GRAMMAR
Quotations
It’s important to quote a word or sentences from different authors, writers, editors, etc. This is the correct way.
Vicky said, “she can pass the medical exam.”
Use a comma, after said.
Then put the sentence between the quotation marks (“ ”) and put the final period (.)
 Audio 18 | Reported speech |
When you report a quotation, you need to change the sentences in the past as below.
Use of “said”
Time tense
Verb to be
Simple present
Present continuous
Present Perfect
Auxiliary Ability
Auxiliary Future
Quoted speech
He said, “It is a medical exam”
He said, “He has a medical exam”.
He said, “He is having a medical exam.”
He said, “he has had a medical exam.”
He said, “he can have a medical exam.”
He said, “he will have a medical exam.”
Time Tense
Past of verb to be
Simple past
Past continuous
Past Perfect
Auxiliary Ability
Auxiliary future
Reported speech
He said it was a medical exam.
He said he had a medical exam.
He said he was having a medical exam.
He said he had had a medical exam.
He said he could have a medical exam.
He said he would have a medical exam.
Note: Don’t use commas or quotations marks when writing reported speech.
You can omit the word “that” as well.
For example:
a. He said (that) he had a medical exam. or He said he had a medical exam.