Past
TENSES
DIRECT SPEECH TO REPORTED SPEECH
REPORTED SPEECH TO DIRECT SPEECH
TIME EXPRESSIONS
100

The past of the verb to be

was/were

100
IN REPORTED SPEECH, CHANGE "PRESENT TENSE" TO...
PAST TENSE
100

"I AM EXHAUSTED" TIM SAID.

TIM SAID THAT HE WAS EXHAUSTED.

100
SHE SAID THAT THERE WERE THREE PEOPLE WAITING AT THE BUS STOP.
"THERE ARE THREE PEOPLE WAITING AT THE BUS STOP", SHE SAID.
100
IN REPORTED SPEECH, CHANGE "TODAY" TO...
THAT DAY
200

In reported speech, we don't write "will", we write...

would

200
IN REPORTED SPEECH, CHANGE "PRESENT PERFECT" TO...
PAST PERFECT
200
"I WILL BUY A HOUSE ONE DAY" SARA SAID.
SARA SAID SHE WOULD BUY A HOUSE ONE DAY.
200
MY FRIENDS SAID THAT THEY HAD BEEN SHOPPING THAT AFTERNOON.
"WE HAVE BEEN SHOPPING THIS AFTERNOON", MY FRIENDS SAID.
200
IN REPORTED SPEECH, CHANGE "NOW" TO...
THEN
300

In reported speech, we don't write "can", we write...

could

300
IN REPORTED SPEECH, CHANGE "PAST SIMPLE" TO...
PAST SIMPLE OR PAST PERFECT
300
"I CAN GET A JOB IN LONDON" TIM TOLD ME.
TIM TOLD ME THAT HE COULD GET A JOB IN LONDON.
300
SHE SAID THAT HER FATHER MUST TRAVEL A LOT BECAUSE HE IS A SALESMAN.
"MY FATHER MUST TRAVEL A LOT BECAUSE HE'S A SALESMAN", SHE SAID.
300
IN REPORTED SPEECH, CHANGE "YESTERDAY" TO...
THE PREVIOUS DAY, THE DAY BEFORE
400

In reported speech, we don't write "don't", we write...

not to

400
IN REPORTED SPEECH, CHANGE "CAN" TO...
COULD
400
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON SATURDAY" HE ASKED HER.
HE ASKED HER WHAT SHE WAS DOING ON SATURDAY.
400

SUE TOLD ME THAT MARY'S BOYFRIEND LIVED IN PARIS.

"MARY'S BOYFRIEND LIVES IN PARIS", SUE TOLD ME.

400
IN REPORTED SPEECH, CHANGE "TOMORROW" TO...
THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE NEXT DAY
500

In reported speech, we don't write "teach", we write...

taught

500
IN REPORTED SPEECH, CHANGE "MAY" TO...
MIGHT
500
"DON'T SMOKE HERE" I TOLD ANN.
I TOLD ANN NOT TO SMOKE THERE.
500

HIS TEACHER TOLD HIM NOT TO TALK DURING CLASS IF HE WANTED TO GET A GOOD GRADE.

"DON'T TALK DURING CLASS IF YOU WANT TO GET A GOOD GRADE", HIS TEACHER SAID.

500
IN REPORTED SPEECH, CHANGE "THREE DAYS AGO" TO...
THREE DAYS BEFORE
M
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