Direct i Indirect

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Direct speech Indirect speech

Present simple

She said, "It's cold."

Past simple

She said it was cold.

Present continuous

She said, "I'm teaching English online."

Past continuous

She said she was teaching English online.

Present perfect simple

She said, "I've been on the web since

1999."

Past perfect simple

She said she had been on the web since 1999.

Present perfect continuous

She said, "I've been teaching English for

seven years."

Past perfect continuous

She said she had been teaching English for

seven years.

Past simple

She said, "I taught online yesterday."

Past perfect

She said she had taught online yesterday.

Past continuous

She said, "I was teaching earlier."


She said she had been teaching earlier.

Past perfect

She said, "The lesson had already

started when he arrived."

Past perfect

NO CHANGE - She said the lesson had already

started when he arrived.


She said, "I'd already been teaching forfive minutes."


NO CHANGE - She said she'd already beenteaching for five minutes.

Modal verb forms also sometimes change:


will

She said, "I'll teach English online

tomorrow."

would

She said she would teach English online

tomorrow.

canShe said, "I can teach English online."

could

She said she could teach English online.

must

She said, "I must have a computer to teach

English online."

had to

She said she had to have a computer to

teach English online.


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shall

She said, "What shall we learn today?"

should

She asked what we should learn today.

may

She said, "May I open a new browser?"

might

She asked if she might open a new browser.

!Note - There is no change to; could, would, should, might and ought to.


"I might go to the cinema", he said. He said he might go to the cinema.

You can use the present tense in reported speech if you want to say that something is still true

i.e. my name has always been and will always be Lynne so:-


"My name is Lynne", she said.

She said her name was Lynne.

or

She said her name is Lynne.

You can also use the present tense if you are talking about a future event.

Direct speech (exact quote) Indirect speech (not exact)

"Next week's lesson is on reported

speech ", she said.She said next week's lesson is on reported

speech.

Time change

If the reported sentence contains an expression of time, you must change it to fit in with the

time of reporting.

For example we need to change words like here andyesterday if they have different meanings

at the time and place of reporting.

Today + 24 hours - Indirect speech

"Today's lesson is on presentations."She said yesterday's lesson was on

presentations.


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Expressions of time if reported on a different day

this (evening) that (evening)

today yesterday ...

these (days) those (days)

now then

(a week) ago (a week) before

last weekend the weekend before last / the previous weekend

here there

next (week) the following (week)

tomorrow the next/following day

In addition if you report something that someone said in a different place to where you heard

it you must change the place (here) to the place (there).

For example:-

At work At home

"How long have you worked here?" She asked me how long I'd worked there.

Pronoun change

In reported speech, the pronoun often changes.

For example:

Me You

"Iteach English online." She said she teaches English online.


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Reporting Verbs

Said, toldand askedare the most common verbs used in indirect speech.

We use askedto report questions:-

For example: IaskedLynne what time the lesson started.

We use toldwith an object.

For example: Lynne toldme she felt tired.

!Note - Here me is the object.

We usually usesaidwithout an object.

For example: Lynnesaidshe was going to teach online.

If said is used with an object we must include to;

For example: Lynnesaidto me that she'd never been to China.

!Note - We usually use told.

For example: Lynne toldme that she'd never been to China.

There are many other verbs we can use apart from said, told and asked.

These include:-

accused, admitted, advised, alleged, agreed, apologised, begged, boasted, complained,

denied, explained, implied, invited, offered, ordered, promised, replied, suggested and

thought.

Using them properly can make what you say much more interesting and informative.

For example:

He asked me to come to the party:-

He invited me to the party.

He begged me to come to the party.

He ordered me to come to the party.


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He advised me to come to the party.

He suggested I should come to the party.

Use of'That' in reportedspeech

In reported speech, the word thatis often used.

For example: He told me thathe lived in Greenwich.

However, thatis optional.

For example: He told me he lived in Greenwich.

!Note - That is never used in questions, instead we often use if.

For example: He asked me if I would come to the party.

Reported Speech - Indirect Speech

By Kenneth Beare, About.com

See More About:

y intermediate english

y grammar review

y indirect speech

y intermediate level english

y sentence structure

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Indirect Speech (also referred to as 'reported speech') refers to a sentence reporting whatsomeone has said. It is almost always used in spoken English.

y If the reporting verb (i.e. said) is in the past, the reported clause will be in a past form. This

form is usually one step back into the past from the original.

For example:

o He said the test was difficult.

o She said she watched TV every day.

o Jack said he came to school every day.

y If simple present, present perfect or the future is used in the reporting verb (i.e. says) the

tense is retained.

For example:

o He says the test is difficult.o She has said that she watches TV every day.

o Jack will say that he comes to school every day.

y If reporting a general truth the present tense will be retained.

For example:The teacher said that phrasal verbs are very important.

Changing Pronouns and Time Signifiers

When changing from direct speech to indirect speech, it is often necessary to change the

pronouns to match the subject of the sentence.

For example:

y She said, "I want to bring my children." BECOMES She said she wanted to bring her children.

y Jack said, "My wife went with me to the show." BECOMESJack said his wife had gone with

him to the show.

It is also important to change time words (signifiers) when referring to present, past or future

time to match the moment of speaking.

For example:

y She said, "I want to bring my children tomorrow." BECOMES She said she wanted to bring her

children the next day.

y Jack said, "My wife went with me to the show yesterday." BECOMESJack said his wife had

gone with him to the show the day before.

Indirect Questions


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When reporting questions, it is especially important to pay attention to sentence order. When

reporting yes/ no questions connect the reported question using 'if'. When reporting questionsusing question words (why, where, when, etc.) use the question word.

For example:

y She asked, "Do you want to come with me?" BECOMES She asked me if I wanted to comewith her.

y Dave asked, "Where did you go last weekend?" BECOMES Dave asked me where I had gone

the previous weekend.

y He asked, "Why are you studying English?" BECOMES She asked me why I was studying

English.

The following chart includes sentences changed from quoted speech to reported speech usinga past form. NoteSimple past, present perfect, and past perfect allchange to past perfect in the

reported form.

Check your understanding with this reported speech quiz:

Reported Speech Transformations Quiz

Advanced Reporting Verbs

He said, "I live in Paris." He said he lived in Paris.

He said, "I am cooking dinner." He said he was cooking dinner.

He said, "I have visted London twice." He said he had visited London twice.

He said, "I went to New York last week." He said he had gone to New York the week before.

He said, "I had already eaten." He said he had already eaten.

He said, "I am going to find a new job." He said he was going to find a new job.

He said, "I will give Jack a call." He said he would give Jack a call.

Basic Grammar

Direct Speech

In direct speech, the original speaker's exact words are given and are indicated by quotation marks.

"I don't know what to do," said Dean.


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In some grammar books, said Dean is referred to as a reporting clause. "I don't know what to

do," is referred to as the reported clause.

Indirect Speech

In indirect speech, the exact meaning of the speaker's words is given, but the exact words are not

directly quoted.

Dean said that he didn't know what to do.

To convert direct speech into indirect speech:

y If the main verb is past tense, present tense verbs in the that clause must also be changed to

past tense.


y First and second person pronouns must be changed to third person pronouns.


(The that can often be left out: Dean said he didn't know what to do.)

Indirect Questions

The same rules apply to indirect questions as to indirect statements. The difference is that a wh

clause is used instead of a that clause.

Direct question:

"Did Marama's horse win a prize?" Owen asked.

Indirect questions:

Owen asked whether (or if) Marama's horse had won a prize.

Direct question:

"Why won't you marry me?" asked Donald.

Indirect question:

Donald asked her why she wouldn't marry him.

In telling a story or recounting events, a speaker using direct speech has all the resources of

intonation to produce a lively account. Because indirect speech is always speech reported by

someone else, the account is more reserved and restrained.

"What shall we do?" asked Bev.

"Don't worry, Bev," said Duncan, "I've got a plan."


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Bev asked Duncan what they should do. He told her not to worry and that he had a

plan.

The ability to change direct speech into indirect speech is a useful skill for those engaged in

taking the minutes of a meeting or reporting on events.

Direct speech:

"First of all, I would like to thank everybody who helped with the fair. The results

were very good, and we will now be able to buy two more computers."

Indirect speech:

The principal said that he would like to thank everybody who had helped with the fair.

He announced that the results were very good and that the school would now be able

to buy two more computers.

Direct i Indirect

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