Reported speech

If we report what another person has said, we usually do not use the speaker’s exact words (direct speech), but reported (indirect) speech. BZB, Englisch - ScG

Reported speech There are two types of how to transform direct speech into reported speech: BZB, Englisch - ScG backshift of tenses Peter says: „The train is late.“ Peter says that the train is late. Peter said that the train was late.  with no change of tenses  with change of tenses

No change of tenses If the reporting verb (say, tell, remark, explain,…) is in:  present  present perfect  future there is no change of tenses when reporting the sentence! She says, „I have never eaten spinach“. She says that she has never eaten spinach. He has remarked recently, „I will try again!“ He has remarked recently that he will try again. Dad will say, „You painted the fence perfectly“. Dad will say that I painted the fence perfectly. BZB, Englisch - ScG

Change of tenses If the reporting verb is in:  past tense there is a change of tense: BZB, Englisch - ScG Direct SpeechReported Speech Simple PresentSimple Past Present ProgressivePast Progressive Simple Past Past Perfect Simple Present Perfect Past Perfect Past Progressive Past Perfect Progressive Present Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Progressive Future I (going to)was / were going to Future I (will) Conditional I Future II Conditional II backshift of tenses

Examples of backshift Present tense  past tense He explained, „I don‘t eat much meat“. He explained that he didn‘t eat much meat. past tense  past perfect tense He said, „He was really charming“. He said that he had been really charming. present perfect tense  past perfect tense He said, „I have never met a lovelier girl before“. He said that he had never met a lovelier girl before. BZB, Englisch - ScG

Examples of backshift past perfect tense  past perfect tense She told us, „I had never seen a real tiger before I went to the zoo“. She told us that she had never seen a real tiger before she had been to the zoo. future  conditional He said, „I will have a cup of tea“. He said that he would have a cup of tea. present perfect tense  past perfect tense He said, „I have never met a lovelier girl before“. He said that he had never met a lovelier girl before. BZB, Englisch - ScG

Exceptions There are no change of tenses if you report facts: The teacher said, „The earth turns around the sun“. = fact The teacher said that the earth turns around the sun. She explained, „Rome is the capital of Italy“. = fact She explained that Rome is the capital of Italy. There are no changes of tenses if you report requests. You normally transform the imperative into an infinitive: „Carol, speak English!“ She told Carol to speak English. BZB, Englisch - ScG

Other changes when reporting Besides the tenses, there are important change in time expressions:  here  there  now  then  this / these  that / those  today  that day  yesterday  the day before  tomorrow  the next / following day  the day before yesterday  two days before  the day after tomorrow  in two days‘ time  last week / month / year  the previous week / month / year  a year ago  a year before / the previous year  next week / month / year  the following week / month / year BZB, Englisch - ScG

Other changes when reporting In reported speech, you also often have to change the pronoun depending on who said what: „We must paint the fence tomorrow“, he said. He said that we / they must paint the fence the next day. He said, „I am going to invite her for dinner today“. He said that he was going to invite her for dinner that day. BZB, Englisch - ScG

Reporting questions If you report questions, you have to:  use the given interrogative  use if/whether With interrogative: He asked, “Why don’t you speak English?” He asked me why I didn’t speak English. Without interrogative He asked, ”Do you speak English?” He asked me whether / if I spoke English. BZB, Englisch - ScG