Reported Speech

What is reported speech?

Reported speech is when you tell somebody else what you or a person said before.
Distinction must be made between direct speech and reported speech.

Direct speech vs Reported speech:

Direct speech	Reported speech
She says: "I like tuna fish."	She says that she likes tuna fish.
She said: "I'm visiting Paris next weekend"	She said that she was visiting Paris the following weekend.

 

Different types of sentences

When you use reported speech, you either report:

• statements
• questions
• requests / commands
• other types

Reporting Statements When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:

• pronouns
• tense
• place and time expression

1- Pronouns

In reported speech, you often have to change the pronoun depending on who says what.

Example:
She says, “My dad likes roast chicken.” – She says that her dad likes roast chicken.

2- Tenses

• If the sentence starts in the present, there is no backshift of tenses in reported speech.
  
• If the sentence starts in the past, there is often backshift of tenses in reported speech.
  

	Direct speech	Reported speech
(no backshift)	“I write poems.”	He says that he writes poems.
(backshift)	“I write poems.”	He said that he wrote poems.

No backshift
Do not change the tense if the introductory clause is in a present tense (e. g. He says). Note, however, that you might have to change the form of the present tense verb (3rd person singular).

Example:
He says, “I write poems.” – He says that he writes English.

Backshift
You must change the tense if the introductory clause is in a past tense (e. g. He said).

Example:
He said, “I am happy.” – He said that he was happy.

Direct Speech	Reported Speech
Time Expressions
today	that day
now	then
yesterday	the day before
… days ago	… days before
last week	the week before
next year	the following year
tomorrow	the next day / the following day
Place
here	there
Demonstratives
this	that
these	those

Examples of the main changes in verbal tenses: 

Direct Speech	Reported Speech
Simple Present He said: "I am happy"	Simple Past He said that he was happy
Present Continuous He said: "I'm looking for my keys"	Past Continuous He said that he was looking for his keys
Simple Past He said: "I visited New York last year"	Past Perfect Simple He said that he had visited New York the previous year.