Reported Speech

When reporting what someone has said or written, we can use either DIRECT or REPORTED speech. When we use direct speech we report the exact words which someone has used:
'I'll see you next week,' said Helen.
When we use reported speech, changes may have to be made to pronouns, verb tenses and certain words indicating place and time: Helen said that she would see me the following week.

CHANGES

Pronouns

'He's hungry,' said Finn.

Finn said that you were hungry.

Tenses.  In reported speech, we often move the tense back one step into the past:

Present Simple ➛ Past Simple
Present Continuous ➛ Past Continuous
Present Perfect Simple ➛ Past Perfect Simple
Past Simple ➛ Past Perfect Simple
Past Continuous ➛ Past Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect Simple ➛ Past Perfect Simple
Past Perfect Continuous ➛ Past Perfect Continuous

'I'm having fun,' said Peter.

Peter said that he was having fun.

Tense changes are not necessary if...

1. the statement being reported is still true:

Finn said he loves cheese sandwiches.

2. the reporting verb is in the present or present perfect:

She says she never does her homework.

The modal verbs will, must, may and can change to would, had to, might and could. Would, might, could, should and ought to do not change, nor does must when it is used for deductions.

will ➛ would

must ➛ had to

may ➛ might

can ➛ could
would ➛ would
might ➛ might
could ➛ could
should ➛ should
ought to ➛ ought to
must (for deductions) ➛ must

'It must be done by tomorrow,' she said.

She told me it had to be done by the following day.

Certain words indicating place and time may have to change when we use reported speech:

today ➛ that day

now ➛ then

tonight ➛ that night

last... ➛ the...before / the previous...

yesterday ➛ the day before

...ago ➛ ...before

last week ➛ the week before

next year ➛ the following year

tomorrow ➛ the next day / the following day

here ➛ there

this ➛ that

these ➛ those

'I saw you here yesterday,' said Peter.

Peter said that he had seen me there the day before.

Reported speech 1

REPORTING VERBS

Several different verb patterns can be used in reported speech. Some reporting verbs can be used with more than one verb pattern.

He asked to leave.

He asked me to leave.

He asked that they should leave.

A. VERB + THAT-CLAUSE

Peter said that he would study hard.

B. VERB + (that) + SB + (should) + BARE INFINITIVE

We suggested he apply for the job.

C. VERB + TO-INF

He claimed to be an expert on ghosts.

D. VERB + SB + TO-INF

She urged him not to get involved.

E. VERB + VERB-ing

He denied failing / having failed the exam.

F. VERB + PREPOSITION + VERB-ing

I insisted on him wearing a suit.

REPORTED QUESTIONS

When questions are reported auxiliary verbs do, does and did are not used, the word order is the same as for statements, yes/no questions are reported with if or whether, and question marks are not used.

'Can I help you?,' asked my boss.
My boss asked if / whether he could help me.

'What's the time?,' asked Finn.

Finn asked what the time was.

'When are the President and his wife leaving?,' asked the driver.
The driver asked when the President and his wife were leaving.

Reported speech 2