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Reported speech - Coggle Diagram
Reported speech
Backshifting
Going one step back in time
Optional to backshift
permanent situations
still existing
relevant situations
When we never backshift
when the reporting verb is in any of the present tenses
Turning direct speech into indirect
Today > That day
Yesterday > The day before
Tomorrow > The following day
Now > then
Ago > Before
1st person > 3rd person
2nd person > 1st or 3rd person
Present simple > Past simple
Present continuous > Past continuous
Present perfect > Past perfect
Past simple > Past perfect
Am going to > was going to
Tenses
Modal verbs
Can > Could
Will > Would
Shall > Should
May > Might
Must > Must, had to
Comand and advice
We use the infinitive form
The general told the troops to advance. (command:'Advance!')
The guard warned us not to enter the area.(Advice: 'You must not enter the area.')
Yes-no alternative questions
Intorduced by 'wether' or 'if'
She asked if I was Scottish.
The waiter asked wether we wanted a table near the window.
Wh - questions
wh- clauses - statement word order
'How do you feel?'
He asked me how I felt.
Reporting verbs
Apologise
Apologise + (to + someone) + for + verb-ing
They apologised to us for being late.
Agree
Agree + to + infinitive
We agreed to meet the following day
Direct
It repeats the exact words the person used
Indirect
The original speaker's words are changed
We use 'reported speech' when we want to tell someone what we or someone said