Statements, Imperatives, Questions

Kind of Sentence Direct Speech Reported Speech

Statement Ted said, “Such Ted said that

is the will of such was the will
God.” of God.
Imperative Nat told his Nat told his
father, “Listen!” father to listen.
Yes-No Tyler asked his Tyler asked his
Question mother, “Can mother if she
you recall could recall
Nicole’s face?” Nicole’s face.
Information Alex used to ask Alex used to ask
Question Cody, “How long Cody how long
can you stay he could stay
angry?” angry.
 Try this!
1. They said, “We saw a riderless
horse.”
2. Tim’s mother told him, “Please
stop.”
3. John asked, “Where did Mr. Tan
go?”
4. She said, “Let’s read all together.”
 Answers

1. They said that they had seen a

riderless horse.
2. Tim’s mother told him to stop.
3. John asked where Mr. Tan went.
4. She suggested that we read all
together.
REMEMBER
Some verbs used to introduce
reported speech follow:

For imperatives: tell, ask, request

For statements: say, state
For answers: answer, reply
For questions: ask, inquire
For suggestions: suggest
Quotation marks are not used
in the reported speech.

 A comma is not placed

between the introductory part
and the reported part.
 When the verbs in both
introductory and quoted parts are
in the past tense, the verb is
changed to past perfect in
reported speech.
Focus on the Verb Form
Tense of Verb Tense of
verb in
in Direct Reported Examples
Speech Speech
Introductory Quoted
Part Part

present present no change The poet says,

tense tense “My grandmother
sings of “You”.
The poet says
that his
grandmother
 Tense of Verb Tense of
verb in
in Direct Speech Reported Examples
Introductory Quoted Part Speech
Part

past tense present tense change to The father

past tense told his son,
“The fruit is
ripe.”
The father
told his son
that the fruit
was ripe.
 Tense of Verb Tense of
in Direct Speech verb in
Reported Examples
Introductory Quoted
Speech
Part Part

past tense future change The father told his

tense will, can, son, “We shall talk
or shall to to each other in
would, our village.”
could, or
should The father told his
son that they
should talk to
each other in their
 Tense of Verb Tense of
in Direct Speech verb in
Reported Examples
Introductory Quoted
Speech
Part Part

past tense present change to The father

perfect past observed his son,
tense perfect “Frank has
tense changed.”

The father
observed that
Frank had
changed.
 Tense of Verb Tense of
in Direct Speech verb in
Reported Examples
Introductory Quoted
Speech
Part Part

any tense Present no change The Chief said,

tense “Hatred drives
becaus people out of their
e it is a minds.”
general
truth or The Chief said
obvious
that hatred drives
natural
people out of their
law minds.
 Try this!
1. Galileo announced, “The world is round.”
2. They said, “The man is mad.”
3. Others said, “The man has given
blasphemous remarks.”
4. A few commented, “Too much studying
and experimenting destroyed his mind.”
5. Today the world says, “He is a genius.”
 Answers
1. Galileo announced that the world is round.
2. They said that the man was mad.”
3. Others said that the man had given
blasphemous remarks.
4. A few commented that too much studying
and experimenting had destroyed his
mind.
5. Today the world says that he is a genius.
Focus on the Pronoun
 Direct Speech Reported Speech

Joel said, “I use Joel said that he

pen and paper.” used pen and
paper.
Jake said to me, Jakes said that my
“Your classmates classmates were
are waiting.” waiting.
 Direct Speech Reported Speech

Gary said, “Since Gary said that since

Lea lives near the Lea lived near the
market, she can market, she could
easily buy stuff.” easily buy stuff.
The old man told to The old man told his
his son, “Since you son that since he
desire power and a desired power and a
long life, you sit long life he must sit
facing east.” facing east.
 In reported speech,
the pronoun changes
according to the context
of the quoted speech.
 Try this!
1. Riza told Mr. Yan, “I hear that Gina is
most dear to you.”
2. The leader asked, “What can I do to
help?”
3. He told Ana, “Stay and answer me.”
4. The woman said, “Sir, I am busy.”
5. Mr. Wade answered, “The boy has
fulfilled his undertaking successfully.”
 Answers
1. Riza told Mr. Yan that she heard Gina
was most dear to him.”
2. The leader asked what could he do to
help.
3. He told Ana to stay and answer him.”
4. The woman told him that she was busy.
5. Mr. Wade answered that the boy had
fulfilled his undertaking successfully.