Reported Speech
In direct speech we repeat exactly what
someone said:
He said 'I don't like football'
In reported speech, however, we tell what
someone said without repeating his exact
words.
He said (that) he didn't like football.
Reported Speech
Backshift
Present
Present simple – Past simple
'I like peaches.' He said he liked peaches.
Present Continuous – Past continuous
'Is it raining?' He asked if it was raining.
Present Perfect – Past perfect
'You've annoyed the dog.' I told her she'd annoyed the
dog.
Reported Speech
Backshift
Past
Past simple – Past perfect
'I didn't recognize you.' She explained that she hadn't
recognized me.
Past continuous – P. cont. / P. perf. cont.
'I was joking about the price.' He said he was joking / had
been joking
Past perfect – Past perfect
'I hadn't seen her before 'You said you hadn't seen her
that day.' before that day.'
Reported Speech
Backshift
Modals
Shall / will – Should / would
'We'll be late.' 'I was afraid we'd be late'
Can / may – Could / might
'I can swim.' She thought she could swim.
Would, could, might, ought, should – no change
'You could be right.' I felt he could be right.
Must – must or had to
'I must go.' He said he must go. (or: ...or had to go)
Reported Speech
Time
Adverbs
today that day
yesterday the day before
the day before yesterday two days before
tomorrow the next day, the following day
the day after tomorrow in two days' time
next week/year etc. the following week/year etc.
last month/year etc. the previous month, year, etc.
a year etc. ago a year before/ the previous year
Reported Speech
Other
Prepositions, etc.
this that the I found this watch on a train‘
these those, the He said that he had found that/the watch
on a train.
Pronouns and possessive adjectives from first or second
person to third person, except when the speaker is
reporting his own words.
He said. I've forgotten the combination of my safe'
He said that he had forgotten the combination of his safe.
Reported Speech
Other
Prepositions, etc.
this that the I found this watch on a train‘
these those, the He said that he had found that/the watch
on a train.
Pronouns and possessive adjectives from first or second
person to third person, except when the speaker is
reporting his own words.
He said. I've forgotten the combination of my safe'
He said that he had forgotten the combination of his safe.
Reported Speech
Sentence
Statements
With reported statements we normally use the
conjunction that, which can be omitted.
He said, 'I'm going home' = He said (that) he was going
home.
We also normally use say and tell as reporting verbs.
Remember that tell must be followed by the person
addressed or a personal pronoun in object form.
He said that he had forgotten his keys at home.
He told me that he had forgotten his keys at home.
Reported Speech
Sentence
Questions
They don't have the same word-order (auxiliary verb
before subject) as direct questions have. Do is not
used. Questions marks are not used either.
The nurse asked how I felt.
I wondered why my mother was driving so fast.
Mary asked if I needed another blanket.
He wanted to know if he would be in Edinburgh in time.
Reported Speech
Present
“I live in New York”
“She works in a bank”
“We often meet Jane on the weekends”
“They are playing basketball”
“They have finished the project”
“Are they coming tonight?”
“Who’s your sister?”
“I never get up early on Sundays”
Exercises
Reported Speech
Past
“I lived in New York”
“She worked in a bank”
“We often met Jane on the weekends”
“They were playing basketball”
“They had finished the project”
“Did they come yesterday?”
“Was that your sister?”
“I never got up early on Sundays”
Exercises
Reported Speech
modals
“She’ll live in New York”
“She had to work in a bank”
“We should meet Jane more often”
“They must study harder”
“She can play the piano really well”
“Would you pass the salt, please?”
“We might go to the party after all
“I needn’t have bought all that food”
Exercises
Reported Speech
Other
Sentences
Comands, requests, advise…
They're all often reported by reporting verb + object
pronoun + infinitive.
Commands: 'Be back before ten', my mother said.
My mother told (or ordered) me to be back before ten.
Requests: He said, 'Can you open the window, please?'
= He asked me to open the window.
Remember that if we ask for an object we don't need
infinitives. 'Can you lend me a pen?' he said. He asked
me for a pen.
Reported Speech
Other
Sentences
Comands, requests, advise…
Offers: 'Shall I bring you some tea?‘ He offered to bring
me some tea.
Invitations: 'Would you like to sit down?‘ My hostess
invited me to sit down.
Advice: 'if you travel abroad you should take traveller
cheques‘ My friend advised me to take traveller cheques
with me if I travelled abroad.
Warnings: 'Be careful of pickpockets', The policeman
warned us to be careful of pickpockets.
Reported Speech
Other
Sentences
Comands, requests, advise…
Encouragement: 'Go on, apply for the job,' said Jack.
Jack urged/encouraged me to apply for the job.
Reminders: 'Don't forget to order the wine,' said Mrs. Pitt
Mrs. Pitt reminded her husband to order the wine.
Reported Speech
Reporting
verbs
ACCEPT.- 'O.K. I'll do the job,' he said. = He accepted to
do the job.
ACCUSE.- 'You are a thief,' said the manager to him =
The manager accused him of being a thief.
ADMIT.- 'Yes, I stole the money,' he said. = He admitted
having stolen the money / that he had stolen.
AGREE.- 'You can use my flat while I'm away,' he said. =
He agreed to let us use his flat while he was away.
APOLOGIZE.- 'Sorry, I', late,' he said. = He apologized
for being late.
CALL.- 'You are a liar, Henry,' he said. = He called Henry
a liar.
Reported Speech
Reporting
verbs
COMPLAIN.- 'The price is too high,' he said. = He
complained about the price.
CONGRATULATE.- 'Congratulations on your success!'
he said to me. = He congratulated me on my success.
DENY.- 'No, I didn't see her yesterday,' he said. = He
denied having seen her the day before.
EXCLAIM.-' Ugh, there's a fly in my soup!' he said. = He
exclaimed with disgust that there was a fly in his soup.
EXPLAIN.- 'In the USA, the speed limit is 55 m.p.h..' =
He explained that in the USA the speed limit is 55 m.p.h.
GIVE.- 'Here's your money, John,' he said. = He gave
John his money.
Reported Speech
Reporting
verbs
INTRODUCE.-' Please, Peter, meet Tom.' = He
introduced Peter to Tom.
POINT OUT.- 'There are a few mistakes in your essay,'
the teacher said. = The teacher pointed out that there
were a few mistakes in my essay.
PROMISE.- 'I will never smoke again,' he said. = He
promised never to smoke again.
PROTEST.- 'I think the Government's work policy is
unfair, ‘the union leader said. = The union leader
protested about (against) the Government's work policy.
REFUSE.- 'I won't lend you any more money,' he said. =
He refused to lend me any more money.
Reported Speech
Reporting
verbs
SUGGEST.- 'Why don't we take a holiday in the
mountains?' he said. = He suggested taking a holiday in
the mountains.
THANK.- 'Thank you for this splendid meal,' he said to
his hostess. = He thanked his hostess for the meal.
THREATEN.- ' If you say another word I will punish you,'
he said. He threatened his son to punish him if he said
another word.
WISH.- 'I wish you good luck,' he said to me. = He
wished me good luck.
Reported Speech
Reporting
verbs
First group – agree, offer, promise, refuse, threaten…
Subject + rep. verb + (not) + to infinitive
He refused to leave the house
He (promise / not / misbehave) anymore
They (offer / pick her up) from the airport
We (threaten / go on strike) if the company wouldn’t
listen
Reported Speech
Reporting
verbs
Second– advise, ask, encourage, invite, order,
recommend, remind, tell, warn Subject + rep. verb +
object + (not) + to infinitive He warned us to expect rain
He (encourage / him / take) the exam anyway
They (invite / their neighbours / come) to the barbecue
My friend (recommend / me / watch) that horrible film
Reported Speech
Reporting
verbs
Third – apologize for, deny, recommend, suggest Subject
+ rep. verb + (not) + gerund
The paparazzi apologized for harassing the actress
“I didn’t take your books” (deny)
“I’m sorry I didn’t call” (apologize for)
“Maybe we can go ice skating this evening” (suggest)
Reported Speech
Reporting
verbs
Fourth – add, admit, agree, complain, explain, insist,
reply, say Subject + rep. verb + (that) + subject + verb
He admitted that he had stolen the money
“stay for the night, please” (insist)
“the exam took too long” (complain)
“I didn’t study enough” (admit)
Reported Speech
Reporting
verbs
Fifth – remind, tell, warn
Subject + rep. verb + object + (that) + subject + verb
Max reminded me that he was going out that night
“don’t forget your coats” (remind)
“the exam will not be an easy one this time” (warn)
“I won’t be able to attend the meeting after all” (tell)
Reported Speech
Reporting
verbs
sixth – ask, enquire, question, wonder, want to know
Subj + rep. verb + if / whether / wh-word + subject + verb
The actor wondered whether he would win a prize
“For how long have you been watching?” (wonder)
“Is it your birthday?” (want to know)
“where did you buy that hat” (ask)
Reported Speech
Reporting
verbs
Rewrite the following sentences without using say, ask or tell
1. “Don’t do it!”
2. “I’m leaving tomorrow”
3. “Please get me a cup of tea”
4. “She got married last year”
5. “Be quick!”
6. “Could you explain number four, please?”
7. “Where do you live?”
8. “We went to the cinema and then to a Chinese restaurant”
9. “I’ll come and help you at twelve”
10. “What are you doing tomorrow?”
Reported Speech
Reporting
verbs
Rewrite the following sentences without using say, ask or tell
11. “Don’t go!”
12. “Do you work in London?”
13. “Could you tell me where the post office is?”
14. “Come here!”
15. “I’ve never been to Wales”
16. “Have you ever seen ‘Lord of the Rings’?”
17. “I don't like mushrooms”
18. “Don't be silly!”
19. “Would you mind waiting a moment please?”
20. “How often do you play sport?”
Reported Speech
Reporting
verbs
advise hope promise suggest beg insist
remind threaten deny invite refuse warn
1 "I didn't do it," she said.
She ________________ doing it.
2 "Have lunch with me," she said.
She ________________ me to have lunch with her.
3 "Why don't you buy one?" said Tom.
Tom ________________ I buy one.
4 "I promise I'll take you to Prague," said Mary.
Mary ________________ to take me to Prague.
5 "I hope Andy phones tonight," said Clare.
Clare ________________ Andy would phone that night.
Reported Speech
Reporting
verbs
advise hope promise suggest beg insist
remind threaten deny invite refuse warn
6 "Please, please don't tell anyone!" he said.
He ________________ me not to tell anyone.
7 "I won't do it," he said.
He ________________ to do it.
8 "You should have lessons," she said.
She ________________ me to have lessons.
9 "We really must go with you," they said.
They ________________ on going with me.
10 "Don't forget to phone Granny," said Mum.
Mum ________________ me to phone Granny.
Reported Speech
Reporting
verbs
advise hope promise suggest beg insist
remind threaten deny invite refuse warn
1 "I didn't do it," she said.
She denied doing it.
2 "Have lunch with me," she said.
She invited me to have lunch with her.
3 "Why don't you buy one?" said Tom.
Tom suggested I buy one.
4 "I promise I'll take you to Prague," said Mary.
Mary promised to take me to Prague.
5 "I hope Andy phones tonight," said Clare.
Clare hoped Andy would phone that night.
Reported Speech
Reporting
verbs
advise hope promise suggest beg insist
remind threaten deny invite refuse warn
6 "Please, please don't tell anyone!" he said.
He begged me not to tell anyone.
7 "I won't do it," he said.
He refused to do it.
8 "You should have lessons," she said.
She advised me to have lessons.
9 "We really must go with you," they said.
They insisted on going with me.
10 "Don't forget to phone Granny," said Mum.
Mum reminded me to phone Granny.
Reported Speech
Reporting verbs exercises
More exercises
Reporting
verbs
Reporting
verbs
Reported Speech
Champions press conference
1. accept, accuse,
complain
2. Deny, explain,
promise
3. Protest, suggest,
threaten
4. Accept, promise,
protest