Reported Speech

Front

What is reported speech?

Back

Reported speech is when we tell someone what another person said, without quoting their exact words.

Front

How do we change the verb tense in reported speech?

Back

In reported speech, we usually shift the verb tense back one step. For example, present simple changes to past simple.

Front

What is the reported speech of 'I am happy'?

Back

She said that she was happy.

Front

What is the reported speech of 'He will come tomorrow'?

Back

She told me that he would come the following day.

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What is the reported speech of 'Open the window!'?

Back

He asked me to open the window.

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What is the reported speech of 'I see the clouds'?

Back

He told me that he saw the clouds.

Front

What is the past tense of 'to be' in reported speech?

Back

The past tense of 'to be' is 'was' or 'were'.

Front

How do we report a question?

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When reporting a question, we change the structure and often use 'if' or 'whether'.

Front

What is the reported speech of 'Are you coming?'?

Back

He asked if I was coming.

Front

What do we do with modal verbs in reported speech?

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Modal verbs often change in reported speech. For example, 'can' changes to 'could'.