Tense changes (backshift)
| Direct speech | Reported speech |
|---|---|
| present simple: "I work here." | past simple: He said he worked there. |
| present progressive: "I am working." | past progressive: He said he was working. |
| present perfect: "I have finished." | past perfect: He said he had finished. |
| past simple: "I finished at six." | past perfect: He said he had finished at six (or finished). |
| will: "I will call you." | would: He said he would call me. |
| can: "I can swim." | could: He said he could swim. |
| may: "I may be late." | might: He said he might be late. |
| must: "You must go." | had to (or must): He said I had to go. |
The past perfect and would, could, might, should, ought to do not change.
ECL tipIf the reporting verb is in the present (says, has said), or if the statement is still true, the tense does not need to change: "She says she is tired." · "He said the Earth is round."
Pronouns, time and place words
Change the pronouns to fit the new speaker. Change the time and place words when the report is made later or somewhere else.
| Direct | Reported |
|---|---|
| now | then, at that time |
| today, tonight | that day, that night |
| yesterday | the day before, the previous day |
| tomorrow | the next day, the following day |
| last week | the week before, the previous week |
| next week | the following week |
| ago | before, earlier |
| here | there |
| this, these | that, those |
- "I will see you tomorrow," she said. → She said she would see me the next day.
Say or tell?
| Verb | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| say | say (that)… · say something to someone | He said (that) he was ready. · He said goodbye to us. |
| tell | tell + person (that)… | He told me (that) he was ready. |
Common mistakes
- ✗Wrong: He said me that he was ready.✓Right: He told me that he was ready.
- ✗Wrong: He told that he was ready.✓Right: He said that he was ready.
Reported questions
A reported question has the word order of a statement (subject + verb), no do / does / did, and no question mark.
Yes/no questions
ask + if / whether + subject + verb
Use if or whether when there is no question word.
- "Are you ready?" → She asked if I was ready.
- "Did you see the accident?" → The officer asked whether I had seen the accident.
Wh- questions
ask + question word + subject + verb
Keep the question word: who, what, where, when, why, how…
- "Where do you live?" → He asked me where I lived.
- "What time will the convoy leave?" → She asked what time the convoy would leave.
Common mistakes
- ✗Wrong: He asked me where did I live.✓Right: He asked me where I lived.
- ✗Wrong: She asked me if I was hungry?✓Right: She asked me if I was hungry.
Commands, requests and advice
Commands and requests
tell / ask / order / advise + person + (not) to + verb
The imperative becomes a to-infinitive.
- "Close the door." → He told me to close the door.
- "Don't move!" → The sergeant ordered us not to move.
- "Please help me." → She asked me to help her.
- "You should rest." → The doctor advised me to rest.
Reporting verbs
Reporting verbs give the meaning of what was said. Each one has its own pattern.
| Pattern | Verbs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| verb + to-infinitive | agree, offer, promise, refuse, threaten | He offered to drive us to the airport. |
| verb + person + to-infinitive | advise, ask, order, remind, tell, warn, encourage | She reminded me to lock the door. |
| verb + -ing | admit, deny, recommend, suggest | He denied taking the money. |
| verb + preposition + -ing | apologize for, insist on, accuse someone of, blame someone for | He apologized for being late. |
| verb + that… | explain, complain, announce, claim, admit | She explained that the road was closed. |
| suggest, recommend + that + subject + base verb | (the subjunctive) | The doctor suggested that he rest. |
Suggest never takes a person + to-infinitive. Say "He suggested going" or "He suggested that we go", not He suggested us to go. More in the lesson on the subjunctive.
Quick check
Choose an answer: the explanation appears straight away.
1"I am leaving tomorrow," he said. → He said he ___ the next day.
2She asked me where ___.
3The officer ___ us not to leave the base.
4"Have you seen my keys?" → He asked me ___ his keys.
5He denied ___ the window.
More practice: sample questions on this topic, with answers.
All 22 questions on this topic, in a new order each time.