1. Reported Speech
We use reported speech to tell somebody
else what a person said earlier. After a
past tense reporting verb (e.g. said, told)
the original verbs usually shift back one
tense into the past, and the pronouns and
possesive adjectives change.

2. Reported Speech
Direct Speech (actual words) Reported Speech
Present simple Past simple
Present continuous Past continuous
Past simple Past perfect simple
Past continuous Past perfect continuous
Present perfect simple Past perfect simple
Present perfect continuous Past perfect continuous
Past perfect simple/continuous No change
Am/is going Was/were going to
Will Would
Can/could Could
May Might
Must/have to Had to
Should/could/might/ought to/would No change

3. Reported Speech
When the reporting verb is in the present tense, we don´t
change any tenses in reported speech.
Pablo: “I´m busy”. Pablo says (that) he´s really busy
Federico:”I´m playing football”. Federico said he was
playing football.
Francisco: “I can swim very far”. Francisco said he
cuold swin very far.
John: “I had driven all night”. John told me he had
been driving all night.

4. Expressions of time and place
These words/phrases often change in reported speech:
Direct Speech Retheseported speech
Now Then
Today, tonight That day, that night
Tomorrow The next day/ the following
day/the day after
Yesterday The day before/the previous day
Tonight That nigt
Next week/month/year The following week/month/year
Last week/month/year The previous week/month/year
A month/ a week ago The previous month/week
Here There
This/that the
these Those

5. Expressions of time and place
Examples
John: “Yesterday I had a lot of fun”. John told me
(that) he had had a lot of fun the day before.
Guido: “I will see KungFu Panda tomorrow”. Guido
said he would see KungFu Panda the following day.
Joaquín: “I must finish my homework tonight”.
Joaquin told me he had to finish his homework that
night.

6. Reporting Verbs
The most common reporting verbs for statements are say and tell.
She said she was leaving.
She told him/her (that)….
We can also use other reporting verbs like those below. The verbs marked * can be followed by
more than one structure.

7. Reporting Verbs
Verb + to-infinitive
Agree*, decide*, offer, promise*, refuse, threaten
Verb + object + to-infinitive
Advise, beg, encourage, invite, order, permit, persuade*, remind, tell, warn*
Verb + -ing
Admit*, deny*, recommend*, suggest*
Verb + (object) + preposition + -ing
Accuse sombody of, advise* somebody against, agree* with somebody on/about, apologise for,
blame somebody for, boast about, complain* (to somebody) against/about
Verb + that clause
Admit*, announce, agree*, believe, complain, decide, demand, deny*, explain, inform, insist,
promise*, state, suggest*, threaten
Verb + object + that clause
Inform, persuade*, promise*, remind*, warn*

8. Powerpoint made by Federico Sarquis.
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