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Grammar - Level 2

More About Reported Speech

As you previously learned in chapter 25, people are constantly reporting what someone else said
or what they have heard on the news, or the radio and also when they overhear a conversation.
To report all these events, we use the past tense of the verbs to say and to tell. We use the
verb to tell when we are reporting a personal conversation or when the speaker has mentioned
our name. Below, we have a list of different examples highlighting the changes in tense when using reported speech.

What is said in “simple present tense”
We are tired.
I don’t like potatoes.		 is reported using “simple past tense”
They said that they were tired.
He/she said that he/she did not like potatoes.
What is said in “simple past tense”
I didn’t go to the movies last week.
We were away last month.
Nobody came to the party.		 is reported using “past perfect tense”
He/she said that he/she hadn’t gone to the movies.
They said that they had been away the month before.
He/she said that nobody had come to the party.
What is said in “present perfect tense”
I have never been to Rome.
We haven’t heard from Peter in years		 is reported using “past perfect tense”
He/she said that he/she had never been to Rome.
They said that they hadn’t heard from Peter in years.
What is said using “can”
I can sleep very well.
We can talk about this later.		 is reported using “could”
He/she said that he/she could sleep very well.
They said that we could talk about that later.
What is said using “will”
She will be here soon.
I will call you right back.		 is reported using “would”
He/she said that she would be there soon.
He/she said that he/she would call  me right back.
What is said using “must”
I must pay the rent tomorrow.
We must go or else we will be late.		 is reported using “had to”
He/she said that he/she had to pay the rent the next day.
They said they had to go or else they would be late.
What is said using “may”
She may get married soon.
We may get the job.		 is reported using “might”
They said that she might get married soon.
They said they might get the job.

When we report questions using helping verbs “do-does-did-have” or modal verbs, we have to use the simple past tense of the main verb in the sentence, plus the verbs to ask or to request and the connector if.

Do you like to go to the movies? 
Reported speech: He asked me if I liked to go to the movies. 
Have you ever eaten sushi? 
Reported speech: They asked me if I had ever eaten sushi. 
Do you know what time is it? 
Reported speech: She asked me if I knew what time was it. 
Does your father live in New York? 
Reported speech: He asked if my father lived in New York. 

When we have WH words in the question, we do not use the connector if. We use the WH word as a connector and we change the tense of the main verb accordingly.

Question Mary: Where did you buy those nice shoes? 
Reported speech: Mary asked me where I had bought these nice shoes. 
Question Tom: Where can I get something to eat? 
Reported speech: Tom asked me where he could get something to eat. 
Question: Where do you want to go next summer? 
Reported speech: She asked me where I wanted to go on my next vacation. 
Question Bill:  How did you get here so fast? 
Reported speech: Bill asked me how I had gotten there so fast. 
Question: Where does your family live? 
 
Reported speech: He asked me where my family lived. 

When we report scientific facts or something that is always true, we do not change the tense of the main verb
of the original statement.

Statement: The earth is round. 
 
Reported speech: He said that the earth is round. 
Statement: Water boils at 100°C. 
 
Reported speech: She said that water boils at 100°C. 
Statement: Water becomes ice if you put it in the freezer. 
Reported speech: He said that water becomes ice if you put it in the freezer. 

We do not change the tense of the main verb when we report commands or orders.

Command: Don’t move! 
Reported speech: He told me not to move. 
Command: Wait for me outside the room. 
Reported speech: She told me to wait for her outside the room. 
Command: Shut up and get out! 
Reported speech: He told me to shut up and get out. 
Command: Don’t say anything and just leave. 
Reported speech: She told me not to say anything and just leave.