Reported Speech

Direct Speech - Indirect Speech

Now - Then

Here
−
- There

Here after - There after

This - That

These - Those

Ago - Before

Thus - So

Today - That day

Tonight - That night

−

Direct −Speech - Indirect Speech

Last night - The previous night
Yesterday - The day before (or) the previous day
Tomorrow - The next day (or) the following day
Last week - The week before (or) the previous week
Next week - The week after (or) the following week
Next month - The month after/the following week
Hither - Thither
Hence - Thence
KINDS OF SENTENCES
(Reported Speech)
1. Assertive sentence (statement)
• Reporting verb-Said to, told, agreed, replied,
etc.,-That (linker)
• Remove inverted commas, change pronouns,
tense, time and place expressions.
• E.g. Sohan said to Mohan, “I am going to
school.”
• Sohan told Mohan that he was going to school.
 2. Interrogative sentence
There are mainly two types of questions:
a. Wh- questions b. Yes or No questions
Reporting verb-asked, enquired, questioned, etc.,
a) When we have a Wh- question, we use Wh- word as linker and
bring into statement form.
E.g. Mother asked me, “What are you doing?”
Mother asked me what I was doing.
b) Yes or No question, we use if/whether as linker.
E.g. The teacher asked me, “Do you know the answer?”
The teacher asked me if/whether I knew the answer.
(Remove Do)
 3. Imperative sentence
Reporting verbs-requested, ordered, commanded-
To (connector)
E.g. She said to me, “Sit down”.
She asked me to sit down.
E.g. The teacher said to the student, “Don’t be
lazy”.
The teacher advised the student not to be lazy.
 4. Exclamatory sentence
Reporting verbs-exclaimed, surprised, wished-
That (linker)

Note: When What or How follows by an adjective,

use very but when what follows by a noun use
great.

E.g. He said, “Hurrah! My friend has won the

match”.
He wished that his friend had won the match.
 Tense Tense Direct Speech Reported Speech
Change
Present Past simple He said, “She always He said that she always
simple (except universal wears a coat”. wore a coat.
truths)

Present Past continuous He said, “I am He said that he was

continuous looking for my keys”. looking for his keys.

Past simple Past perfect He said, “It rained last He said that it had rained the
[Note: Past Simple night”. previous night.
(in the reported
speech) is often, He said, “He drank water He said that he drank water
but not always, after the meal”. after the meal.
changed to the
past perfect]
Past Past perfect They said, “We were They said that they had
continuous continuous living in London”. been living in London.
 Tense Tense Direct Speech Reported Speech
Change
Present perfect Past perfect She said, “She has She said that she had
written three letters for written three letters for her
her friend”. friend.

Past perfect Past perfect She said, “The bread had She said the bread had
gone stale”. gone stale.

Past perfect Past perfect They said, “He had been They said that he had been
continuous continuous teaching in my school for teaching in their school for
15 years”. 15 years.

Will Would He said, “I will finish my He said that he would

report in two days”. finish his report in two
days.
Would Would They said, “He would They said that he would
work in the garden”. work in the garden.
Tense Tense Direct Speech Reported Speech
Change
Can Could She said, “I can speak She said that she could
English”. speak English.
Could Could They said, “He could They said that he could
play in the match”. play in the match.
Shall Would She said, “I shall She said she would obey
obey the rules”. the rules.
Should Should She said, “I should She said that she should
start a job”. start a job.
May Might She said, “I might She said that she might
invite them to the invite them to the dinner.
dinner”.
 Tense Tense Direct Speech Reported Speech
Change
Might Might He might get a flight She said that he might
tomorrow. get a flight the next
day.
Must Must/had to I must go to the She said that she
bank and get some must/had to go to the
money. bank and get some
money.
Have to Had to She said, “I have to She said that she had
submit this to submit this
assignment by 3pm assignment by 3pm
tomorrow”. the next day.
TIME AND PLACE IN
REPORTED SPEECH
DIRECT REPORTED DIRECT REPORTED
SPEECH SPEECH SPEECH SPEECH
Now Then “The children are He said that the
playing outside children were playing
now”. outside then.
Today That day “I’ve got a piano She said that she had
lesson today”. got a piano lesson that
day.
Here There “Put the box He told us to put the
here”. box there.
This That “I shall be very She said she would be
busy this week”. very busy that week,
DIRECT REPORTED DIRECT REPORTED
SPEECH SPEECH SPEECH SPEECH
Tomorro The following “I will leave for She said that she would
w day/the next New York leave for New York the
day/the day after tomorrow”. next day.
Next The following “I have an She said that she had an
week week/the next appointment appointment the
week/ the week next week”. following week
after
Yesterday The previous “Our English They said that their
day/The day teacher quizzed English teacher had
before us yesterday”. quizzed them the day
before.
Last week The previously “We had an They told us that they
week/ The week awful had had an awful
before earthquake last earthquake the previous
week”. week.
DIRECT REPORTED DIRECT REPORTED SPEECH
SPEECH SPEECH SPEECH

Last week The previously “We had an They told us that they had
week/ The week awful had an awful earthquake
before earthquake the previous week.
last week”.

Ago Previously/Before “The letter He said that the letter had

came a few come a few days before.
days ago”.
Tonight That night “I’m going He said that he was going
for a movie for a movie that night.
tonight”.
1. Petra : I see him over there waiting for me.
Dona Laura : Do not remain more than ten minutes.
Petra : What does the senora wish?
Dona Laura : Can you give me the breadcrumbs from
your bag?
Petra : I don’t know what is the matter with
me.
Petra told Laura that she saw him over there waiting for her.
Laura told Petra not to remain more than ten minutes. Petra
asked Laura what she wished. Laura asked Petra if/whether
she could give her the breadcrumbs from her bag. Then Petra
told Laura that she did not know what the matter was with
her.
2. Don Gonzalo : Are you speaking to me, Senora?
Dona Laura : yes, to you.
Don Gonzalo : What do you wish?
Dona Laura : You have scared away the birds. They
were feeding on my crumbs.
Don Gonzalo : What do I care about the birds?

Don Gonzalo asked Dona Laura whether she was speaking

to him. Dona Laura replied that she was speaking to him.
Then Don Gonzalo asked her what she wished. Dona Laura
told him that he had scared away the birds and she added
that they had been feeding on her crumbs. Don Gonzalo
asked her why she cared about the birds.
3. Juanito : Can you sit here, Senor?
Gonzalo : I want a bench to myself.
Juanito : There are three priests sitting over there.
Gonzalo : Tell them to go away.
Juanito : They are talking.

Juanito asked Gonzalo if he could sit there. Gonzalo

told Juanito that he wanted a bench to himself. Juanito
told Gonzalo that there were three priests sitting over
there. Gonzalo told Juanito to tell them to go away.
Juanito replied that they were talking.
4. Don Gonzalo : Have the priests gone yet, Juanito?
Juanito : No. Indeed, senor. There are still there.
Don Gonzalo : The authorities should place more
benches here for these sunny mornings.
Dona Laura : What you here again?
Don Gonzalo : I repeat that we have not met.

Don Gonzalo asked Juanito whether the priests had gone yet.
Juanito told Gonzalo that they hadn’t and added that they were
still there. Gonzalo said that the authorities should have placed
more benches there for those sunny mornings. Dona Laura
surprisingly asked Gonzalo why he was there again. Then
Gonzalo said that he repeated that they had not met.
5. Dona Laura : You should have asked permission to sit
on this bench.
Don Gonzalo : The benches here are public property.
Dona Laura : Why did you complain about the priests,
then?
Don Gonzalo : Are you taunting me?
Dona Laura : Don’t grumble.

Dona Laura told Don Gonzalo that he should have asked

permission to sit on that bench. Don Gonzalo told Laura that the
benches there were public property. Dona Laura asked Don
Gonzalo why he had complained about the priests then. Don
Gonzalo asked Dona Laura if she was taunting him. Dona Laura
asked Don Gonzalo not to grumble.
6. Dona Laura : Do you use your handkerchief as a shoe brush?
Don Gonzalo : Why not?
Dona Laura : Do you use a shoe brush as a handkerchief?
Don Gonzalo : What right have you to criticize myactions?
Dona Laura : A neighbour’s right.

Dona Laura asked Don Gonzalo whether he used his

handkerchief as a shoe brush. Don Gonzalo asked Dona Laura
why he should not use. Dona Laura asked Don Gonzalo
whether he used a shoe brush as a handkerchief. Then Gonzalo
asked Dona Laura what right she had to criticize his actions.
Dona Laura replied to him that she had a neighbour’s right.
7. Don Gonzalo : But first I shall take a pinch of snuff.
Will you have some?
Dona Laura : If it is good.
Don Gonzalo : It is of the finest. You will like it.
Dona Laura : It clears my head.
Don Gonzalo : And mine.
Don Gonzalo told Dona Laura that he would take a pinch of
snuff first and he asked her whether she would have some. She
said that if it was good. Then he told her that it was of the
finest and further he added that she would like it. She told him
that it cleared her head. Gonzalo said that it also cleared his
head.
8. Don Gonzalo : I am fond of good verses. I composed
some in my youth.
Dona Laura : Were they good ones?
Don Gonzalo : Why do you ask me such a question?
Dona Laura : Don’t be angry.

Don Gonzalo told Laura that he was fond of good verses and
continued that he had composed some in his youth. Dona
Laura asked Don Gonzalo if they had been good ones. Don
Gonzalo asked Dona Laura why she asked him such a question.
Dona Laura asked Don Gonzalo not to be angry.
9. Dona Laura : Are you coming tomorrow?
Don Gonzalo : Most certainly, if it is a sunny morning.
And not only will I not scare away the
birds, but I will bring a few crumbs.
Dona Laura : Thank you very much. Birds are
grateful and repay attention.

Dona Laura asked Don Gonzalo whether he was coming

the next day. Don Gonzalo replied that he would certainly
if it was a sunny morning. He promised that he would not
only not scare away the birds but he would bring a few
crumbs. Dona Laura thanked him and said that the birds
are/were grateful and repay attention.
10. Don Laura : Don’t remain more than ten minutes.
Petra : What does senora wish?
Don Laura : Can you give me the bread crumbs from my
bag?
Petra : I don’t know what is the matter with me.
Laura : I know.

Dona Laura warned Petra not to remain more than ten minutes.
Petra asked Dona Laura what she wished. Then Dona Laura
asked Petra whether she could give her the bread crumbs from
her bag. Petra said that she did not know what the matter with
her was. Dona Laura said that she knew it.
11. Don Gonzalo : I shall take a pinch of snuff.
Will you have some?
Dona Laura : If it is good.
Don Gonzalo : It is of the finest. You will like it.

Don Gonzalo told Dona Laura that he would take a

pinch of snuff and asked whether she would have
some. Then she said that if it was good. He replied
that it was of the finest and added that she would like
it.
12. Laura : Have you been in America?
Gonzalo : Several times.
Laura : You must have gone with Columbus.
Gonzalo : I am old. But I did not know
Ferdinand and Isabella.

Laura asked Gonzalo if he had been in America. Gonzalo

told Laura that he had been in several times. Laura told
Gonzalo that he had to/must have gone with Columbus.
Then Gonzalo told Laura that he was old and continued
that he had not known Ferdinand and Isabella.
13. Minister : Why do you not run away?
There is no guard to keep you.
The prince will not mind.
Criminal : I know it. But I have nowhere
to go.

The minister asked the criminal why he did not run

away and continued that there was no guard to keep
him. He also said that the prince would not mind.
Then the criminal replied that he knew it and said
that but he had nowhere to go.
14. Prince : You must find some cheaper way of
dealing with this rascal.
First minister : In my opinion we must dismiss the guard.
Second minister : Then the fellow will run away.
First minister : Let him run away.
The prince told the ministers that they had to find some
cheaper way of dealing with that rascal. The first minister
told the prince that in his opinion they had to dismiss the
guard. The second minister told the first minister that the
fellow would run away then. The first minister said that he
should run away.
15. Alifano : What is your first literary reading?
Borges : My first reading is Grimm’s Fairy tales
in an English version.
Alifano : Where did you read it?
Borges : I read it in my father’s library. It taught
me more than any high school.

Alifano asked Borges what his first literary reading was.

Borges told Alifano that his first reading was Grimm’s Fairy
tales in an English version. Alifano asked Borges where he had
read it. Borges replied that he had read it in his father’s library
and continued that it had taught him more than any high
school.
16. POP campaigner : We want your vote.
Rufus Okeke : How can I vote for Maduka?
POP campaigner : Are you taking this money or not?
Rufus Okeke : Will it not be heard outside this house?
POP campaigner : Don’t worry about it.
The POP campaigner told Rufus Okeke that they wanted
his vote. Rufus Okeke asked the campaigner how he could
vote for Maduka. The campaigner asked Okeke if he was
taking that money or not. Okeke asked the campaigner if it
would not be heard outside that house. The campaigner told
Okeke not to worry about it.
17. Roof: Do not forget. Our sign is the motor-
car.
Woman : Is it like Marcus’s car?
Roof : It is the same car. Don’t look at the
other with the man’s head.

Roof asked woman not to forget and he said that their

sign was the motor-car. The Woman asked Roof if it
was like Marcus’s car. Roof agreed that it was the
same car and told her not to look at the other with the
man’s head.
18. POP Campaigner : We want your votes
Rufus Okeke : How can I vote for Maduka?
POP Campaigner : Are you taking this money or not?
Rufus Okeke : Will it not be heard outside this room?
POP Campaigner : Don't worry about it.

The POP Campaigner said that they wanted his votes. Rufus
Okeke asked how he could vote for Maduka. For which the
POP Campaigner asked whether he was taking that money or
not. Rufus suspiciously asked whether it would not be heard
outside that room. The POP Campaigner told him not to worry
about it.