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Reported speech: tense and modal 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 of 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 about buying a car.
past simple past perfect simple 'I 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 looking for that book for weeks before I found it,'said Tim. ➔ Tim said he'd been looking for that book for weeks before he found it.
am/is/are going to was/were going to 'I'm going to go 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 supermarket,'said Tim. ➔ Tim said he had to go to the supermarket.
may might 'I may go shopping later,'said Tim. ➔ Tim said he might go shopping later.

Watch out!
We do not need to make any changes to the verb tense or modal when we are reporting a scientific fact or when something is still true.
✓ 'Most banks charge interest,'said Tim. ➔ Tim said most banks charge interest.

Form - Reported speech: pronoun and determiner changes


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