Reported speech is when tell what someone else said.[1]https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/reported-speech.html
Direct vs. Indirect Speech
There are two ways to use reported speech.
Direct speech: “I am a teacher,” Fred said.
Indirect speech: Fred said that he was a teacher.
Depending on the original tense, we must change the tense in the indirect reported speech. This is called a backshift.
Present Simple
When using reported speech, we must backshift from the present simple to past simple.
For example:
- I work a lot. → He said that he travelled a lot.
- Susie is a teacher. → Susie said that she was a teacher.
- We are sick. → They said that they were sick.
Present Continuous
For the present continuous, we must backshift to the past continuous.
For example:
- They are talking very loudly. → She told me that they were talking very loudly.
- We are singing. → She said that we were singing.
- I am studying for the test. → He said that I was studying for the test.
Present Perfect
For the present perfect, we must change to the past perfect.
For example:
- She has hurt her arm. → She said that she had hurt her arm.
- I have studied for the test. → He said that he had studied for the test.
- We have lived in the house for a long time. → They said that they had lived in the house for a long time.
Past Simple
For the past simple, we must change to the past perfect simple.
For example:
- We lived in Paris for 2 years. → They said that they had lived in Paris for 2 years.
Past Continuous
For the past continuous, we must change to the past perfect continuous.
For example:
- It was snowing all day. → The weatherman said that it had been snowing all day.
- We were working hard yesterday. → They said that they had been working hard yesterday.
- Susie was studying last night. → She said that she had been studying last night.
Past Perfect
The past perfect does not change when using reported speech.
Example Exercises
Change the following sentences into the reported speech.
References