If we report what another person has said, we usually do not use the speaker’s exact words (direct speech), but reported (indirect) speech. Therefore, you need to learn how to transform direct speech into reported speech. The structure is a little different depending on whether you want to transform a statement, question or request.
Statements
When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:
§ pronouns
§ present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
§ place and time expressions
§ tenses (backshift)
Type
Example
direct speech
“I speak English.”
reported speech(no backshift)
He says that he speaks English.
reported speech(backshift)
He said that he spoke English.
Questions
When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:
Also note that you have to:
§ transform the question into an indirect question
§ use the interrogative or if / whether
with interrogative
“Why don’t you speak English?”
reported speech
He asked me why I didn’t speak English.
without interrogative
“Do you speak English?”
He asked me whether / if I spoke English.
Requests
“Carol, speak English.“
He told Carol to speak English.
Additional Information and Exeptions
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
§ exeptions for backshift
§ requests with must, should, ought to and let’s
Statements in Reported Speech
In reported speech, you often have to change the pronoun depending on who says what.
She says, “My mum doesn’t have time today.” – She says that her mum doesn’t have time today.
Tenses
No backshift
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).
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.
He said, “I am happy.” – He said that he was happy.
Direct Speech
Reported Speech
Simple Present
Simple Past
Present Progressive
Past Progressive
Past Perfect Simple
Present Perfect Simple
Past Perfect Progressive
Present Perfect Progressive
Future I (going to)
was / were going to
Future I (will)
Conditional I (would)
The verbs could, should, would, might, must, needn’t, 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:
It is Friday and you meet James at a restaurant. James tells you that he saw Caroline in this restaurant today. (“I saw Caroline here today.”) A few minutes later, Helen joins you and you want to report what 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 has 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.
oder
→ 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.
today
that day
now
then
yesterday
the day before
… days ago
… days before
last week
Ashca