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media and
global
communication

Reported speech
Reported speech

We use the reported speech when we want to report what


other people say.

“I believe people will have the same opportunities”, Sharon said.

Sharon said (that) she believed people would have the same opportunities.

When we say / report what other people said, some changes


have to be made: no use of inverted commas, the verb
form changes, the subject changes and “that” is used.
Reported speech
Verb tenses

The following chart shows the changes which take place when changing
a sentence in direct speech into reported/ indirect speech.

Direct speech Reported speech


Present Simple (he goes) Past Simple (he went)
Present Continuous (he is going) Past Continuous (he was going)
Past Simple (he went) Past Perfect (he had gone)
Present Perfect Simple (he has gone)
Future Simple (he will go) Conditional (he would go)
Imperative (Go) To-Infinitive (to go)
Reported speech
Personal pronouns and possessive pronouns/ determiners

The following chart shows the changes which take place when changing
a sentence in direct speech into reported/ indirect speech.

Direct speech Reported speech


I He/ She
My His/ Her
We They
Our Their
Reported speech
References to time and place

The following chart shows the changes which take place when changing
a sentence in direct speech into reported/ indirect speech.

Direct speech Reported speech Direct speech Reported speech


Now Then Last week The week before/
Today That day The previous week
Tonight That night Ago Before
Tomorrow The next day/ Here There
The following day This That
Yesterday The day before/ These Those
The previous day
Reported speech
Questions

“What is the best thing about the Internet?”, the reporter asked.

The reporter asked what the best thing about the Internet was.

When reporting a question we use the word order of


affirmative sentences and do not use the inversion of the
subject as we do in direct questions and the question mark is
replaced by a full stop.
Reported speech
Wh- questions

Wh- questions or open questions: starting with a question


word  asking for specific information.

“Why is your sister home?”


Question word + verb + subject…?

He asked me why my sister was at home.


Question word + subject + changed verb…
Reported speech
Yes/ no questions

Yes/ no questions or closed questions: starting with a verb 


expecting a yes/ no answer.
“Do you like online games?”
Verb + subject + main verb…?

He asked us if/ whether we liked online games.


If/ whether + subject + changed main verb…

“Are you addicted to the Internet?”


Verb + subject …?

They asked me if/ whether I was addicted to the Internet.


If/ whether + subject + changed verb…
Reported speech
orders and requests

“Turn off your computer.”


The mother told her son to turn off his computer.

When reporting orders and requests the verb form used is the To infinitive.

“Don’t do that.”
They told him not to do that.

If we want to report orders/ requests in the negative form we use not


before the to infinitive.
Rewrite the sentences in reported speech.

1. “I waited for you yesterday but you didn’t come.”


He complained ___________________________________________.
2. “I’ve never travelled abroad”.
William told me ___________________________________________.
3. “Why did Ina get out so early yesterday?”
Jane asked ______________________________________________.
4. “Can you remember when you last watched this online movie?”
She asked _______________________________________________.
5. “Don’t speak so loud here!”
I advised them ____________________________________________.
6. “Hurry up if you want to catch the plane tonight!”
My father told me _________________________________________.

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