Reported Speech – Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards summarising the essential terms and rules for using reported speech, including statements, questions, requests, orders, tense changes, and time expressions.

Reported Speech

A way of expressing what someone else has said without quoting their exact words (indirect speech).

Direct Speech

The exact words spoken, shown with quotation marks, e.g., “I like ice cream.”

Reporting Verb

A verb such as “say,” “tell,” “ask,” or “warn” used to introduce reported speech.

Backshift (Tense Change)

The usual shift of a verb one step into the past when the reporting verb is in the past tense (e.g., present simple → past simple).

Person Change

Adjusting pronouns to match the new speaker and listener (e.g., ‘I’ becomes ‘she’).

Time Expression Change

Adapting words that indicate time when reporting, such as ‘today’ → ‘that day’ or ‘now’ → ‘then.’

General Fact Exception

A rule allowing the tense to remain present if the reported information is still universally true (e.g., ‘The sky is blue’).

Modal Shift

Changing modals in reported speech (e.g., ‘will’ → ‘would,’ ‘can’ → ‘could,’ ‘shall’ → ‘would’).

Unchanged Modals

Modals that normally stay the same when reported: would, could, should, might (and sometimes must).

Reported Statement

A sentence that relays someone’s statement, usually with tense backshift (e.g., She said she liked ice cream).

Reported Question (Wh-)

A reported question beginning with a question word (‘where,’ ‘what,’ etc.) and followed by normal statement word order (e.g., She asked where I lived).

Reported Question (Yes/No)

A question reported with ‘if’ (or ‘whether’) plus statement word order (e.g., He asked if I loved him).

Ask + infinitive

Structure used to report polite requests: ‘ask + object + to + base verb’ (e.g., She asked me to close the window).

Tell + infinitive

Structure used to report orders: ‘tell + object + to + base verb’ (e.g., He told me to sit down).

Negative Request / Order

Reported with ‘not + infinitive’ (e.g., She asked us not to be late).

If / Whether

Conjunctions introducing reported yes/no questions (e.g., She asked if I had been to Mexico).

Back-shift Table

A reference list showing how each tense or modal in direct speech changes in reported speech (e.g., present continuous → past continuous).

Indirect Question Word Order

Statement order used after the question word in reported questions (subject + verb), with no auxiliary ‘do.’

Time-Shift Table

A guide showing possible conversions of time expressions (e.g., ‘tomorrow’ → ‘the next day’).