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Revision of Tense Changes When Using Reported Speech

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24 views3 pages

Revision of Tense Changes When Using Reported Speech

Uploaded by

y81412
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Tense changes when using

reported speech
Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the
tense in direct speech:
She said, "I am tired." = She said that she was tired.
Test your knowledge

Phrase in direct speech Equivalent in reported speech

Simple present Simple past

"I always drink coffee", she said She said that she
always drank coffee.

Present continuous Past continuous

"I am reading a book", he He explained that he was


explained. reading a book

Simple past Past perfect

"Bill arrived on Saturday", he He said that Bill had arrived on


said. Saturday.

Present perfect Past perfect


Phrase in direct speech Equivalent in reported speech

"I have been to Spain", he told He told me that he had been to


me. Spain.

Past perfect Past perfect

"I had just turned out the light," He explained that he had just
he explained. turned out the light.

Present perfect continuous Past perfect continuous

They complained, "We have been They complained that they had
waiting for hours". been waiting for hours.

Past continuous Past perfect continuous

"We were living in Paris", they They told me that they had been
told me. living in Paris.

Future Present conditional

"I will be in Geneva on Monday", He said that he would be in


he said. Geneva on Monday.
Phrase in direct speech Equivalent in reported speech

Future continuous Conditional continuous

She said, "I'll be using the car She said that she would be
next Friday". using the car next Friday.

You do not need to change the tense if the reporting verb is in the present,
or if the original statement was about something that is still true, e.g.

 He says he has missed the train but he'll catch the next one.
 We explained that it is very difficult to find our house.

These modal verbs do not change in reported speech: might, could, would,
should, ought to:

 We explained, "It could be difficult to find our house." = We


explained that it could be difficult to find our house.
 She said, "I might bring a friend to the party." = She said that
she might bring a friend to the party.

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