初中英文：轉述語句

Direct speech quotes someone’s words. Reported speech tells the message from the reporter’s viewpoint. “I am tired,” Nina said. → Nina said that she was tired. The report makes Nina the person described; it is not a new claim that the reporter is tired.

Before changing anything, ask: who spoke, who is reporting, when are they reporting, and where are they now? Accuracy matters more than changing every word on a list.

With a past reporting verb, we often move the tense back. In this lesson’s stated backshift tasks: am/is → was; are → were; am/is/are studying → was/were studying; will → would; can → could. This movement is called backshift.

It is not compulsory in every report. A statement that is still true or relevant can keep its present tense. If a task asks for usual backshift, follow that specific instruction; do not conclude that every unchanged present tense is wrong.

Pronouns follow meaning. If Ben says “My bag is blue” and Mia reports Ben’s words, my becomes his. If you report your own words, I may stay I. If the reporter was part of the original we, we may stay we. Never change pronouns without knowing the people involved.

That is optional in many reported statements: “She said that she was ready” and “She said she was ready” are both natural. This Core focuses on statements and common modal changes. Past-to-past-perfect, reported questions and commands are deferred until their prerequisites are established.

Usual backshift: On Tuesday, Ada said, “I am checking my notes today.” Reporting on Friday: Ada said that she was checking her notes that day. She/her refer to Ada; was checking is the requested backshift; that day refers to Tuesday.

Pronoun tracking: Leo told Mia, “I can carry your bag.” Mia later reports: Leo told me that he could carry my bag. Leo is he, Mia is me/my, and can becomes could in this backshifted report.

Still true: Sam says, “I live near the park.” You can report “Sam says he lives near the park.” With a present reporting verb, do not mechanically replace lives with lived.

Same day and place: If you are still in the same room on the same day, here and today can remain accurate. If those references have changed, choose wording that still names the original place and day.

When the reporting day has changed, that day can refer to the day of speaking. Tomorrow can become the next/following day; yesterday can become the previous day/the day before; now can become then when the report refers to that earlier moment. Here may become there if the reporter has moved away. These are context choices, not automatic replacements in every situation.

Check actual dates: on Monday, “tomorrow” means Tuesday. Reporting on Friday, “the next day” still means Tuesday, not Saturday. If you report Monday’s “today” on Tuesday, “yesterday” can also correctly name Monday.

Use say + message: “She said that she was ready.” Use tell + person + message: “She told me that she was ready.” “She told that ...” is missing the person in this pattern. “She said me ...” needs to: “She said to me ...”.

On Monday, Nina told Omar, “I am waiting for my sister here today.” On Friday, Omar reports this from another place using usual backshift.

Draft report: “Nina told that I am waiting for my sister here today.”

Rewrite the whole report beginning “Nina told me that ...”. Fix the missing listener, Nina’s pronouns, the requested verb shift, the place and the speaking day. More than one natural word order may work. This writing is self-check, so compare each decision with the explanation.

You are Alex. You spoke with two classmates on Monday in the school library. On Friday you are at home writing about that conversation. Use usual backshift and preserve the original dates.

Mia, speaking to Alex: “I am preparing my poster here today.” Ben, speaking to Alex: “I will bring your folder tomorrow.”

Write a two-sentence report. Name each speaker. Make clear whose poster and folder are meant, where Mia was working, and which days the classmates referred to. Do not claim the work is happening on Friday.

For the exit check, map the speakers and dates before you choose a form. Some items explicitly request backshift; others ask whether a reference remains accurate. Read that difference carefully.

Objective results cover grammar decisions, not the quality of your two writing reports. Compare self-check responses with the models. Skill feedback appears only with enough objective evidence, at least three items; one mistake is not a diagnosis.

Complete the practice and aim for at least 12 of the 14 objective marks (80% or more). Review examples and retry mistakes if needed; your first score stays visible. The next lesson is Conditionals. You can continue when you feel ready.