Grammar Study:

Reported
Speech

Nex
t

We use the Reported

speech:
When we are telling

someone what another

person said or thought, but
do not use their exact
words.
For

I want to live in London.example:

Mark said (that)
he wanted to live in London.

Nex
t

Please note that:

Quotation marks () are not used in

Reported Speech.
Verb tenses, pronouns and some time and
place words may change because the time,
place and speaker may be different.
I can visit you tomorrow. She told me
she could visit me the next day.
We have seen this film. They said they
had seen that film.

Nex
t

Time
changes
Direct
Reported
speech
speech
now
then
today / tonight
yesterday
two days ago
last month
tomorrow
next week

that day / that night

the day before
two days before
the month before
the next/following day
the following week

Nex
t

Place changes,
demonstrative
pronouns
Direct
Reported
speech
speech
here
there
this
these

that
those

Nex
t

Verb tense changes:

Direct
Reported
speech
speech
Past Simple
Present
Simple
Past Simple
Present Cont.

Past Perfect
Past Continuous

Present Perfect

Past Perfect

Present P. Cont.

Past Perfect Cont.

Will future

Would

Nex
t

Please note that:

When we report a statement, we use

reported verbs such as say (to sb), tell (sb),
explain, inform, decide, etc. often followed
by that (not obligatory).
You cant use your mobile here. The guard
informed me (that) I couldnt use my
mobile there.
When we report requests, orders, advice or
warnings we use verbs such as: advice, ask,
beg, order etc. followed by to infinitive.

Keep quiet here! The policeman ordered

me to keep quiet there.

Nex
t

Reported
In reported questions, we use the question
questions:
word + subject + verb form.

We do not use the interrogative form of the

verb do, does or did (no question form or
question mark).

Where did they go yesterday? We asked

them where they had gone the day before.

When there is no question word, the linking

word is if / whether
Have you been to London before? My
teacher asked me if I had been to London
before.

Nex
t

Tenses do not change in

Reported Speech when:
The speaker expresses general truths,
permanent states or conditions.
Water freezes at 0C., he said. =>
He said (that) water freezes at 0C.
We deal with unreal past, conditionals type 2
and 3 or wishes.
I wish I were rich., she said. =>
She said she wished she were rich.

The End