Basic notes to remember about reported speech (statements)
Direct/quoted speech means stating the speaker’s exact words, which are always put between quotation marks, while indirect/reported speech means telling what somebody says/said to another person without putting statements between quotations.
When we transform a sentence from the direct into the indirect form, some changes may occur at the level of tenses and some expressions. But if the reporting verb is in the present or future, no changes occur at the level of tenses in the reported sentence. i.e., there is no backshift of tenses.
Examples:
- Susan says, « I work in an office » (direct).
- Susan says that she works in an office. (indirect)
In both sentences (direct and indirect) the verb ‘work’ is in the present simple.
- If the reporting verb is in the past, these changes occur in the reported sentence. i.e., there is a backshift of tenses.
Examples:
- Susan said, « I work in an office » (direct)
- Susan said that she worked in an office (indirect).
The present simple in the direct sentence changes to the past simple in the indirect sentence.
Here are most of the changes that occur when transforming a sentence into reported speech.
| TENSE | DIRECT SENTENCE | INDIRECT/REPORTED SENTENCE |
| PRESENT SIMPLE | Susan said, « I work in an office. » | Susan said that she worked in an office. |
| PRESENT CONTINUOUS | Susan said, « I am working in an office .» | Susan said that she was working in an office. |
| PRESENTE PERFECT | Susan said, « I have worked in an office. » | Sunan said that she had worked in an office. |
| PAST SIMPLE | Susan said, « I worked in an office. » | Susan said that she had worked in an office. |
| PAST CONTINUOUS | Susan said, « I was working in an office. » | Susan said that she had been working in an office. |
| PAST PERFECT | Susan said, « I had worked in an office. » | Susan said that she had worked in an office. |
| FUTURE SIMPLE | Susan said, « I will work in an office. » | Susan said that she would work in an office. |
| NEAR FUTURE | Susan said, « I am going to work in an office. » | Susan said that she was going to work in an office. |
| MUST/HAVE TO | Susan said, « I must/have to work in an office. » | Susan said that she had to work in an office. |
| CAN | Susan said, « I can work in an office. » | Susan said that she could work in an office. |
| MAY | Susan said, « I may work in an office. » | Susan said that she might work in an office. |
Exercise
Covert these statements into reported speech
- « It is raining, » she said.
- He said to her, « I haven’t seen you for a long time. »
- « I saw Maria in the supermarket yesterday, » said Carlos.
- « We have lived here for three years, » he said.
- « I will bring a pasta salad, » said Francesca.
- « Mark is going to install solar panels, » said Miranda.
- « They found gold here, » said the geology teacher.
- « Jenny can’t speak French, » said Pierre.
- « I first met my wife in Seville, » he told us.
- « I want your homework handed in by tomorrow, » he said to the class.
- « My mother made these cakes, » said Juan.
- « I am feeling tired now, » said David.
- Kim said, « the exam will be next week. »
- Jane said, « I want to see the movie. »
- « I can’t remember your name, » said David.
- « They may leave soon, » said Pat.
- Jack said, « I should tell her the news. »
