REPORTED SPEECH

RULE:

If the reporting verb is in the past, the direct speech verb often moves back in time.

Example:

• Jack: I love you. (Direct Speech)

→ Jack said (that) he loved me. (Indirect/Reported Speech)

• Susan: I am going to school. (Direct Speech)

→ Susan told me (that) she was going to school. (Indirect/Reported

Speech)

RULE:

If the reporting verb is in the present, the direct speech does not change when it is reported.

Example:

• Jack: I love you. (Direct Speech)

→ Jack says (that) he loves me. (Indirect/Reported Speech)

• Susan: I am going to school. (Direct Speech)

→ Susan tells me (that) she is going to school. (Indirect/Reported

Speech)

BACKSHIFT of TENSES

From To Simple Present Peter: "I work in the garden."

Simple Past Peter said that he worked in the garden.

Simple Past Peter: "I worked in the garden."

Past Perfect Peter said that he had worked in the garden.

Past Perfect Peter: "I had worked in the garden."

Past Perfect Peter said that he had worked in the garden.

Present Perfect Peter: "I have worked in the garden."

Past Perfect Peter said that he had worked in the garden.

Present Continuous Peter: "I 'm working in the garden."

Past Continuous Peter said that he was working in the garden.

Will Peter: "I will work in the garden."

Would Peter said that he would work in the garden.

Can Peter: "I can work in the garden."

Could Peter said that he could work in the garden.

May Peter: "I may work in the garden."

Might Peter said that he might work in the garden.

Would, could, might, should, ought to Peter: "I would work in the garden."

Would, could, might, should, ought to Peter said that he would work in the garden.

Shifting of expressions of time

From To

this (evening) that (evening)

today/this day that day

these (days) those (days)

now then

(a week) ago (the week) before

last weekend the weekend before / the previous weekend

here there

next (week) the following (week)

tomorrow the next/following day

Jack: I won’t go to school tomorrow.

Jack says ..............................................a)I won’t go to school tomorrow.b)he wouldn’t go to school tomorrow.c)he won’t go to school tomorrow. d)he wouldn’t go to school the next day.

Mary: Tom is washing my car now.

Mary said ........................................a)Tom was washing my car now.b)Tom is washing my car now.c)Tom was washing his car the next day.d)Tom was washing her car then.

Gül: I am going to visit my parents next week.

Gül told me that....................................a)she was going to visit her parents the following week. b)she was going to visit my parents next week.c)she is going to visit her parents next week.d)she was going to visit her parents the previous week.

Joe: I have studied English for two hours.

Joe said to me that..........................a)I have studied English for two hours.b)he had studied English for two hours.c)he has studied English previous two hours.d)he had studied English two hours ago.

Mary said that Joe might take his father’s car that night.What is the direct form of the statement above?

a) Mary: Joe might take his father’s car last night.b) Mary: I may take Joe’s father’s car at night.c) Mary: Joe might take my father’s car tomorrow

night.d) Mary: Joe may take his father’s car tonight.