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Reported

This document discusses rules for reported or indirect speech in English. It provides examples of how to backshift or change verb tenses and other elements like pronouns, adverbs of time and questions when changing direct to reported speech. Proper reporting of speech is important for accurately communicating what someone has said instead of directly quoting them.

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Szafta Agnes
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34 views2 pages

Reported

This document discusses rules for reported or indirect speech in English. It provides examples of how to backshift or change verb tenses and other elements like pronouns, adverbs of time and questions when changing direct to reported speech. Proper reporting of speech is important for accurately communicating what someone has said instead of directly quoting them.

Uploaded by

Szafta Agnes
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as XLSX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Reported Speech

Backshift of tenses

Backshift of tenses

from

to

from

to

Simple Present

Simple Past

Peter: "I work in the garden."

Peter said (that) he worked in the garden.

Simple Past
Present Perfect

Peter: "I worked in the garden."


Past Perfect

Past Perfect
will

was/were

was/were
has been
had been

Peter said (that) he had worked in the garden.

Peter: "I had worked in the garden."


would

Progressive forms
am/are/is

Peter: "I have worked in the garden."

had been

Peter: "I will work in the garden."

Peter said (that) he would work in the garden.

Peter: "I can work in the garden."

Peter said (that) he could work in the garden.

Peter: "I may work in the garden."

Peter said (that) he might work in the garden.

Peter: "I would work in the garden."

Peter said (that) he would work in the garden.

(could, might, should, ought to)

(could, might, should, ought to)

Progressive forms
Peter: "I'm working in the garden."

Peter said (that) he was working in the garden.

Peter: "I was working in the garden."


Peter: "I have been working in the garden."

Peter said (that) he had been working in the garden.

Peter: "I had been working in the garden."


Shifting/Conversion of expressions of time
this (evening)

that (evening)

today/this day

that day

these (days)

those (days)

now

then

(a week) ago

(a week) before

last weekend

the weekend before / the previous weekend

here

there

next (week)

the following (week)

tomorrow

the next/following day

Questions without question words (yes/no questions):


Peter: "Do you play football?" - Peter asked me whether (if) I played football.
Questions with question words:
Peter: "When do you play football?" - Peter asked me when I played football.
Affirmative commands

Negative commands

Father: "Do your homework."

Teacher. "Don't talk to your neighbour."

Father told me to do my homework.

The teacher told me not to talk to my neighbour.

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