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Ch 7

Reported Speech

Full backshift, reporting verbs, mixed structures.

Statements · Questions · Requests
B2 · FCE Cambridge

What changes in reported speech

Tenses, pronouns and time expressions all shift
S
Reported Statements
say/told + (that) + backshift clause
Q
Reported Questions
asked + wh-/if + subject + verb (statement order)
R
Reported Requests
asked + object + to / not to + infinitive

Tense backshift — the key rule

When the reporting verb is past, tenses shift back
Present simple → Past simple · Will → Would · Must → Had to
Present perfect → Past perfect · Past simple → Past perfect

Use said without an object. Use told with an object: She told me that…

He said (that) he enjoyed watching TV.
said + that + clause
She told me she had seen them.
told + object (backshift)
They said they would be late.
will → would
Watch out: Never say 'He told that…' — 'tell' always needs an object.

Reported Questions

No inversion — statement word order
Wh- questions: asked + wh-word + subject + verb
Yes/No questions: asked + if / whether + subject + verb

Reported questions use statement word order — no 'do/did', no inversion.

She asked what time it was.
What time is it? → no inversion
He asked me if I had seen his keys.
Yes/No → if/whether
They asked where I was going.
Where are you going? → shift
Watch out: 'She asked where was he?' is wrong — no inversion in reported questions.

Reported Requests

Use asked + object + to + infinitive
Positive: asked + object + to + infinitive
Negative: asked + object + NOT + to + infinitive
She asked us to wait a moment.
Positive request
He asked her not to tell anyone.
Negative: not + to
They asked me to help them.
Standard polite request

Pronoun & time expression changes

Pronouns shift
I → he / she
we → they
my → his / her
you → I / he / she
Time expressions shift
now → then
today → that day
tomorrow → the next day
yesterday → the day before

Common mistakes — FCE Traps

She told that she was tired
→
She said that she was tired
'Tell' needs an object
He asked where was she going
→
He asked where she was going
No inversion in reported questions
She asked me wait
→
She asked me to wait
Requests need 'to + infinitive'
She asked if did I want coffee
→
She asked if I wanted coffee
No auxiliary inversion
They asked us don't make noise
→
They asked us not to make noise
Negative: not + to + infinitive

Summary

Reported statements
said / told + (that) + clause (backshift)
He said he was tired.
Wh- questions
asked + wh- + subject + verb
She asked where I lived.
Yes/No questions
asked + if/whether + subject + verb
He asked if I was ready.
Requests (+)
asked + object + to + infinitive
She asked me to wait.
Requests (−)
asked + object + not + to + infinitive
She asked us not to go.
Key changes
tenses backshift · pronouns change · time shifts
now→then, tomorrow→next day
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