When we repot what someone said, we use verb like said, told and mentioned. That can be left out. e.g.
She said (that) the hotel was full.
He mentioned (that) he had been there before.
After told, we need to use a noun or pronoun (me, him, etc.) e.g.
He told me (that) he was going to Australia.
If the reporting verb is in the past, we usually shift the verb in the reported statement back ones tense. e.g.
The flight is delayed.
She said (that) the flight was delayed.
We´re goingto shut down the factory.
They said they were going to shut down the factory.
I’ve lost my wallet.
He told me he had lost his wallet.
I hated school as child.
He said she had hated school as a child.
Will changes to would and can to could. E.g.
I´ll be back by 11.
He said (that) he would be back by 11.
You can eat in the staff restaurant.
They told us we could eat in the staff restaurant.
The modals would, should, ought to, could and might do not change. Have (got) to (and usually must) change to had to. e.g.
She said she might go to the conference.
He told me he had to work late.
If the information we report has not happened yet or is always true, we often do not change the tense of the verb. e.g.
I’m going to Scotland this summer.
He said he’s going (or he was going) to Scotland this summer.
We do shift work.
He said they do (or did) shift work.
After suggested and proposed we can use the following structures. E.g.
She suggested (that) I should talk to the finance director.
She suggested (that) talk to the finance director.
Note the following changes in time and place references:
Yesterday the day before/the previous day
Tomorrow the next/ following day
Last year the previous year/the year before
Next year the next following year
Here here/ there
This that
e.g.
Last year was a good year.
He said that the previous year had been a good year.
5.2 Reported questions
Asked is the most commonly used verb in reported questions. It is often followed by a noun or pronoun. Note that in reported questions we do not use questions grammar: do/did, etc. are not used and word over is normal subject + verb.
Wh- questions e.g.
When is the meeting?
He asked (me) when the meeting was. (not when was the meeting)
Where do you work?
Yes/no questions e.g.
Do you have any seats available.
He asked me if/whether we had any seat available.
Is it possible to change ?
She asked me if/whether it was possible to change.
Will they take on any more staff?
The finance manager asked if/whether they would take on any more staff.
Note these structures are also used after phrases like: do you know…, can you tell me…. And wondered (see also section 15.1) e.g.
Do you know what time the next train leaves?
She wondered if they would take on more staff.
5.3 Reported requests and commands
We can also report the meaning of a command, a request, advice, etc., me/her, etc., (not) to… e.g.
I told her not to park in that space. (Don’t park…)
He asked me to give him a lift. (Could you….)
She advised me to take an earlier train. (you ought to…)
Note also how this structure is used with want. e.g.