Reported speech

What is reported speech?

This is when we tell someone what another person said. We can use some or we can report their speech by saying what they said. When we tell someone what someone else said then we don't use exactly the same words:

English Grammar - Reported speech statements

  1. If the sentence starts in the present, there is no backshift of tenses in reported speech.

    Example: Susan: "I work in an office."
    Susan tells me that she works in an office.

  2. If the sentence starts in the past, there is often a backshift of tenses in reported speech. (see: Note)

    Example: Susan: "I work in an office."
    Susan told me that she worked in an office.

backshift of tenses

  1. Simple present to Simple past
  2. Simple past to past perfect
  3. present perfect to past perfect
  4. will to would

progressive forms

  1. am/are/is to was/were
  2. was - had been
  3. were - has been

Examples of backshift of tenses

peter: "I work in the garden."
peter said that he worked in the garden.


peter: "I worked in the garden."
peter said that he had worked in the garden.


peter: "I have worked in the garden." peter: "I had worked in the garden."

peter: "I will work in the garden." peter said that he would work in the garden.

peter: "I can work in the garden."
peter said that he could work in the garden.

peter: "I may work in the garden."
peter said that he might work in the garden.

peter: "I would work in the garden."
(could, might, should, ought to)

progressive forms

peter: "I'm working in the garden."
peter said that he was working in the garden.

peter: "I was working in the garden."
peter said that he had been working in the garden.

peter: "I have been working in the garden."


peter: "I had been working in the garden."


If the sentence contains an expression of time, you must change it as well.

peter: "I worked in the garden yesterday."
peter said that he had worked in the garden the day before.

shifting of expressions of time

  1. This (evening) - that (evening)
  2. today/this day - that day
  3. these (days) - those (days)
  4. now - then
  5. (a week) ago - (a week) before
  6. last weekend - the weekend before / the previous weekend
  7. here - there
  8. next (week) - the following (week)
  9. tomorrow - the next/following day

Note: In some cases the backshift of tenses is not necessary, e.g. when statements are still true.

  1. John: "My brother is at Leipzig university."
  2. John said that his brother was at Leipzig university. or
  3. John said that his brother is at Leipzig university.
or
  1. Mandy: "The sun rises in the East."
  2. Mandy told me that the sun rose in the East. or
  3. Mandy told me that the sun rises in the East.