In this video, we’re going to look at how to change tenses in reported speech.
Hey, I’m Alister and welcome to another video.
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Alex requested this video and as a proficient student said how complicated it was so let’s
see how we get on.
So what is reported speech anyway?
Reported speech is how we represent the speech of other people or what we ourselves say.
There are two types of reported speech.
Number one.
Direct speech replaces the exact words a person used, or how they were remembered.
He said, “I enjoyed the movie.”
He said is the reporting clause and “I enjoyed the movie” is the reported clause - what
was said.
Number two
Indirect speech in which the speakers words are changed.
He said he had enjoyed the movie.
In this example, I becomes he and the tense change shows that time has passed since the
original words were spoken: enjoyed becomes had enjoyed.
Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what was said rather than the exact words.
“I can help you,” said John.
direct speech
John offered to help
indirect speech
As well as reporting what people said, we can also report what people wrote.
“I will call you at 7,” he texted.
direct report
He texted that he would call me at 7.
indirect report
We can also report what people thought.
I want to go to China, she thought.
direct report
She thought that she wanted to go to China.
indirect report
What about say and tell?
Both say and tell can be used to report statements in direct speech, with say being more common.
With say, we don’t always refer to the person being spoken to, however, if we do mention
them, we use to + indirect object.
“Let’s meet up later,” he said.
“I’ll be fine,” he said to her quietly.
With tell, we always mention the person being spoken to, tell + indirect object.
“I’ll be absent next week,” he told his boss.
For indirect speech, we don’t use an indirect object with say and again we always use an
indirect object with tell.
They said they’d be five minutes late.
We told them we’d be five minutes late.
Additionally we use say, not tell to report questions, greetings, congratulations and
any other wishes.
“What time is it?” she said.
“Happy birthday!” he said.
My mother said good luck as I went for my driving test.
Let’s look at direct speech in more detail.
A reminder that direct speech is the exact words that a person used.
A direct speech report usually has a reporting verb in the past simple.
The reporting clause may come first:
Mary said, “Open the door.”
Or second
“No,” he disagreed.
Adverbs can be used with the reporting verb to describe the way someone said something
and this is more common when the reporting clause comes second.
“I agree with you,” he emphatically stated.
In narratives, especially novels, when the reporting clause comes second, we often swap
the subject and the reporting verb.
“You’re the best class ever!” said the teacher.
“Help! Help!” shouted Ben
Also note in literature that the reporting clause can sometimes come in the middle.
“Yes,” he announced, “I was there.”
Let’s consider indirect speech.
A reminder that Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what was said rather than
the exact words used.
The structure of the reporting clause depends on whether a statement, question or command
is being reported.
Let's look at statements.
“I’m hungry,” Dennis said to his parents.
direct speech
Dennis told his parents (that) he was hungry.
indirect speech
Indirect reports of statements have a reporting clause and a that-clause.
Often that is not used, especially in informal contexts.
Let's look at yes/no questions or questions with -or
“Are you happy?” the teacher asked Paul.
direct speech
The teacher asked Paul if/whether he was happy.
indirect speech
“Do you prefer tea or coffee?” she asked.
direct speech
She asked me if/whether I preferred tea or coffee.
indirect speech
Indirect reports of yes-no questions and questions with or have a reporting clause and a if/whether
clause. If is more common.
The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form (verb + subject).
This is something that is extremely challenging for student to understand.
“Are you happy?”
verb + subject
...if/whether he was happy
subject + verb
Can you see the change? Do you see the swap?
Let's look at wh- questions
Who, what, when, where, why or how.
“Who are you?” he asked.
direct speech
He asked me who I was.
indirect speech
Indirect reports of wh- questions have a reporting clause and a reported clause beginning with
a wh- word.
Again, the reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb).
Notice the switch.
Are you
verb + subject
I was
subject + verb
What about commands?
This one is easier, thankfully!
“Go!” he ordered.
direct speech
He ordered everyone to go.
indirect speech
Indirect reports of commands have a reporting clause and a reported clause beginning with
to + infinitive.
Now, what about the tense changes we make to the original verbs because time has passed
between the moment of speaking and the time of the report?
The following changes happen.
Present simple becomes past simple
“I like cheese.” becomes
He said he liked cheese.
Present continuous becomes past continuous
“I’m eating cheese.” becomes
He said he was eating cheese.
Present perfect becomes past perfect
“I’ve eaten cheese today.” becomes
He said he had eaten cheese today.
Present perfect continuous becomes past perfect continuous
“I’ve been eating cheese for 3 minutes.” becomes
He said he had been eating cheese for 3 minutes.
Past simple becomes past perfect
“I ate cheese.” becomes
He said he had eaten cheese.
Past continuous becomes past perfect continuous
“I was eating cheese when the phone rang.” becomes
He said he’d been eating cheese when the phone had rung.
Future (will) becomes future in the past (would)
“I will buy cheese later.” becomes
He said he would buy cheese later.
Past perfect stays as the past perfect
There is no change.
By the way this video is part of my English Grammar series.
The link to the playlist is up here and also in the description below.
Check it out after you’ve watched this video.
Now, how do modal verbs change?
Will becomes would.
“I will get more pizza.” becomes
He said he would get more pizza.
Shall usually becomes would, however, in reported questions it becomes should.
“I shall go the pizza museum.” becomes
He said he would go to the pizza museum.
“Shall I cut the pizza?” becomes
He asked if he should cut the pizza.
Can becomes could.
“I can give you pizza.” becomes
He said he could give me pizza.
May, for possibility becomes might.
“I may have some pizza.” becomes
He said he might have some pizza.
May, for permission becomes could.
“May I buy more pizza?” becomes
He asked if he could buy more pizza.
Must, for obligation becomes had to.
She said, “You must pay for the pizza!” becomes
She said I had to pay for the pizza.
Must, for speculation has no change.
Also, for could, should, would, might and need there is no change
If you’d like to know more about modal verbs click the card right up here.
Other changes.
This becomes that.
“This is a pineapple.” becomes
He said that was a pineapple.
These becomes those.
“These are the best pineapples.” becomes
He said those were the best pineapples.
Now becomes then.
“I want a pineapple, now!” becomes
He said he wanted a pineapple then, or at the moment
Yesterday becomes the day before or the previous day.
“Yesterday, I ate pineapple.” becomes
He said he had eaten pineapple the previous day or the day before before.
Tomorrow becomes the next, or the following day
“Could we have pineapple tomorrow?” becomes
He asked if we could have pineapple the following day
Here becomes there.
“Is the pineapple here?” becomes
He asked whether the pineapple was there.
By the way, what are your thoughts about pineapple on pizza?
Let me know in the comments.
Now, a word about punctuation.
In direct speech it is usual to put a comma between the reporting clause and the reported
clause.
The original spoken words are put in inverted commas, single or double, it doesn't matter.
If the reported clause is first we put the comma inside the inverted commas.
“I need you,” he said.
He said, ‘I need you’.
If the direct speech is a question or exclamation we use a question mark or an exclamation mark,
instead of a comma.
“Who are you?” she asked.
“No!” he shouted.
For more English Grammar, I made a video about When to Use Modal Verbs.
I suggest checking it out.
Thanks so much for watching and I’ll see you over here in this video.