Tense Changes in Reported Speech

This page focuses on the tense changes that occur when converting direct speech to reported speech. It explains the concept of backshifting, where present tenses in direct speech typically shift to past tenses in reported speech.

Definition: Backshifting is the process of changing verb tenses to reflect the past perspective in reported speech.

The page provides a detailed table showing how different tenses change:

• Present Simple → Past Simple
• Present Continuous → Past Continuous
• Past Simple → Past Perfect
• Present Perfect → Past Perfect
• Will → Would
• Can → Could
• Must → Had to

Highlight: Some modal verbs like 'should', 'might', and 'would' remain unchanged in reported speech.

Example: "I like you," she said. → She said (that) she liked me.

This information is crucial for students learning about reported speech in English and can be particularly useful for those preparing for reported speech tests or looking for reported speech exercises.

Changes in Time Expressions and Pronouns

This final page covers the changes in time expressions and pronouns when converting from direct to reported speech in English. It provides a comprehensive list of how various time and place expressions change.

Vocabulary: Time expressions are words or phrases that indicate when an action takes place.

The page includes a table showing the following changes:

• Here → There
• This/These → That/Those
• Now → Then
• Today → That day
• Yesterday → The day before
• Tomorrow → The next/following day
• Last week → The week before/the previous week
• A week ago → A week before

Highlight: Pronouns also change in reported speech to reflect the perspective of the reporter rather than the original speaker.

Examples of pronoun changes:

• I → She/He
• We → They
• My → Her/His
• Our → Their

This information is essential for students practicing reported speech exercises or preparing for reported speech tests. Understanding these changes is crucial for mastering reported speech in English.

Example: "I will do it tomorrow," she said. → She said she would do it the next day.

This comprehensive guide provides students with all the necessary information to understand and use reported speech effectively, making it an invaluable resource for English language learners.

Introduction to Reported Speech

This page introduces the concept of reported speech and its importance in English grammar. It provides a comprehensive list of reporting verbs that are essential for constructing reported speech sentences.

Definition: Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is a way of conveating someone's words without quoting them directly.

The page lists various reporting verbs, including:

• say
• tell
• ask
• reply
• add
• admit
• agree
• claim
• complain
• confess
• explain
• point out
• predict
• promise
• warn

Highlight: When using 'tell' in reported speech, it's always followed by an object, while 'say' can be used with nouns or pronouns along with 'to'.

Example: "Mary told Sue she looked great in her new dress." / "John said he had lost his wallet."

The page also explains how to convert imperative sentences to reported speech using 'ask' and 'tell' with the structure: (not) + to + infinitive.

Example: "Remember!" becomes "She told me to remember." / "Don't forget!" becomes "She asked me not to forget."