Tenses and Reported Speech for Statements

Tense in Tense in Reported Example (Direct Example (Reported

Direct Speech Speech (One Step Speech) Speech)
Back)

Present Past Simple "I go to school." He said (that) he

Simple went to school.

Present Past Continuous "I am going to He said (that) he was

Continuous school." going to school.

Present Past Perfect "I have finished He said (that) he had

Perfect my homework." finished his
homework.

Present Past Perfect "I have been He said (that) he had

Perfect Continuous studying." been studying.
Continuous

Past Simple Past Perfect "I went to the He said (that) he had
park." gone to the park.

Past Past Perfect "I was reading a He said (that) he had

Continuous Continuous book." been reading a
book.

Past Perfect Stays the same "I had already He said (that) he had
eaten." already eaten.

Past Perfect Stays the same "I had been He said (that) he had
Continuous waiting for two been waiting for two
hours." hours.

Will (Future Would "I will call you He said (that) he

Simple) later." would call me later.

Going to Was/Were going to "I am going to He said (that) he was

(Future) visit you." going to visit me.

Can Could "I can swim." He said (that) he

could swim.

May Might "I may go to the He said (that) he

party." might go to the party.
Must Had to "I must finish my He said (that) he had
project." to finish his project.

Notes:

1. Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous stay the same in reported
speech.
2. Modal verbs (like can, will, may, etc.) also shift one step back into their past
forms.

Reported Speech Rules for Questions

Direct Question Reported Speech Rule Example Example

Type (Direct) (Reported)

Yes/No Use if or whether "Are you She asked if I

Questions coming to the was coming to the
party?" party.

Wh- Questions Keep the wh- word and "Where do you He asked where I
(What, Where, change the tense like live?" lived.
etc.) statements

Questions with Change modal verbs "Can you help He asked if I

modal verbs according to general me?" could help him.
tense shifting rules

Questions with Use to + infinitive after "Could you He asked me to

Imperatives reporting verbs pass me the pass the salt.
salt?"
 Exceptions & Variations

Case Explanation Example Example

(Direct) (Reported)

Present/Future If the statement is still "The Earth is He said (that) the

Reference true, tense changes round." Earth is round.
are not necessary
(mostly with general
truths, laws, or habits)

Would, Could, These modal verbs do "I would go if He said (that) he

Should, Might, not change in I could." would go if he
Ought to reported speech. could.

Reported speech Time expressions "I will see She said (that)
with time usually change, but you she would see me
expressions stay the same if the tomorrow." the next day (if
time reference remains time reference
current changed).

Say vs. Tell Use say + that-clause "I will be Mary said (that)
(no object needed); late." (said she would be late.
use tell + object + Mary)
that-clause

Mixed Conditionals If conditionals are "If I had He said that if he

already in past form studied, I had studied, he
(third conditional), no would have would have
tense change is passed." passed.
needed

No tense change These tenses do not "I had She said (that)
(when reporting move further back in already she had already
past perfect or past reported speech. eaten." eaten.
perfect continuous)

Exercises to practice (answer key at the end of the handout)

1. Convert the following sentences into reported speech.

a. "I will help you with your homework." (said John)

b. "She is watching a movie." (said Mary)

c. "We have finished our project." (said the students)

d. "I was cooking dinner." (said Peter)

e. "I can solve the problem." (said Sarah)

2. Each of the following sentences has a mistake. Correct them to be

grammatically accurate reported speech.

a. He said he will go to the meeting.

b. She told me she has seen the movie.

c. They said they are going to the park later.

d. I said I am reading a book now.

e. She said she was finished the project.

3. Change the following questions into reported speech.

a. "What time is the meeting?" (asked Alice)

b. "Where did you go yesterday?" (asked Mark)

c. "Are you coming to the party?" (asked Jane)

d. "Have you finished your assignment?" (asked the teacher)

e. "Will you help me with this project?" (asked the boss)

1.

a. John said he would help me with my homework.

b. Mary said she was watching a movie.

c. The students said they had finished their project.

d. Peter said he had been cooking dinner.

e. Sarah said she could solve the problem.

2.

a. He said he would go to the meeting.

b. She told me she had seen the movie.

c. They said they were going to the park later.

d. I said I was reading a book then.

e. She said she had finished the project.

3.

a. Alice asked what time the meeting was.

b. Mark asked where I had gone the day before.

c. Jane asked if I was coming to the party.

d. The teacher asked if I had finished my assignment.

e. The boss asked if I would help with the project.