1. REPORTED
SPEECH

2. RULE:
If the reporting verb is in the
past, the direct speech verb
often moves back in time.

3. Example:
• Jack: I love you. (Direct Speech)
→ Jack said (that) he loved me. (Indirect/Reported
Speech)
• Susan: I am going to school. (Direct Speech)
→ Susan told me (that) she was going to school.
(Indirect/Reported
Speech)

4. RULE:
If the reporting verb is in the present,
the direct speech does not change
when it is reported.

5. Example:
• Jack: I love you. (Direct Speech)
→ Jack says (that) he loves me. (Indirect/Reported
Speech)
• Susan: I am going to school. (Direct Speech)
→ Susan tells me (that) she is going to school.
(Indirect/Reported
Speech)

6. BACKSHIFT of TENSES
From To
Simple Present Simple Past
Peter: "I work in the garden." Peter said that he worked in the garden.
Simple Past Past Perfect
Peter: "I worked in the garden." Peter said that he had worked in the garden.
Past Perfect Past Perfect
Peter: "I had worked in the garden." Peter said that he had worked in the garden.
Present Perfect Past Perfect
Peter: "I have worked in the garden." Peter said that he had worked in the garden.
Present Continuous Past Continuous
Peter: "I'm working in the garden." Peter said that he was working in the garden.
Will Would
Peter: "I will work in the garden." Peter said that he would work in the garden.
Can Could
Peter: "I can work in the garden." Peter said that he could work in the garden.
May Might
Peter: "I may work in the garden." Peter said that he might work in the garden.
Would, could, might, should, ought to Would, could, might, should, ought to
Peter: "I would work in the garden." Peter said that he would work in the garden.

7. Shifting of expressions of time
From To
this (evening) that (evening)
today/this day that day
these (days) those (days)
now then
(a week) ago (the week) before
last weekend the weekend before / the previous weekend
here there
next (week) the following (week)
tomorrow the next/following day

8. Jack: I won’t go to school tomorrow.
Jack says ..............................................
•I won’t go to school tomorrow.
•he wouldn’t go to school tomorrow.
•he won’t go to school tomorrow.
•he wouldn’t go to school the next day.

9. Mary: Tom is washing my car now.
Mary said ........................................
b)Tom was washing my car now.
c)Tom is washing my car now.
d)Tom was washing his car the next day.
e)Tom was washing her car then.

10. Gül: I am going to visit my parents next week.
Gül told me that....................................
b)she was going to visit her parents the
following week.
c)she was going to visit my parents next week.
d)she is going to visit her parents next week.
e)she was going to visit her parents the previous
week.

11. Joe: I have studied English for two hours.
Joe said to me that..........................
b)I have studied English for two hours.
c)he had studied English for two hours.
d)he has studied English previous two hours.
e)he had studied English two hours ago.

12. Mary said that Joe might take his father’s car that
night.
What is the direct form of the statement above?
a) Mary: Joe might take his father’s car last night.
b) Mary: I may take Joe’s father’s car at night.
c) Mary: Joe might take my father’s car tomorrow
night.
d) Mary: Joe may take his father’s car tonight.