REPORTED SPEECH

When we report what was said and the reporting verb is in the past tense (said, told, asked…)
the tenses of the verbs in the sentence change as follows:

A)CHANGE IN TENSES

ESTILO DIRECTO ESTILO INDIRECTO

Past simple
Present Simple
Peter said that he was tired
Peter said: “I'm tired”

Present continuous Past continuous

Peter said: “I'm looking for Mary” Peter said that he was looking for Mary

Present Perfect Past perfect

Peter said: “I've finished my homework” Peter said that he had finished his homework

Present perfect continuous Past perfect continuous

Mary said: “I've been looking for Mary” Mary said that she had been looking for Mary

Past simple Past perfect

Mary said: “I got up late this morning” Mary said that she had got up late that morning

Past perfect Past perfect

Mary said: “I had never been there” Mary said that she had never been there

Will Would
Mary said: “I'll never marry anyone” Mary said that she would never marry anyone

Can Could
Susan said: “I can't see Joe anywhere” Susan said that she couldn't see Joe anywhere

Must Had to
Susan said: “I must finish may homework” Susan said that she had to finish her homework

May Might
Susan said: “It may rain this morning” Susan said that it might rain that morning

NOTE: Hay una serie de verbos modales que no sufren cambios ni aunque se haga referencia a algo que ocurrió en el pasado :
COULD, SHOULD, WOULD, MIGHT, y OUGHT TO

B)PERSONAL PRONOUNS AND POSSESIVE ADJECTIVES usually change from first or second to
third person except when the speaker is reporting his own words:

He said, “I’ve forgotten the combination of my safe”= He said that he had forgotten the
combination of his safe.

I said, “I like my new house”= I said that I liked my new house

C)CHANGES IN TIME EXPRESSIONS AND DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES

ESTILO DIRECTO ESTILO INDIRECTO

This That
These Those
Now Then

Today That day

Tonight That night

Tomorrow The next day / The following day

Yesterday The previous day / the day before

Next week/ next year The following week / the following year

Last week / last year The week before / the year before

….ago ….before

D) CHANGES DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF CLAUSE:

1. STATEMENTS: They are usually introduced by the verbs “said” or “told”(this always
followed by a pronoun)

“We’re having a party tonight”, Jane said= Jane said that they were having a party that
night.

“ I enjoy studying English”, Helen told me = Helen told me that she enjoyed studying
English.

Other reporting Verbs are: add, admit, answer, explain, assure, comment, complain,
promise, mention, observe, point out, state, remark, reply, respond, protest.

2. QUESTIONS: When we want to report questions we use the following formula:

↗ If/whether

Asked + Subject + Verb

↘ Wh-word

“Have they set a date for the wedding?”,my mother asked= My mother asked if they
had set a date for the wedding.

“Why are these people waiting here?,” Susan asked=Susan asked why those people
were waiting there.

Other verbs used to report questions are: wonder, want to know, enquire

3.COMMANDS: When we report a command, request or advice, we use the following

formula:

Affirmative: Subject+
Told/asked/advised/begged/ordered/command/warn/encourage/advise… +Object
pronoun+ To do something

“Shut up!”, she said to John =She told John to shut up

Negative: Subject+ Told/asked/advised/begged/ordered…+ Object pronoun+ Not to do

something

“Don’t smoke here!”, the teacher said= The teacher told us/me/him/her/them not to
smoke there

4. SUGGESTIONS: They usually have 3 forms:

 Why don’t we have lunch together?/Let’s have lunch together/ What about having lunch
together?

They are reported in two ways: - She suggested having lunch together

-She suggested that we should have lunch together