Form
“Direct Speech” → Reported Speech
Present Simple → Past Simple
“I like chocolate.” → He said he liked chocolate.
Present Continuous → Past Continuous
“She is living in London.” → He said she was living in London.
Meanings
Reporting What Someone Said
When we change direct speech to reported (or indirect) speech, three main things usually change:
- Verb Tenses: We usually move the verb tense one step back into the past (this is called “backshift”).
- Pronouns: We change pronouns to reflect the new speaker’s perspective (e.g., “I” becomes “he” or “she”).
- Time and Place Words: Words about time and place also often change (e.g., “now” becomes “then”).