Sentence structure: Reported speech
When we pass on someone's words in our own sentence (reported speech), the quotation marks go, and the pronouns and often the tense change.
Bring the pieces togetherIn this chapter
say or tell?
say + words: She said (that) she was tired. tell + person + words: She told me (that) she was tired. tell needs the listener; “said me” is wrong.
Patterns
Statement: Ali said that he was tired. · Yes/no question: She asked if I liked pizza. · Wh- question: He asked where I lived. · Command, request: The teacher told us to sit down.
The tense moves one step back
am / is → was, are → were, present simple → past simple, will → would, can → could, past simple / present perfect → past perfect. If the words are still true, the tense can stay: She said she likes cats.
Direct → reported
Example: Ali said, “I am tired.”
Example: Ali said that he was tired.
Reporting questions and commands
Normal word order, not question order: where I lived (not “where did I live”).
Example: She asked me where I lived.
Example: He asked if I liked pizza.
Tip
A reported question has no question mark and no do / does / did: She asked where I lived. (“She asked where did I live?” is wrong.)
Position 1 of 8 chapters at B2.