ENGLISH GRAMMAR for ESL learners
Reported (Indirect) Speech
Reporting what another person says.
Direct Speech: | Tom : "I like football." Mary: "What did Tom say?" |
Indirect speech | Bill : "Tom said (that) he liked football." |
- We use verbs such as : say, tell, announce, promise,
explain.
- The verb tenses become more past
- We can omit 'that' : Tom said (that) he liked football.
You talk to Mr. Smith and he tells you the following things :
- I clean my car every Friday.
- I'm doing a computer course this year.
- I visited a museum yesterday.
- I will be 30 tomorrow.
You report your conversation with Mr. Smith to your husband/wife/friend :
- Mr. Smith said (that) he cleaned his car every Friday.
- He said (that) he was doing a computer course this year.
- He said (that) he had visited a museum yesterday.
- He said (that) he would be 30 tomorrow.
In indirect or reported questions, the word order changes.
-
Direct :
- When is your husband starting his new job?
- Indirect :
- He asked me when my husband was starting his new job.
Orders, requests, advice and suggestions are often reported by using the infinitive.
- Direct :
- Be careful!
- Don't drive too fast.
- Indirect :
- I told him to be careful.
- I told him not to drive too fast.
Direct Speech | → | Reported Speech |
Present Simple • Sophie said: "I want to go home." |
→ | Past Simple Sophie said (that) she wanted to go home. |
Present
Continuous Pedro said: “I am doing my homework.” |
→ | Past Continuous Pedro said (that) he was doing his homework. |
Present Perfect • Eva said: “I have seen the film.” |
→ | Past Perfect Eva said (that) she had seen the film. |
Present
Perfect Continuous • The boss said: "I have been waiting for you." |
→ | Past Perfect Continuous My boss said (that) he had been waiting for me. |
Past Simple Dad said: “I mowed the garden.” |
→ | Past Perfect Dad said (that) he had mowed the garden. |
Past Continuous Tom said: "I was talking to Bob." |
→ | Past Perfect Continuous Tom said (that) he had been talking to Bob. |
Past Perfect
Julie said: "I had read the book." |
→ | Past Perfect (no
change) • Julie said (that) he had read the book. |
Past Perfect Continuous Paul said: I had been gardening." |
→ | Past Perfect Continuous (no change) • Paul said (that) he had been gardening. |
Will She said: “I will never leave you. |
→ | Would His wife said (that) she would never leave him |
Can • Billy said: “I can swim 500 metres.” |
→ | Could Billy said (that) he could swim 500 metres. |
May Eva said: “It may be too expensive.” |
→ | Might Eva said (that) it might be too expensive. |
Must The teacher said: “Everyone must arrive on time.” |
→ | Had to The teacher said (that) everyone had to arrive early. |
Have to Carla said: “I have to lock the door.” |
→ | Had to Carla said (that) she had to lock the door. |
Orders, advice, suggestions His mother said: “Be careful!” She said: ”Don’t drive too fast!” |
→ | The infinitive is used in reporting His mother told him to be careful. She told him not to drive too fast. |
The following modal verbs do not change in reported speech: might, could, would, should, ought to. |
Please note that British English spelling is used on this website.