REPORTED SPEECH
“I’m thirsty!”
The boy says (that) he is
thirsty.
The boy said (that) he was
thirsty.
“The baby is
sleeping.”
She says (that) the baby is
sleeping.
She told me ( that ) the baby
was sleeping.
“We have
washed the car.”
They say ( that) they have
washed the car.
They said (that) they had
washed the car.
“I played
football.”
He says ( that) he played
football.
He said (that) he had played
football.
“We were dancing
all night long.”
They say they were dancing
all night long.
They said they had been
dancing all night long.
“I will try again
next year.”
He says he will try again next
year.
He said he would try again
the following year.
“I’m thirsty!”
What is direct speech?
“I’m thirsty!”
What is direct speech?
Direct speech is the exact
words someone said. We use
quotation marks (“ “) in
direct speech.
He said he
was thirsty.
What is reported speech?
He said he
was thirsty.
What is reported speech?
Reported speech is the exact
meaning of what someone
said.
SAY/TELL
SAY/TELL
He said, “Jane is late
again.”
He said to me, “Jane is
late again. ”
He told me , “Jane is late
again.”
He said (that) Jane was
late again.
He said / told me/ that
Jane was late again.
He told me (that) Jane
was late again.
SAY
- good morning/
afternoon/evening
- something/nothing
- one’s prayers
- a few words
- no more
- so
TELL
- the truth
- a lie
- a secret
- a story
- the time
- the difference
- somebody the way
- one’s fortune
When the introductory verb is in
a past tense , the verb tenses
change as follows.
The past perfect and
past perfect
continuous do not
change in reported
speech.
Reported
Statements
Certain words and time expressions
change as follows.
They are
introduced with
say (that) or tell
(that).
Personal pronouns,
possessive
adjectives/pronouns
change according to
the meaning of the
sentence.
Direct Speech
Present Simple
“I am thirsty,” the boy said
Present Continuous
“He is sleeping,” she said.
Present Perfect
“I have washed the car,” he said.
Past Simple
“I played football ,” Tom said.
Past Continuous
“We were dancing all night long ,”
she said.
Future Simple
“I will try again tomorrow ,” he
said.
Reported Speech
Past Simple
The boy said ( that) he was thirsty.
Past Continuous
She said he was sleeping.
Past Perfect
He said that he had washed the car.
Past Perfect
Tom said that he had played football.
Past Perfect Continuous
She said they had been dancing all night
long.
Conditional ( would)
He said he would try again the next
day.
Direct Speech
tonight, today, this
week/month/year
now
yesterday, last night /
week/month/year
tomorrow/ next
two days/ months/
years ago
here
come
Reported Speech
that night, that day, that week
/ month/ year
then/ at that time
the day before, the previous
night, week/month/year
the following
two days/ months/ years
before
there
go
Tenses do not change in reported speech when:
1. The introductory verb ( say, tell, etc.) is in the present simple,
future simple or present perfect. “I made a cake, “ Jane says.
Jane says that she made a cake.
2. The speaker reports something a short time after it was said.
“The car has broken down again, “ my sister said. My sister said
that the car has broken down again.
3. Tenses can either change or remain the same in reported speech
when the speaker reports a general truth, a law of nature or a
permanent state. “The printing press was invented by Johann
Gutenberg,” the teacher said. The teacher said that the printing
press was/ had been invented by Johann Gutenberg.
“Did Tom and Jane
go to the cinema
last night?”
She asked me if /whether
Tom and Jane had gone to
the cinema the previous
night.
“Where did Tom
and Jane go last
night?”
She asked me where Tom
and Jane had gone the
previous night.
“Can you open the
window?”
She asked me if/whether I
could open the window.
“I’ll do the
shopping.”
She promised to do the
shopping.
“I won’t give you a
lift.”
He refused to give her a lift.
“We’ve never
caught such a big
fish before.”
They said …..
“You can find a lot
of information on
the Internet.”
The teacher said ….
“I’ll help you with
the gardening ,
Mum.”
She promised….
Rewrite the sentences in reported speech.
1. “There is no one at home,” he said.
2. “The Wilsons have gone on holiday,” he said.
3. “I’m going to the dentist now, “ said Lynn.
4. “Jamie has never seen a dolphin before,” Tom
said.
5. “I will order a pizza, “ he said.
6. “The sun rises in the east, “ the teacher said.
7. “It’s always hot at this time of the year,” she
said.
Turn the questions from direct to reported speech.
1. “ Who broke the window?” the teacher asked.
2. “Where are you going on holiday this
summer?”John asked me.
3. “What time is the wedding?” Linda asked.
4. “Did Tom go to the party last night?” Jill asked.
5. “Why are you laughing?” Philip asked.
6. “Will you lend me some money?”Sarah asked
him.