Reported speech how long

Did he say, "Where does Bob live? He said, "Where has Bob gone? Did he say, "Where has Bob gone? He said, "How long has Bob been away? Did he say, "How long has Bob been away? He said, "Is Bob at home? Did he say, "Is Bob at home? He said, "Have they seen Bob? Did he say, "Have they seen Bob? He said, "Will Bob be at home soon? Did he say, "Will Bob be at home soon? He said, "Can someone give Bob a message for me? Special Notes:. Indirect speech: present simple reporting verb. Newspaper headlines.

See also: Present simple I work Reported speech Reported speech: direct speech. Indirect speech: past continuous reporting verb. See also: Indirect speech: reporting statements. She said she had been working. Backshift changes. Direct speech Indirect speech. He promised they would be there. She said she would need more money.

She asked if she should open it. He added that he could see me at 2. She said she might be back later. He said we could wait in the hallway. She said we had to pay by 30th April. She said I should go there immediately. He warned that it might snow that night. No backshift. Indirect speech: changes to adverbs and demonstratives. Typical changes to demonstratives, adverbs and adverbial expressions.

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Word lists shared by our community of dictionary fans. Sign up now or Log in. Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English. Click on the arrows to change the translation direction. Follow us. Choose a dictionary. Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English. Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English. Grammar Thesaurus. Word Lists. Choose your language. Adjectives Adjectives: forms Adjectives: order Adjective phrases: functions Adjective phrases: position Adjectives and adjective phrases: typical errors.

Comparison: adjectives bigger , biggest , more interesting Comparison: clauses bigger than we had imagined Comparison: comparisons of equality as tall as his father As … as. Adverbs Adverb phrases Adverbs and adverb phrases: position Adverbs and adverb phrases: typical errors Adverbs: forms Adverbs: functions Adverbs: types Comparison: adverbs worse, more easily Fairly Intensifiers very, at all Largely Much , a lot , lots , a good deal : adverbs Pretty Quite Rather Really Scarcely Very.

Above or over? Across , over or through? Advice or advise? Affect or effect? All or every? All or whole? Allow , permit or let? Almost or nearly? Alone , lonely , or lonesome? Along or alongside? Already , still or yet? Also , as well or too? Alternate ly , alternative ly Although or though? Altogether or all together? Amount of , number of or quantity of?

Any more or anymore? Anyone , anybody or anything? Apart from or except for? Arise or rise? Around or round? Arouse or rouse? As or like? As , because or since? You don't need to use inversion. Can you tell me if he is Spanish? Present continuous Is the restaurant closing now? Can you tell me if the restaurant is closing now? Past simple with 'be' Was he late for the meeting? Can you tell me if he was late for the meeting? Past continuous Were you watching TV at 3pm?

Can you tell me if you were watching TV at 3pm? Present perfect Has Lucy been to Mexico? Can you tell me if Lucy has been to Mexico? Present perfect continuous Has she been living here long?

Can you tell me if she has been living here long? Past perfect Had she found this job when she moved here? Can you tell me if she had found this job when she moved here?

Past perfect continuous Had she been living here long when she met you? Can you tell me if she had been living here long when she met you? Future simple with 'will' Will she start her new job next week? Can you tell me if she will start her new job next week? Future simple with 'going to' Is it going to rain later? Can you tell me if it is going to rain later? Future continuous Will Lisa be meeting the boss later?

Can you tell me if Lisa will be meeting the boss later? Future perfect Will he have finished the report by tonight? Can you tell me if he will have finished the report by tonight?

The question word "when" remains. Finally, pay attention to whether the speech you are reporting uses a modal verb. Will , can , and shall change to would , could , and should when reported. Will is used to make statements about the future in English. When reporting this kind of statement, will becomes would. Compare these sentences:. Kelly said, "I will pick up the sandwiches. Caty asked, " Can you answer the phone while I'm out? George stated, "I would not do that.

Let's try a few sentences. I'll say the direct speech, and you make a sentence in reported speech. Our boss said, "You can all go home early today. Anna asked "When is your birthday? Adam said, "I am leaving on Tuesday. Chris said, "I will bring the cake. Reported speech sometimes shows up in popular songs. The singer Lisa Loeb begins the song "Stay" with a reported verb in the present tense to show that the action is a habit.

I thought, "hey, I can leave, I can leave.