The World of Limitless Possibilities / Nine Gold Medals
Reporting what was said
Report what someone said.
Direct and reported. DIRECT: Dr Malik: 'I love sports.' REPORTED: Dr Malik said that she loved sports.
Four steps:
- use a reporting verb (said, told, says);
- remove the quotation marks;
- add that;
- change the pronouns (I → she, your → her).
After a past reporting verb, shift the tense back:
- love → loved; is → was;
- decided → had decided; have been → had been;
- will → would; must often stays.
Change time and place words: last night → the previous night; next weekend → the following weekend; this → that; now → then; here → there.
*After a present reporting verb (says), nothing shifts:* 'The coach says that she believes practice is the key.'
Past reporting verb → shift the tense back.
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