Unit 21 Grammar
Reported speech/ reported questions/ reporting verbs
Reported speech: Tense and model changes
We use reported speech when we want to say what someone else said.
Eg Jason said he was going to buy a new pair trainers
If the reporting verb is in the past (eg said), we usually have to change the tense of what the
person actually said.
Direct speech
Reported speech
Example
Present simple
Past simple
‘I need a credit card’ said Tim
Tim said he needed a
credit card.
Present continuous
Past continuous
I’m taking Lizzie shopping’ said Tim
Tim said he was
taking Lizzie shopping.
Present
perfect
simple
Past perfect simple
I’ve bought Tom a present’ said Tim
Tim said he’d
bought Tom a present.
Present
perfect
continuous
Past
perfect
continuous
I’ve been thinking about buying a car’ said Tim
Tim
said he’d been thinking of buying a car.
Past simple
Past perfect simple
I’ve spent six euros’ said Tim
Tim said he’d spent six
euros.
Past continuous
Past
perfect
continuous
‘I was hoping to find a new top’ said Tim
Tim said he
‘d been hoping to find a new top.
Past perfect simple
Past perfect simple
( no tense change)
I ‘d looked everywhere for my credit card before I found
it’ said Tim
Tim said he ‘d looked everywhere for his
credit card before he found it.
Past
perfect
continuous
Past
perfect
continuous
(no tense change)
I ‘d been Tim said he ‘d looked for that book for weeks
before he found it.
am/ is/ are going to
Was/were going to
I’m going to shopping’ said Tim
Tim said he was
going to go shopping
Will
Would
I ‘ll need a credit card’ said Tim
Tim said he would
need a credit card.
Can
Could
‘I can take Lizzie shopping’ said Tim
Tim said he
could take Lizzie shopping.
Must/have to
Had to
‘I must go to the market’ said Tim
Tim said he had to