reported speech
reported speech / indirect speech ( Statements)
· When we use reported speech, we are usually talking about the past; so, the verbs usually have to be in the past.
Marina said: "I'm doing my homework".
Marina said she was doing her homework.
· The tenses usually move backwards.
The verb tenses do not always follow these rules.
· If the reporting verb is in the present tense, there is no change in the reported sentence.
· A sentence in direct speech in a present or future tense can also remain the same if what is said is still true or relevant.
Personal pronouns
· We need to be careful with personal pronouns. We have to change them according to the situation.
Time and place references
· They often have to change:
Examples:
I met my friends last night.
She said she had met her friends the night before.
I'm going to England next weekend.
He said he was going to England the next weekend.
She is coming over next week.
She said she was coming over the following week.
We were in London 3 years ago.
They said they had been in London 3 years before.
EXERCISES