In today’s blog we are going to look at how you can use this correctly. Below I’ve broken down everything for you in a step by step manner. There are examples with info graphics, and I’ve included my YouTube video lesson for all my visual learners as well. Let’s get started! Reported Speech comes from Direct Speech.
Direct Speech is exactly what someone says.
Reported Speech is repeating someone else’s words.
Let’s look at 2 examples:
Professor Albert: Direct Speech
Students: Reported Speech. They are reporting Professor Albert’s words.
Trainer: Direct Speech.
Student: Reported Speech. Brenda is reporting her trainer’s words.
SAY and TELL are reporting verbs. We need these two verbs to report other people’s words.
SAY + (that): Amy said (that) she loved horses.
SAY + to + object + (that): Amy said to me (that) she loved horses.
TELL + object + (that): Amy told me (that) she loved horses.
(that) is optional.
COMMON MISTAKES!
Amy said me that she loved horses.
☑Amy told me that she loved horses.
Eric said Jack about his holiday.
☑Eric told Jack about his holiday.
My dad told to me that he was going to visit next week.
☑My dad said to me that he was going to visit next week.
SAY or TELL? How can I use these verbs correctly?
Tense Change in Reported Speech
When you use reported speech, many times the verb from direct speech changes. Think about the verb going one step backwards.
Present Simple → Past Simple
Direct Speech: I eat a lot of fruit.
Reported Speech: Mary said that she ate a lot of fruit. / Mary told me that she ate a lot of fruit.
Present Continuous → Past Continuous
Direct Speech: Our English is improving.
Reported Speech: My students said that their English was improving. / My students told me that their English was improving.
Present Perfect → Past Perfect
Direct Speech: I have been to France many times.
Reported Speech: Gary said that he had been to France many times. / Gary told me that he had been to France many times.
Present Perfect Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous
Direct Speech: I’ve been working out a lot lately.
Reported Speech: My sister said that she had been working out a lot lately. / My sister told me that she had been working out a lot lately.
Past Simple → Past Perfect
Direct Speech: I bought a new car.
Reported Speech: Jessica said that she that she had bought a new car. / Jessica told me that she had bought a new car.
Past Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous
Direct Speech: I was working as a chef.
Reported Speech: Max said that he had been working as a chef. / Max told me that he had been working as a chef.
Past Perfect → Past Perfect (It stays the same!)
Direct Speech: I had gone to work.
Reported Speech: Carla said that she had gone to work. / Carla told me that she had gone to work.
Past Perfect Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous (It stays the same!)
Direct Speech: We had been agonizing over our mortgage for months.
Reported Speech: Our neighbours said that they had been agonizing over their mortgage for months. / My neighbours told us that they had been agonizing over their mortgage for months.
Future Simple (WILL) → Would
Direct Speech: You will be famous one day.
Reported Speech: Rebecca said that I would be famous one day. / Rebecca told me that I would be famous one day.
Modal Verb Tense Change
Can → Could
Direct Speech: I can help you later.
Reported Speech: My teacher said that she could help me later. / My teacher told me that she could help me later.
(Possibility) May → Might
Direct Speech: I may go out later. I’m not sure.
Reported Speech: George said that he might go out later. / George told me that he might go out later.
(Possibility) Might → Might (It stays the same!)
Direct Speech: I might watch a Star Wars film later.
Reported Speech: My flatmate said that she might watch a Star Wars film later. / My flatmate told me that she might watch a Star Wars film later.
(Obligation) Must → Had to
Direct Speech: Everyone must be here by 7 a.m. tomorrow.
Reported Speech: Our boss said that we had to be here by 7 a.m. tomorrow. / Our boss told us that we had to be here by 7 a.m. tomorrow.
Should → Should (It stays the same!)
Direct Speech: You look tired Ramiro. You should sleep.
Reported Speech: My girlfriend said that I should sleep. / My girlfriend told me that I should sleep.
Would → Would (It stays the same!)
Direct Speech: It would be nice to see you later.
Reported Speech: Sarah said that it would be nice to see me later. / Sarah told me that it would be nice to see me later.
We DO NOT need to change the verb form if the information is STILL TRUE NOW.
So, remember earlier:
Present Simple → Past Simple
Direct Speech: I eat a lot of fruit.
Reported Speech: Mary said that she ate a lot of fruit. / Mary told me that she ate a lot of fruit.
You can also say: Mary said that she eats a lot of fruit. (This information is still true now.)
Present Continuous → Past Continuous
Direct Speech: Our English is improving.
Reported Speech: My students said that their English was improving. / My students told me that their English was improving.
You can also say: My students said that their English is improving. (This information is still true now.)
This is a lot of information to remember. This list is in my Free Library! Subscribe for the password:
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