Modal Verbs

IN REPORTED SPEECH
1) When there is a modal verb in the original statement, suggestion,
etc., it sometimes changes when we report what was said.

 could, would, should, might, ought to,  could, would, should, might, ought to, used to
used to  would, could, might, will, can, may (existing
 will, can, may or future situations and present tense verb in
reporting clause) / will or would, can or
 Shall
could, may or might (existing or future
 must(necessary), must(conclude), mustn’t situations and past tense verb in reporting
clause)
 would, should (offers, suggestions, etc.)
 must or had to, had to
Ex: She said, "I can teach English online."

 She said she could teach English online.

can could
Ex: "I might go to the cinema", he said.

 He said he might go to the cinema.

 • Will usually changes to would, can to could, and may to might. However, if the situations we are reporting still exists or is still
Will in the future and the verb in the reporting clause is in a present tense, we prefer will, can, and may in the reported clause.
• If the situation we are reporting still exists or is still in the future and the verb in the reporting clause is in a past tense, then we
Can can use either would or will, can or could, and may or might in the reported clause.
May

Will Will
Εργαστήρια,
Past tense Present tense Εργαστήρια
ομάδες μελέτης
reporting reporting

‘Careful!
‘I’ll be in
You’ll fall The problem
Paris at
through the can be solved.
Christmas.’  
ice!’ 

I warned him She tells me

he would fall she’ll be in
through the Paris at Ομάδες
ice.  Christmas. μελέτης
Will

When shall is used to talk about the When shall is used in offers, requests
future in the original sentence, we use for advice etc., then we use should in
would in the report. the report.

‘I shall (I’ll) call you on ‘Where shall I put this

Monday.’ box?’ 

She told me she would He asked where he

call me on Monday. should put the box. 
Shall

When shall is used to talk about the When shall is used in offers, requests
future in the original sentence, we use for advice etc., then we use should in
would in the report. the report.

‘I shall (I’ll) call you on ‘Where shall I put this

Monday.’ box?’ 

She told me she would He asked where he

call me on Monday. should put the box. 
The verbs could, would, should, might, ought to, and
used to don’t change in the report.

Direct Reported

‘I could meet you at the airport.’ He said that he could meet us at the airport.

‘We might drop in if we have time.’ They said they might drop in if they have time.

‘She always used to spend time with

They said she always used to spend time with them.
us.’

‘You ought to see the new mall!’ He insisted I ought to see the new mall.

‘We should have told you the truth’ They admitted that they should have told us the truth.
We sometimes use a modal verb in a report
when there is no modal verb in the original.

‘You’re not • She told me that I mustn’t

allowed to smoke
here.’ smoke there.

‘It s impossible • She said it can’t have

that he is the one
who did it!’ been him who did it.
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