====== Reported Speech ======

{{:en:grammar:reported_speech:live-london.jpg?nolink&200|}}She said (that) she <color blue>lived</color> in London.

===== Definition and use =====

When we tell someone what another person said earlier, we don’t usually repeat the direct speech that we heard. 

  * She said, “I live in London.”  {{:en:grammar:reported_speech:n.png?nolink&20|}}
  * She said (that) she <color blue>lived</color> in London.  {{:en:grammar:reported_speech:y.png?nolink&20|}}

===== Construction =====

In reported speech, we use one tense back in time from the tense in the direct speech.

^ Direct speech ^^ Reported [indirect] speech ^
|Present simple\\ I prefer coffee.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|Past simple\\ She said she <color blue>preferred</color> coffee.|
|Present continuous\\ I’m reading a great book.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|Past continuous\\ He told me he <color blue>was reading</color> a great book.|
|Past simple\\ I went to Japan.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|Past perfect simple\\ She said she <color blue>had been/had gone</color> to Japan.|
|Past continuous\\ We were watching TV.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|Past perfect continuous\\ She said they’<color blue>d been watching</color> TV.|
|Present perfect simple\\ I’ve finished the report.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|Past perfect simple\\ He told me he’<color blue>d finished</color> the report.|
|Present perfect continuous\\ I’ve been writing a report.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|Past perfect continuous\\ He said he’<color blue>d been writing</color> a report.|
|Past perfect simple\\ I’d always wanted to go to Italy.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|Past perfect simple (no change)\\ She said she’<color blue>d</color> always <color blue>wanted</color> to go to Italy.|
|Past perfect continuous\\ I’d been discussing it with my boss.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|Past perfect continuous (no change)\\ He said he’<color blue>d been discussing</color> it with his boss.|
|Future simple\\ I’ll email you.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|Would <color violet>+ bare infinitive</color>\\ He told me he’<color blue>d email</color> me.|
|Future continuous\\ We’ll be visiting the new plant.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|Would be <color violet>+ present participle</color>\\ She said they’<color blue>d be visiting</color> the new plant.|
|Going to\\ I’m going to buy a new car.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|Was going to <color violet>+ bare infinitive</color>\\ He said he <color blue>was going to buy</color> a new car.|
|Present continuous for future\\ I’m having lunch with friends.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|Past continuous\\ She said <color blue>she was having</color> lunch with friends.|
|Future perfect simple\\ I’ll have finished it by 4 o’clock.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|Would have + past participle\\ She said she’<color blue>d have finished</color> it by 4 o’clock.|
|Future perfect continuous\\ By May, I’ll have been working here for two years.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|Would have been <color violet>+ present participle</color>\\ He said that by May, he’<color blue>d have been working</color> here for two years.|

===== Examples =====

|  {{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:bored.jpg?nolink&100 |}}  |  "I’m bored today."  |  Jenny said she <color blue>was</color> bored yesterday.  |
|  {{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:increasing.jpg?nolink&100  |}}|  "Sales figures are increasing."  |  She told us that sales figures <color blue>were</color> increas<color blue>ing</color>.  |
|  {{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:forgot.jpg?nolink&100 |}}  |  "Oh no! I forgot about the meeting!"  |  He told me he’<color blue>d forgotten</color> about the meeting.  |
|  {{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:bob.jpg?nolink&100 |}}  |  "I was discussing this with Bob yesterday and we were thinking about making  some changes."  |  She told us she’<color blue>d been discussing</color> it with Bob the day before and they’d <color blue>been thinking</color> about making some changes.  |

===== Note that =====

1) It isn’t necessary to change the tense if something is still true or relevant.
{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:hungry.png?nolink&200 |}}
  * We’re having lunch early today because Philippe said he’<color blue>s</color> hungry. [still true]
  * But 
  * We went to lunch early yesterday because Philippe said he <color blue>was</color> hungry. [no longer true]

{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:paris.png?nolink&300 |}}
  * They visited Paris and said it <color blue>is</color> a beautiful city.

{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:meeting.png?nolink&400 |}}
  * She said the next meeting <color blue>will</color> be on Thursday. [Before Thursday, this is still true.]
  * She said the next meeting <color blue>would</color> be on Thursday. [After Thursday]

{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:isabelle.png?nolink&400 |}}
  * Thierry phoned and told me that he'<color blue>ll be</color> at the meeting this afternoon. He said he’<color blue>s</color> just <color blue>landed</color> and he’<color blue>s getting</color> a taxi straight here. 

**<color red>But you should always change the tense if you are taking an English test or exam.</color>**

2) In most cases, we can omit ‘that’.// He told me (that) he <color blue>was going</color> to Korea.//

However, with some verbs, it is better to use ‘that’. For example: //announce | doubt | imply |add |                 estimate | argue | point out | complain | mention.// 

  * “The meeting will start at 10:00, and I expect everyone to be there.” 
  * He announced __that__ the meeting <color blue>would</color> start at 10 and added __that__ he <color blue>expected</color> everyone to be there.
  * “Let’s wait until December.  That’s always the best time to launch this kind of product.”
  * “No. This time, we should do it in the summer.”
  * He pointed out __that__ December <color blue>was</color> always the best time to launch that kind of product, but she argued __that__ it <color blue>would</color> be better to do it in the summer.
  * “I don’t think it will work.”     
  * He doubted __that__ it <color blue>would</color> work.
  * “There were about 200 people at the conference.”  
  * She estimated that there <color blue>had been</color> about 200 people at the conference.
  * “The coffee is terrible here!”   
  * She complained __that__ the coffee <color blue>was</color> terrible there.

===== Other changes =====

__Sometimes__ we need to make other changes. For example:

“We have to do it <color blue>now</color>.” **-->** They said they had to do it <color blue>immediately</color>.

But __not always__:

  * 28th September: “We‘ll meet again <color blue>next month.</color>” 
  * 29th September: Louise said that we’ll/we’d meet again <color blue>next month</color>.
  * 1st October: Louise said we’ll/we’d meet again <color blue>this month</color>. 
  * November: Louise said we’d meet again <color blue>last month</color>.
  * Later than October: Louise said that we’d meet again <color blue>the following month</color>. 

^  Direct speech  ^^  Reported speech  ^
|now|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|immediately|
|today|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|that day|
|yesterday|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|the day before/the previous day|
|the day before yesterday|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|two days before|
|last week/month/year|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|the week/month/year before or the previous week/month/year|
|tomorrow|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|the next/following day|
|the day after tomorrow|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|in two days’ time/two days later|
|next week/month/year|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|the following week/month/year|
|ago|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|before|
|this week/month/year|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|that week/month/year|
|this/these (adjective)|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|the/a/this/these/that/those – depending on the situation|
|here|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|here/there – depending on the situation |
|It is for <color blue>me</color>.\\ It is <color blue>my</color> pen.\\ It is <color blue>mine</color>.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|He/she said it was for <color blue>him/her</color>.\\ He/she said it was <color blue>his/her</color> pen.\\ He/she said it was <color blue>his/hers</color>.|
|It is for <color blue>you</color>.\\ It is <color blue>your</color> pen.\\ It is <color blue>yours</color>.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|He/she said it was for <color blue>me</color>.\\ He/she said it was <color blue>my</color> pen.\\ He/she said it was <color blue>mine</color>.|
|It is for <color blue>us</color>.\\ It is <color blue>our</color> car.\\ It is <color blue>ours</color>|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|They said it was for <color blue>them</color>.\\ They said it was <color blue>their</color> car.\\ They said it was <color blue>theirs</color>.|

===== Modals =====

We also need to change some modal verbs.

^Direct speech^Reported speech^
|I <color blue>can</color> swim.|He said he <color blue>could</color> swim.|
|All visitors <color blue>must</color> go to reception.|They told us that all visitors <color blue>had to</color> go to reception.|
|You <color blue>mustn’t</color> smoke in here.|We were told that we <color blue>couldn’t/weren’t allowed to</color> smoke in there|
|What <color blue>shall</color> we do tonight?|She asked what we <color blue>should</color> do last night.|

But some modals do not need to be changed – could, might, would, should, ought to, had better.

 “I <color blue>might</color> go to the party.”
 She said she <color blue>might</color> go to the party.

===== Other reporting verbs =====

Usually we use ‘said’ or ‘told’ to report speech but lots of other reporting verbs are possible. It is often better to use these, especially if you are reporting a long conversation, because it becomes boring if you continue to repeat ‘said’ or ‘told’ together with all the words spoken.

**Note that** we need to use the correct form of the verb that follows the reporting verb. There are several possibilities. Here are some examples:

|accuse someone|...of doing something|
|admit, deny|...doing something|
|admit, agree, explain, imply, mention|...that someone had done something|
|apologise, blame someone, forgive someone|...for doing something|
|agree, decide, pretend, promise, refuse, threaten|...(not) to do something|
|decide, explain, remember, wonder|...how/when/where/what/which to do (it)|
|advise, ask, allow, expect, forbid, persuade, remind, tell|...someone to do something|
|suggest|...I/we etc. do it|

^Direct speech^^Reported speech^
|It was Anne who ate the last biscuit!|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|She <color blue>accused</color> Anne <color blue>of eating</color> the last biscuit.|
|Yes, it’s true. I ate it!|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|Anne <color blue>admitted</color> eat<color blue>ing</color> it.\\ Anne <color blue>admitted</color> that she’<color blue>d eaten</color> it.\\ Anne <color blue>didn’t deny</color> eat<color blue>ing</color> it.|
|I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|She <color blue>apologised</color> (<color blue>for</color> do<color blue>ing</color> it) and <color blue>promised not to</color> do it again.|
|That’s OK; don’t worry.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|They forgave her (<color blue>for</color> eat<color blue>ing</color> the biscuit).|
|You should go to the doctor.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|He <color blue>advised</color> me <color blue>to</color> go to the doctor.|
|OK. We’ll have the meeting today.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|They <color blue>agreed to</color> have the meeting that day.|
|It’s your fault we missed the flight!|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|He <color blue>blamed</color> me </color blue>for</color> miss<color blue>ing</color> the flight.|
|First you attach these two parts and then you press this button.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|He <color blue>explained how to</color> do it.|
|If you apply for this job, you’ll earn more money and you’ll be happier.|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|She <color blue>persuaded me to</color> apply for the job.\\ [But – she <color blue>dissuaded me from</color> apply<color blue>ing</color>...]|
|I’m not working on Saturday!|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|He <color blue>refused to</color> work on Saturday.|
|Don’t forget to make that phone call. |{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|She <color blue>reminded me to</color> make the phone call.|
|Why don’t you phone him?\\ Shall we go to the cinema?|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|She <color blue>suggested I</color> phone him.\\ She <color blue>suggested</color> (go<color blue>ing</color> to) the cinema.|
|If you don’t move your car, I’ll call the police!|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|He <color blue>threatened to</color> call the police if I didn’t move my car.|
|Make sure you don’t fall asleep in the meeting again!|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|She <color blue>warned me not to</color> fall asleep in the meeting again.|

===== Examples =====

|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:advise.jpg?nolink&200 |}}|_"I don’t think you should buy that one – it’s not a good colour for you."|My friend <color blue>advised me not to</color> buy the red dress that I liked.|
|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:threatened.png?nolink&200 |}}|_"If your grades don’t improve in the next few weeks, I will have to speak to speak to your parents."|Her teacher <color blue>threatened to</color> talk to her parents if her grades <color blue>didn’t</color> improve in the following few weeks.|
|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:phone.jpg?nolink&200 |}}|_"Let’s have lunch on Monday."|Malcolm <color blue>suggested</color> hav<color blue>ing</color> lunch on Monday.|
|{{ :undefined:burger-jpg.jpg?nolink&200 |}}|_"We have to eat burgers because you burned the steak!"\\ _"It wasn’t me. It was Steve."|James  <color blue>accused</color> Dave <color blue>of</color> burn<color blue>ing</color> the steaks but Dave <color blue>denied</color> it and <color blue>blamed</color> Steve.|

===== Questions and requests  =====

When reporting questions and requests, we use the verb ‘ask’. For yes/no questions, we need to add ‘if/whether’.

^^^^
|What do you want for lunch?|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|She asked me what I wanted for lunch.|
|Can I have a cheese sandwich, please? |{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|He asked for a cheese sandwich.|
|Where are you going on holiday?|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|He asked us where we were going on holiday.|
|Do you like tea?|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|He asked me if I liked tea.|
|Will you marry me?|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|He asked her to marry him.|
|Please don’t eat all the chocolate!|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|She asked me not to eat all the chocolate.|
|Are you going to the party?|{{ :en:grammar:reported_speech:fleche.jpg?nolink&40 |}}|He asked whether I was going to the party.|