The Egyptian British International School

Year 6 English Department

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____________________________

Direct Speech and Reported Speech

Let’s say you and your friend, Rebecca, are eating dinner at a restaurant on
Saturday night. Rebecca tells you all about her friend Joshua. She tells you
what Joshua told her on Friday. She can say it in two ways.

The first way is called “direct speech.” Direct speech is EXACTLY what the person
said. Here is an example:

Joshua said, “I need to take a taxi.”

According to the above sentence, Joshua said EXACTLY those words.

The other way of repeating what a person says is called “reported speech.”
Reported speech is NOT EXACTLY what the person said. It is like a summary of
paraphrase of what the speaker said. Take a look at the following example:

Joshua said that he needed to take a taxi.

This is NOT EXACTLY what Joshua said.

Here is another example:

Direct Speech (EXACT) Reported Speech (NOT EXACT)

Joshua said, “I love eating chocolate ice Joshua said that he loved eating
cream after dinner.” chocolate ice cream after dinner.

How are direct speech and reported speech different? There are 5 things that are
different:

1. Direct speech has quotation marks; reported speech does not use quotation
marks.

2. In reported speech, the pronoun often changes. For example, in the above
sentence with quoted speech the pronoun I is used, whereas the sentence with
reported speech uses the pronoun he.

3. In reported speech, the word that is often used after said, but that is optional.
 4. Direct speech is exactly what the person said.

5. The verb in reported speech is changed to the past; some modal verbs do not
change. There are rules to follow when changing the verb. Please see the chart
below.
Reported Speech
Direct Speech (EXACT) Notes
(NOT EXACT)

Jordan said, “I cook rice every Jordan said that she cooked
day.” rice every day.
Jordan said, “I am cooking Jordan said that she was cooking
rice.” rice.
Jordan said that she had cooked
Jordan said, “I cooked rice.”
rice.
Jordan said, “I have cooked Jordan said that she had cooked The past tense all use
rice.” rice. had +
Jordan said, “I had cooked Jordan said that she had cooked past participle.
rice.” rice
Jordan said, “I will cook Jordan said that she would cook rice.
rice.”
Jordan said, “I am going to cook Jordan said that she was going to
rice.” cook rice.
Jordan said, “I can cook rice.” Jordan said that she could cook rice.

Jordan said, “I may cook rice.” Jordan said that she might cook rice.

Jordan said, “I must cook rice.” Jordan said that she had to cook rice.

Jordan said, “I have to cook
rice.”
Jordan said, “I should cook rice.”
Jordan said, “I ought to coo
rice.”
Jordan said, “I might cook rice.”
Jordan said that she had to cook rice.
Jordan said that she should cook rice.
These modals do not
Jordan said that she ought to cook
change when used in
rice.
reported speech.
Jordan said that she might cook rice.

Jordan says, “I cook rice every Jodan says that she cooks When you use the
day.” rice every day.” words say, has said,
Jordan has said, “I cook rice every Jordan has said that she or will say (not
day.” cooks rice every day.” said), the verb tense
Jordan will say, “I cook rice every Jordan will say that she remains the same for
day.” cooks rice every day.” both the quoted
speech
For and reported
commands, use the
word
Jordan said, “Cook rice.” Jordan told me to cook rice.
told instead of said,
and use an infinitive for
the main

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Adverbs and demonstratives:

THIS -------------------------→ THAT

THESE -------------------------→ THOSE
NOW -------------------------→ THEN or AT THAT MOMENT
TODAY -------------------------→ THAT DAY

YESTERDAY -------------------------→ THE DAY BEFORE or

THE PREVIOUS DAY
TOMORROW -------------------------→ THE NEXT DAY or
THE FOLLOWING DAY
LAST NIGHT -------------------------→ THE NIGHT BEFORE or
THE PREVIOUS NIGHT
HERE -------------------------→ THERE

DIRECT SPEECH -----------------------→ REPORTED SPEECH

Pronouns:
If the report is on what a man/boy said (JOHN/HE SAID THAT...), the changes are as
follows:
I -------------------------→ HE
ME -------------------------→ HIM
MY -------------------------→ HIS
MINE -------------------------→ HIS
MYSELF -------------------------→ HIMSELF

If the report is on what a woman/girl said (MARY/SHE SAID THAT...), the changes are as
follows:
I -------------------------→ SHE
ME -------------------------→ HER
MY -------------------------→ HER
MINE -------------------------→ HERS
MYSELF -------------------------→ HERSELF

If the report is on what you said (YOU SAID THAT...), the changes are as follows:

a) In the singular:

I -------------------------→ YOU
ME -------------------------→ YOU
MY -------------------------→ YOUR
MINE -------------------------→ YOURS
MYSELF -------------------------→ YOURSELF

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b) In the plural:

WE -------------------------→ YOU
US -------------------------→ YOU
OUR -------------------------→ YOUR
OURS -------------------------→ YOURS
OURSELVES -------------------------→ YOURSELVES

If the report is on what the students/the teachers said (THE STUDENTS SAID/THEY
SAID THAT...), the changes are as follows:

WE -------------------------→ THEY
US -------------------------→ THEM
OUR -------------------------→ THEIR
OURS -------------------------→ THEIRS
OURSELVES -------------------------→ THEMSELVES

Common Reporting Verbs for:

Statements Questions Imperatives

advise shout ask ask
apologize state inquire (of sb) order
demand stress want to know tell
encourage suggest wonder warn
explain thank
indicate inform
invite tell
note
order
point out
propose
recommend
remark
reply
respond
say (to sb)