Professional Documents
Culture Documents
When we tell people what another person said or thought, we often use reported speech
or indirect speech. To do that, we need to change verb tenses (present, past, etc.) and
pronouns (I, you, my, your, etc.) if the time and speaker are different.
Sally: ‘I don’t have time.’ ⇒ Sally said that she didn’t have time.
Peter: ‘I am tired .’ ⇒ He said that he was tired.
Omission of that
We often leave out that after reporting verbs like say, think, etc.
She said she was late. (=She said that she was late.)
I thought I would get the job.
say or tell?
The most common verbs we use in reported speech are say and tell. We must pay attention
here. We say tell somebody something, and say something (to somebody).
They told me (that) they would help me. (NOT They said me they would help me.)
He said (that) he didn’t have a car. (NOT He told that he didn’t have a car.)
Tense changes in reported speech
When a person said something in the past and now we tell somebody what that person
said, the time is different, and for this reason, the verb tenses change. Look at a summary of
these changes.
In reported or indirect speech we must also pay attention to the use of pronouns. When a
person tells us something, he or she uses the first person (I, me, my, we, us, our) to talk
about himself or herself and the second person (you, your) to talk about us, the person
listening. But when we tell someone else what that person said, we are going to use the
third person (he, she, his, her, etc.) to talk about the speaker and the first person (I, me,
my) to talk about ourselves, the listener.
direct speech: 'I love the Toy Story films,' she said.
indirect speech: She said she loved the Toy Story films.
In indirect speech, we often use a tense which is 'further back' in the past (e.g. worked) than the tense
originally used (e.g. work). This is called 'backshift'. We also may need to change other words that were
used, for example pronouns.
Past perfect
The past perfect doesn't change.
'I'd tried everything without success, but this new medicine is great.'
He said he'd tried everything without success, but the new medicine was great.
No backshift
If what the speaker has said is still true or relevant, it's not always necessary to change the tense. This
might happen when the speaker has used a present tense.
Jenny told me that she goes to the gym next to my house. I'm thinking about going with her.
He told me he's working in Italy for the next six months. Maybe I should visit him!
However, if you are the person or one of the people who spoke, then the pronouns don't change.
We also change demonstratives and adverbs of time and place if they are no longer accurate.
'This is my house.'
He said this was his house. [You are currently in front of the house.]
He said that was his house. [You are not currently in front of the house.]
She told me they like it here. [You are currently in the place they like.]
She told me they like it there. [You are not in the place they like.]
She told me she's planning to do it today. [It is currently still the same day.]
She told me she was planning to do it that day. [It is not the same day any more.]
In the same way, these changes to those, now changes to then, yesterday changes to the day before,
tomorrow changes to the next/following day and ago changes to before.
EJERCICIOS
Exercise 1
Choose say/said or tell/told to complete the following sentences in reported speech.
1 He_____ me that he didn't have enough money.
told
said
2 I _____ the waiter the soup was cold.
said
told
3 Everybody _____ that I had been great.
said
told
4 She _____ I was her favourite student.
said
told
5 Victor _____ he would change the windows.
said
told
6 I _____ the doctor I didn't want to take any medicine
said
told
7 They didn't _____ me anything.
say
tell
8 She _____ she worked in a factory.
told
said
9 Who _____ you that they wouldn't come?
said
told
10 They _____ there was a problem.
told
said
Exercise 2
Choose the correct reported speech forms to complete the sentences below.
1 'I'm really tired' ⇒ She said that she _____ really tired.
a.is
b.has been
c.was
3 'I'll be at home all afternoon.' ⇒ She said she _____ at home all afternoon.
a.was
b.'d be
c.'d been
6 'You have my phone.' ⇒ The man said that _____ had _____ phone.
a.you / his
b.I / your
c.I / his
8 'I didn't steal any money.' ⇒ The thief said that he _____ any money.
a.hadn't stolen
b.didn't steal
c.hasn't stolen
9 'I can lend you the money' ⇒ She told me he _____ me the money.
a.can lend
b.could lend
c.lent
10 'I won't call you again.' ⇒ She told me she _____ again.
a.wouldn't call you
b.didn't call me
c.wouldn't call me
Exercise 3
Rewrite the sentences in reported speech, changing the verb tenses and the pronouns
appropriately.
Exercise 4
Choose the correct verb form to complete the sentence.
1. 'My dad ran a marathon at the age of 65.' → She told me that her dad ___ a marathon at the age of
65.
was running
had run
has run
2. 'I've written three pages of the report.' → He said that he ___ three pages of the report.
wrote
was writing
had written
3. 'I wasn't paying attention at the time.' → He said that he ___ attention at the time.
didn't pay
4. 'I live in the centre.' → She told me that she ___ in the centre, but I think she's moved.
has lived
had lived
lived
5. 'We're meeting Toni at 8 o'clock.' → She said that they ___ meeting Toni at 8 o'clock. I hope they're
having a nice time!
were meeting
are meeting
6. 'She had worked for that school for 40 years when she retired.' → He told me that she ___ for that
school for 40 years when she retired.
works
was working
had worked
7. 'We're having a great time here on holiday!' → I got a postcard from my parents – they said they're
having a great time ___ on holiday.
there
here
then
8. 'Coralia's arriving today.' → She told me that Coralia was arriving ___, but I found out the next day
that her visit was cancelled.
today
that day
Ago
Exercise 5
Choose the correct form to complete the sentence.
1. My best friend at school became a nurse first, then a paramedic.' → He told me that his best friend at
school ___ a nurse first, then a paramedic.
was becoming
had become
has become
2. 'I had lived in four countries by the age of ten.' → She said that she ___ in four countries by the age
of ten.
lived
was living
had lived
3. 'I commute 45 minutes to work.' → She told me that she ___ 45 minutes to work, but I bet it takes
longer now with the roadworks.
has commuted
commuted
had commuted
4. We were hoping to have our wedding in June.' → She told me that they ___ to have their wedding in
June. In the end, though, they got married in September.
are hoping
5. Oh, hi, Ethan! I'm just leaving, unfortunately.' → When I got there I saw him, but he said he ___.
is just leaving
6. We've seen four elephants already and it's only our first day.' → He said that they ___ four elephants
on their first day. Imagine what animals they've seen by now!
were seeing
have seen
had seen
7. 'I love this restaurant!' → We could go back to Bella Roma? Chloe said she loved ___ restaurant!
that
this
there
8. 'I told Dom to email you three days ago.' → She said that she had told Dom to email me three days
___, but it's been a week now and I still haven't heard.
then
ago
before