DIRECT

SPEECH AND
REPORTED
SPEECH
 REPORTED SPEECH

In direct speech we repeat exactly what someone

said:
He said 'I don't like football’

In reported speech, however, we tell what someone

said without repeating his exact words.
He said (that) he didn't like football.
 CHANGING
DIRECT SPEECH
TO REPORTED
SPEECH
REPORTED SPEECH Backshift
Present  Present
Examples:
DS:He says, “I like peaches.”
RS: He says (that)he likes peaches.

DS: She says. “I always drink coffee.”

RS: She says (that) she always drinks coffee.

Rule: If the reporting verb is in the present tense, the verb in the reported
speech will also be in present tense.
REPORTED SPEECH Backshift
Past  Past Perfect
Examples:
DS: Bill said, “Harry arrived yesterday.”
RS: Bill said (that)Harry had arrived yesterday.

DS: She said “I turned down the offer.”

RS: She said that she had turned down the offer .

Rule: If the reporting verb is in the past tense, the verb in the reported speech
will also be in past perfect tense.
REPORTED SPEECH Backshift
Present Progressive Past Progressive
( is / are+ verb-ing)  (was/ were + verb-ing)

Examples:
DS: He explained, “I am reading a book.”
RS: He said (that) he was reading a book.

DS: She said “I am studying my lessons.”

RS: She said that she was studying her lessons.

Rule: If the reporting verb is in the present progressive tense, the verb in the
reported speech will be in past progressive tense.
REPORTED SPEECH Backshift
Past Progressive Past Perfect Progressive
( was / were +verb-ing)
 (had+ been +verb-ing)

Examples:
DS: “ We were living in Paris,” they told.
RS: They told (that) they had been living in Paris.

DS: She said “I was studying my lessons.”

RS: She said that she had been studying her lessons.

Rule: If the reporting verb is in the past progressive tense, the verb in the
reported speech will be in past perfect progressive tense.
REPORTED SPEECH Backshift
Present Perfect Past Perfect
(has/ have + past participle)  (had+past participle)

Examples:
DS: Kelly said, “ I have been to Hongkong.”
RS: Kelly said (that) she had been to Hongkong.

DS: They said “We have joined the contest.”

RS: They said that they had joined the contest .

Rule: If the reporting verb is in the present perfect tense, the verb in the
reported speech will be in past perfect tense.
REPORTED SPEECH Backshift
Present Perfect Past Perfect
(hasl have+ past participle)  (had+past participle)

Examples:
DS: Kelly said, “ I have been to Hongkong.”
RS: Kelly said (that) she had been to Hongkong.

DS: They said “We have joined the contest.”

RS: They said that they had joined the contest .

Rule: If the reporting verb is in the present perfect tense, the verb in the
reported speech will be in past perfect tense.
REPORTED SPEECH Backshift
Past Perfect Past Perfect
(had+ past participle)  (had+past participle)

Examples:
DS: Kelly said, “ I had received the mail.”
RS: Kelly said (that) she had received the mail.

DS: They said “We had missed the raffle draw.”

RS: They said that they had missed the raffle.

Rule: If the reporting verb is in the past perfect tense, the verb in the reported
speech will be in past perfect tense.
CHANGING IN
MODALS
REPORTED SPEECH Backshift
CAN  COULD
Examples:
DS: He said, “I can swim.”
RS: He said (that) he could swim.”
.

Rule: The modal can is changed into could the indirect

speech .
REPORTED SPEECH Backshift
WILL  WOULD
Examples:
DS: He said, “I will cook dinner.”
RS: He said (that) he would cook dinner.”
.

Rule: The modal will is changed into would the indirect

speech .
REPORTED SPEECH Backshift
SHALL  SHOULD
Examples:
DS: He said, “I shall do it.”
RS: He said (that) he should do it.”
.

Rule: The modal shall is changed into should the indirect

speech .
REPORTED SPEECH Backshift
MUST HAD TO

Examples:
DS: He said, “I must work hard.”
RS: He said (that) he had to work had.”

Rule: The modal must is changed into had to the indirect

speech .
REPORTED SPEECH Backshift
MAY  MIGHT
Examples:
DS: He said, “I may buy a new computer.”
RS: He said (that) he might buy a new computer.”
.

Rule: The modal may is changed into might the indirect

speech .
 CHANGING
DIRECT
QUESTION TO
REPORTED
QUESTION
REPORTED QUESTION Backshift
SAID  ASKED
Examples:
DS: Mary said, “ Why can`t I refuse his request?”
RS: Mary asked why she couldn`t refuse his request.

Rule: The word said is replaced by the word “asked” in the

indirect question .
REPORTED QUESTION Backshift
WH- QUESTION
Examples:
DS: Luis asked, “When will I see her again?”
RS: Luis asked when he would see her again.

Rule: If the direct question is introduced by wh-

questions, the word that is not necessary for the indirect
question.
REPORTED QUESTION Backshift
IF  WHETHER
DS: Mrs. Cruz said, “Did Joy accept the offer?”
RS: Mrs. Cruz asked if Joy accept the offer. OR
Mrs. Cruz asked whether Joy accept the offer.

Rule: If the direct question is NOT introduced by any of

the wh- questions, the words whether or if is used in the
indirect question.
WORDS EXPRESSING NEARNESS IN TIME
OR IN PLACE ARE GENERALLY CHANGED
INTO WORDS EXPRESSING DISTANCE

Direct Speech Word Indirect Speech Word

Here There
Today That day
This morning That Morning
Yesterday The day before
Tomorrow The next day
Next Week The following week
Next Month The following month
** CHANGE OF TIME AND PLACE

Direct Speech Word Indirect Speech Word

Now Then
Ago Before
Last night The night before
This That
These Those
Come Go