I/ Tense changes in reported speech:

The table below summarizes the tense changes in reported speech

* Note:
- The following verbs do not change when they are reported at a later time: could, would, should,
might, ought to, used to and verbs in past perfect.
Ex: “You ought to buy a new coat in the sale”, my mum said.
 My mum said I ought to buy a new coat in the sale.
- When we report must, we use either must or had to in the reported speech but had to is more
common.

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Ex: Kate: “I must buy some fruit”  Kate said she had to/must buy some fruit.
However, we use must, not had to, when we report a negative or a deduction.

Ex1: Paul: “You mustn’t tell Sally our secret”  Paul said we mustn’t tell Sally our secret.
(negative)
Ex2: Sarah: “Jim must be tired after the flight”  Sarah said Jim must be tired after the flight.
(deduction)
- If the reporting verb is in the present tense, we use the same tenses as the original speaker.
Ex: Amy: “I’ve missed the bus so I’ll be a bit late”  Amy says that she’s missed the bus so she
will be a bit late.

- If the reporting verb is in the past, we sometimes use the same tenses as the original speaker if
the situation is still true.
Ex: Robert: “I have three sisters”  Robert said that he has/had three sisters.

II/ Structures in the reported clause:

The structures in the reported clause can be summarized in the following table:

Structure Example Similar verbs

Verb + that “The expansion will damage Reckon, agree,
tourism” mention, notice, think,
She said that the expansion complain, deny,
would damage tourism. grumble, speculate
Verb + object + that “Noise won’t be a problem for Assure, inform,
us” persuade, reassure,
He convinced me that noise remind, tell
wouldn’t be a problem for us.
Verb + (object) + that “The authorities are not telling Advise, promise, show,
THAT CLAUSE

the truth” teach.

She warned (us) that the airport
authorities were not telling the
truth.
Verb + (to/with + object) + “I must admit that I am seriously - TO: announce,
that ill” complain, confess,
She admitted (to me) that she explain, indicate,
was seriously ill. propose, recommend,
“I agree that the information say, suggest.
should go no further” - WITH: argue,
I agreed (with Susan) that the disagree, joke
information should go no
further
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 Verb + to-infinitive “I’ll take the children into town” Agree, demand,
She offered to take the children guarantee, promise,
into town swear, threaten,
volunteer.
Verb + object + to-infinitive “You should take the job, Frank” Advise, ask, call on,
She encouraged Frank to take command, instruct,
the job. invite, order,
persuade,
recommend, remind,
request, urge, warn
TO-INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS

Verb + (object) + to-infinitive I expected them to be

confrontational
Or I expected to hear more
objections
Verb + object + to-infinitive She advised us to write to our Agree, expect,
or local politicians with our guarantee, hope,
verb + object + that objections. Or propose, request, vow
She advised us that we should
write to our local politicians with
our objections.
Verb + -ing or Verb + that “Why don’t we invite the Advise, propose,
Minister for Transport to hear recommend
our complaints?”
She suggested inviting the
Minister for Transport to hear
our complaints. Or
She suggested that we should
invite the Minister for Transport
to hear our complaints

III/ Reporting questions: Some advanced points:

- If the original question begins with what, which or who, followed by be + complement, we can
put the complement before or after be in the report.
Ex: “Who is the winner?” she asked?  She asked who the winner was or She asked who was
the winner.
- We don’t use a form of DO in the wh-, if- or whether- clause.

Ex: “Where do you find it?”  She asked me where I found it (not ….where I did find it/….where
did I find it)
- However, if we are reporting a negative question, we can use a negative form of DO.
Ex: “Why don’t you want anything to eat?”  He asked me why I didn’t want anything to eat.

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