We can report people’s words:
• Direct speech
• Indirect Speech
SO…
What is Direct Speech?
To report the exact words someone used
By using quotations.
What is Indirect Speech?
Is the exact meaning of what someone said, but
no exact words. We don’t use quotations.
Direct Speech
Indirect Speech
He said, “I am Ted”
He said (that) he was Ted.
He said to me, “ I am Ted”
He said to me (that) he was Ted
He told me,” I am Ted”
He told me (that) he was Ted
Tenses change when
Case 1: For out-date reporting someone
• Example:
I like Shakespeare a lot
•
he said that he liked Shakespeare a lot
Case 2:Untrue statements
•
He said that he was coming, but it is too late now
Tenses might change when
Case 3: For up date reporting someone or generalizations or facts of nature
• Example:
The sun sets in the west, he said
•
He said that the sun sets/set in the west
Tenses don’t change
Case 4: When the introductory verb is in simple present, future, Present Perfect
• Example:
•
The singer says, “I enjoy cycling”
The singer says that she enjoys cycling

We can use tell or say in both direct or
indirect speech
SAY
TELL
It is used in Indirect and direct speech
It is used in Indirect and direct speech
Is always followed by a Personal object
is used with or without a personal object
Expression: Greetings, something,
nothing, one’s prayers, so, a few words
Expressions:
The truth, a lie, secrets, a story, the time,
The difference, sb’s name, sb the way,
one from another, one’s fortune.
Statements
Modals
If Conditionals
Questions
Command/ Request/
Suggestion
Direct Speech
Indirect Speech
Present simple
“I want to go to bed”, he said
Simple Past
He said, (that) he wanted to go to bed
Present Continuous
“She is feeding the baby”, she said
Past Continuous
She said ( that) she was feeding the baby
Present Perfect
“ I’ve bought a new dress “, she said
Past perfect
She said (that) she had bought a new dress
Past simple
“ I finished work early”, he said
Past simple or past perfect
Alex said (that) he (had) finished work early
Past Continuous
“I was planning to call you later”, she
said
Past continuous or past perfect continuous
She said (that) she was planning/had been
planning to call her later.
Future (will)
“ I’ll talk to you tomorrow”, she said
Conditional (would)
She said (that) she would talk to me the next
day
Pronouns : personals, adjectives, possessive
Change according to the meaning
Indirect Speech
Example: Direct Speech

Sam said, ‘ I am leaving for Germany’


Sam said, he was leaving for Germany
The simple past and past perfect remain the same
Certain words and time expressions change according to the meaning
Direct Speech
Indirect Speech
Direct Speech
Indirect Speech
Now
Then
Last week
The week before /previous
Today, tonight
That day, that night
Next week
yesterday
The day before/previous
The week after/the
following week
tomorrow
The next / following day
Two days ago
Two days before
This week
That week
Here
There
This/these
That/those
come
go
Adjectives:
Direct Speech
Indirect Speech
“This cake is delicious” Pam told me
“That cake is delicious” Pam told me
Those cakes are delicious” Pam told me
These cakes are delicious” Pam told me
Pam told me (that) that cake was
delicious
Pam told me (that) those cakes were
delicious
Pronouns:
Direct Speech
Indirect Speech
“This is a brilliant idea”, Debbie said
He said, “ those are the men who
helped me.
Debbie said (that)it was a brilliant idea
He said they were the men who had
helped him

Certain modal verbs change in reported
speech as follows:
MODALS
DIRECT SPEECH
MODALS
INDIRECT SPEECH
Will/shall
She said,” I ‘ll have some tea”
Would
She said (that) she would have some tea
May
He said” they may come home”
Might
He said (that) they might go or come
home
Can
She said “ She can type fast
Could
She said ( that) she could type fast
Shall ( for advice)
He said “ what shall I tell her?”
Should
He asked what he should tell her
Must
He said you must stay in
Must /had to
He said (that) I must/had to stay in
He said “ she must be exhausted
She said ( that) she must be exhausted
IF CLAUSES
DIRECT SPEECH
IF CLAUSES
INDIRECT SPEECH
Type 1
“If I have the time, I will come around “
Lisa said A
Type 1
Lisa said (that) if she had the time, she
would come round.
Type 2 and Type 3 ( don’t change)
“If she knew, she would help us”, Tony
said
Type 2 and Type 3
Tony said (that) if she knew, she would help
us.
FUTURE Will / is going to
Would and was going to
Real present
Real present
Unreal present
Unreal present
Real past
Unreal past
Unreal past
Unreal past
Reported questions introductory verbs are
Ask, inquire, wonder, or the expression “want
to know”.
 Keep the direct wh-word in the reported
Question.
 Change the auxiliaries or modal in a yes/no
question for: if or whether
 Questions reported verbs are affirmative
Polite words such as please, well, oh are omitted

CAN YOU HOLD THE DOOR FOR ME PLEASE?’
the man asked.
The man asked if /whether I could hold the door
for him.
 Where are you going?”, asked Sam.
Sam asked her where she was going.
Sam asked her where was she going INCORRECT

Structure of Commands:
Tell+Sb+(not)+To infinitive

Direct Speech
Indirect Speech
“Put the gun down”, he said to him
“Don’t look down”, he said to us
He ordered him to put the gun down
He told us not to look down .
Structure of suggestions
Verb suggest+ ing form/that sb (should) + bare infinite

Direct Speech
Indirect Speech
Let’s go outside, ‘ I said to them
We can/could go outside’, I said to them
I suggested going /that we should
go outside.
Structure of Requests:
Ask or beg+ sb+(not)+to infinitive

Direct Speech
Indirect Speech
Help me, please,’Jean said to Tom
Please, please, don’t call the police’, he said to
Colin
Jean asked Tom to help her
He begged Colin not to call the police
INTRODUCTORY
VERB
DIRECT SPEECH
INDIRECT SPEECH
Agree + to inf
Offer
Promise
Refuse
*threaten
Yes, I’ll give you a lift
‘Shall I carry the boxes?
I promise I’ll help you’
No, I won’t buy a car.
Stop talking or I’ll send you out
She agreed to give me a lift
He offered to carry the boxes
He promised to help me
She refused to buy me a car
He threatened to send me out
I f I didn’t stop talking
Advise+sb+to inf
Ask
beg
Command
Invite
Order
Remind
warn
You should see a doctor
Could you do something for me?
Please, please call the police
Drop you weapons
Will you come to my party
Get out of the house
Don’t forget to write to Paul
Don’t go near the oven
He advised me to see a doctor.
She asked me to do something for her
She begged me to call the police
He commanded them to drop their weapons
She invited me to go to her party
She ordered me to get out of the house
She reminded me to write to Paul
She warned me not to go near the oven
INTRODUCTORY DIRECT SPEECH
VERB
INDIRECT SPEECH
Admit (to) + inf
Accused sb of
Apologize for
Boast about /of
Complain to sb of
Deny
Insist on
Suggest
Yes, I stole the plants
You lied to me
I’ m sorry I shouted at you
I’m the cleverest of all
I have a headache
I didn’t take the bag
You must do you work
Let’s visit Jane
He admitted to stealing/ having stolen the plants
She accused me of lying/having lied to her
He apologized for shouting /having shouted at me
He boasted about being the cleverest of all
He complained to me about having a headache
He denied taking/ having taken the bag
She insisted on me /my doing my work
She suggested visiting Jane
Complain +that
Deny
Explain
Exclaim/remark
You’re always late
I didn’t take the money
It’s a difficult situation
What a beautiful baby he is
Promise
suggest
I promise I’ll call you
You’d better go home
She complained that I was always late
She denied that she had taken the money
He explained that it was a difficult situation
She exclaimed/remarked that he was a beautiful
baby
She promised that she would call me
He suggested that I ( should )go home
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
a. My doctor
b. My coach
He asked me to play my music ............
c. My friend
He told me to come after midnight ............
d. My neighbor
She said to drink at least six glasses ............
e. My mother
He said not to be late for practice again ............
f. My wife
She asked me to pick up the kids after school ............ g. My teacher
He told me to bring a dictionary tomorrow ............
He asked me not to tell anyone about his new girlfriend ............
Think about another request each person might make?
Example: A: A doctor might also ordered a patient to get more exercise
B : A doctor might advice avoiding eating greasy foods
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Donna: “I have to baby sit my nephew that night”
William and Brigitte: “we’re going out of town for the weekend”
Mary:” I’ve been invited to a wedding on Saturday “
James: “ I promised to help Dennis move”
Anita: “ I can’t come because I have the flu”
Mark : “ I’ll be studying for a test all weekend
Eva and Randall: We have to pick someone up at the airport that evening
David: “ I may have to work late on Saturday night”

Dan is out of town for the weekend. Listen to
four voice mails he received. Write them
down into reported speech.

Check them. Is any important info missing?