REPORTED SPEECH

Direct Speech: The exact words

someone said.
Reported Speech: The exact meaning of
what someone said, but not the exact
words.

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In reported speech personal pronouns,

possessive adjectives and possessive
pronouns change according to the
meaning of the sentence.
Tom said, “I’m meeting my girlfriend
tomorrow”.
Tom said that he was meeting his
girlfriend the next day.
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The changes do not only occur in

pronouns, possessive adjectives and so
on, but also in TENSES.

How do the following sentences change

in reported speech?

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“I want to go to bed early”, he said.
He said (that) he wanted to go to bed early.
(simple present : simple past)

“She’s watering the flowers”, he said .

He said (that) she was watering the flowers.
(present progressive: past progressive)

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“I’ve bought a new car”, he said.

He said (that) he had bought a new car.
(present perfect: past perfect)

“I went to bed early”, he said.

He said (that) he had gone to bed early.
(simple past: past perfect)
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“I was reading the paper”, he said .

He said (that) he had been reading the paper.
(past progressive: past perfect progressive)

“I’ll phone you tomorrow”, he said .

He said (that) he would phone me the next
day.
(Future will: would)
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“I can give you my address”, she said.

She said (that) she could give me her
address.
(Can: could)

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Certain time expressions change according to

the meaning of the sentence .
today that day
tomorrow the next / following day
next week/month/year... the following week/month/year...
now then/at that moment
last week/month/year ... the week/month/year before
yesterday the day before
ago before

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Certain expressions of place change according

to the meaning of the sentence .
here there

But what about this or these?

this that
these those

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Say & Tell

TELL + personal object

He told me he was Ted.

SAY
He said he was Ted.

SAY + personal object.

When used with a personal object it is always followed by the
preposition TO.
He said to me he was Ted.

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Reported questions

“What do you want to drink?” she asked me.

She asked me what I wanted to drink.

“Have you seen this film before?” he asked me.

He asked me if/whether I had seen the film before.

“Can you close the window, please?” the lady asked me.
The lady asked me if I could close the window.

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Reported commands, requests and suggestions

“Tell the truth!” she said to him.

She told him to tell the truth.

“Help me with the homework, please”, the little boy

said to his mother.
The little boy asked his mother to help him with the
homework.

“Let’s go outside”, I said to them.

I suggested going outside / that we should go
outside.

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Say, tell and ask are not the only

verbs you can use in reported
speech.
In fact, if you want to sound
natural you should choose from a
wide range of verbs known as
Introductory Verbs.

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 INTRODUCTORY VERBS
 agree - zustimmen
 decide – sich entscheiden
 offer - anbieten
 promise - versprechen
 refuse – sich weigern
 threaten - drohen

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 advise - empfehlen
 convince - überzeugen
 command - befehlen
 invite - einladen
 order - bestellen
 persuade - überreden

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 remind – jemanden erinnern
 warn - warnen
 admit to - zulassen
 accuse somebody of - anklagen
 apologise for – sich entschuldigen
 blame somebody on something –
jemanden für etwas
verantwortlich machen
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REPORTED SPEECH
 deny – bestreiten, leugnen
 insist on – bestehen auf
 recommend - empfehlen
 suggest - vorschlagen
 complain – sich beschweren
 explain - erklären
 exclaim - ausrufen

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Now it’s your turn!

Try the exercises on your work
sheet!

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The Results:

1.John said (that) Mandy was at home.

2. Max told me (that) he often read a book.

3. Susan announced (that) she was watching TV.

4. Simon noticed (that) David had been ill.

5. Stephen and Claire told me (that) they had cleaned the

windows.

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REPORTED SPEECH
6. Charles remarked (that) he had time to do his
homework.

7. Mr Jones told me (that) his mother would become

80 years old.

8. Jean said (that) the boss had to sign the letter.

9. Henry asked Ian to pass him the sugar.

10. Grace and John asked us if we could pass them the

butter. 20
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11. Mrs Bakker told her students to take out

their books and open them on page 45.

12. Sabine asked me if there was anything

wrong with me.

Thank you!
Made for:
Maria Montessori Comprehensive School, Meerbusch
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