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MEG - 82-87 - Reported Speech

This document provides guidelines for summarizing written texts while changing verb tenses appropriately. When reporting present events or facts, use the present tense. When reporting past events or quotes, use the past tense and backshift verbs. Modal verbs like "can", "will", and "may" may need to change to "could", "would", and "might" respectively when reporting in the past tense. Conditionals are usually changed but third conditionals are not.
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© © All Rights Reserved
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
48 views6 pages

MEG - 82-87 - Reported Speech

This document provides guidelines for summarizing written texts while changing verb tenses appropriately. When reporting present events or facts, use the present tense. When reporting past events or quotes, use the past tense and backshift verbs. Modal verbs like "can", "will", and "may" may need to change to "could", "would", and "might" respectively when reporting in the past tense. Conditionals are usually changed but third conditionals are not.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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in d ir e c t h

17 1
s pe e c

p re se n t t im e

e s o r r e p o r t s o m e t h in
W he n w e re p o r t t h in g s h a p p e n i n g n o w o r g e n e r a l f a c t s o r g iv e m e s s a g
, g w e ar
t
v e r b a n d d o n o t b a c k s h if t t e
n s e s i n t o t h e p a st N o t e t
r e a d in g w e u se a p r e se n t t e n se r e p o r t in g ha t f
w
p o r t w h a t t h e t e x t s a ys
'
w r it t e n t e x t s w e re

H e s a y s h e s g o i n g t o w a it f o
'
T m g o in g t o w a i t f o r y o u r us

Fi í t y p e o p Be w e r e i n j u r e c l 1t s a y s h e r e t h a t f i f t y p e o p le w e re in ju re d

p a s t t im e w it h t e n se c ha n ges
p o r t in g v er b an d w e b a c k s h if t t h e t e n s e s
w he p o r t i n g w h a t p e o p le s a id w e u s e
n re a p a st t e n se r e

fo l lo w i n g i n t o t h e p a st
W e r e t h i n k in g i t o v e r S h e s a id t h e y w e re t h i n k i n g it over

I ha d a n de n t
aceÉ H e t o ld m e he d ha d an acc id e n t
W e l l fe t y o u k n o vl T h e y s a id t he y w o u ld )e t m e kn o w

No t e t h a t b o t h p a st s im p le a n d p r e s e n t p e r f e c t b e c o m e p a st p e r f e c t
T v e h a d a n id e a S h e s a id s h e d h a d a n id e a

f a ct s a n d st a t e s

W he n w e u se a p a st t e n se r e po rt in g v e r b a co n t in u in g st a t e is n o t ba c k s h if t e d t ho u g h if w e u se

ba c k sh if t t h i s i s n o t w ro ng
Re i n d e e r c a n s w i m re a Hy v Je l l H e t o ld u s t h a t r e i n d e e r c a n s w i m r e a l.y w e l l
He t o ld us t ha t r e in de e r c o u ld s w im re a lty w e ll
If w e do u se b a c k s h if t ,
it m a y be n e c e ssa r y t o u se a t im e p h r a s e t o m a k e t h e t im e

re fe r e n c e c le a r

t he s a 1d t he w as u n ha ppy m h e r Jo b a t t h a t ti m e ( = u n h a p p y i n t h e p a st )
t he s a id t he w as u n h

m o d a ls a n d co n d it i o n a ls

* Ca n ,
w i l l / s h a l l (f u t u re ) an d m ay c h a n g e t o c o u 1o w o u ld a n d m ig h t
T l l b e b a c k o n Fr id a y He sa id h e w o u ld b e ba c k o n Fr id a y
ï m ay b e la t e Sh e sa id t he m i g h t b e la t e

1 S h a /1 i n r e q u e s t s e t c c h a n g e s t o s h o u l d Se e a l s o w h
q u e s t i o n s b e lo w
W ha t s a ll w e d o ?
h Th e y w a n t e d t o kn o w w h a t t h e y s h o u l d d o '

W o u / d. ho u / d. u g h t to. o u l d. i gh t us e d t o r em a i n u n c h a n g e d . u i s of t en ha d to,
m s t ch a n g e d to
bu t c a n r e m a in u n cha n ge d o r be c h a n g e d t o w o u l d h a v e t o if t h e is f u t
re u re refe re n ce
Yo u m u st be m o re c a r e f u l in f u t u r e
t h e l o /d m e / m us t be / ha d to be / w o u ld ha v e t o b e m o r e c a r e f u / ìn f u t u r e

1 Fi r st c o n d i t i o n a l s e n t e n c e s a r e u s u a l ly c h a n g e d b u t t se d
n o co n o r t h i r d c o n d it i o n a l
I f y o u r e l a t e t h e y w o n t 1e t y o u Jn (f i r s t c o n d it i o n a l) .

l
H e s a id t h a t i f 1 w a s a t e t h e y w o u ïd n t le t m e i n
'

If y o u d bro g ht a r na p w e w
u o u ld n ' t h a v e g o t lo s t ct h \ r d co n d \t i o n a ll
t he s a i d th a f if / h a d b r o u g h t a m ap w e w o u 1d n t h a ve g o t ro s t

c ha n ge s o f v ie w p o in t
* Re f e re n ce s t o t im e p la c e an d s p e c if ic r e f e r e n ce u su a l ly c ha n ge
Br i n g t h i s t j ( k e t w it h yo u t o m o rro w
H e t o ld m e to b r i n g t h e t ic k e t w it h m e t he ne x t da y
G iv e t h a t t o m e He t o ld m e to g iv e i t t o h i m
T l t s e e yo u h e r e i n t h e m o r n i n g
H e s a id h e w o u l d s e e i T Be t h e r e t h e nex t m o r n in g
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