REPORTED SPEECH

8 TH MEETING
• If we report what another person has said,
we usually do not use the speaker’s exact
words (direct speech), but reported speech
(indirect) .
• When transforming statements, check whether you
have to change:
• pronouns
• present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
• place and time expressions
• tenses (backshift)
• Example
• direct speech
• “I speak English.”

• English.reported speech

• He said that he spoke English.

REPORTED SPEECH
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.
 I’m going to
clean up the
parks this year.
Two years later …

He said that he was

What did going
Hetosaid
clean
thatup…the
he say? parks that year.
 I will build a new
bridge over the river.
Two years later …

He said that he would

What did
build
He said
a newthat
bridge
…
he say?
over the river.
I’m going to restore
the castle.
Two years later …

He said that he would

He said that …
restore the castle.

What did
he say?
 I will buy new
buses for the city
transport.
Two years later …

What did He said that he would

he say? buy He
new said
buses
thatfor
… the
city transport.
 I’m going to
eliminate pollution.
Two years later …
He said that he was
going
He said
to eliminate
that …
pollution.
What did
he say?
I'm not here to
get rich.
Two years later …

He said that he wasn’t

He said that …
here to get rich.

What did
he say?
I will work hard
for the city.
Two years later …

He said that he would

He said that …
work hard for the city.

What did
he say?
 Vote me!
Politicians!
• Rewrite the sentences in reported speech. Change
pronouns and time expressions where necessary.
• She said, "I am reading."
→ She said that ____________________
• They said, "We are busy."
→ They said that ___________________
• He said, "I know a better restaurant."
→ He said that _____________________
• She said, "I woke up early."
→ She said that ____________________
• He said, "I will ring her."
→ He said that _____________________
• They said, "We have just arrived."
→ They said that _________________
• He said, "I will clean the car."
→ He said that ___________________
• She said, "I did not say that."
→ She said that __________________
• She said, "I don't know where my shoes are."
→ She said that __________________
• He said: "I won't tell anyone."
→ He said that ____________________
• REPORTING QUESTIONS
• "Where is my umbrella?" she asked.
→ She asked _______________________
• "How are you?" Martin asked us.
→ Martin asked us ___________________
• He asked, "Do I have to do it?"
→ He asked ________________________
• "Where have you been?" the mother asked her
daughter.
→ The mother asked her daughter ________
• "Which dress do you like best?" she asked her
boyfriend.
→ She asked her boyfriend _______________
• "What are they doing?" she asked.
→ She wanted to know ________________
• "Are you going to the cinema?" he asked me.
→ He wanted to know _________________
• The teacher asked, "Who speaks English?"
→ The teacher wanted to know __________
• "How do you know that?" she asked me.
→ She asked me ______________________
• "Has Caron talked to Kevin?" my friend asked me.
→ My friend asked me __________________
• When transforming questions,also note that
you have to:
• transform the question into an indirect
question
• use the interrogative or if / whether
• Interrogative direct speech
• “Why don’t you speak English?”
• reported speech
• He asked me why I didn’t speak English
• Direct:
• “Do you speak English?”
• reported speech:
• He asked me whether / if I spoke English.