REPORTED SPEECH

Reported speech
• Also called “indirect speech” is the way of speaking when we
say what others say.

• There are 4 ways to make it.

a) Sentences
b) Questions
c) Commands
d) Requests
 Sentences
• Reported speech is when we tell someone what another
person said. To do this, we can use direct speech or indirect
speech.

• direct speech: 'I work in a bank,' said Daniel.

– “trabajo en un banco”, dijo Daniel.
• indirect speech >>> Daniel said that he worked in a bank.
– Daniel dijo que trabajaba en un banco.
• If what the speaker has said is still true or relevant, it's not always
necessary to change the tense. This might happen when the speaker
has used a present tense.

– 'I go to the gym next to your house.’ >>> Jenny told me that she goes to the
gym next to my house. I'm thinking about going with her.
– 'I'm working in Italy for the next six months.’ >>> He told me he's working in
Italy for the next six months. Maybe I should visit him!
– 'I've broken my arm!’ >>> She said she's broken her arm, so she won't be at
work this week.
Form & meaning
Reporting verbs are used to report what someone said more accurately than using say
& tell.
• verb + infinitive
agree, decide, offer, promise, refuse,
threaten
– They agreed to meet on Friday.
– He refused to take his coat off.
• verb + object + infinitive
advise, encourage, invite, remind, warn
– Tom advised me to go home early.
– She reminded me to telephone my mother.
• verb + gerund
deny, recommend, suggest
– They recommended taking the bus.
– She suggested meeting a little earlier.
• verb + object + preposition
accuse, blame, congratulate
– He accused me of taking the money.
– They congratulated me on passing all my
exams.
• verb + preposition + gerund
apologise, insist
– They apologised for not coming.
– He insisted on having dinner.
• verb + subject + verb
admit, agree, decide, deny, explain, insist,
promise, recommend, suggest
– Sarah decided (that) the house needed
cleaning.
– They recommended (that) we take the bus.
a) Sentences
I’m going to improve
the traffic in the city
this very month.
Two years later …
He said that he was
What did he going to improve
He said that …
the traffic in the city
say? that very month.

Complete the sentence with the reported speech.

Click on the slide to check.
I will pay higher
salaries.
Two years later …

What did He said that he would

He said that …
he say? pay higher salaries.
 b) Questions
• A reported question is when we tell someone what another
person asked. To do this, we can use direct speech or indirect
speech.

• direct speech: 'Do you like working in sales?' he asked.

– indirect speech: He asked me if I liked working in sales.
• 'What time does the train leave?'
– He asked me what time the train left.
b) Questions Do you remember the
broken bridge? I will
repair it!
Two years later …

He asked if we
What did remembered the broken
He said that …
bridge. How to forget! He
he say?
never repaired it!
When is the time
for things to
change? NOW!
Two years later …
He asked when was the time
for things to change. He said
He said that …
then, but things never
changed.

What did
he say?
 Request
• Esto es cuando pedimos algo a alguien, utilizamos el verbo de
pedir “ask” y la forma to + infinitive.

• Mira el ejemplo:
Request Can you forget I’m
a politician? I’m a
citizen just like you
Two years later …

What did He asked if we could forget that

he say? he was aHe said that
politician. … sure. I
Yeah,
should have known better!
 Commands
• Los commands, son órdenes o instrucciones que debemos
seguir, como “síentate”, “haz esto”, “ve allá” etc.

• Para esto utilizamos el verbo “tell” más la forma to+infinitive.

Mira el ejemplo.
Command
Vote for me!
 Yeah, He told us to vote for
right… him.He
I won’t
said that
make… that
mistake twice!