REPORTED SPEECH
REPORTED SPEECH
Obj: We can report direct speech with the correct time and place references
.
When we talk about what people said in the past, we use a reporting verb like
say or tell.
Use reported speech what another person said:
“I can’t read the map.”
He said he couldn’t read the map.
We use quoting mark (‘) in direct speech, but not in reported.
Sue:“I play tennis everyday”
Sue said that she played tennis everyday
direct speech
reported speech
To make reported speech, we usually change the
tense of the verb from the present to the past.
Direct Speech Tense
Reported Speech Tense
Present Simple
Past Simple
Present Continuous
Past Continuous
Past Simple / Present Perfect
Past Perfect
will
would
am/is/are going to
was/were going to
can
could
“We are getting cold.”
“It’s going to rain.”
“I like spiders!”
They said they were getting cold
She said it was going to rain
He said he liked spiders.
Pronoun changes
We usually need to change
pronouns (I, we) and the verb
form when we report speech.
• Molly says, ‘I enjoy maths.‘
Molly says she enjoys maths.
• Jason thinks: 'Amy doesn't like
me.
Jason thought Amy
didn't like him.
Say or tell?
We use tell (someone, something)
if we want to include the person
or indirect object.
• Anna told Sue she was going to
the dentist.
• She tells me she's happy.
• She says she's happy.
Ex 1: Change this direct speech into reported speech
1. “He works in a bank”
She said ______________________
2. “I’m coming!”
She said_______________________
3. David: 'I have seen this film.‘
He said ____________________________
4. You: “I am going to enjoy the concert.”
You said ___________________________
5. “I can’t find my keys”.
He said____________________________
6. Mary fell asleep in the class.
She said ______________________________
7. “ I’d never been there before”
He said ____________________________________
Time and place reference
In reported speech, we also have to change words like here, now and this.
here - there
today - that day
now – at the time
this-that
tonight - that night
tomorrow - the next/following
day
these - those
next week - the next/following
week
last week - the week before, the
previous week
yesterday - the previous day,
the day before
'We live here!
“I love this film.'
They said they lived there.
He said he loved that film.
EX 2: Complete the sentences with the words from the box.
EX 3: Write the direct speech