REPORTED SPEECH

Intermediate Level

When is it used?

O REPORTED SPEECH is used to tell what someone said. Yet, we do not repeat all the words exactly.

O REAL WORDS (direct speech):

Tom said: “We are going to the cinema this afternoon.”

O REPORTED SPEECH:

Tom said that they were going to the cinema that afternoon.

Changes

O Types of changes:1. Verb Tenses2. Time and place adverbial expressions3. Logical change of pronouns

O EXAMPLEO DIRECT: Mary said: “They are seeing me tomorrow”O REPORTED: Mary said that they were seeing her the

following day

Verb Tenses

DIRECT SPEECH

O PRESENT O We study

O We are studying

O PAST O We studied

O We were studying

O FUTURE O We will study

REPORTED SPEECH

• PAST• She said that they studied• She said that they were studying

• PAST PERFECT• She said that they had studied• She said that they had been

studying

• CONDITIONAL• She said that they would study

List of Verb Changes

TENSE DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

PRESENT SIMPLEI play tennis with my friends

She said that she played tennis with her friends

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

I am playing tennis with my friends

She said that she was playing tennis with her friends

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE

I have played tennis with my friends

She said that she had played tennis with her friends

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I have been playing tennis with my friends

She said that she had been playing tennis with her friends

PAST SIMPLEI played tennis with my friends

She said that she had played tennis with her friends

PAST CONTINUOUSI were playing tennis with my friends

She said that she had been playing tennis with her friends

PAST PERFECT SIMPLEI had played tennis with my friends

She said that she had played tennis with her friends

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I had been playing tennis with my friends

She said that she had been playing tennis with her friends

FUTURE SIMPLEI will play tennis with my friends

She said that they would play tennis with her friends

Changes in Modals

DIRECT SPEECH

REPORTED SPEECH

CAN COULD

MAY MIGHT

MUST / HAVE TO MUST / HAD TO

WILL WOULD

Time and Place Adverb ChangeDIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

Now Then

Today That day

Tonight That night

Yesterday The previous day / the day before

Last week The previous week / the week before

A __________ agoThe previous ______ / the _____

before

TomorrowThe following day / the day after /

the next day

Next ___________The following ________ / the _______

after

Here There

ThisThese

That Those

Reported Speech In Statements

When transforming statements, first, doublecheck:O pronounsO present tense verbs (3rd person

singular)O place and time expressionsO tenses (backshift)

Reported Speech In Statements

Type Example

direct speech “I speak English.”

reported speech(no backshift)

He says that he speaks English.

reported speech(backshift)

He said that he spoke English.

In QuestionsWhen transforming questions, check whether you have to change:O pronounsO present tense verbs (3rd person singular)O place and time expressionsO tenses (backshift)Also note that you have to:O transform the question into an indirect

questionO use the interrogative or if / whether

In QuestionsType Example

with interrogative direct speech “Why don’t you speak English?”

reported speech He asked me why I didn’t speak English.

without interrogative direct speech “Do you speak English?”

reported speech He asked me whether / if I spoke English.

In Requests

When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:O pronounsO place and time expressions

In Requests

Type Example

direct speech “Carol, speak English.“

reported speech He told Carol to speak English.

Some reporting verbs.

IF / WHETHER

+ sentence

THAT + sentence

THAT + sentence

or infinitive

THAT+ sentence or should

Object + infinitive

ASK REMEMBER SAY

ANSWER

BOAST COMPLAIN DENYREPLYSAY

SUGGEST TELL

WARN

CLAIM PROMIS

ETHREAT

EN

ADVISEBEG

DEMAND

RECOMMEN

DSUGGE

ST

ADVISEASKBEG

INVITEORDER SHOUT WARN