Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Shift time and place words to match the reporter's perspective, moving from 'here and now' to 'there and then'.
- Change 'now' to 'then' or 'at that time' (e.g., 'I am busy now' becomes 'He said he was busy then').
- Change 'here' to 'there' to reflect the change in location (e.g., 'Come here' becomes 'He told me to go there').
- Shift relative dates like 'tomorrow' to 'the next day' (e.g., 'I'll call tomorrow' becomes 'She said she'd call the next day').
Overview
said, toldなど）になると、それに引きずられて従属節の時制も過去へずれる「時制の一致（Tense backshift）」が起こります。これに伴い、時や場所を示す言葉も、発言当時の視点から報告時点の視点へと「距離」を調整する必要があります。例えば、発言者が「今（now）」と言ったとき、それを後から報告するあなたは、その時点がすでに過去であるため「その時（then）」と表現しなければなりません。これは、日本語の「昨日、彼が『今やる』と言った」という感覚を、「昨日、彼が『その時（言った時）にやる』と言った」と論理的に変換するプロセスです。この調整を怠ると、聞き手は「今っていつのこと？」と混乱してしまいます。文脈（Context）を正しく共有するために、英語ではこの変換が強制的に行われるのです。now | then | He said, "I'm busy now." → He said he was busy then. |today | that day | He said, "I'll call today." → He said he would call that day. |yesterday | the day before | She said, I saw him yesterday. → She said she had seen him the day before. |tomorrow | the next day | He said, "I'll finish tomorrow." → He said he would finish the next day. |here | there | She said, Sit here. → She said to sit there. |this | that | He said, I like this. → He said he liked that. |tomorrow が the next day になるのは、その「明日」が報告者にとっては「翌日」という過去の特定の日になるからです。- 1仕事の引き継ぎや報告: 上司から「今日中にこのレポートを終わらせて」と言われたことを、翌日に同僚へ伝える場合。「彼は『今日（今日＝昨日）』と言った」とそのまま伝えると、同僚は「今日」を「今日（報告する日）」と勘違いします。そのため、「He said he needed the report
that day」と言う必要があります。 - 2過去の出来事を説明する物語: 小説や日常のストーリーテリングにおいて、登場人物のセリフを引用する際に使います。物語の時系列を明確にするために不可欠です。
- 3先輩からのアドバイスを後輩に伝える: 「先輩が『ここ（その場所）』でやれと言っていた」という情報を伝える際、場所の距離感を正しく伝達することで、ミスコミュニケーションを防ぎます。
- 1
nowをそのまま使ってしまう: 日本語の「今」という感覚が強すぎて、過去の報告なのにHe said he is busy nowと言ってしまうケース。これは「今（報告時）」と「忙しい時（過去）」が矛盾するため、英語では非常に不自然です。 - 2
tomorrowをそのまま使ってしまう: 「明日」という単語を直訳してしまい、He said he would go tomorrowと言ってしまう。これだと、聞き手は「明日（報告者の明日）」と解釈します。日本語の「明日」は発言基準ですが、英語のtomorrowは報告基準に書き換える必要があります。 - 3指示語
thisの混同:He said,をI like this book
He said he likes this bookと言ってしまう。thisは話し手に近いものを指すため、報告者の視点からは遠いものとなり、thatに変えるのが適切です。日本語の「これ」は万能ですが、英語では距離感が厳格に区別されます。
He said he would wait here と言っても通じます。しかし、基本ルールとして変換を覚えるのが安全です。today を that day に変えるのは面倒に感じます。省略できませんか？Common Time and Place Transformations
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech | Example (Direct) | Example (Reported) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Now
|
Then / At that time
|
I am ready now.
|
He said he was ready then.
|
|
Today
|
That day
|
I'll do it today.
|
She said she'd do it that day.
|
|
Tomorrow
|
The next/following day
|
See you tomorrow.
|
He said he'd see me the next day.
|
|
Yesterday
|
The day before / previous day
|
I went yesterday.
|
She said she had gone the day before.
|
|
Here
|
There
|
Put it here.
|
He told me to put it there.
|
|
This / These
|
That / Those
|
I like this car.
|
He said he liked that car.
|
|
Ago
|
Before
|
A week ago.
|
A week before.
|
|
Next week
|
The following week
|
I'm busy next week.
|
He said he was busy the following week.
|
Meanings
The process of adjusting adverbs of time and place when converting direct speech into indirect speech to maintain logical consistency from the reporter's perspective.
Temporal Shift
Changing time-related words (now, yesterday, tomorrow) to reflect the passage of time since the original statement.
“She said she had finished the report the day before.”
“They mentioned they would arrive the following week.”
Spatial Shift
Changing place-related words (here, this room) to reflect the reporter's current location relative to the original speaker.
“He told me to meet him there.”
“She said she liked that house.”
Demonstrative Shift
Changing 'this' and 'these' to 'that' and 'those' when they refer to specific objects or time periods.
“He said he wanted those shoes.”
“She mentioned she was busy that morning.”
Reference Table
| 直接話法 | 報告話法 | 例文（直接） | 例文（報告） |
|---|---|---|---|
|
now
|
then / at that moment
|
She said, "I'm busy now."
|
She said she was busy then.
|
|
today
|
that day
|
He said, "I'll do it today."
|
He said he would do it that day.
|
|
tonight
|
that night
|
They announced, "We're leaving tonight."
|
They announced they were leaving that night.
|
|
yesterday
|
the day before / the previous day
|
She claimed, "I finished it yesterday."
|
She claimed she had finished it the day before.
|
|
tomorrow
|
the next day / the following day
|
He promised, "I'll call you tomorrow."
|
He promised he would call me the next day.
|
|
last week
|
the week before / the previous week
|
They said, "We went skiing last week."
|
They said they had gone skiing the week before.
|
|
next year
|
the following year
|
She stated, "I'll move next year."
|
She stated she would move the following year.
|
|
here
|
there
|
He asked, "Is anyone here?"
|
He asked if anyone was there.
|
|
this
|
that
|
She remarked, "I love this song."
|
She remarked that she loved that song.
|
|
these
|
those
|
He showed me, "These are my trophies."
|
He showed me that those were his trophies.
|
フォーマル度スペクトル
The director stated that the meeting would commence there the following day. (Workplace communication)
He said the meeting would start there the next day. (Workplace communication)
He said the meeting was there tomorrow. (Workplace communication)
He was like, 'meeting's there tomorrow'. (Workplace communication)
報告話法：時と場所の変化
時間表現
- now then
- today that day
- yesterday the day before
- tomorrow the next day
- last week the previous week
場所と指示代名詞
- here there
- this that
- these those
なぜ変化させるの？
- 視点 話し手から報告者への変化
- 明確さ タイミングや場所の混乱を避ける
- 論理的な一貫性 新しい「今」と「ここ」に合わせる
直接話法 vs. 報告話法：時と場所
報告話法で時と場所を変化させるべき？
元の発言は過去に報告されていますか？（例：「She *said*...」）
直接話法に時や場所の表現が含まれていますか？（例：「now」、「here」、「tomorrow」）
あなた（報告者）にとって、その時や場所は元の話し手にとってと同じですか？
よくある変化：直接話法から報告話法へ
時のマーカー
- • now → then
- • today → that day
- • tomorrow → the next day
- • yesterday → the day before
場所と指示代名詞
- • here → there
- • this → that
- • these → those
過去の参照
- • last week → the week before
- • ago → before
未来の参照
- • next month → the following month
レベル別の例文
He said he was there.
He said he was there.
She said she was happy then.
She said she was happy then.
They said they liked that.
They said they liked that.
He told me to go there.
He told me to go there.
He said he would call that day.
He said he would call that day.
She said she had seen him the day before.
She said she had seen him the day before.
They said they were leaving the next day.
They said they were leaving the next day.
He mentioned he lived in that house.
He mentioned he lived in that house.
She told me she had finished it two hours before.
She told me she had finished it two hours before.
He said he would be busy the following week.
He said he would be busy the following week.
They asked if I had been there the previous month.
They asked if I had been there the previous month.
She said she couldn't talk at that moment.
She said she couldn't talk at that moment.
The witness claimed he had seen the suspect there that night.
The witness claimed he had seen the suspect there that night.
She explained that those documents were ready for review.
She explained that those documents were ready for review.
He promised he would have the results by the following morning.
He promised he would have the results by the following morning.
They noted that the weather had been terrible the week before.
They noted that the weather had been terrible the week before.
The CEO remarked that the company had faced similar challenges the previous decade.
The CEO remarked that the company had faced similar challenges the previous decade.
He argued that the events of that day had changed everything.
He argued that the events of that day had changed everything.
She suggested that we meet there the following fortnight.
She suggested that we meet there the following fortnight.
They wondered why he hadn't arrived by that time.
They wondered why he hadn't arrived by that time.
The author reflects on how those fleeting moments defined his youth.
The author reflects on how those fleeting moments defined his youth.
It was stipulated that the funds be transferred by the following business day.
It was stipulated that the funds be transferred by the following business day.
He recounted the tale, noting that he had stood there exactly fifty years before.
He recounted the tale, noting that he had stood there exactly fifty years before.
The diplomat stated that the treaty would be signed there the subsequent month.
The diplomat stated that the treaty would be signed there the subsequent month.
間違えやすい
Learners often remember to change the verb (is -> was) but forget the time word (now -> then).
'Ago' is used for time measured from the present moment. 'Before' is used for time measured from a point in the past.
In direct speech, 'come' implies movement toward the speaker. In reported speech, the reporter is often elsewhere, so 'come' becomes 'go'.
よくある間違い
He said I am here now.
He said he was there then.
She said she likes this.
She said she liked that.
They said they will come tomorrow.
They said they would come the next day.
He said he arrived two days ago.
He said he had arrived two days before.
She asked if I was coming here.
She asked if I was going there.
He said he would do it next week.
He said he would do it the following week.
He said he is here today (when reported a week later).
He said he was there that day.
文型パターン
He said he would be ___ the following ___.
She mentioned that she had seen ___ the day ___.
They told us to put ___ ___.
It was reported that the event had taken place ___ ___ before.
Real World Usage
He said he was going there tonight.
The client mentioned they would review it the following week.
I saw him standing there two hours before.
She told me she had seen them that day.
The Prime Minister stated that day that taxes would not rise.
The agent said the flight would depart at that time.
あなたの視点から考えてみよう！
２つの変化を忘れないで！
文脈が一番大事！
テキストメッセージとフォーマルな会話
Smart Tips
Immediately think 'before'. It's the most common mistake in B1 exams.
Check if you are still there. If you are, don't change 'here' to 'there'.
You can almost always use 'the' instead of 'that' to sound more natural.
If you are reporting it on Saturday, you can just say 'today'!
発音
Stress on the Shift
When reporting, we often put a slight stress on the shifted word (there, then, that) to emphasize the change in context.
Falling intonation on time markers
He said he'd arrive the next ↘day.
Conveys a completed piece of information.
暗記しよう
記憶術
Think of the 'T' rule: Time and Territory (Place) always move Toward the past/distance (Then, There, That).
視覚的連想
Imagine a person standing in a spotlight labeled 'NOW/HERE'. When they speak, they are in the light. When you report it, you are standing outside the light, looking at them from a distance. The light is 'THAT' place and 'THEN' time.
Rhyme
If they said 'here', you say 'there'. If they said 'now', you say 'then' with care.
Story
A spy is listening to a secret meeting. The villain says, 'We meet here tomorrow!' The spy runs to his boss and says, 'He said they would meet there the next day.' If the spy said 'here tomorrow', the boss would go to the wrong place at the wrong time!
Word Web
チャレンジ
Look at your last 3 sent text messages. Try to report them out loud to an imaginary person, changing all time and place words correctly.
文化メモ
British speakers are more likely to use 'the following fortnight' instead of 'two weeks later' in formal reported speech.
Americans often use 'that' as a filler or to add distance even when not strictly required by grammar rules.
In news reporting, 'yesterday' is often kept if the newspaper is published the very next morning, but changed to 'Tuesday' or 'that day' in weekly magazines.
The concept of 'deixis' (pointing with words) comes from Ancient Greek. English developed specific adverbial shifts to maintain narrative clarity as the language moved from Old English to Middle English.
会話のきっかけ
What did your boss say in the meeting yesterday?
Tell me about a promise someone made to you last year.
What was the last thing your best friend told you on the phone?
If you could report a famous historical speech, what would you say?
日記のテーマ
よくある間違い
Test Yourself
He said he would call me ___.
Find and fix the mistake:
She told me she was here last week.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Ella dijo que iría allí esa noche.'
Answer starts with: ["S...
Score: /4
練習問題
8 exercisesHe said he was ___ ___.
She said she would see me...
Find and fix the mistake:
He said he had finished the work two days ago.
She said she liked ___ ___.
You must always change 'here' to 'there' even if you are still in the same room.
B: 'What did he say?' C: 'He said he had gone to London ___ ___.'
Direct: 'Today' -> Reported: ?
1. Now, 2. Here, 3. Ago
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesThe news reported that the event would happen ___.
My mom told me to clean my room now.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Él dijo que había estado allí la semana anterior.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the direct speech expressions with their reported speech forms:
She promised to send the documents ___.
He told us he will be here today.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Nos dijo que se mudarían el año siguiente.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the direct speech plural demonstratives with their reported speech equivalents.
Score: /12
よくある質問 (8)
Not if you are reporting the speech on the same day it was spoken. If someone says 'I'll call tomorrow' at 10 AM and you tell a friend at 2 PM, you can still say `tomorrow`.
It changes to `before` or `earlier`. For example, 'three days ago' becomes `three days before`.
Yes! Often `this` becomes `the` if the specific 'that-ness' isn't important. 'I like this book' -> 'He said he liked the book'.
Because 'come' implies moving toward the speaker. If the reporter is in a different place, the movement is now 'away' from the original spot, which requires `go`.
Both are correct. `The following day` is slightly more formal and common in writing, while `the next day` is common in speech.
It follows the same rule as 'today' and becomes `that night`.
Yes, especially in formal business emails where you are summarizing past conversations for a third party.
Usually, people will still understand you, but it might sound like the event is happening `now` or `here`, which can be factually confusing.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Cambios de tiempo y lugar
English is stricter about backshifting the verb along with the time word.
Le discours indirect
French often uses 'le lendemain' for 'the next day', which is a very fixed phrase compared to English variations.
Indirekte Rede
German relies on verb mood (subjunctive) more than adverbial shifts to signal reported speech.
引用 (In'yō)
Japanese does not require backshifting of tenses or time words as frequently as English.
الكلام المنقول (Al-kalam al-manqul)
Arabic often maintains the original time word if the meaning is clear from context.
间接引语 (Jiànjiē yǐnyǔ)
The lack of tense shifts in Chinese makes the adverbial shifts the *only* way to show time, yet they are often omitted if the context is clear.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
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