ANDREA MARTÍNEZ VELA
ANA CREMADES BERTÓ
Reported speech is saying what other people said
before. A few changes are necessary.
You usually have to change the pronouns:
I...>she…
We use reporting verbs like say, tell, ask,
announced to us, ordered to us, suggested,
proposed, wanted to now, wondered… and we may
use the word that to introduce the reported words
but after said and told is optional.
And sometime place and time words can change:
tomorrow>the next day, the following day;
here>there; this>that; today> that day…
•
Tenses usually change like this:
-present>past
I like shopping> she said (that) she liked
shopping
-present continuous>past continuous.
I’m working> Paul said (that) he was
working.
-will> would
I’ll always love you> He said he would
always love me.
-past simple/present perfect>past perfect
I passed the exam!> she told him she had
passed the exam
After said don’t use a person or object
pronoun.
After told you must use a person or object
pronoun
•
Some modal verbs change:
-can>could
I can’t come> she said she couldn’t come
-may>might
I may be late> he said he might be late
-must> had to, but mustn’t stays the
same.
I must go> she said she had to go
You mustn’t touch it> she said I mustn’t
touch it.
When you report a question, the tenses
change as in reported statements.
When a question begins with a verb
(not a question word like where, who…)
you must add if or wheter.
You also have to change the word order
to subject+verb, and not use do/did.
Are you married?> she asked him if he
was married.
Did she phone?> he wondered me
whether she had phoned.
What’s your name?> I asked him what
his name was
Where do you live?> they wanted to
know where I live.
You can’t use said in these sentences.
To report an imperative or request, use told
or asked + person + the infinitive with to.
To report a negative imperative, use a
negative infinitive (not to do).
Go away!> she told him to go away.
Don’t worry> the doctor told me not to
worry.
Can/Could you help me?> I asked him to
help me.
AND NOW SOME ACTIVITIES.
-”The hotel is full”
The receptionist told me the hotel was full
-”I’ll call the manager”
The waiter said he would call the manager
-”I’ve passed all my exams”
Jack announced to us he had passed all
his exams.
-”You should get to the airport early!
They said that we should get to the
airport early.
-”Have you been here before?”
I asked him whether he had been there
before.
-”I may be late”
Mery said she might be late.
-”I didn’t tell anybody!”
She said she didn’t told any body
-”Can you help me?”
He wondered me if I could help him.
-”Be quiet!”
The teacher told us to be quiet.
-”Please don’t smoke!”
I told him not to smoke.
THE END.