Reported speech
Statements
1) If the sentence starts in the present, there is no backshift of tenses in Reported speech.
Example: Susan: "I work in an office." Susan says that she works in an office.
2) If the sentence starts in the past, there is often backshift of tenses in Reported speech. (see: Note)
Example: Susan: "I work in an office." Susan said that she worked in an office.
|
Backshift of tenses |
|
from |
to |
|
Simple Present |
Simple Past |
|
Simple Past |
Past Perfect |
|
Present Perfect |
|
Past Perfect |
|
will |
would |
|
Progressive forms |
|
am/are/is |
was/were |
|
was/were |
had been |
|
has been |
|
had been |
|
Backshift of tenses |
|
from |
to |
|
Peter: "I work in the garden." |
Peter said that he worked in the garden. |
|
Peter: "I worked in the garden." |
Peter said that he had worked in the garden. |
|
Peter: "I have worked in the garden." |
|
Peter: "I had worked in the garden." |
|
Peter: "I will work in the garden." |
Peter said that he would work in the garden. |
|
Peter: "I can work in the garden." |
Peter said that he could work in the garden. |
|
Peter: "I may work in the garden." |
Peter said that he might work in the garden. |
|
Peter: "I would work in the garden."
(could, might, should, ought to) |
Peter said that he would work in the garden.
(could, might, should, ought to) |
|
Progressive forms |
|
Peter: "I'm working in the garden." |
Peter said that he was working in the garden. |
|
Peter: "I was working in the garden." |
Peter said that he had been working in the garden. |
|
Peter: "I have been working in the garden." |
|
Peter: "I had been working in the garden." |
If the sentence contains an expression of time, you must change it as well.
Peter: "I worked in the garden yesterday."
Peter said that he had worked in the garden the day before.
Shifting of expressions of time
|
this (evening) |
that (evening) |
|
today/this day |
that day |
|
these (days) |
those (days) |
|
now |
then |
|
(a week) ago |
(a week) before |
|
last weekend |
the weekend before / the previous weekend |
|
here |
there |
|
next (week) |
the following (week) |
|
tomorrow |
the next/following day |
Note:
In some cases the backshift of tenses is not necessary, e.g. when statements are still true.
John: "My brother is at Leipzig university."
John said that his brother was at Leipzig university. or
John said that his brother is at Leipzig university.
or
Mandy: "The sun rises in the East."
Mandy said that the sun rose in the East. or
Mandy said that the sun rises in the East.
Reported questions
If you put a question into Reported speech there are some steps which are the same like in statements: (changing of the person, backshift of tenses, changing of expressions of time).
In Reported speech there is no question anymore, the sentence becomes a statement.
That's why the word order is: subject - verb
Question without question words (yes/no questions):
Peter: "Do you play football?" - Peter asked me whether (if) I played football.
Question with question words:
Peter: "When do you play football?" - Peter asked me when I played football.
Reported commands
If you put a command into Reported speech there are some steps which are the same like in statements: (changing of the person, backshift of tenses, changing of expressions of time).
The form is mostly: form of to tell + to + infinitive.
|
Affirmative commands |
Negative commands |
|
Father: "Do your homework." |
Teacher. "Don't talk to your neighbour." |
|
Father told me to do my homework. |
The teacher told me not to talk to my neighbour. |
| 
