What is Reported Speech?

It's used when we want to talk about something we said or heard someone say in the past or in another situation.

For example:

"I fell asleep during the maths lesson," said Martin.

Becomes:

Martin said that he had fallen asleep during the maths lesson.

How do we use Reported Speech?

usually, when we report something in the past the verb "goes back" one tense.

For example: "I have a present"

Becomes: He said he had a present.

So...

Present Simple > Past Simple 

Present continuous > Past Continuous

Present Perfect > Past Perfect 

With the past

• Past Simple → Past Perfect Simple

• Past Perfect → Past Perfect Simple

• Past Cont.  → Past Perfect Continuous

• Past Perfect  → Past Perfect

• Remember we always "go back"*

You don't change the verb form if your reporting verb is in the present tense (She says ... or He has told me ...)

Example

'I'm not satisfied with your performance.' → The teacher has said she is not satisfied with my performance. 

'How do you handle stress?' → She wants to know how I handle stress.

You don't change verbs in the Past Perfect or modal verbs such as would, should, could, might.

- Verbs in the Past Perfect Simple and Past Perfect Continuous:

'Before my resignation, I had been working on an environmental project.' --> The candidate said that before his resignation he had been working on an environmental project.

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'Had you ever been to a job interview before that last one?' --> I asked my neighbor if she had ever been to a job interview before that last one.

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- Modal verbs; would, should, could, might, and must. 

'During the interview, you should try to make eye contact.' --> The advisor told me that during the interview I should try to make eye contact. 

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'We must all try harder.' --> The manager said that we must all try harder.

Reporting Verbs

• These are verbs we use to start our 'report'. For statements, we usually use the verb

• He said that he had been there before.

• She told me that she liked my idea.

• For TELL, you need an object while we use SAY without anything after it.

• She said me that she ate ice cream. (wrong)

• He told he liked to ride bicycles. (wrong)

Other things that change

• Will/can/may > would/could/might

• have to/must > had to

• would/could/might/should > no change

'Deictic" Words

• Deictic words are those whose meaning shifts depending on the point of view of the speaker.

• "I'm polishing my nails" > Steph said she was polishing her nails.

• "I will go tomorrow" > He said that he would go the following day.

• today > that day

• now > at that moment

• here > there/this > that

• Yesterday > the previous day / the day before