49 Reported Speech: Modal Verbs

When we want to report one person’s speech to another person we usually don’t use the exact words. We transform the sentences. It is called Reported Speech.

Some modals in Reported Speech also shift back in time just like tenses do.

While some modal verbs backshift to past tense, some of them do not change.

Modal Verbs	Modal Verbs in Reported Speech
Must (obligation)	Had to
Can	Could
May (possibility)	Might
May (permission)	Could
Will	Would
Shall	Would

Modal verbs that do not change:

• Should;
• Might;
• Could;
• Would;
• Ought;
• Must (speculation);
• Need.

• Joe said that “I will fix the plug”. > Joe said that he would fix the plug.
• He said ” If nuclear energy is used mistakenly, we shall die”. > He said that If nuclear energy was used mistakenly, we would die.
• Mario stated that “I can use cold colours instead of warm colours”. > Mario stated that he could use cold colours instead of warm colours.
• “I may meet with my sister”, said my mother. > My mother said that she might meet with her sister.
• He said “My house must be located at Bordeaux”. > He said that his house had to be located at Bordeaux.
• They said “It must be hard to understand the algebra”. > They said that it must be hard to understand the algebra.

In Reported Speech we need to backshift Modal verbs as well.

After Modal Verbs we can also use perfect form of the tenses. It is usually used in a hypothetical, past sentence.