Question 1

What tense changes happen in reported speech?

Accepted Answer

In reported speech, present simple becomes past simple, present continuous becomes past continuous, present perfect becomes past perfect, past simple becomes past perfect, and will becomes would. For example: "I am working" becomes "She said she was working".

Question 2

How do time expressions change in reported speech?

Accepted Answer

Time expressions shift to reflect the distance from the original speech: today becomes that day, tomorrow becomes the next day or the following day, yesterday becomes the day before or the previous day, next week becomes the following week, and last month becomes the previous month.

Question 3

How do I report yes/no questions?

Accepted Answer

Yes/no questions use "if" or "whether" and change to statement word order. For example: "Do you like coffee?" becomes "She asked if I liked coffee". The auxiliary "do" disappears and the verb shifts to past tense.

Question 4

How do I report commands and requests?

Accepted Answer

Commands and requests use "to + infinitive". Positive commands: "Study hard" becomes "She told me to study hard". Negative commands: "Don't be late" becomes "He told me not to be late". Common reporting verbs are tell, ask, order, advise, and remind.

Question 5

What happens to place expressions in reported speech?

Accepted Answer

Place expressions change to show distance: here becomes there, this becomes that, these becomes those. For example: "I'll meet you here" becomes "She said she would meet me there".

Reported Speech Mixed Intermediate Exercises