Question 1

How do time expressions change in reported speech?

Accepted Answer

Time expressions shift to show distance from the original moment of speaking: "today" → "that day," "yesterday" → "the day before" or "the previous day," "tomorrow" → "the next day" or "the following day," "tonight" → "that night," "next week" → "the following week," "last month" → "the previous month," "two days ago" → "two days before" or "two days earlier," "now" → "then" or "at that moment." These changes only apply when reporting at a different time from the original speech. In exams, always make the shift to demonstrate your understanding of the rules.

Question 2

How do place expressions change in reported speech?

Accepted Answer

"Here" becomes "there" because the speaker's location has changed in the reporting context — the reporter is not in the same place as the original speaker was. Similarly, "this" becomes "that" and "these" becomes "those" to show distance from the original reference point. "I like this restaurant" becomes "She said she liked that restaurant." "Wait here" becomes "He told me to wait there." "I'll take these books" becomes "She said she would take those books." The shift reflects the fact that the reporter is no longer in the same physical or temporal space as the original speaker.

Question 3

Do time and place expressions always change in reported speech?

Accepted Answer

Not always — it depends on when and where the reporting takes place. If you are reporting the speech on the same day, "today" can stay as "today": "She said she would finish it today." If you are in the same place, "here" can stay as "here." However, in exams, formal writing, and classroom exercises, you should always change the expressions to demonstrate that you know the rules. The safest approach is to always make the shift. In real-life spoken English, context determines whether the change is necessary, and native speakers often skip the shift when the meaning is clear.

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