Changes in Time and Place in Reported Speech

Time and place references often have to change in reported speech:

• Now –> Then

For example:

Direct speech: “The children are playing outside now.”

Reported speech: He said that the children were playing outside then.

• Today –> That day

For example:

Direct speech: “I’ve got a piano lesson today.”

Reported speech: She said that she had got a piano lesson that day.

• Here –> There

For example:

Direct speech: “Put the box here.”

Reported speech: He told us to put the box there.

• This –> That

For example:

Direct speech: “I shall be very busy this week.”

Reported speech: She said she would be very busy that week.

• Tomorrow –> The following day/ The next day/ The day after

For example:

Direct speech: “I will leave for New York tomorrow.”

Reported speech: She said that she would leave for New York the next day.

• Next week –> The following week/ The next week/ The week after

For example:

Direct speech: “I have an appointment next week.”

Reported speech: She said that she had an appointment the following week.

• Yesterday –> The previous day/ The day before

For example:

Direct speech: “Our English teacher quizzed us yesterday.”

Reported speech: They said their English teacher had quizzed them the day before.

• Last week –> The previous week/ The week before

For example:

Direct speech: “We had an awful earthquake last week.”

Reported speech: They told us that he had had an awful earthquake the previous week.

• Ago –> Previously/ Before

For example:

Direct speech: “The letter came a few days ago.”

Reported speech: He said the letter had come a few days before.

• Tonight –> That night

For example:

Direct speech: “I’m going for a beer with Karl tonight.”

Reported speech: He said that he was going for a beer with Karl that night.

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Last Updated on January 30, 2023