Grammar 3GIG Dias
REPORTED SPEECH
I. Starter
Pretend you are Nick at Gatsby’s party. A journalist from a gossip magazine wants you to report to
them what Gatsby and any other guests told you at the party.
Student A: journalist
à The journalist asks: What happened at the party? What did Gatsby say to you?
Student B: Nick
à Nick retells the dialogue: He told me that…
II. Presentation
There are two ways of telling somebody what another person said – direct speech and reported
speech or indirect speech.
Direct speech repeats the exact words that somebody said:
§ Peter said, ‘I’m at home.’
§ The politician said, ‘I will create many new jobs.’
Reported speech reports what somebody said without repeating the exact words:
§ Peter said that he was at home.
§ The politician said that he would create many new jobs.
1. Rules for forming reported speech
If the reporting verb is in a past tense, there is a backshift of tenses, in other words, most verbs and
certain modal auxiliaries in the direct speech have to be adapted to the new situation and changed
into a corresponding past tense.
DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH
Present simple __________________
à
‘I need a new car.’ He said he needed a new car.
Present continuous __________________
à
‘We’re working on a new invention.’ She said that they were working on a new
invention.
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Grammar 3GIG Dias
Present perfect __________________
à
‘She’s lost her mobile phone.’ She said she had lost her mobile phone.
Past simple __________________
à
‘I didn’t understand the He said that he hadn’t understood the
instructions.’ instructions.
Modals:
can could
‘I can’t get into my Facebook à He said that he couldn’t get into his Facebook
account.’ account.
will would
‘We’ll buy a 3D TV next year.’ à They said they’d buy a 3D TV the following
year.
must (=obligation) had to
‘We must install the new software.’ à She said that we had to install the new
software.
mustn’t (=prohibition) was/were not allowed to
‘You mustn’t smoke in a restaurant.’ à You were not allowed to smoke in the
restaurant.
needn’t didn’t have to
‘You needn’t go to school tomorrow.’ à You didn’t have to go to school the day after.
may/might might
‘I may be back later,’ she said. à She said she might be back later.
(possibility)
could
‘You may wait in the hallways,’ he à He said we could wait in the hallway.
said. (permission)
However, depending on the situation, if the statement in direct speech is still up-to-date, no changes
need to be made to the verb-forms in reported speech.
Example:
§ Galileo: “The earth turns around the sun.” à Galileo proved that the earth turns around the
sun.
If the reporting verb is in a PRESENT, PRESENT PERFECT or FUTURE tense, the direct speech is
reported WITHOUT any change of tense, auxiliaries or place and time indicators!!!
Examples:
§ Jim will think: ‘You are making fun of me.” à Jim will think that we are making fun of him.
§ Jenny says: ‘I don’t want to marry yet.’ à Jenny says she doesn’t want to marry yet.
Other tenses and modals that DO NOT CHANGE in reported speech:
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Grammar 3GIG Dias
DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH
Past perfect Past perfect
‘He had already tested the new plane.’ à She said that he had already tested the new
plane.
Modals:
would would
‘Would you like to use my computer?’ à She asked me if I would like to use her computer.
should should
‘I think you should leave.’ à He said he thought I should leave.
could could
‘He could go home.’ à She said he could go home.
had better had better
‘She’d better improve her work.’ à He said she’d better improve her work.
2. Changes to demonstratives, adverbs, and adverbial expressions
There are changes in place and time indicators if the direct speech must be logically adjusted to the
new situation. For example:
§ She said: “I saw him the day before yesterday.” à She said she had seen him two days before.
DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH
the day before yesterday à two days before
this à
these à
today à
tonight à
now à
yesterday à
tomorrow à
the day after tomorrow à
last night / Tuesday / week / … à
here à
A week / month / … ago à
Next month / week / year … à
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Grammar 3GIG Dias
However, here too, if the statement in direct speech is still up-to-date, no changes need to be made
to the adverbials of time and / or the place indicators. For example, if the speech is made and
reported on the same day, time changes may not be necessary.
Example:
§ Diane: “I’m going out with John tonight.”
à A few minutes ago, Diane told me she was going out with John tonight.
à Last Tuesday, Diane told me she was going out with John that night.
3. Reporting ‘yes’ and ‘no’
‘yes’ and ‘no’ are usually translated into indirect speech by using appropriate auxiliary verbs.
Examples:
§ She asked, ‘Can you write?’ and I said ‘yes’. à She asked if I could write and I said I could.
§ He said, ‘Are you at home?’ and I said ‘No.’ à He asked if I was at home and I said I wasn’t.
4. Changes when reporting commands, offers, suggestions, etc.
a. Orders and requests are usually put into reported speech by using reporting verbs such as tell,
ask, invite, urge, order, command, encourage, beg, etc. followed by infinitive constructions.
Examples:
§ Policeman: “Show me your passport.” à The policeman told me to show him my passport.
§ Jenny said “Don’t leave me alone here.” à Jenny urged me not to leave her alone there.
b. Offers, pieces of advice, promises, threats and warnings can be put into reported speech by using
the corresponding verbs offer, advise, recommend, promise, threaten and warn followed by
infinitive constructions.
Examples:
§ “Don’t accept presents from them!” à He warned us not to accept presents from them.
§ “We will call the police if you don’t pay!” à They threatened to call the police if I didn’t pay.
c. Suggestions (for example with Let’s ..., How about ... / What about ...or Why don’t you / we...) are
usually put into reported speech by using the verb suggest followed by either a gerund or should.
Example:
§ He said: “Let’s go skiing at the weekend!” à He suggested going skiing at the weekend. / He
suggested (that) we should go skiing at the weekend.
§ She said: “How about having a rest?” à She suggested having a rest. / She suggested (that)
we should have a rest.
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Grammar 3GIG Dias
5. Use of reporting verbs to report statements:
Reported statements can be introduced by say or tell + object. However, sometimes other verbs are
better to express the meaning of the statement in questions. Useful verbs are, for example:
to add, to admit, to announce, to apologize, to complain, to explain, to reply, to remark, to declare,
to state, to insist, to persuade somebody, to point out, to shout, to exclaim, to whisper, to remind
somebody, …
Using different verbs to express the meaning of the statement accurately is much more elevated
and better in style than to just always use say or tell.
Examples:
§ He says: “She never keeps her promises.” à He complains that she never keeps her promises.
§ He said: “I’m sure I gave her the letter.” à He insisted that he had given her the letter.
§ Jake told Sam: “Remember I am your friend.” à Jake reminded Sam that he was his friend.
6. The use of ‘that’
The linking word ‘that’ is often used to report statements, but can be omitted in most cases.
Example:
§ He told her: “My wife doesn’t want a dog.” à He told her (that) his wife didn’t want a dog.
However, in other cases the use of ‘that’ is necessary to make clear that what is being said is in fact
being reported, and not the opinion of the person who is reporting.
Example:
§ “It is his fault. I don’t feel sorry.” à She said (that) it was his fault and that she didn’t feel sorry.
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Grammar 3GIG Dias
Your Turn!
Rewrite the sentences in reported speech.
a) ‘I’ll never forget my fantastic experience here,’ he replied.
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b) ‘I’d never seen technology equipment like this before I came to the USA,’ he told them.
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‘I must thank the professor for their help,’ he said.
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c) ‘I’d like to learn more from them in the future,’ he said.
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d) ‘I can’t wait to see my family again,’ he admitted.
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e) ‘I should be there tomorrow, if there aren’t any problems with my flight,’ he told them.
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Grammar 3GIG Dias
7. Changes when reporting questions
If the direct question begins with a question word, the question word is repeated to report the
question. Example:
§ I asked them: “How much money can I win?” à I asked them how much money I ____________
win.
If there is no question words in the direct question, if or whether must be used to report the
question. Example:
§ He asked: “Do you want to see that film?” à He asked if / whether I ______________ to see
that film.
Your Turn!
Put the following questions into reported speech.
1. ‘Did you watch the TV programme about inventors last night?’
He asked me ________________________________________________________________
2. ‘Why aren’t you answering my calls?’
She asked John ______________________________________________________________
3. ‘Are you happy with your new tablet?’
Sophie asked her mother ______________________________________________________
4. ‘Can you help me with my homework?’
He asked me ________________________________________________________________
5. ‘Where have you decided to go on holiday?’
They asked him ______________________________________________________________
6. ‘What will you do after this project?’
He asked her ________________________________________________________________
7. ‘Have you had fun at our university?’ they asked Kevin.
___________________________________________________________________________
8. ‘When are you going home?’ they asked.
___________________________________________________________________________
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Grammar 3GIG Dias
VII. Explore
1. The following comic strip is in blank. Complete the speech balloons with your own information. Use direct speech.
Report the sentences you wrote in the previous comic strip.
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Grammar 3GIG Dias
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Grammar 3GIG Dias
Report the sentences you wrote in the previous comic strip.
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Grammar 3GIG Dias
Practice
Put the following sentences into reported speech. Write your answers on a separate sheet.
1) Richard (last Tuesday): “I have been learning to drive for two months. I am taking my test
tomorrow. Hopefully I’ll pass.”
2) Liz (a week ago): “I’ve only known Michael since the beginning of the year, but we are already very
good friends.”
3) Bill (at the pub yesterday): “I lost my wallet here two days ago. Can you please check whether
anybody has found it?”
4) The doctor to Tim after the operation: “You must stay at home tomorrow and you mustn’t drink
any alcohol until the wound has healed.”
5) A reporter in 1969: “The landing of the spacecraft on the moon will be transmitted live on TV. This
is going to be one of the defining events of this decade.
6) Paul will say: “I have no time for such nonsense. Find somebody else to play cards with!”
7) Peggy (last weekend): “ I don’t have any homework because I wrote all my exercises yesterday.”
8) Fred (last Sunday): “ I shall be back the day after tomorrow. I am going to call you as soon as I’ve
finished this job.”
9) Jim declared “ If my pupils were more sensible, I wouldn’t have to punish them so often.”
10) My wife always asks me: “Why does Belinda never have dinner with us any more? Is she on a
diet?”
11) Kidnappers (on the phone an hour ago): “We will kill the child if you don’t pay us the money
tomorrow.”
12) Mother: “Get your coats and hats, children. It is cold outside.”
13) He said, ‘Can you swim?’ and I said ‘No’. So he said, ‘Don’t come too close to the water in this
case.’
14) Romeo to Juliet: “Must you go so soon? Please, please stay with me for a few more minutes.
Remember that whatever happens I will always love you.”
15) John to his secretary last week: “Tell me everything about your meeting with the shareholders
yesterday. What decision did they finally reach? Are they still disappointed about the company’s
performance last year?”
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