Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)
What is reported speech?
Reported speech is when you tell somebody else what you or a person said before.
Distinction must be made between direct speech and reported speech.
Direct speech vs Reported speech:
| Direct speech | Reported speech |
| She says: "I like tuna fish." | She says that she likes tuna fish. |
| She said: "I'm visiting Paris next weekend" | She said that she was visiting Paris the following weekend. |
Different types of sentences
When you use reported speech, you either report:
- statements
- questions
- requests / commands
- other types
A. Reporting Statements
When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:
- pronouns
- tense
- place and time expression
Pronouns
In reported speech, you often have to change the pronoun depending on who says what.
Example:
She says, “My dad likes roast chicken.” – She says that her dad likes roast chicken.
Tenses
- If the sentence starts in the present, there is no backshift of tenses in reported speech.
- If the sentence starts in the past, there is often backshift of tenses in reported speech.
| Direct speech | Reported speech | |
| (no backshift) | “I write poems.” | He says that he writes poems. |
| (backshift) | “I write poems.” | He said that he wrote poems. |
No backshift
Do not change the tense if the introductory clause is in a present tense (e. g. He says). Note, however, that you might have to change the form of the present tense verb (3rd person singular).
Example:
He says, “I write poems.” – He says that he writes English.
Backshift
You must change the tense if the introductory clause is in a past tense (e. g. He said).
Example:
He said, “I am happy.” – He said that he was happy.
Examples of the main changes in tense:
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
| Simple Present He said: "I am happy" | Simple Past He said that he was happy |
| Present Progressive He said: "I'm looking for my keys" | Past Progressive He said that he was looking for his keys |
| Simple Past He said: "I visited New York last year" | Past Perfect Simple He said that hehad visited New York the previous year. |
| Present Perfect He said: " I've lived here for a long time " | Past Perfect He said that hehad lived there for a long time |
| Past Perfect He said: "They had finished the work when Iarrived" | Past Perfect He said that theyhad finished the work when he had arrived" |
| Past Progressive He said: "I was playing football when the accidentoccurred" | Past Perfect Progressive He said that he had been playing football when the accident had occurred |
| Present Perfect Progressive He said:"I have been playing football for two hours." | Past Perfect Progressive He said that he had been playing football for two hours |
| Past Perfect Progressive He said: "I had been readinga newspaper when the light went off" | Past Perfect Progressive He said that he had been reading a newspaper when the light had gone off |
| Future Simple (will+verb) He said: "I will open the door." | Conditional (would+verb) He said thathe would open the door. |
| Conditional (would+verb) He said: "I would buy Mercedes if I were rich" | Conditional (would+verb) He said that hewould buy Mercedes if he had been rich" |
The modal verbs could, should, would, might, needn't, ought to, used to do not normally change.
Example:
He said, "She might be right." – He said that she might be right.
Other modal verbs may change:
| Modal | Direct speec | Repored speech |
| can | "I can do it." | He said he could do it. |
| may | "May I go out?" | He wanted to know if he might go out. |
| must | "She must apply for the job." | He said that she must/had to apply for the job. |
| will | "They will call you." | He tod her that they would call her. |
