Report statements, questions, commands, and requests with changed pronouns, time words, and tense backshift.
'I'm tired,' she said.
│
│ move the message into the reporter's scene
▼
She said she was tired.
Reset the scene dials:
WHO I / you / we ──► the people in the report
I ──► she
TIME/PLACE here / now / yesterday ──► reporter's time/place words
there / then / the day before
TENSE if the report is later, step one tense back
am ──► was will ──► would met ──► had met
Use a report frame:
statement She said she was tired.
question He asked where I lived. (normal word order)
command She asked me to wait there. (person + to + verb)
If the report is still current/true, no backshift is needed:
She says she works in sales.
Report the meaning from your current scene: adjust people, time/place words, and usually move the tense one step back when the report is later.
'I'm tired,' she said.
Direct speech quotes the original words.
She said she was tired.
A simple statement reported with backshift.
Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.
He told me he couldn't come.
Tell + object reports a negative statement.
Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.
Anna said she lived there.
Pronouns, place words, and tense all move to the new viewpoint.
Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.
She said she would call me the next day.
Future meaning is commonly reported with would.
Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.
He said he was waiting.
Present continuous usually backshifts to past continuous.
Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.
She said she had finished.
Present perfect commonly backshifts to past perfect.
Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.
They said they had met Tom the day before.
Past simple often backshifts to past perfect in reported speech.
Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.
He said he would help.
Will commonly backshifts to would.
Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.
She asked if I had seen Alex.
A yes/no question is reported with if or whether.
Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.
He asked where I lived.
A wh-question keeps the question word but loses direct question order.
Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.
They asked whether we were coming.
Whether is a slightly more formal alternative to if.
Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.
She asked what time the meeting started.
Reported questions use statement order even with longer question phrases.
Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.
She asked me to wait there.
Requests are commonly reported with asked + person + to-infinitive.
Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.
He told us not to touch it.
Negative commands use not to before the verb.
Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.
Dad told me to call him later.
A common everyday command reported with tell.
Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.
She says she works in sales.
Backshift is not necessary with a present reporting verb.
Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.
He said the train leaves at six.
Backshift can be avoided for information presented as still true.
Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.
He asked where did I live.
Reported questions do not use direct question word order.
He asked where I lived.
The corrected version uses statement order.
Lê a frase por blocos de sentido, não palavra a palavra.
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