Reported Speech
We use the reported speech when we need to report what someone said.
When we change from direct speech to indirect speech, some changes are usually necessary:
Tense change is necessary.
We change tenses as follows:
| Present Simple | → | Past Simple |
- '' He is clever''
She said that he was clever.
- 'They are very arrogant''
He said that they were very arrogant.
- '' I am a dentist.''
She said that she was a dentist.
- '' He works in a bank.''
She said that he worked in a bank.
- ''They never arrive on time.''
He said that they never arrived on time.
- ''We often meet friends in London at the weekend.''
She said that they often met friends in London at the weekend.
- '' I don't have a computer.''
My friend said that he didn't have a computer.
- ''Ahmad doesn't have any children.''
She said that Ahmad didn't have any children.
| Present continuous | → | Past continuous |
- '' I am leaving tomorrow.''
She said that she was leaving the next day.
- '' The men are working today.''
He told us that the men were working that day.
- '' The engineer is fixing the engine now.''
He said that the engineer was fixing the engine then.
| Present Perfect | → | Past Perfect |
- ''Scientists have found a new source of energy.''
He said that scientists had found a new source of energy.
- ''We have visited the ancient city of Petra three times.''
They said that they had visited the ancient city of Petra three times.
- '' I've lived in Amman for six years.''
Sami said that he had lived in Amman for six years.
- ''Deema hasn't seen Raghad since last year.''
She said that Deema hadn't seen Raghad since the year before.
- '' He hasn't been to school this week.''
She said that he hadn't been to school that week.
| Present Perfect Continuous | → | Past Perfect Continuous |
- ''Sami has been living here since 2006.''
He said that Sami had been living there since 2006.
- '' The boys have been listening to music since the morning.''
She said that the boys had been listening to music since the morning.
- '' He has been working very hard.''
She said that he had been working very hard.
| Past Simple | → | Past Perfect |
'' The train left at eight a.m.''
Salma said that the train had left at eight a.m.
'' Ali forgot his keys yesterday.''
He said that Ali had forgotten his keys the day before.
'' I had a meeting at four.''
She said that she had had a meeting at four.
'' We visited my grandmother.''
Lubna said that they had visited their grandmother.
'' My friend repaired the printer.''
Ahmad said that his friend had repaired the printer.
'' The man didn't like the food in the restaurant.''
He said that the man hadn't liked the food in the restaurant.
| Past Continuous | → | Past Perfect Continuous |
- '' We were hoping to have our wedding in June.''
She told me that they had been hoping to have their wedding in June.
- '' I was sleeping alone.''
The farmer said that he had been sleeping alone.
- '' She was searching the room with the help of many detectives.''
The man told me that she had been searching the room with the help of many detectives.
| Past Perfect | → | No Change Possible |
''The Play had started.''
He said that the play had started.
| Past Perfect Continuous | → | No Change Possible |
'' They had been eating.''
She said that they had been eating.
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