
If you put a command into Reported speech there are some steps which are the same like instatements: (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. |
If you put a question into Reported speech there are some steps which are the same like instatements: (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:
Question without question words (yes/no questions):
Peter: "
Question with question words:
Peter: "
1) If the sentence starts
in the present, there is no backshift of tenses in Reported speech.2) If the sentence starts
in the past, there is often backshift of tenses in Reported speech. (see: Note)| Backshift of tenses | |
|---|---|
| from | to |
| Simple Present | Simple Past |
| Simple Past | Past Perfect |
| Present Perfect | |
| Past Perfect | |
| will | would |
| Progressive forms | |
| 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: "I 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." (could, might, should, ought to) |
Peter said that he would
work in the garden. (could, might, should, ought to) |
| Progressive forms | |
| 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: "I 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."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 |
Note:
In some cases the backshift of tenses is not necessary, e.g. when statements are still true.
John: "My brother is at Leipzig university."
John said that his brother was at Leipzig university.
or
Mandy: "The sun rises in the East."
Mandy said that the sun rose in the East.
