Slightly changed version from the web.

1. REPORTED SPEECH
USED to explain things later.
USED for storytelling.
Adapted by Nur Garriga

2. Direct speech Indirect speech
Present simple Past simple
›
She said, "It's cold." She said that it was cold.
Present continuous Past continuous
She said, "I'm teaching › She said that she was teaching
English online." English online.
Present perfect simple Past perfect simple
She said, "I've been on the › She said that she had been on
web since 1999." the web since 1999.

3. Past perfect continuous
Present perfect continuous
She said that had been
She said, "I've been teaching ›
teaching English for seven
English for seven years."
years.
Past simple Past perfect
She said, "I taught online › She said that she had taught
yesterday." online yesterday.
Past continuous Past perfect continuous
She said, "I was teaching › She said that she had been
earlier." teaching earlier.
Past perfect Past perfect
She said, "The lesson had NO CHANGE - She said that
›
already started when he the lesson had already started
arrived." when he arrived.
Past perfect continuous
Past perfect continuous
NO CHANGE - She said that
She said, "I'd already been ›
she'd already been teaching for
teaching for five minutes."
five minutes.

4. Modal verb forms also sometimes change:
Direct speech Indirect speech
will would
She said, "I'll teach English online › She said she would teach
tomorrow." English online tomorrow.
can could
She said, "I can teach English › She said she could teach
online." English online.
had to
must
She said she had to have a
She said, "I must have a computer ›
computer to teach English
to teach English online."
online.
shall should
She said, "What shall we learn › She asked what we should
today?" learn today.
may might
She said, "May I open a new › She asked if she might open a
browser?" new browser.
Note: could, would, should, might and ought to NEVER CHANGE.

5. Time and place references often have to change:
 If the reported sentence contains an expression of time,
you must change it to go with the time of the reporting.
now › then
today › that day
here › there
this › that
this week › that week
the following day
tomorrow › the next day
the day after

6. IMPERATIVES
positive imperative tell + object+infinitive
“Shut up!” He told me to shut up.
tell + object +not + infinitive
negative imperative
He told me not to do that
“Don't do that again!”
again.
ask + object +infinitive
imperatives as requests
He asked me to lend him
“Please lend me some money.”
some money.

7. the following week
next week › the next week
the week after
yesterday › the previous day
the day before
last week › the previous week
the week before
ago › previously
before
2 weeks ago › 2 weeks previously
2 weeks before
tonight › that night
last Saturday › the previous Saturday
the Saturday before
the following Saturday
the next Saturday
next Saturday › the Saturday after
that Saturday

8. Examples:
I went to the movies last night.
He said that he had gone to the movies the night before.
I'm staying here until next week.
He said he was staying there until the following week.
 If you report something that someone said in a different place
to where you heard it:
 you must change the place (here) to the place (there).
Example:
At work At home
"How long have you She asked me how long I had
worked here?" worked there.

9.  In reported speech, the pronoun often changes.
For example:
Me You
She said that she teaches
"I teach English online."
English online.
You also need to be careful with personal pronouns.
They need to be changed according to the situation.
You need to know the context and who is speaking, and to
whom.

10. Said, told and asked are the most common verbs used in
indirect speech.
We use “asked” to report questions:
I asked Lynne/her what time the lesson had started.
We use “told” with an object.
Lynne told me that she felt tired.
We usually use “said” without an object.
Lynne said that she was going to teach online.
If “said” is used with an indirect object we must include “to”
Lynne said to me that she'd never been to China.

11. verb + verb + verb verb + gerund verb + object verb +
object + infinitive (that) + preposition+
infinitive preposition + gerund
gerund
advise agree admit deny accuse apologize
encourage decide agree recommend blame insist
invite offer decide suggest congratulate
remind promise deny
warn refuse explain
beg threaten insist
forbid recommend promise
instruct

12. Examples:
Jack encouraged me to look for a new job. They invited all
their friends to attend the presentation.
She offered to give him a lift to work. My brother refused to
take no for an answer.
Tom admitted (that) he had tried to leave early. She agreed
(that) we needed to reconsider our plans.
He denied having anything to do with her. Ken suggested
studying early in the morning.
They accused the boys of cheating on the exam. She blamed
her husband for missing the train.
He apologized for being late. She insisted on doing the
washing up.

13.  In reported speech, the word “that” is often used AFTER
SAID and TOLD.
He told me that he lived in Greenwich.
 “That” is optional, MORE FORMAL though.
He told me he lived in Greenwich.
 “That” is never used in questions. We use “if” or “whether”
instead.
He asked me if I would come to the party.

14.  verbs of speech for questions:
asked, wondered, enquired, wanted to know, tried to find out
 question words:
where, when, who, why, how
 Changing verb tenses, pronouns, and time expressions
 question word order description
question word + subject + verb + (O) + (…)
He asked when they would arrive.
My friend asked if I was coming.

15. QUESTIONS IN
REPORTED SPEECH
DIRECT SPEECH
Are you happy My friend asked me if I was happy
today? Yes, I am that day
What are you doing My friend asked me what I was
this afternoon? doing that afternoon.
Where did you go My friend asked me where had I
yesterday? gone yesterday