reported speech ....

1-Reported commands
If you put a command into Reported speech there are some steps which are the same like in statements: (changing of the person, backshift of tenses, changing of expressions of time).

The form is mostly: form of to tell + to + infinitive.

Affirmative commands Negative commands :
Father: "Do your homework." Teacher. "Don't talk to your neighbour."
Father told me to do my homework. The teacher told me not to talk to my neighbour.
2-Reported questions
If you put a question into Reported speech there are some steps which are the same like in statements: (changing of the person, backshift of tenses, changing of expressions of time).

In Reported speech there is no question anymore, the sentence becomes a statement.
That's why the word order is: subject - verb

Question without question words (yes/no questions):
Peter: "Do you play football?" - Peter asked me whether (if) I played football.

Question with question words:
Peter: "When do you play football?" - Peter asked me when I played football.
3-Statements
1) If the sentence starts in the present, there is no backshift of tenses in Reported speech.
Example: Susan: "I work in an office." Susan says that she works in an office.

2) If the sentence starts in the past, there is often backshift of tenses in Reported speech. (see: Note)
Example: Susan: "I work in an office." Susan said that she worked in an office.

Backshift of tenses
from to :
Simple Present = Simple Past
Simple Past = Past Perfect
Present Perfect = past perfect
Past perfect = past perfect Progressive forms :

will = would
am/are/is = was/were
was/were = had been
has been =had been

Backshift of tenses
from to :


Peter: "I work in the garden." = Peter said that he worked in the garden.
Peter: "I worked in the garden." = Peter said that he had worked in the garden.
Peter: "I have worked in the garden." = peter said that he had worked in the garden .

Peter: "I will work in the garden." :Peter said that he would work in the garden.
Peter: "I can work in the garden." :Peter said that he could work in the garden.
Peter: "I may work in the garden." :Peter said that he might work in the garden.
Peter: "I would work in the garden." : Peter: "I would work in the garden."

(could, might, should, ought to) = (could, might, should, ought to)
Progressive form : Peter: "I'm working in the garden." = Peter said that he was working in the garden.
Peter: "I was working in the garden." =Peter said that he had been working in the garden.
Peter: "I have been working in the garden." = peter said that he had been working in the garden.


If the sentence contains an expression of time, you must change it as well. Peter: "I worked in the garden yesterday."
Peter said that he had worked in the garden the day before.

Shifting of expressions of time

this (evening) =that (evening)
today/this day =that day
these (days) =those (days)
now =then
(a week) ago =(a week) before
last weekend = the weekend before / the previous weekend
here = there
next (week) =the following (week)
tomorrow =the next/following day
good luke for all students with reported speech ....

Hi Soukaina .. Thanks for your interesting post .. I hope that students understand from you what they couldn't with me !