Reported Speech

Reported Speech Rules

If we want to say what other people said, tought or felt, we can use the direct and indirect speech (reported speech).

The direct speech: " I like it" he said; " Sophie is late" he tought; " I will pass the exam" she hoped.

The reported speech: He said he liked it. He thought that Irene was late. She hoped she would pass the exam.

The reported speech is typically introduced by verbs such as: say, tell, admit, explain, remind, reply, think, hope, offer, refuse, etc. in the past tense.

He said (that) he didn't want it.

She explained that she had been at the seaside.

If this verbs are in the past tense, we change the following: a) verb tenses and verb forms

                                                                                             b) pronouns

                                                                                              c) the adverbs of time and place

A) Verb Tenses and Verb Forms

We change the tenses in the following way:

1. Present Simple to Past Simple: 

       Ex: " I know Lewis" Abby said. - Abby said that she knew Lewis.

2. Present Perfect to Past Perfect:

       Ex: " I have broken the window" he admitted. - He admitted that he had broken the window.

3. Past Simple to Past Perfect:

          Ex: " She went to Africa" I thought. - I thought that she had gone to Africa.

4. Will to Condicional:

          Ex: " I will come on Friday." he reminded me. - He reminded me that he would come on Friday.