REPORTED SPEECH
SWOOSH 9
Cláudia Regina Abreu | Cidália Sousa | Vanessa Reis Esteves
What’s the difference?
Anne said: “Jack wrote a great story.”
Anne said that Jack had written a great story.
The first sentence is in direct speech.
The second sentence is in reported speech.
What’s the difference?
DIRECT SPEECH
The exact words someone said.
Jack wrote a
great story.
REPORTED SPEECH
We use the reported speech when we are
telling someone what another person said or
thought, but do not use their exact words.
I want to be a
writer when I
grow up.
Jack said that he wanted to be
a writer when he grew up.
REPORTED SPEECH
Remember that:
When we report a statement, we use
reporting verbs such as say, tell,
explain, inform, etc. often followed
by that.
Sarah said “I’m happy.”
Sarah said that she was happy.
REPORTED SPEECH
Remember that:
Quotation marks are not used.
Sarah said “I’m happy.”
Sarah said that she was happy.
REPORTED SPEECH
Remember that:
Verb tenses, pronouns and some “time”
and “place” expressions may change
because the time, place and speaker
may be different in reported speech.
Sarah said “I’m happy.”
Sarah said that she was happy.
REPORTED SPEECH
Remember that:
If the time, place and speaker are different,
some changes need to be made.
• Verb tenses
• Subject pronouns
• Object pronouns
• Possessive determiners
• Expressions of time
• Expressions of place
REPORTED SPEECH
Verb Tenses
Direct speech
Reported speech
Present simple
Past simple
I love reading novels.
She said that she loved reading novels.
Present continuous
Past continuous
He is reading a novel.
He said that he was reading a novel.
REPORTED SPEECH
Verb Tenses
Direct speech
Reported speech
Past simple
Past perfect
I read an interesting book.
She said that she had read an interesting book.
Present perfect
Past perfect
She has read an interesting book. She said that she had read an interesting book.
Future
Conditional
I’ll call you.
He said that he would call me.
REPORTED SPEECH
Personal pronouns
Direct speech
Reported speech
I
he / she
you
I / we / he / she / they
we
they
me
him / her
you
me / us / her / him / them
us
them
S
U
B
J
E
C
T
O
B
J
E
C
T
REPORTED SPEECH
Personal pronouns
My mother is a
famous author.
I love my
mother’s work.
Lucy said that her mother was a famous author.
Lucy said that…
she loved her mother’s work.
REPORTED SPEECH
Possessives
Direct speech
Reported speech
my
his / her
your
my / our / his / her / their
our
their
mine
his / hers
yours
mine / ours / his / hers / theirs
ours
theirs
A
D
J
E
C
T
I
V
E
S
P
R
O
N
O
U
N
S
REPORTED SPEECH
Time expressions
Direct speech
Reported speech
now
then
today / tonight
that day / that night
this morning
that morning
yesterday
tomorrow
the day before/ the previous
night
the next / following day
last month
the previous month
REPORTED SPEECH
Today I am
very happy.
My best friend
and I are going
on a school trip.
Which words need to
be changed?
REPORTED SPEECH
Today I am very
happy.
My best friend and I
are writing a story
for school.
Lucy said (that)…
that day she was very happy.
Lucy said that…
she and her best friend were
writing a story for school.
REPORTED SPEECH
Other expressions
Direct speech
Reported speech
here
there
this place
that place
these
those
REPORTED SPEECH
Remember that:
When we report a statement, we use
reporting verbs such as say, tell,
explain, inform, …
• SAY + something
• TELL + someone + something
REPORTED SPEECH
SAY + something
TELL + someone + something
Jack said that he wanted
to be a writer.
I want to be
a writer.
Jack told me that he
wanted to be a writer.
REPORTED SPEECH
SAY + something
TELL + someone + something
I love you, mum.
Tricia told her mum that ?she loved her.
REPORTED SPEECH
Time to
PRACTISE
Choose the
best option.
REPORTED SPEECH
I like my school.
Mary said that she
liked her school.
REPORTED SPEECH
I spend a lot of time
reading at night.
Mary said that she
spent a lot of time
reading at night.
REPORTED SPEECH
My favourite book
genre is science fiction.
Mary said that her
favourite book genre
was science fiction.
REPORTED SPEECH
My brother doesn’t
like reading.
Mary said that her
brother didn’t like
reading.
REPORTED SPEECH
Today I’m buying a
new book.
Mary said that that
day she was buying a
new book.
REPORTED SPEECH
I’ve finished writing a story
for the school competition.
Mary said that she had
finished writing a story
for the school
competition.
REPORTED SPEECH
To PRACTISE
some more…
Open your
book on
page 147.