REPORTED SPEECH

We use reported speech when we want to repeat what someone had previously said.

Direct speech Reported speech

Simple Present Simple Past

Present Continuous Past Continuous
Present Perfect Past Perfect
Simple Past Past perfect
Past continuous Past perfect continuous
Will Would

Can Could

May Might

Direct speech Reported speech

here there
this that
these those
now then
today that day
yesterday the previous day
tomorrow the next day
last week the week beforee
next year the following year

Examples

SENTENCES

Direct speech Reported speech

Mike: “ I speak English”
Susan: “ I am listening to music”
Paul: “ I haven´t seen my friend for a long time”
Linda: “ I visited my mother last week”
Kevin and Ana: “ We were playing the piano”
Michael: “I will travel to England tomorrow”
Laura: “ I can do it”
Mike said that he spoke English.
Mike told me that he spoke English.
Susan said that she was listening to music.
Susan told me that she was listening to music.
Paul said that he hadn’t seen his friend for a long time.
Paul told me that he hadn’t seen his friend for a long time.
Linda said that she had visited her mother the week before.
Linda told me that she had visited her mother the week before.
They said that they had been playing the piano.
They told me that they had been playing the piano.
Michael said that he would travel to England the next day.
Michael told me that he would travel to England the next day.
Laura said that she could do it.
Laura told me that she could do it.
WH QUESTIONS

Direct speech Reported speech

Mike: “Where do you live?” Mike asked me Where I lived.
Katy: “Where did you go?” Katy asked me Where I had gone.

YES /NO QUESTIONS

Direct speech Reported speech

Steve: “Were you dancing?” He asked me if I had been dancing.
Katy: “Has your sister travelled abroad?” Katy asked me If my sister had travelled abroad.