Theorie:
Reported Speech
Reported speech is used to tell somebody what another person says or said. There are various different reporting verbs, e.g. say, tell, mention, point out, argue, complain, whisper, shout, announce, ...
In case the reporting verb is in PRESENT TENSE, only the person of the reported speech changes. However, if the sentence starts with a reporting verb in PAST TENSE the person as well as the tense of the reported speech need to be changed. Have a look at the following examples:
Beispiel:
PRESENT TENSE:
Direct Speech: Mary tells me, "I am working in a restaurant."
Reported Speech: Mary tells me that she is working in a restaurant.
PAST TENSE:
Direct Speech: Mary told me, "I am working in a restaurant."
Reported Speech: Mary told me that she was working in a restaurant.
Explanation: Not only the PERSON has changed: I has turned into she, but also the TENSE: Present Progressive (am/is/are working) has turned into Past Progressive (was/were working).
The tenses are changed as follows:
Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
Present Tense | Past Tense |
Present Progressive | Past Progressive |
Past Tense | Past Perfect |
Past Progressive | Past Perfect Progressive |
Present Perfect | Past Perfect |
Past Perfect | Past Perfect |
Present Perfect Progressive | Past Perfect Progressive |
Future | Conditional I |
Conditional I | Conditional II |
Similarly, the time expressions need to be changed:
Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
now | at that time / then |
today | that day |
yesterday | the day before |
last night / week / month | the night / week / month before |
tomorrow | the next day / the following day |
REPORTED QUESTIONS:
Usually reported questions are introduced with the verb "ask" followed by
if / whether in yes/no questions or
a question word in extended questions.
(e.g. what, when, where, why, who, how)
Apart from that, reported questions also require a change of pronouns, tenses (backshift) and time expressions (e.g. yesterday), similar to the reported speech / statements.