Reported speech – English grammar courses

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In this lesson, we will learn about the reported speech. We use the reported speech to say what someone has already said, for example: Jane said that he was tired, Mark said that Lisa will come soon, my father said my mother is doing well.

But when we change normal speech to reported speech we must do some changes in the verbs and pronouns. This depends on the grammar tense so let’s look at how each tense changes.

 

Simple present->simple past

Direct speech – I always eat chocolate.

Reported speech – He said he ate chocolate.

 

Present continuous->past continuous

Direct speech – I enjoy eating chocolate.

Reported speech – He said he enjoyed eating chocolate.

 

Present perfect->past perfect

Direct speech – I have enjoyed eating chocolate.

Reported speech – He said that he had enjoyed eating chocolate.

 

Future (going to)->past (going to)

Direct speech – I am going to eat chocolate.

Reported speech – He said he was going to eat chocolate.

 

Past simple->past perfect

Direct speech – I ate chocolate.

Reported speech – He said he had ate chocolate.

 

Past continuous->past perfect continuous

Direct speech – I was eating chocolate.

Reported speech – He said he had been eating chocolate.

 

Past perfect->no change

Direct speech – I had ate chocolate.

Reported speech – He said he had ate chocolate.

 

Past perfect continuous->no change

Direct speech – I had been eating chocolate.

Reported speech – He said he had been eating chocolate.

 

Rules of using Modal Verbs :

Direct Speech Reported Speech
will

shall

can

must

 would

should

could

has to

 

Let’s look at some examples:

  1. I will call you -> He said he would call you.
  2. I shall be there by 7 pm -> She said she should be there by 7 pm.
  3. I can help you -> He said he could help you.
  4. I must go now -> She said she has to go now.

Changes in the time:

Direct Speech Indirect Speech
Last

Next

Tomorrow

Now

Here

 The previous

The following

The following day

Then

There

Let’s look at some examples:

  1. I saw him last Friday -> He said he saw him the previous Friday.
  2. I’ll do it next Wednesday -> She said she would do it the following Wednesday.
  3. We’ll come tomorrow -> They said they would come the following day.
  4. They’ll do it now -> They said they would do it then.
  5. I was here just a moment ago -> She said she was there just a moment ago.

Let’s do some exercises with what we have learned already.

Change this example sentence into the proper tenses in direct speech and turn them into the proper tenses in reported speech: I study English.

Simple present __________________ -> Simple past _________________

Present continuous _____________________ ->Past continuous ______________________

Present perfect _____________________ -> Past perfect ____________________

Future (going to) ______________________ -> Past (going to) ____________________

Past simple __________________ -> Past perfect _______________________

Past continuous _________________ -> Past perfect continuous ___________________

Past perfect ____________________ -> No change __________________

Present perfect continuous ___________________ -> No change _________________