Mastering Tense Shifts in English Reported Speech

Mastering Tense Shifts in Reported Speech

When converting direct speech into reported (indirect) speech, specific changes occur in verb tenses, modal verbs, and expressions of time and place. This document outlines the essential rules for these conversions.

I. Tense and Modal Verb Changes

The general rule is that the tense shifts one step back into the past.

Present Simple to Past Simple

• Direct: "He is American," she said.
• Reported: She said that he was American.
• Direct: He asked, "Are you busy?"
• Reported: He asked me if I was busy.

Present Continuous to Past Continuous

• Direct: "Dan is living in SF," she said.
• Reported: She said Dan was living in SF.
• Direct: "Why are you working?" they asked.
• Reported: They asked me why I was working.

Present Perfect to Past Perfect

• Direct: "We haven't been to China," they said.
• Reported: They said they hadn't been to China.
• Direct: "Have you worked here before?" I asked.
• Reported: I asked her if she had worked there before.

Past Simple to Past Perfect

• Direct: "We went to the movies," he said.
• Reported: He said that they had gone to the movies.
• Direct: Greg said, "I didn't go to work."
• Reported: Greg said that he hadn't gone to work.
• Direct: "Did you buy a new car?" she asked.
• Reported: She asked me if I had bought a new car.

Past Continuous to Past Perfect Continuous

• Direct: They said, "We weren't waiting long."
• Reported: They said that they hadn't been waiting long.
• Direct: He asked, "Were you sleeping?"
• Reported: He asked if I had been sleeping.

Future and Modal Verb Conversions

• Be going to changes to Was/Were going to.
• Will changes to Would.
  • Direct: "I will go to the movies," Oscar said.
  • Reported: Oscar said he would go to the movies.
  • Direct: "Will you help me move?" she asked.
  • Reported: She asked me if I would help her move.
• Can changes to Could.
  • Direct: She said, "Allen can work."
  • Reported: She said Allen could work.
• Must changes to Had to.
  • Direct: "You must wear your seatbelt," Mom said.
  • Reported: My mom said I had to wear my seatbelt.
• May changes to Might.
  • Direct: Hanne said, "I may not be in class."
  • Reported: Hanne said she might not be in class.

Modals That Remain Unchanged

The following modal verbs typically remain the same in reported speech:

• Could
• Would
• Might
• Mustn't
• Should / Ought to

II. Changes in Time and Place Expressions

Expressions referring to proximity in time or location must be adjusted when reporting speech later or elsewhere:

III. Reporting Verbs and Structures

Statements

Use reporting verbs such as say, tell, state, declare, or explain.

• Use say if the person addressed is not mentioned.
• Use tell if the person addressed is mentioned (e.g., told me, told her).

Questions

Use reporting verbs such as ask, wonder, or want to know. Do not use the conjunction that.

• For Yes/No questions, use if or whether.
• For Wh-questions, use the original wh-word (who, why, where, etc.).

Commands and Requests

Use reporting verbs such as tell, ask, beg, invite, warn, or command. The structure changes to the infinitive with 'to'.

Note: You cannot use say to report a command.

• Direct: "Open your books," the teacher said.
• Reported: The teacher told the students to open their books.

Suggestions

Use the verb suggest followed by the -ing form or a that clause.

• Direct: "Let's go to the cinema."
• Reported: He suggested going to the cinema.