Reported speech

REPORTED SPEECHExamples

Direct Speech Reported SpeechPresent PastPast Past PerfectCan CouldWill WouldMay MightShall ShouldHave to Had toMust (necessity) Had toWould like Wanted

Changes

Now ThenThis ThatThese ThoseHere ThereToday That dayTonight That evening, that nightYesterday The day before, the previous day

Tomorrow The following day, the next day

This week The same week, that week

Next week The following weekThis month That monthNext month The following monthThis year That yearNext year The following year

When we report something almost immediately, we tend to use the same tense used in the direct speech. It is only when some time has elapsed that we use the past tense as directed above.

 “I’m hungry.” (Paul – Me) Paul commented to me that he was hungry.

“I can’t dance.” (Mary – Jack) Mary told Jack (that) she couldn’t dance.

“I’d like to drink some soda.” (The child – her father) The child told her father (that) she wanted to drink soda. 

“I’m going home.” (Melanie) Melanie said (that) she was going home.

“I won’t help you anymore.” (Tony – Me) Tony told me he wouldn’t help me anymore.

“I must rest for a while.” (Jenny – Me) Jenny told me she had to rest for a while. Modals such as would, could, might, should, as well as the past perfect don’t change. “You should listen to your friends.” (Edna – me) Edna told me that I should listen to my friends.

1) You Commands. Commands change into infinitives.

Orders or Instructions. (told me (not) + Inf.)

“Sit down and listen!” My mom told me to sit down and listen.

“Wait for me.” My brother told me to wait for him.

“Go away.” Mary told me to go away.

Requests. (asked me(not) + Inf.)

“Please give me a hand here.” My father asked me to give him a hand at home.

“Please stay with me tonight.” My girlfriend asked me to stay with her that night.

“Please tell me your name.” Matilda asked me to tell her my name.

2) We Commands.  Invitations. ...invited me + Inf…

“Let’s play BKB this afternoon.” My friends invited me to play BKB that afternoon.

“Let’s go to the beach tomorrow.” Mary invited me to go to the beach the following day.

“Let’s see a movie tonight.” Elba Lazo de Guerra invited me to see a movie that night.

“Let’s do exercises together.” Lucía Baratta invited me to do exercises together.

Suggestions.

“Let’s call it quits now.” My peers suggested calling quits for the day.

“Let’s investigate it before we buy it.” My wife suggested investigating it before we buy it.

“Let’s save it on the hard drive.” My friends suggested saving it on the hard drive.

“Let’s repair the roof before we paint it.”

My father suggested repairing the roof before painting it.

B) Statements.  …told me (that) …. / …said that…1. “I’m sick.” (Mary – me)

Mary told me she was sick. 2. “I forgot my homework.” (Rox – me)Rox told me she had forgotten her homework. 3. “I was busy all day.” (Tere – the teacher)Tere told the teacher she had been busy all day. 4. “I can’t go out now.” (Betty – her boyfriend)Betty told her boyfriend she couldn’t go out at that moment.

5. “I won’t go to work today.” (My dad – my mom)My dad told my mom he wouldn’t go to work that day. 6. “I must eat something now.” (My sister – me)My sister told me she had to eat something at that moment. 7. “I’d like to see a movie now.” (Tere – me)Tere told me she wanted to see a movie then.

8. “I go to work at 6:00 AM.” (Jack – me)Jack told me he went to work at 6:00 AM. 9. “I may go shopping this afternoon.” (Sofía – me)Sofía told me she might go shopping that afternoon. 10. “I have to finish the report today.” (A partner – me) A partner told me he had to finish a report that day. 

C) Yes/No Questions. …asked me if / whether …1. “Are you OK?” (A woman – me)

A friend asked me if I was OK. 2. “Were you at home all day yesterday?” (My girlfriend – me)My girlfriend asked me whether I had been at home all day the day before. 3. “Do you work on Sundays?” (A friend – me)A friend asked me whether I worked on Sundays. 4. “Did you work yesterday?” (A friend – me)A friend asked me if I had worked the day before.

5. “Can you cook lasagne?” (Mary – me)Mary asked me if I could cook lasagne. 6. “Can you swim?” (Mary – me)Mary asked me if I could swim. 7. “Would you like some coffee?” (A friend – me)A friend asked me if I wanted some coffee. 8. “Will you be coming to my party tonight?” (Tanya – me)Tanya asked me if I would be going to her party that night.

9. “Shall we dance?” (Bill – Tere)Bill invited Tere to dance with him. 10. “Could you lend me your book?” (A partner – me) A partner asked me if I could lend him my book. 

D) Wh- Questions. …asked me wh- subj. + verb + compl…1. “Where do you live?” (A girl – me)

A girl asked me where I lived or live. 2. “Where did you go after class yesterday?” (My mom – me)My mom asked me where I had gone after class the day before.

3. “When will you be coming back?” (A girl – me)A girl asked me when I would be coming back. 4. “Why are you sad?” (My mom – me)My mom asked me why I was sad. 5. “How many books have you read in your entire life?” (A friend – me) A friend asked me how many books I had read in my entire life. 6. “Why are you here?” (My sister – me)My sister asked me why I was there.

7. “What did you do after work yesterday?” (My girlfriend – me)

My girlfriend asked me what I had done after work the day before. 8. “Who went to the movies with you yesterday?” (My girlfriend – me)My girlfriend asked me who had gone to the movies with me the day before. 9. “How well do you speak French?” (A friend – me)A friend asked me how well I spoke French.

10. “Where would you like to go tomorrow?” (My girlfriend – me)

My girlfriend asked me where I wanted to go the following day.