http://www.englishforums.com/English/EslGeneralEnglishGrammar-Questions/Forum12.htmAsk your questions on grammar and get your sentence checked. We answer lots of different types of general English grammar questions here. <font color=red>DO NOT post paragraphs and compositions here. Post them in our <a href="http://www.englishforums.com/English/EssayReportCompositionWriting/Forum9.htm"><b>Essay, Report and Composition Writing Forum</b></a>.</font>enXMOD (Build: 3616.28671)http://www.englishforums.com/English/Modals/zzgx/post.htm#26356Tue, 26 May 2009 21:34:45 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:26356Pemmican0http://www.englishforums.com/English/Modals/zzgx/post.htm#26356http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-26356.xmlI don't really understand the question either... Konstantin, you're referring to the Conditional with your German example. Indirect speech in German works differently as the Conjunctive has to be used in formal German, which however, can be replaced by the Conditional (would+infinitive). In English, the tenses have to be shiftes back from direct to indirect speech - .... but NOW - that I've been thinking about this, I might have got an idea of what maj's question aimed at: The modals "can" and "may" only occur in their forms in simple present and simple past tense, "must" is used in simple present tense only. Now, if you have a sentence including one of these modals, that need to be shifted back, you've to use substitute...http://www.englishforums.com/English/Modals/zzgx/post.htm#26340Mon, 26 Jan 2009 22:34:45 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:26340rommie1http://www.englishforums.com/English/Modals/zzgx/post.htm#26340http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-26340.xml"The teacher said he would be tired" is perfectly okay in English. I don't know whether or not this is specifically related to reported speech, however. This is an example of "future in past" tense - describing a prediction made in the past. Rommiehttp://www.englishforums.com/English/Modals/zzgx/post.htm#26334Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:34:45 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:26334konstantin2http://www.englishforums.com/English/Modals/zzgx/post.htm#26334http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-26334.xmlAlthough I'm unable to answer the question, I think it can define it more precisely. Is about with the help of which modal verbs you can tell what another person said. They have it in German and that is, I think, what the question means - whether there is such a construction in English. For example: Direct speech: "I am tired", said the teacher. Indirect speech would be: The teacher said he WOULD be tired. I am not sure whether WOULD is correct at this place but I hope the question is more understandable now. The answer would be interesting to me. Thanks all for answers!http://www.englishforums.com/English/Modals/zzgx/post.htm#26325Sun, 26 Apr 2009 21:34:45 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:26325rommie3http://www.englishforums.com/English/Modals/zzgx/post.htm#26325http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-26325.xmlAll of them, I think. Example: "He might have said hello". Or have I misunderstood the quesion? Rommiehttp://www.englishforums.com/English/Modals/zzgx/post.htmMon, 26 Jan 2009 22:34:45 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:26126maj4http://www.englishforums.com/English/Modals/zzgx/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-26126.xmlCould someone tell me which modal verbs are used for reporting speech or thought? I'd appreciate an example.