Reported Speech

Tense Direct Speech Reported Speech

Present simple “Sally eats chips” He said that Sally ate chips.

Present continuous “Sally is eating chips” He said that Sally was

eating chips.

Past simple “Sally ate chips” He said that Sally had

eaten chips

Past continuous “Sally was eating chips” He said that Sally had been
eating chips.

Present perfect simple “Sally has eaten chips” He said that Sally had
eaten chips.

Present perfect continuous “Sally has been eating He said that Sally had been
chips” eating chips.

Past perfect simple “Sally had eaten chips” He said that Sally had
eaten chips.

Past perfect continuous “Sally had been eating He said that Sally had been
chips” eating chips.

Future “Sally will eat chips” He said that Sally will be

eating chips.

Modal verbs

Direct Reported
speech speech

Can Could

may might

must/have to had to
 Reported Statements

Son las frases normales. Usamos say o tell seguido de that.

● “We have lived in London for three years” they said → They told me that they had
been living in London for three years.
● “I didn’t swim in the pool yesterday” Sara said → Sara said that she hadn’t been
swimming in the pool the day before.
● “I have been waiting here” he said → He said that he had been waiting there.

Reported Questions

Hay dos tipos de preguntas:

- Preguntas que se pueden responder con sí/no. → asked if + sujeto + verbo +

complementos.

● Do you like chocolate? Lorena said. → Lorena asked if I liked chocolate.

● Did you have lunch at home? Mary said → Mary asked if I had had lunch at
home.

- Preguntas con wh- (what, where, who, why, when, how, how long,...) → asked wh-
(si en la frase pone what, ponemos what; si pone where, ponemos weher,...) +
sujeto + verbo + complementos.

● Where have you been all my life? Rihanna said → Rihanna said where I had
been all my life.
● Who is this girl? my girlfriend said → My girlfriend asked who was that girl.

Reported orders

Son las frases en las que te dan una orden o te piden algo. Usamos ask o warn (si es
advertencia).

- Cuando aparezca please → asked me to, asked us to, asked them to, …

● Could you please hold the door? my brother said → My brother asked me to
hold the door.
● “Please close the window” my teacher said → My teacher asked me to close
the window.

- Cuando aparezca una orden o algo que te piden en negativo → se mantiene en

negativo → asked me/us/them/… not to + verb
● “Don’t smoke here” the officer said → The officer asked me not to smoke
there.
 Reported suggestions

Son las frases en las que sugerimos o recomendamos algo. Usamos invited us to + verbo
infinitivo (invitación) o recommended that I + verbo infinitivo… (recomendación)

● You should come to the party with us” Brien said → Brien invited me to come to the
party with them.
● “You should go to yoga classes” Anne said → Anne recommended that I take yoga
classes.

- En el caso de que me sugieran algo, escribiremos suggested + verbo con ing.

● “We should read it all over again” Mark said → Mark suggested reading it all
over again.