Now that you know some of the reported speech rules about backshift, let’s learn some exceptions.
There are two situations in which we do NOT need to change the verb tense.
For example, if someone says “I have three children” (direct speech) then we would say “He said he has three children” because the situation continues to be true.
If I tell you “I live in the United States” (direct speech) then you could tell someone else “She said she lives in the United States” (that’s reported speech) because it is still true.
When the situation is still true, then we don’t need to backshift the verb.
He said he HAS three children
But when the situation is NOT still true, then we DO need to backshift the verb.
Imagine your friend says, “I have a headache.”
We also don’t need to backshift to the verb when somebody said something about the future, and the event is still in the future.
Here’s an example:
Let’s look at a different situation:
Quick review:
Those were the rules for reported statements, just regular sentences.
What about reported speech for questions, requests, and orders?
For reported requests, we use “asked (someone) to do something”:
For reported orders, we use “told (someone) to do something:”
The main verb stays in the infinitive with “to”:
For yes/no questions, we use “asked if” and “wanted to know if” in reported speech.
The main verb changes and back shifts according to the rules and exceptions we learned earlier.
Notice that we don’t use do/does/did in the reported question:
For other questions that are not yes/no questions, we use asked/wanted to know (without “if”):
Again, notice that we don’t use do/does/did in reported questions:
Also, in questions with the verb “to be,” the word order changes in the reported question:
Learn more about reported speech:
If you want to take your English grammar to the next level, then my Advanced English Grammar Course is for you! It will help you master the details of the English language, with clear explanations of essential grammar topics, and lots of practice. I hope to see you inside!
I’ve got one last little exercise for you, and that is to write sentences using reported speech. Think about a conversation you’ve had in the past, and write about it – let’s see you put this into practice right away.
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Shayna Oliveira is the founder of Espresso English, where you can improve your English fast - even if you don’t have much time to study. Millions of students are learning English from her clear, friendly, and practical lessons! Shayna is a CELTA-certified teacher with 10+ years of experience helping English learners become more fluent in her English courses.
Direct speech, changing the tense (backshift), no change of tenses, question sentences, demands/requests, expressions with who/what/how + infinitive, typical changes of time and place.
In English grammar, we use reported speech to say what another person has said. We can use their exact words with quotation marks , this is known as direct speech , or we can use indirect speech . In indirect speech , we change the tense and pronouns to show that some time has passed. Indirect speech is often introduced by a reporting verb or phrase such as ones below.
Learn the rules for writing indirect speech in English with Lingolia’s simple explanation. In the exercises, you can test your grammar skills.
Mandy is sitting in the café where James works. He tells her, “I work in this café almost every day. But yesterday I saw a famous TV presenter here for the first time. She was eating an ice-cream at the table where you are sitting now.” |
A week later, Mandy is speaking to a friend on the phone, “I saw James at the café last week. He said that .” |
When turning direct speech into indirect speech, we need to pay attention to the following points:
If the introductory clause is in the simple past (e.g. He said ), the tense has to be set back by one degree (see the table). The term for this in English is backshift .
direct speech | indirect speech |
---|---|
simple present | simple past |
present progressive | past progressive |
simple past | past perfect simple |
present perfect simple | |
past perfect simple | |
past progressive | past perfect progressive |
present perfect progressive | |
past perfect progressive | |
future (going to) | was / were going to |
future (will) | conditional (would) |
conditional (would) |
The verbs could, should, would, might, must, needn’t, ought to, used to normally do not change.
If the introductory clause is in the simple present , however (e.g. He says ), then the tense remains unchanged, because the introductory clause already indicates that the statement is being immediately repeated (and not at a later point in time).
In some cases, however, we have to change the verb form.
When turning questions into indirect speech, we have to pay attention to the following points:
We don’t just use indirect questions to report what another person has asked. We also use them to ask questions in a very polite manner.
When turning demands and requests into indirect speech, we only need to change the pronouns and the time and place information. We don’t have to pay attention to the tenses – we simply use an infinitive .
If it is a negative demand, then in indirect speech we use not + infinitive .
To express what someone should or can do in reported speech, we leave out the subject and the modal verb and instead we use the construction who/what/where/how + infinitive.
direct speech | indirect speech |
---|---|
today | that day |
now | then at that moment/time |
yesterday | the day before |
… days ago | … days before |
last week | the week before |
next year | the following year |
tomorrow | the next day the following day |
here | there |
this | that |
these | those |
The words say and tell are not interchangeable. say = say something tell = say something to someone
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There are times when someone tells you something and you’ll have to report what they said to someone else.
How can you do this in English?
You’ll need to know how to use what's called reported speech in English and this is what you’ll learn in this blog post.
Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is a way of retelling what someone else has said without repeating their exact words.
For example, let’s say you have a friend called Jon and one called Mary. Mary has organised a house party and has invited you and Jon.
Jon, however, is not feeling well. He says to you, “Sorry but I cannot come to the party. I spent all day working outside under the rain and I feel ill today.”
A few days after the party, you meet Sarah. She’s another one of your friends and she was at the party too, but she arrived late – a moment before you left. You only had time to say hello to each other.
She asks you, “I saw you at the party but I didn’t see Jon. Where was he?”
When Sarah asks you, “Where was Jon?” you can say,
“Jon said, ‘Sorry but I cannot come to the party. I spent all day working outside under the rain and I feel ill today’.”
However, it would be more natural to use indirect speech in this case. So you would say, “Jon said he couldn’t come to the party. He had spent all day working outside under the rain and he felt ill that day .”
Did you notice how the sentence changes in reported speech?
Here’s what happened:
Let’s take a closer look at how we form reported speech.
To form reported speech, you might have to make a few changes to the original sentence that was spoken (or written).
You may have to change pronouns, verb tenses, place and time expressions and, in the case of questions, the word order.
There are certain patterns to learn for reporting promises, agreements, orders, offers, requests, advice and suggestions.
Let’s have a look at all these cases one by one.
In general, when we use reported speech, the present tenses become past tenses.
We do this because we are often reporting someone else’s words at a different time (Jon’s words were spoken 3 days before you reported them to Sarah).
Here’s an example:
Jenny (on Saturday evening) says, “I don't like this place. I want to go home now.”(present tenses)
Matt (on Sunday morning) talks to James and says, “Jenny said that she didn't like the place, and she wanted to go home. (past tenses)
So this is how different verb tenses change:
DIRECT: I need money.
INDIRECT: She said she needed money.
DIRECT: My French is improving.
INDIRECT: He said his French was improving.
DIRECT: This has been an amazing holiday.
INDIRECT: She told me that it had been an amazing holiday.
What if there is a past simple form of the verb in direct speech? Well, in this case, it can stay the same in reported speech or you can change it to past perfect .
DIRECT: I didn’t go to work.
INDIRECT: Mary said that she didn’t go to work / Mary said that she hadn’t gone to work
DIRECT: I arrived late because I had missed the bus.
INDIRECT: He said he arrived (or had arrived) late because he had missed the bus.
Modal verbs like “can,” “may,” and “will” also change in reported speech.
DIRECT: The exam will be difficult.
INDIRECT: They said that the exam would be difficult.
DIRECT: I can’t be there.
INDIRECT: He told me he couldn’t be there.
DIRECT: We may go there another time.
INDIRECT: They said they might go there another time.
However, past modal verbs don’t change (would, must, could, should, etc.) don’t change in reported speech.
DIRECT: It would be nice if we could go to Paris.
INDIRECT: He said it would be nice if we could go to Paris.
Here are some other examples:
“I am going to the store,” said John. | John said that he was going to the store. |
“I love pizza,” said Jane. | Jane said that she loved pizza. |
“I will finish the project today,” said Mary. | Mary said that she would finish the project that day. |
“I can't come to the party,” said Tom. | Tom said that he couldn't come to the party. |
“I have a headache,” said Sarah. | Sarah said that she had a headache. |
“I saw a movie last night,” said Peter. | Peter said that he had seen a movie the previous night. |
“I want to learn Spanish,” said Emily. | Emily said that she wanted to learn Spanish. |
“I have been working on this project for a week,” said Sam. | Sam said that he had been working on the project for a week. |
“I don't like this food,” said Mark. | Mark said that he didn't like that food. |
“I am not feeling well,” said Alice. | Alice said that she was not feeling well. |
So, in summary,
You make these verb tense shifts when you report the original words at a different time from when they were spoken. However, it is often also possible to keep the original speaker’s tenses when the situation is still the same.
For example,
1. DIRECT: I am feeling sick.
INDIRECT: She said she is feeling sick.
2. DIRECT: We have to leave now.
INDIRECT: They said they have to leave now.
3. DIRECT: I will call you later.
INDIRECT: He said he will call me later.
4. DIRECT: She is not coming to the party.
INDIRECT: He said she is not coming to the party.
5. DIRECT: They are working on a new project.
INDIRECT: She said they are working on a new project.
What about conditional sentences? How do they change in reported speech?
Sentences with “if” and “would” are usually unchanged.
DIRECT: It would be best if we went there early.
INDIRECT: He said it would be best if they went there early.
But conditional sentences used to describe unreal situations (e.g. second conditional or third conditional sentences) can change like this:
DIRECT: If I had more money I would buy a new car.
INDIRECT: She said if she had had more money, she would have bought a new car OR She said if she had more money, she would buy a new car.
In reported speech, because you’re reporting someone else’s words, there’s a change of speaker so this may mean a change of pronoun.
An example:
Jenny says, “I don't like this place. I want to go home now.”
Matt says, “Jenny said that she didn't like the place, and she wanted to go home.”
In this example, Jenny says “I” to refer to herself but Matt, talking about what Jenny said, uses “she”.
So the sentence in reported speech becomes:
Some other examples:
1 . DIRECT: I have been studying for hours.
INDIRECT: He said he had been studying for hours.
2. DIRECT: I don’t like that movie.
INDIRECT: She said she didn’t like that movie.
3. DIRECT: He doesn't like coffee.
INDIRECT: She said he doesn't like coffee.
4. DIRECT: We have a new car.
INDIRECT: They told me they had a new car.
5. DIRECT: We are going on vacation next week.
INDIRECT: They said they are going on vacation next week.
When you’re reporting someone’s words, there is often a change of place and time. This may mean that you will need to change or remove words that are used to refer to places and time like “here,” “this,” “now,” “today,” “next,” “last,” “yesterday,” “tomorrow,” and so on.
Check the differences in the following sentences:
DIRECT: I'll be back next month.
INDIRECT: She said she would be back the next month , but I never saw her again.
DIRECT: Emma got her degree last Tuesday.
INDIRECT: He said Emma had got her degree the Tuesday before.
DIRECT: I had an argument with my mother-in-law yesterday .
INDIRECT: He said he’d had an argument with his mother-in-law the day before .
DIRECT: We're going to have an amazing party tomorrow.
INDIRECT: They said they were going to have an amazing party the next day.
DIRECT: Meet me here at 10 am.
INDIRECT: He told me to meet him there at 10 am.
DIRECT: This restaurant is really good.
INDIRECT: She said that the restaurant was really good.
DIRECT: I'm going to the gym now.
INDIRECT: He said he was going to the gym at that time.
DIRECT: Today is my birthday.
INDIRECT: She told me that it was her birthday that day .
DIRECT: I'm leaving for Europe next week.
INDIRECT: She said she was leaving for Europe the following week.
What if you have to report a question? For example, how would you report the following questions?
In reported questions, the subject normally comes before the verb and auxiliary “do” is not used.
So, here is what happens when you're reporting a question:
DIRECT: Where’s Mark?
INDIRECT: I asked where Mark was.
DIRECT: When are you going to visit your grandmother?
INDIRECT: He wanted to know when I was going to visit my grandmother.
DIRECT: What do I need to buy for the celebration?
INDIRECT: She asked what she needed to buy for the celebration.
DIRECT: Where are your best friend and his wife staying?
INDIRECT: I asked where his best friend and his wife were staying.
DIRECT: Do you like coffee?
INDIRECT: I asked if she liked coffee.
DIRECT: Can you sing?
INDIRECT: She asked me if I could sing.
DIRECT: Who’s your best friend?
INDIRECT: They asked me who my best friend was.
DIRECT: What time do you usually wake up?
INDIRECT: She asked me what time I usually wake up.
DIRECT: What would you do if you won the lottery?
INDIRECT: He asked me what I would do if I won the lottery.
DIRECT: Do you ever read nonfiction books?
INDIRECT: She asked me if I ever read nonfiction books.
You might have noticed that question marks are not used in reported questions and you don’t use “say” or “tell” either.
When you’re reporting these, you can use the following verbs + an infinitive:
Here are some examples:
DIRECT SPEECH: I’ll always love you.
PROMISE IN INDIRECT SPEECH: She promised to love me.
DIRECT SPEECH: OK, let’s go to the pub.
INDIRECT SPEECH: He agreed to come to the pub with me.
DIRECT SPEECH: Sit down!
INDIRECT SPEECH: They told me to sit down OR they ordered me to sit down.
DIRECT SPEECH: I can go to the post office for you.
INDIRECT SPEECH: She offered to go to the post office.
DIRECT SPEECH: Could I please have the documentation by tomorrow evening?
INDIRECT SPEECH: She requested to have the documentation by the following evening.
DIRECT SPEECH: You should think twice before giving him your phone number.
INDIRECT SPEECH: She advised me to think twice before giving him my phone number.
All right! I hope you have a much clearer idea about what reported speech is and how it’s used.
And the good news is that both direct and indirect speech structures are commonly used in stories, so why not try the StoryLearning method ?
You'll notice this grammatical pattern repeatedly in the context of short stories in English.
Not only will this help you acquire it naturally, but you will also have a fun learning experience by immersing yourself in an interesting and inspiring narrative.
Have a wonderful time learning through books in English !
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Daisy has just had an interview for a summer job.
As you watch the video, look at the examples of reported speech. They are in red in the subtitles. Then read the conversation below to learn more. Finally, do the grammar exercises to check you understand, and can use, reported speech correctly.
Sophie: Mmm, it’s so nice to be chilling out at home after all that running around.
Ollie: Oh, yeah, travelling to glamorous places for a living must be such a drag!
Ollie: Mum, you can be so childish sometimes. Hey, I wonder how Daisy’s getting on in her job interview.
Sophie: Oh, yes, she said she was having it at four o’clock, so it’ll have finished by now. That’ll be her ... yes. Hi, love. How did it go?
Daisy: Well, good I think, but I don’t really know. They said they’d phone later and let me know.
Sophie: What kind of thing did they ask you?
Daisy: They asked if I had any experience with people, so I told them about helping at the school fair and visiting old people at the home, that sort of stuff. But I think they meant work experience.
Sophie: I’m sure what you said was impressive. They can’t expect you to have had much work experience at your age.
Daisy: And then they asked me what acting I had done, so I told them that I’d had a main part in the school play, and I showed them a bit of the video, so that was cool.
Sophie: Great!
Daisy: Oh, and they also asked if I spoke any foreign languages.
Sophie: Languages?
Daisy: Yeah, because I might have to talk to tourists, you know.
Sophie: Oh, right, of course.
Daisy: So that was it really. They showed me the costume I’ll be wearing if I get the job. Sending it over ...
Ollie: Hey, sis, I heard that Brad Pitt started out as a giant chicken too! This could be your big break!
Daisy: Ha, ha, very funny.
Sophie: Take no notice, darling. I’m sure you’ll be a marvellous chicken.
We use reported speech when we want to tell someone what someone said. We usually use a reporting verb (e.g. say, tell, ask, etc.) and then change the tense of what was actually said in direct speech.
So, direct speech is what someone actually says? Like 'I want to know about reported speech'?
Yes, and you report it with a reporting verb.
He said he wanted to know about reported speech.
I said, I want and you changed it to he wanted .
Exactly. Verbs in the present simple change to the past simple; the present continuous changes to the past continuous; the present perfect changes to the past perfect; can changes to could ; will changes to would ; etc.
She said she was having the interview at four o’clock. (Direct speech: ' I’m having the interview at four o’clock.') They said they’d phone later and let me know. (Direct speech: ' We’ll phone later and let you know.')
OK, in that last example, you changed you to me too.
Yes, apart from changing the tense of the verb, you also have to think about changing other things, like pronouns and adverbs of time and place.
'We went yesterday.' > She said they had been the day before. 'I’ll come tomorrow.' > He said he’d come the next day.
I see, but what if you’re reporting something on the same day, like 'We went yesterday'?
Well, then you would leave the time reference as 'yesterday'. You have to use your common sense. For example, if someone is saying something which is true now or always, you wouldn’t change the tense.
'Dogs can’t eat chocolate.' > She said that dogs can’t eat chocolate. 'My hair grows really slowly.' > He told me that his hair grows really slowly.
What about reporting questions?
We often use ask + if/whether , then change the tenses as with statements. In reported questions we don’t use question forms after the reporting verb.
'Do you have any experience working with people?' They asked if I had any experience working with people. 'What acting have you done?' They asked me what acting I had done .
Is there anything else I need to know about reported speech?
One thing that sometimes causes problems is imperative sentences.
You mean like 'Sit down, please' or 'Don’t go!'?
Exactly. Sentences that start with a verb in direct speech need a to + infinitive in reported speech.
She told him to be good. (Direct speech: 'Be good!') He told them not to forget. (Direct speech: 'Please don’t forget.')
OK. Can I also say 'He asked me to sit down'?
Yes. You could say 'He told me to …' or 'He asked me to …' depending on how it was said.
OK, I see. Are there any more reporting verbs?
Yes, there are lots of other reporting verbs like promise , remind , warn , advise , recommend , encourage which you can choose, depending on the situation. But say , tell and ask are the most common.
Great. I understand! My teacher said reported speech was difficult.
And I told you not to worry!
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Reported speech
Indirect speech (reported speech) focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words. In indirect speech, the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command.
Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech: She said, "I am tired." = She said that she was tired.
Phrase in Direct Speech | Equivalent in Reported Speech |
---|---|
"I always coffee", she said | She said that she always coffee. |
"I a book", he explained. | He explained that he a book |
"Bill on Saturday", he said. | He said that Bill on Saturday. |
"I to Spain", he told me. | He told me that he to Spain. |
"I the light," he explained. | He explained that he the light. |
They complained, "We for hours". | They complained that they for hours. |
"We in Paris", they told me. | They told me that they in Paris. |
"I in Geneva on Monday", he said. | He said that he in Geneva on Monday. |
She said, " the car next Friday". | She said that she the car next Friday. |
You do not need to change the tense if the reporting verb is in the present, or if the original statement was about something that is still true (but this is only for things which are general facts, and even then usually we like to change the tense) , e.g.
These modal verbs do not change in reported speech: might, could, would, should, ought to :
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Reported speech
What is reported speech in English grammar? Reported speech is used to summarize what someone said without giving a direct quotation. Learn reported speech usage and find out reported speech types, examples and common mistakes.
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Explanation
Reported speech is used to summarize or tell what someone said without giving a direct quotation. When using reported speech, the speaker generally begins with a clause that tells the listener that what is being said is not a direct quote. Reported speech involves several changes to the verbs and pronouns that the original speaker used. Sometimes, reported speech expresses the future, changing will to would . Introductory clause + [conjunction] + subject + would + predicate
"I went to my brother's house." She said she had gone to her brother's house. "I didn't see Salli at the festival." Matthew said that he had not seen her at the festival. "Amy, have you ever been to a music festival?" He asked her if she had ever been to a music festival. "Classical music? I don't think I'd enjoy that." Brian told her that he didn't think he 'd enjoy that.
Common mistakes
Pronouns change from first person to third person when reporting speech.
"I went to the store." She said I went to the store.
"I went to the store." She said she went to the store.
Reported speech is used to summarize or say what someone said without giving a direct quotation. When using reported speech, the speaker generally begins with a clause that tells the listener that what is being said is not a direct quote. Reported speech involves several changes to the verbs and pronouns that the original speaker used. Sometimes, it is used to express the future in the past. The verbs are backshifted. In other words, a greater degree of past tense is used. For example: "I ate too much." -> He said he had eaten too much. Introductory clause + [conjunction] + subject + verb + predicate
"I'm Mark Worth with Channel 4 Local News." The newscaster said that he was Mark Worth. "The volunteers will educate their communities about reducing waste through recycling." He said that the volunteers would educate their communities about recycling. "Amy, have you ever been to a music festival?" Brian asked Amy if she had ever been to a music festival. "I went to my brother's house." She said she had gone to her brother's house.
Verbs change to past tense or a greater degree of past tense when reporting speech.
"I am Mark Worth." He said he is Mark Worth.
"I am Mark Worth." He said he was Mark Worth.
Additionally
Direct speech | Reported speech |
---|---|
Present simple | Past simple |
Present continuous | Past continuous |
Present perfect | Past perfect |
Past simple | Past perfect (or past simple) |
Past continuous | Past perfect continuous |
Past perfect | Past perfect |
'Will' | 'Would' |
'Can' | 'Could' |
Reported speech is used to summarize or say what someone said without giving a direct quotation. When using reported speech, the speaker generally begins with a clause that tells the listener that what is being said is not a direct quote. When reporting an order, a request, or advice, the person reporting uses the infinitive of the main verb. Introductory clause [+ 'not'] + infinitive [+ object/modifiers]
She told me not to do it. He warned us not to be late. She encouraged him to study .
When reporting an order, a request, or advice, use the infinitive of the main verb.
She told me not do it.
She told me not to do it.
Introductory clause | ['not'] | infinitive | [object/modifiers] |
---|---|---|---|
Lin asked me | not | to bother | her today. |
He said | to arrive | early. |
Reported speech is used to summarize or say what someone said without giving a direct quotation. When using reported speech, the speaker generally begins with a clause that tells the listener that what is being said is not a direct quote. Reported speech involves several changes to the verbs and pronouns that the original speaker used. When reporting a question, the question becomes a statement with subject-verb order. When reporting a yes/no question, 'whether' or 'if' is often used. When asking 'wh-' questions, the question word precedes the new statement. Introductory clause + 'whether/if' + subject + predicate Introductory clause + 'wh-' question word + subject + predicate
He asked whether you were going to come . She asked if you wanted to come with us. She asked where you were . He asked who my boss was .
Reported speech question uses subject-verb word order.
She asked where were you.
She asked where you were.
'whether/if' | subject | predicate | |
---|---|---|---|
Tim asked | whether | you | were interested in the class. |
She wanted to know | if | they | liked the chocolate cake. |
Introductory clause | 'wh-' question word | subject | predicate |
---|---|---|---|
Maggie asked | where | the party | was. |
He wanted to know | when | the lesson | would begin. |
Reported speech is used to summarize or say what someone said without giving a direct quotation. When using reported speech, the speaker generally begins with a clause that tells the listener that what is being said is not a direct quote. When reporting recent speech, the verb remains in the tense the speaker used. Introductory clause + [conjunction] + subject + predicate
He says that there is a party at the club. He says the line will be shorter soon. Rolf wants to know if we are going with him.
The verb remains in the present tense only if the reported speech was recent.
What did he say last week? He says we are going to win.
What did he say last week? He said we were going to win.
Introductory clause | [conjunction] | subject | predicate |
---|---|---|---|
Olivia says | that | she | is cooking dinner. |
They say | they | are driving here now. |
Reported speech is used to summarize or tell what someone said without giving a direct quotation. When using reported speech, the speaker generally begins with a clause that tells the listener that what is being said is not a direct quote. Reported speech involves several changes to the verbs and pronouns that the original speaker used. Sometimes, it is used to express the future by changing 'will' to 'would.' Introductory clause + [conjunction] + subject + 'would' + verb [+object] [+ modifiers]
"I'll call tomorrow." He said he would call tomorrow. "I'm going to drive to Reno on Saturday." She said she was going to drive to Reno on Saturday.
'Would' is only used to change 'will.'
He said he would going to call tomorrow.
He said he would call tomorrow.
Introductory clause | [conjunction] | subject | would | verb | [modifiers] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
He said | that | he | would | call | tomorrow. |
Reported speech is used to summarize or tell what someone said without giving a direct quotation. When using reported speech, the speaker generally begins with a clause that tells the listener that what is being said is not a direct quote. Reported speech involves several changes to the verbs and pronouns that the original speaker used. The verbs are backshifted. In other words, the verb is changed to a form farther in the past. For example: "I ate too much." -> He said he had eaten too much. Introductory clause + [conjunction] + subject + verb + [object]
"I was hungry." Rick said he had been hungry. "I've been thinking about moving." She told me she had been thinking about moving. Tina said, "I didn't take the book." Tina said that she hadn't taken the book. "They weren't very helpful." He told me that they hadn't been very helpful.
Usually, the speaker backshifts the verb and changes any pronouns when reporting what someone said.
Rick: "I was hungry." Rick said I was hungry.
Rick: "I was hungry." Rick said he had been hungry.
Introductory clause | [conjunction] | subject | verb | [object] |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tina said | that | she | hadn't taken | the book. |
Reported speech is used to summarize or tell what someone said without giving a direct quotation. When using reported speech, the speaker generally begins with a clause that tells the listener that what is being said is not a direct quote. Reported speech involves several changes to the verbs and pronouns that the original speaker used. It is possible to report speech that was delivered in passive voice. The passive verb structure may backshift to a past form, but it will remain passive. Introductory clause + [conjunction] + subject + 'be' + past participle [+ modifiers] [+ by + noun phrase]
Anna says, "I will be driven to Los Angeles tomorrow. "Anna told me that she would be driven to Los Angeles tomorrow. "The house was painted last year." He said the house had been painted the previous year . "The bridge is being built by a great team." She said that the bridge was being built by a great team."
Anna told me that I would be driven to Los Angeles tomorrow.
Anna told me that she would be driven to Los Angeles tomorrow.
Introductory clause | [conjunction] | subject | be | past participle |
---|---|---|---|---|
He said | that | the house | had been | painted. |
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The first section mostly reiterates material in the initial training section and is here as a reminder of the basics. You can skip this if you are already aware of the basic issues or have recently worked through the initial training section for this area. If that is the case, skim through what follows, and/or do the mini-test or use this menu to go to the area you need and then move on. It's up to you.
and | -questions | |||
and | ||||
At the end of each section, you can click on -top- to return to this menu, simply read on, scroll back or bookmark the page for another time.
In what follows, we are going to consider four sorts of utterances which are often reported:
On the left we have the direct speech – the words uttered. On the right we have reported or indirect speech – how the message is passed on.
On the face of it, there's nothing terribly difficult about this idea. The tense shifts back one (from, e.g., was to had been, from can to could ) . At the same time, I changes to he , we changes to they and so on. Here's a list of the changes in English.
Language item | Change |
Present simple changes to past simple | |
Past simple, present perfect and past perfect all come out as past perfect | I have been to France She said she had been to France I had been to France She said she had been to France |
Present progressive changes to past progressive | |
Future 'will' changes to 'would' | |
Future 'will be'+ ing changes to 'would be' + -ing | |
Future 'will have' + past participle changes to 'would have' + past participle | |
Other changes | |
Pronouns change as appropriate | |
Time and place expressions change as appropriate | I am going tomorrow He said he was going the next day |
Modal auxiliary verbs change to their 'past' equivalents if there is one | I must go now He said he had to go then |
A small but significant source of error in reporting in British English is that the intrusive got in, for example: I have got enough money is dropped when the tense is backshifted so we get: He said he had enough money However, when the structure is used to express either:
Deixis |
Here's a definition:
The name given to those aspects of language whose interpretation is relative to the occasion of utterance Fillmore (1966) in Harman (1989)
It's an important phenomenon in this area because the use of deixis neatly explains a lot of the so-called anomalies of indirect speech. Because meaning is dependent on the identity, point of view, time and location of the speaker / writer we are obliged (or not) to change, e.g., I to he or she, we to they , bring to come, come to go (and go to come ) , this to that, here to there, yesterday to the previous day, now to then, bring to take and so on. We make these changes because of a movement to the deictical centre. This is usually I, now and here so we make changes to allow for this. There are three types of deixis which affect the way we report what people say:
In this regard, the following changes now make more sense:
Direct speech | Indirect speech | The movement of the deictical centre |
From to to to and to (spatial personal and temporal deictical changes) | ||
From to and to (personal and temporal shifting) | ||
From to and from to (spatial and personal centre shifting) |
Once again, we find that context makes meaning .
For more, there is a guide to deixis on this site, linked below, which includes a larger image of the wheel above and explains what it all means.
Using common sense |
Of course, not all changes are always appropriate (but using the changes will usually be correct). If we are reporting something virtually simultaneously, then we often don't change the tense or time expressions. If we are reporting something in the same place, then we don't change the place expressions. Another way of putting this is to refer to the encoding time (when the statement was made) and the decoding time (when the statement was reported). If the encoding and decoding times are the same, few if any changes need to be made to time markers and tense forms. So we might get: A: I'm going there now. B: What did he say? C: He said he's going there now However, if the encoding and decoding times are sufficiently separated, we do make changes accordingly so the exchange might end as: He said he was going there then.
If an utterance remains true, we often don't change the tense so we get, e.g., I'm from South Africa = He said he's from South Africa I love the countryside = She said she loves the countryside
Try this matching exercise to make sure you have understood so far.
Did you notice the changes, particularly with time and place expressions but also with the verb come (which changed to go )?
If you have followed so far, this will be familiar:
1 | 4 | ||
2 | 5 | ||
3 | 6 |
It's clear that we have examples of direct speech and indirect speech here in sentences 1, 4, 2 and 5 but Sentence 6 is what is called a hybrid form because the first part follows the 'rules' but the second part actually changes only the pronoun, from you to I . If the sentence followed the reported speech 'rules', it should be He said I was welcome to come and asked if I would like to bring Mary which is another possibility, of course, but sounds quite formal.
Statements or declarative utterances are routinely reported using that- clauses as in, for example:
There are two things to notice even with the simplest type of reporting of direct statements.
Incidentally, the rule for ordering in direct speech is that you cannot reverse the verb and subject pronoun but you can reverse a noun or noun phrase subject and verb. We allow, therefore: "That's the bus," said John and "That's the bus," John said and "That's the bus," he said but "That's the bus,", said he is now hopelessly archaic.
Reporting closed questions with and | |
Closed questions are those which require a Yes or No response and they are usually reported with if or whether . We get, therefore, for example: Are you going to the cinema? reported as He asked her if she was going to the cinema There is a bit more to it, however.
Consider what direct speech is being reported in the following.
When you have done that, try reporting these sentences (from the point of view of later and elsewhere). Then click to reveal the comment .
You should have something like:
In reporting a direct question, you can use if or whether interchangeably but if you are reporting someone's thoughts and doubts, only whether is usually the choice.
The other important thing to make sure that learners get right is the word ordering when reporting a question. There are three issues to consider:
Many languages do not work this way and the transfer from L 1 to L T often produces errors like: *She asked were they English *She wondered should she go *They enquired whether did the train stop at Margate?
Reporting questions | |
Questions phrased using wh- words: who, what, why, when, which, where, how cannot be predicted to have a Yes-No-Maybe answer. Questions formed in this way cannot be reported with if or whether . The reporting is done by embedding the questions. This means that reporting this type of question requires a different word ordering from that used in reporting yes-no questions (see above) and that is non-intuitive. Many learners, having struggled to get the word ordering of yes-no questions right, logically transfer the rule concerning not disturbing the natural word ordering to wh-question s with resulting error. We can get, therefore: *She asked me where is the station *They enquired when are we coming *She asked what did I do for a living etc.
Embedding is often associated with polite questioning so, instead of the direct: Where is the station? we form polite embedded questions such as Can you tell me where the station is?
So it is with reported questions. Thus:
→ | ||
→ | ||
→ | ||
→ | ||
→ |
The tense chosen will often conform to the time and place of the reporting using the common-sense rules discussed above although back-shifting tenses where possible is common even when the reporting is virtually simultaneous.
The big issue for learners with this kind of reporting is the ordering of the subject and verb. Most first languages will lead learners to produce errors such as: *Can you tell me when is the film beginning? *Do you know who is the lady there? etc. And this will also carry over to reported questions so we get: *She asked me where is the zoo *They enquired what time did the train leave and so on.
Other reporting verbs such as explain, clarify, complain, mention, remember and state will produce similar errors because the structures are parallel to reported questions in English but not parallelled in many other languages. We may encounter, therefore: *She explained how did the machine work *They clarified what did they need *I remembered where was I going
There is more on the quirky nature of some reporting verbs below.
If the direct question is formed with who, which or what with the verb be as part of the predicate, it is possible to disturb the word order outlined above. For example, the following can be reported in two ways, like this:
or | ||||
or | ||||
or |
However, the word ordering with the reversal of subject and verb is always correct, so, for teaching purposes, that is the way to go. Your learners may, however, encounter this disturbance so it's as well to be prepared for it and note that it only occurs in the limited circumstances set out here.
The disturbed word order is, however, always conventional when the question involves be as a simple copula with an adjectival attribute. So, for example: Which is best? is reported as: She asked which was best not as: *She asked which best was
that and |
What are the rules for using that and what in reported speech? Report the following using that or what if possible and then reveal the commentary .
Rule 1: you can't use that in reporting questions or if -clauses. So we can have: He said (that) he was coming then / is coming now She said (that) she didn't / doesn't know her name She said (that) her name is / was Mary but not: *He asked that is her name *She said she would not go that if it rained Rule 2: Conditional sentences may be back-shifted but that may not be used in them. At all other times, that can be dropped with no loss of sense, but some loss of formality. On the dropping or not of that with bridge and non-bridge verbs, see below. Rule 3: to report open questions , we have choices. We can't use that but we can, with a change to an embedded question, use what : He asked her her name / He asked her what her name was but not, usually: ?He asked her what was her name
Tense shifting |
As we saw in part 1 of this guide, tense shifting is common in English and it is rarely wrong to do it. However:
Reporting commands and exclamations |
We saw above that question forms are reported differently from statements. How would you report these? Click here to reveal some comments .
Sentence 19 could be rendered as She exclaimed / said / remarked loudly what awful weather it was . It can't be reported without a change of grammar. Sentence 20 can be reported as She told John to stop fidgeting but ... Sentence 21 can't be reported this way. It has to be something like She growled at John to stop fidgeting Note that we have to insert the object here.
Reporting verbs |
Essentially, there are three types. Can you categorise this list into three groups? Click to reveal , as usual.
Simple reporting verbs | Verbs which show how something was said | Verbs which show the intentions of the speaker |
The simple reporting verbs in the left-hand column often require only the deixis, pronoun and tense shifts covered in this guide. So we can have, e.g.:
→ | ||
→ |
→ | ||
→ | ||
→ | ||
→ | ||
→ | ||
→ | ||
→ |
in which the verbs are arranged in relation to the strength of the statement made so, for example: "I must have the steak," she said could be reported as: She insisted on having the steak and "I'd like the steak," she said as She said she'd like the steak but "I wonder if I might have the steak," she said as She enquired whether she could have the steak This has some pedagogical utility, of course, because it gives learners a way of understanding the connotations of the verbs. However, the categories are not unarguable and people will put different verbs in different boxes. It is a rule of thumb at best.
Some reporting verbs are used to report an embedded or fronted comment clause so, for example, something like: "She is, as you well know, quite capable." may be reported as: He insisted that I knew that she was quite capable. Other comment clauses such as in: "Well, to be honest, I don't have a clue." and "As you know, I've been living here for years." may be reported using an appropriate reporting verb but maintaining the adverbial as: He explained that he honestly didn't have a clue. or as: He reminded me that he had been living there for years.
There is a difference in the way that such clauses are reported depending on the role of the disjunct adverbial.
Purely for information, there's a PDF of a list of reporting verbs in English list which considers the syntactical restraints concerned with them. The list also includes some consideration of the functions of reporting verbs and categorises them accordingly. Click to download a list of reporting verbs . Don't try to teach them all at once!
There is also a guide to the kinds of reporting verbs used in academic writing, linked below, which contains a list of over 150 verbs such as state, aver, suggest, discount, dismiss, investigate etc.
Bridge and non-bridge verbs |
The issue here is whether one can omit the word that from a reported statement. The theoretical distinction is between what are called bridge verbs and non-bridge verbs. Many simple reporting verbs verbs such as say, tell, think, know, write, claim and hear are bridge verbs and it is perfectly in order to omit the word that when they are followed by a clause so we allow both: He said that he was coming tomorrow John thinks that it's too expensive She claims that she lost the money etc. and: He said he was coming tomorrow John thinks it's too expensive She claims she lost the money Many find (that) the sentences without that are more stylistically acceptable.
However, some verbs, exemplified above with verbs like cry, sneer and shout , refer not only to what was said but to how it was said and these are often non-bridge verbs and leaving out that results in clumsiness at best. For example, many people find: She shouted she was coming She whispered the chairman was drunk He lied he was married They acknowledged coming late was rude are all clumsy or even wrong and should be expressed with that as: She shouted that she was coming She whispered that the chairman was drunk He lied that he was married They acknowledged that coming late was rude In general terms, the less common and more loaded reporting verbs require that when followed by a clause . Here are some examples of how non-bridge verbs are used when reporting:
In all those case where we choose to follow the reporting verb with a clause, the insertion of that is almost obligatory. In the last case, not including that results in: The minister conceded having long periods of unemployment made it difficult to get work in the future which forces the hearer to reconsider who has long periods of unemployment.
In academic writing simple verbs are often avoided for the sake of style or precision and less frequently used so non-bridge verbs are usually preferred. For example: Guru confirms that the results are reliable He acknowledged that the experiment was flawed The findings indicate that there is a need for ... She emphasises that findings are provisional all sound clumsy without that .
Clause length is a factor which tends to override the omission of that even with simple reporting verbs so while, for example: I said, without much optimism based on his previous track record, he would come is correct and the omission of that is acceptable, most native speakers would insert it to signal the subordinate clause as: I said, without much optimism based on his previous track record, that he would come
TELL | ASK / SUGGEST | ANSWER | KNOW | SAY | STATE |
The categories are not watertight but once a learner has decided on a speaker's intentions in terms of the function of what was said (rather than the form), it becomes a good deal simpler to select an appropriate reporting verb providing, of course, that the structural constraints which apply to many of them are understood, too. Should you wish it, that list is included in the list of reporting verbs with the colligational characteristics, available here .
Reporting verbs for question forms |
Reporting verbs for true questions form a restricted set which is straightforward to teach. Almost a complete list is: ask, enquire, want to know, wonder For example:
→ | ||
→ | ||
→ | ||
→ |
However, question forms also routinely perform other functions than asking for information and when this happens, other reporting verbs are necessary to reflect the illocutionary force of the utterance. Like this:
Requests | ||
→ | ||
→ | ||
→ | ||
Offers | ||
→ | ||
→ | ||
→ | ||
Suggestions | ||
→ | ||
→ | ||
→ | ||
→ | ||
Exclamations | ||
→ | ||
Complaints | ||
→ | ||
→ |
As with much in language, we have to look at the function, not the form, to decide on the right way to report the words.
Grammatical constraints on reporting verbs |
Colligation with reporting verbs is something of a headache for learners of English and there are numerous constraints and possibilities. Reporting verbs can be categorised by what they may be followed by and it is certainly not intuitive to understand, for example, that we can say: He confirmed that I had passed but we cannot say: *He congratulated that I passed Here are some of the common issues. For a list of reporting verbs and their grammatical constraints and possibilities, download the PDF file from the link above or at the end.
Passive uses of reporting verbs |
There are times when the source of something said or written is obscure, unknown or unimportant and others when we wish to disguise the source and in these cases a passive clause construction with the dummy it comes to the rescue. In academic texts the structure is also used to cite something so well known in a field of enquiry that it needs no sourcing. For example: It has been suggested that ... It is often questioned whether ... It has been asked whether ... It is generally reckoned that ... and so on. These constructions are not difficult to teach and are communicatively very useful ways of avoiding the need to say who said or wrote something.
Sometimes, we can use the same kind of passive construction without the dummy pronoun when the source of what has been said or written is unknown, absent or unimportant. For example: She has been told to ... I have often be accused of ... They are said to be ... The house is reputed to be ... etc.
At other times, we may wish to emphasise the source of a statement and the passive is also used in this way, of course, so we may encounter, for example: I have been accused by Mary of ... She has been asked by the boss to ... The comment has been made by the department head that ... and so on.
Modal auxiliary verbs |
Modal auxiliary verbs are frequently defective insofar as some have no tense forms at all, some have past and future forms which use a different verb altogether and some only have tense forms in certain meanings. It is a complicated area. (For more, follow some of the guides from the index of modality.)
→ | (then) or (now) | |
→ | (then) or (timeless enduring ability) or (timeless) or even (future offer or ability) | |
→ | (then) or (now / future) | |
→ | (now or in the future) (then or now) |
→ | (then or now) | |
→ | (then or now) | |
→ | (then or now) | |
→ | (a discontinued past habit) | |
→ | (current mild obligation) |
→ | (permission given in the past) | |
→ | (concerning a current future possibility) or (concerning a possibility in the past) | |
→ | (concerning a slightly less likely possibility then or now) |
→ | (present possibility) or (present or past possibility) | |
→ | (an unfulfilled duty) | |
→ | (concerning a possibility then or now) | |
→ | (past or present) or (present only) |
Teaching issues |
There is nothing very difficult about the form of reported speech changes (providing a learner is already familiar with the tense forms of English). However:
Teaching the mechanics of indirect speech is not too challenging providing the learners have a grasp of the tense forms and pronoun systems but one does need to address different forms separately or it all becomes a mass of data that bewilders learners. A sensible approach is to apply the analysis as above, focusing on reporting declarative statements, yes-no questions, open, wh- questions, exclamations, orders and so on separately before making any attempt to combine ideas.
Here's an idea for teaching indirect speech and still applying the common-sense rules.
Your name: ________________ | |||
Always true | Example: | Your sentence: | ____________________________________ |
The past | Example: | Your sentence: | ____________________________________ |
Tomorrow | Example: | Your sentence: | ____________________________________ |
Obviously, this is contrived and artificial to some extent but it is personalised and situates the language temporally and spatially. It is certainly better than meaningless sentence-transformation exercises.
Because the word order when reporting questions and using a number of the reporting verbs is a common source of error, it is worth practising separately. Fortunately, the use of back-shifting, even for virtually simultaneous reporting, is also common so there is less need to set up delayed reporting.
You can set up the task to exclude one or other type of question, of course, but that's a lot less natural.
Reporting verbs in English need careful handling and there are a number of issues:
Related guides | |
for an alternative way to look at reported or embedded questions | |
for a list of the commonest possibilities with some consideration of their colligational characteristics | |
for a guide to reporting what people said or wrote in EAP contexts | |
for a short guide devoted only to embedded questions (of which reported speech is one example) | |
for the dedicated guide to the area | |
for the index to guides to this area | |
for more on a key area |
Click here for the test .
References: Chalker, S, 1987, Current English Grammar , London: Macmillan Harman, I P, 1989, Teaching indirect speech: deixis points the way, English Language Teaching Journal, Volume 44, No 3, pp230-238, Oxford: Oxford University Press
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Reported speech is how we represent the speech of other people or what we ourselves say. There are two main types of reported speech: direct speech and indirect speech.
Click on a topic to learn more about reported speech.
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When we report something, we may need to make changes to:
direct speech | reported speech |
---|---|
She said, "I saw Mary yesterday." | She said she had seen Mary the day before. |
He said: "My mother is here." | He said that his mother was there. |
If we report something around the same time, then we probably do not need to make any changes to time words . But if we report something at a different time, we need to change time words. Look at these example sentences:
Here is a list of common time words, showing how you change them for reported speech:
direct speech | reported speech |
---|---|
now | then, at that time |
today | that day, on Sunday, yesterday |
tonight | that night, last night, on Sunday night |
tomorrow | the next day/ the following day, on Sunday, today |
yesterday | the day before/ the previous day, on Sunday |
last night | the night before/ the previous night, on Sunday night |
this week | that week, last week |
last month | the month before/ the previous month, in May |
next year | the following year, in 2014 |
two minutes ago | two minutes before |
in one hour | one hour later |
If we are in the same place when we report something, then we do not need to make any changes to place words . But if we are in a different place when we report something, then we need to change the place words. Look at these example sentences:
Here are some common place words, showing how you change them for reported speech:
direct speech | indirect speech |
---|---|
here | there, in Starbucks |
this | that |
this book | the book, that book, |
in this room | in the room, in that room, in the kitchen |
By: Author ESLBUZZ
Posted on Last updated: July 27, 2022
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Learn details of English Grammar on Direct and Indirect Speech Tense Changes .
“I want to watch a film”.
-> He said (that) he wanted to watch a film.
“Jane is sleeping .”
-> He said (that) Jane was sleeping .
Alex said, “I finished my homework.”
-> Alex said he had finished his homework.
“I was sleeping at that time.”
-> She said that she had been sleeping at that time.
“I have eaten already.”
-> She said that she had eaten already.
She said, “I will always love Tom.”
-> She said that she would always love Tom.
Tom said, “I can carry 50kg.”
-> Tom said he could carry 50kg.
“Everybody must obey the rules.”
-> She said everybody had to obey the rules.
She said, “I have to go home.”
-> She said she had to go home.
Sometimes there are no tense changes in indirect speech if:
– When the reporting verb is in the present
Eg: Martha says she is arriving around ten.
– When the reported verb is in the past, but the reported words are “always true”
Eg: Harry told me he still likes you.
– When the message is being repeated immediately after it was said
Eg: Laura said she’s too busy to come.
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Saturday 10th of October 2020
WASHINGTON — Facing mounting political pressure over the migrant influx at the southern border, President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed an executive action that will temporarily shut down asylum requests once the average number of daily encounters tops 2,500 between official ports of entry, according to a senior administration official.
“The border is not a political issue to be weaponized," Biden said in a White House speech announcing the order.
The shutdown would go into effect immediately since that threshold has already been met, a senior administration official said. The border would reopen only once that number falls to 1,500. The president’s order would come under the Immigration and Nationality Act sections 212(f) and 215(a) suspending entry of noncitizens who cross the southern border into the United States unlawfully.
Senior administration officials said Tuesday in a call with reporters that “individuals who cross the southern border unlawfully or without authorization will generally be ineligible for asylum, absent exceptionally compelling circumstances, unless they are accepted by the proclamation.”
The officials said that migrants who don’t meet the requirement of having a "credible fear" when they apply for asylum will be immediately removable, and they “anticipate that we will be removing those individuals in a matter of days, if not hours,”
The White House conveyed details of the long-awaited move to lawmakers on Monday , but confirmed details of the executive action Tuesday morning ahead of planned remarks by the president in the East Room of the White House alongside mayors from several border towns.
“It’s definitely a step in the right direction,” said Texas state Rep. Eddie Morales Jr., whose district includes Eagle Pass. “One of a number of steps that are necessary for us to be able to secure the border.”
In 2018, the Trump administration tried to enact similar border restrictions but courts blocked them. The Biden administration now expects to defend the executive action against legal challenges.
The executive action will also have some exceptions, including for unaccompanied children.
In a written statement, Donald Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavett claimed that exception would give a “green light to child traffickers and sex traffickers” while reiterating the former president’s rallying cry that “the border invasion and migrant crime will not stop until Crooked Joe Biden is deported from the White House.”
Republican lawmakers are slamming the move as too little, too late.
“(Biden) created a crisis at the border intentionally,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. “(The executive action) has more political risk than political benefit, particularly because his own base is going to reject it.”
But the White House has repeatedly argued that it was congressional Republicans who have failed to act on immigration. Earlier this year, Trump urged House GOP members to kill a bipartisan border funding bill that had been negotiated in the Senate. At the time, House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republicans said that the Senate bill didn’t go far enough and they argued that a more hard-line immigration bill in the House was preferable.
“President Biden has led a historic opening of lawful pathways for individuals to and including families, to enter the United States through a lawful process, including the CBP One mobile application to request an appointment to present at a port of entry, as well as family reunification programs in countries throughout the region and a historic parole process for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans,” a senior administration official said. “And so this measure that we are announcing today comes alongside those lawful pathways,”
The executive action comes on the heels of a historic presidential election in Mexico and just as the campaign in the U.S. ramps up. Trump has a 30-point edge with registered voters on the question of which candidate would better handle immigration and border security, including a 23-point edge among Latino voters, according to a late-March CNBC national poll.
Many immigrant advocates are furious at the president’s harsher immigration policies and argue the changes will cause chaos.
“It is a betrayal of what we were told in his campaign four years ago,” said Lindsay Toczylowski, the executive director for the California-based Immigrant Defenders Law Center. “We were told that President Biden would be restoring humanity at our border. … But what we are seeing is that history is repeating itself.”
Lee Gelernt, the deputy director of the ACLU's Immigrants’ Rights Project who argued the challenge to asylum restrictions during the Trump administration, said the advocacy group planned to sue.
“ A ban on asylum is illegal just as it was when Trump unsuccessfully tried it,” Gelernt said in a statement.
Gelernt on Tuesday said the ACLU was still working out the timing of the lawsuit and where it would be filed during an interview with NBC News' Tom Llamas.
"I'm hoping that we can convince the administration, if not the courts, that this is misguided and illegal, and maybe the administration can pull it back or mitigate it," Gelernt said.
When asked about potential lawsuits during a call with reporters on Tuesday, a senior administration official said the agency was "prepared" for any forthcoming legal battles.
“I think we are accustomed to being litigated, frankly, from both sides of the political spectrum, for just about any measure we take in this space, and that is just yet another sign that there is no lasting solution to the challenges we are facing without Congress doing its job,” the official said.
CORRECTION (June 5, 2024 10:05 a.m. ET) A previous version of this article misstated the last name of the Texas state representative who represents Eagle Pass. He is Eddie Morales Jr. not Jones Jr.
Gabe Gutierrez is a senior White House correspondent for NBC News.
Monica Alba is a White House correspondent for NBC News.
Mexico elects its first female president.
Emily Green
Eyder Peralta
Claudia Sheimbaum celebrating during her speech in Mexico City on June 3, 2024. Israel Fuguemann for NPR hide caption
MEXICO CITY — Claudia Sheinbaum, an environmental scientist and former mayor of Mexico City, was overwhelmingly elected Mexico’s first female president on Sunday, a historic milestone in a country rife with gender-based violence and misogyny.
With most of the votes counted, Mexico’s electoral agency estimates that Sheinbaum is on track to win the race with nearly 59% of the vote. Her closest rival, Xóchitl Gálvez is projected to get 28% of the vote, with the other opposition candidate, Jorge Álvarez Máynez, taking just over 10% of the vote.
In her victory speech to supporters , Sheinbaum said both rivals had conceded and had called to congratulate her on her victory. “I will become the first woman president of Mexico," she told the crowd.
The man widely seen as her political mentor, outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, posted his congratulations on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Sheinbaum has been the leading candidate to win the presidency for more than a year. In a country with one of the highest rates of murder against women in the world, Sheinbaum’s victory underscores the advances women have made in the political sphere.
Supporters of Claudia Sheinbaum, former mayor of Mexico City and presidential candidate for the Morena party, celebrate during an election night rally at Zocalo Plaza in Mexico City, Mexico, on Sunday. Israel Fuguemann for NPR hide caption
The 61-year-old climate scientist was part of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change team that would go on to share a Nobel Peace Prize with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore in 2007. Now, Sheinbaum — whose Jewish maternal grandparents immigrated from Bulgaria before the Holocaust — will hold the most powerful office in the country.
Elena Poniatowska, 92, one of Mexico's most distinguished writers, has chronicled decades of women’s history in the country. “I’ve always believed in women,” Poniatowska told NPR , days before the election. “I think it's not a dream. I think it's a battle that has been won.”
Despite the historic nature of Sheinbaum’s victory, many voters in Mexico see it less as a reflection of gender equality and more as a referendum on the last six years of López Obrador, colloquially known by his initials as AMLO.
He is one of the most divisive — and popular — figures in Mexican history: a folksy populist who has implemented social programs that have helped millions of people rise out of poverty but who critics say has undermined democratic institutions while empowering the military.
Fireworks appear in the sky while Claudia Sheimbaum celebrates her victory. Israel Fuguemann for NPR hide caption
Ignacio Morales cast his vote on Sunday for Sheinbaum because she has López Obrador’s backing, who Morales considers “perfect,” he said.
“I don’t have a lot of life left to live, but I will support him to the death,” said Morales, 77, who is retired. Morales rattled off a list of reasons: López Obrador has started “marvelous projects” like new train lines and oil refineries; he gives a monthly pension to elderly Mexicans and, most importantly, he takes care of the poor.
Under Mexico’s Constitution, presidents can only serve one six-year term.
Sheinbaum is López Obrador’s political protégée. She started her political career as his environmental minister after he was elected mayor of Mexico City in 2000. She has been unwaveringly loyal ever since, even supporting his pro-oil energy agenda despite her environmental background.
While Sheinbaum lacks López Obrador’s charisma and popular appeal, she has a reputation for being analytical, disciplined and exacting. Most importantly, she has promised to support López Obrador’s policies and popular social programs, including a universal pension benefit for seniors as well as providing cash payments to low-income residents.
A group of people cast their vote in a polling station in the state of Puebla in Izucar de Matamoros, Mexico. June 2, 2024. Israel Fuguemann for NPR hide caption
“Claudia represents the continuation of AMLO,” said Norma Bautista Herrera, who sells vegetables at a market in Mexico City. After López Obrador’s election in 2018, Bautista Herrera began receiving monthly payments of 660 pesos, roughly $38, to help her support her 11-year-old daughter. With that money, she buys household goods like soap, eggs, sugar and Clorox.
Gálvez, Sheinbaum’s nearest competitor for the presidency, is an Indigenous, pro-business tech entrepreneur who represented several establishment opposition parties. Despite her compelling life story, Gálvez could never distance herself from the corruption and disenchantment that voters associated with those parties.
Many who cast their vote for Gálvez were more motivated by her promised break from López Obrador and the electoral power of his Morena party than Gálvez’s campaign promises. In a country that saw one-party rule for 70 years until 2000, they worry about López Obrador’s moves to undermine judicial independence and his security policy that has resulted in record high homicides.
“He’s a dictator, and Sheinbaum is his puppet,” said Almarosa Anaya, standing outside a polling center in Mexico City’s upscale Roma Norte neighborhood with her two adult daughters. She said López Obrador wants to turn Mexico into a communist country, “like Venezuela and Cuba.”
A group carries the coffin of Jorge Huerta Cabrera in San Nicolas Tolentino, Mexico on June 2, 2024. He was a candidate for the Green Party and was murdered on May 31, two days before the vote. Israel Fuguemann for NPR hide caption
These elections have also been historic for another grim reason: They have been one of the most violent. In the run up to these elections, more than 30 candidates were assassinated.
In the small town of San Nicolás Tolentino in Puebla state, voting went on as normal. But in the church nearby, family and friends gathered for the funeral of Jorge Luis Huerta Cabrera.
Huerta was running for the city council as a candidate for the Green party but he was gunned down on Friday. As people voted, Huerta’s casket was carried through the town. Church bells tolled and fireworks exploded in the midday sun.
“No one knows who is next," Huerta’s father, José Huerta Moctezuma, said.
His son, he said, always told him he was born for politics. “He was hardheaded,” he said. “He did what he wanted.”
In the end, he said, it was a rival party member who shot him to death.
“We need a reform that changes the social fabric, that brings peace and justice, because it’s not fair that we are forced to live this way.”
A group of family and friends surround the coffin of Jorge Huerta Cabrera, 31, who was a candidate for councilor for the Green Party, and was murdered on May 31, two days before the vote on Sunday. Israel Fuguemann for NPR hide caption
Sheinbaum will have to tackle growing violence and a host of other pressing issues when she takes office on Oct. 1.
She has a significant mandate, with her Morena party and their two main allies winning a majority in Congress.
But she faces the largest budget deficit since the 1980s, growing power of the cartels and the perennially complicated relationship with the United States.
Sheinbaum reassured voters in her victory speech that she represented continuity and would “govern for everyone."
“Even though many Mexicans do not fully agree with our project, we will have to walk in peace and harmony to continue building a fair and more prosperous Mexico.”
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The top Senate Democrat, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the United States, spoke from the Senate floor to condemn Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and call for elections to replace him.
By Annie Karni
Reporting from Washington
Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, on Thursday delivered a pointed speech on the Senate floor excoriating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel as a major obstacle to peace in the Middle East and calling for new leadership in Israel, five months into the war.
Many Democratic lawmakers have condemned Mr. Netanyahu’s leadership and his right-wing governing coalition, and President Biden has even criticized the Israeli military’s offensive in Gaza as “over the top.” But Mr. Schumer’s speech amounted to the sharpest critique yet from a senior American elected official — effectively urging Israelis to replace Mr. Netanyahu.
“I believe in his heart, his highest priority is the security of Israel,” said Mr. Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the United States. “However, I also believe Prime Minister Netanyahu has lost his way by allowing his political survival to take precedence over the best interests of Israel.”
Mr. Schumer added: “He has been too willing to tolerate the civilian toll in Gaza, which is pushing support for Israel worldwide to historic lows. Israel cannot survive if it becomes a pariah.”
Senator chuck schumer, the majority leader, called the israeli prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, a major obstacle to peace in the middle east..
I rise to speak today about about what I believe can and should be the path forward to secure mutual peace and lasting prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians. The fourth major obstacle to peace is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. I have known Prime Minister Netanyahu for a very long time. While we have vehemently disagreed on many occasions, I will always respect his extraordinary bravery for Israel on the battlefield as a younger man. I believe in his heart he has his highest priority is, as is the security of Israel. However, I also believe Prime Minister Netanyahu has lost his way by allowing his political survival to take the precedence over the best interests of Israel. He has put himself in coalition with far right, far-right extremists like Minister Smotrich and Ben-Gvir. And as a result, he has been too willing to tolerate the civilian toll in Gaza, which is pushing support for Israel worldwide to historic lows. Israel cannot survive if it becomes a pariah. As a lifelong supporter of Israel, it has become clear to me. The Netanyahu coalition no longer fits the needs of Israel after Oct. 7. The world has changed radically since then, and the Israeli people are being stifled right now by a governing vision that is stuck in the past.
The speech was the latest reflection of the growing dissatisfaction among Democrats, particularly progressives, with Israel’s conduct of the war and its toll on Palestinian civilians, which has created a strategic and political dilemma for Mr. Biden. Republicans have tried to capitalize on that dynamic for electoral advantage, hugging Mr. Netanyahu closer as Democrats repudiate him. And on Thursday, they lashed out at Mr. Schumer for his remarks.
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Former president Donald Trump, speaking at a rambling news conference Friday in New York, vowed to appeal his conviction on all counts in his hush money trial, calling it “a scam.” On Thursday, a New York jury found Trump guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment to an adult-film actress. During Friday’s remarks, Trump renewed his attacks on the judge and prosecutor and aired other grievances about the process, making multiple false and misleading claims. He took no questions from reporters.
Here's what to know, live coverage contributors 32.
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COMMENTS
Regardless of when you're telling the story, it's fine to use recently as part of the reported speech because there's generally some assumption that you've clarified at some point when the conversation occurred. For example: Ben: I spoke to John a year ago and he said that he'd seen it recently. Even though a year ago wouldn't be considered to ...
For example: Direct speech: "I love chocolate.". Reported speech: She said she loved chocolate. Direct speech: "You should study harder.". Reported speech: He advised me to study harder. Direct speech: "She is reading a book.". Reported speech: They noticed that she was reading a book. 2. Changing Adverbs:
To change an imperative sentence into a reported indirect sentence, use to for imperative and not to for negative sentences. Never use the word that in your indirect speech. Another rule is to remove the word please. Instead, say request or say. For example: "Please don't interrupt the event," said the host.
Reported speech: indirect speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary
Direct speech: Elisabeth said, "I like coffee.". As indirect reported speech, it looks like this: Indirect speech: Elisabeth said she liked coffee. You can see that the subject ("I") has been changed to "she," to show who is being spoken about. If I'm reporting the direct speech of someone else, and this person says "I," I'd ...
Watch my reported speech video: Here's how it works: We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. ( Click here for more about using 'say' and 'tell' .) If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence: Direct speech: I like ice cream. Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.
When we use reported speech, we often change the verb tense backwards in time. This can be called "backshift.". Here are some examples in different verb tenses: "I want to go home.". She said she wanted to go home. "I 'm reading a good book.". She said she was reading a good book. "I ate pasta for dinner last night.".
Reported speech: He asked if he would see me later. In the direct speech example you can see the modal verb 'will' being used to ask a question. Notice how in reported speech the modal verb 'will' and the reporting verb 'ask' are both written in the past tense. So, 'will' becomes 'would' and 'ask' becomes 'asked'.
Introduction. In English grammar, we use reported speech to say what another person has said. We can use their exact words with quotation marks, this is known as direct speech, or we can use indirect speech. In indirect speech, we change the tense and pronouns to show that some time has passed. Indirect speech is often introduced by a reporting ...
Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is a way of retelling what someone else has said without repeating their exact words. For example, let's say you have a friend called Jon and one called Mary. Mary has organised a house party and has invited you and Jon. Jon, however, is not feeling well.
Yes, and you report it with a reporting verb. He said he wanted to know about reported speech. I said, I want and you changed it to he wanted. Exactly. Verbs in the present simple change to the past simple; the present continuous changes to the past continuous; the present perfect changes to the past perfect; can changes to could; will changes ...
Place. If we are in the same place when we report something, then we do not need to make any changes to place words. But if we are in a different place when we report something, then we need to change the place words. Look at these example sentences: He said: "It is cold in here ." → He said that it was cold in there.
In indirect speech, the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command. Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech: She said, "I am tired." = She said that she was tired. Phrase in Direct Speech. Equivalent in Reported Speech.
Reported speech is used to summarize or say what someone said without giving a direct quotation. When using reported speech, the speaker generally begins with a clause that tells the listener that what is being said is not a direct quote. When reporting recent speech, the verb remains in the tense the speaker used.
Reported or indirect speech. The first section mostly reiterates material in the initial training section and is here as a reminder of the basics. You can skip this if you are already aware of the basic issues or have recently worked through the initial training section for this area. If that is the case, skim through what follows, and/or do ...
Reported speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary
Time and Place in Reported Speech. When we report something, we may need to make changes to: time (now, tomorrow) place (here, this room) direct speech. reported speech. She said, "I saw Mary yesterday." She said she had seen Mary the day before. He said: "My mother is here."
She said, "I have to go home.". -> She said she had to go home. Sometimes there are no tense changes in indirect speech if: - When the reporting verb is in the present. Eg: Martha says she is arriving around ten. - When the reported verb is in the past, but the reported words are "always true". Eg: Harry told me he still likes you.
Facing mounting political pressure over the migrant influx at the U.S. southern border, President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed an executive order that will temporarily shut down asylum requests ...
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Claudia Sheimbaum celebrating during her speech in Mexico City on June 3, 2024. Israel Fuguemann for NPR. MEXICO CITY — Claudia Sheinbaum, an environmental scientist and former mayor of Mexico ...
Reporting from Washington. March 14, 2024. Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, on Thursday delivered a pointed speech on the Senate floor excoriating Prime ...
Interest in the topic (as gauged by news and internet searches) increased threefold from 2021 to 2022. As we recently wrote, generative AI and other foundational models change the AI game by taking assistive technology to a new level, reducing application development time, and bringing powerful capabilities to nontechnical users. Generative AI ...
1 min. Former president Donald Trump, speaking at a rambling news conference Friday in New York, vowed to appeal his conviction on all counts in his hush money trial, calling it "a scam.". On ...