Unit 9 – reported speech

We often have to report what people

have said. When we do this, we need
to consider various things.
Let’s look at:
1. Tense change in reported speech.
2. Changing pronouns in reported speech.
3. Changes with time and place words.
4. Common reporting verbs.

Tense change…

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 Tense changes in reported speech
example direct speech reported speech
She said she had an appointment that day. present simple past simple
“I have an appointment today.”
Tom told me he was getting married the following June. present continuous past continuous
“I am getting married next June.”
Jayne said Adam had quit his basketball team the week before. past perfect simple
past simple
“Adam quit his basketball team last week.”
Francesca said she had been there before. present perfect past perfect simple
“I have been here before.” simple
Dana told me she was going to visit her brother the following day.
“I am going to visit my brother tomorrow.”
am/is/are going to was/were going to

Craig told me he might come and that he would call later.

will/can/may would/could/might
“I may come; I’ll call later.”
Jimmy said I had to see the film because it was amazing.
“You must see the film because it’s amazing!” must/have to had to
Look at these examples of reported speech
Now look at the direct speech for Notice how the tenses
and work out what tense is being used in
each example. What tenses are used? change from direct to
the highlighted parts.
reported speech.
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education      Gold Experience 2nd Edition B1+
Tense changes in reported speech
When we report direct speech, the tenses often change.
example direct speech reported speech
She said she had an appointment that day. present simple past simple
“I have an appointment today.”
Tom told me he was getting married the following June. present continuous past continuous
“I am getting married next June.”
Jayne said Adam had quit his basketball team the week before. past simple past perfect simple
“Adam quit his basketball team last week.”
Francesca said she had been there before. present perfect simple past perfect simple
“I have been here before.”
Dana told me she was going to visit her brother the following am/is/are going to was/were going to
day.
“I am going to visit my brother tomorrow.”
Craig told me he might come and that he would call later. will/may/can would/might/could
“I may come; I’ll call later.”
They said they couldn’t swim the day before. could/should/might/ no change
Jimmy said he had to see the film because it was amazing. must/have to had to
“We couldn’t swim yesterday.” would/ought to
“You must see the film because it’s amazing!”
Notice how the tense does not change here.
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 Let’s consider… pronoun change
You have to give us Jude told me we had Ok. I’ll give it to
the money soon so to give them the her tonight at
we can book the money soon so they our Spanish
tickets. could book the class.
tickets.
Later that day…

Often it is necessary to change the

pronouns and possessive adjectives in
reported speech, so that we know
exactly who is being referred to. Look
at the conversation above.

Time and place

word changes…
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 Time and place changes in reported
speech Look at these examples you
saw earlier.

example direct speech reported speech

She said she had an appointment then. now then

Tom told me he was getting married the following June. next June the following June

Jayne said Adam had quit his basketball team the week before. last week the week before

They said they couldn’t swim the day before. yesterday the day before

Dana told me she was going to visit her brother the following
tomorrow the following day
day.

Francesca said she had been there before. here there

She said she had an appointment that day. today that day

Look at the time and place words in

bold. Can you remember what these
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education      Gold Experience 2nd Edition B1+ words were in direct speech?
 Time and place changes
We often need to change the time and place words when we report direct speech as we
don’t know exactly when the person was referring to when they made the statement.

direct speech reported speech

now; at the moment; recently then
today/tonight that day/that night
yesterday the day before; the previous day
tomorrow the following/next day; the day after
next week/month/year/June the following week/month/year/June These don’t change if we
report in the present, e.g.
last week/month/year the previous week; the week before, “She says she has an
a week/month ago etc. appointment now.” More on
this later…
this/these that/those
here there

Reporting verbs…

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 Let’s consider… reporting verbs
When we report what someone has said, we commonly use the reporting verbs say and tell.
The verb tell needs an object. Look…
Here is the
object.
verb + (that) verb + object + (that)
say tell
She said (that) she had an appointment Tom told me (that) he was getting We can omit that
that day. married the following June. if we want to.
add advise
There are other reporting
admit convince
verbs which follow these
believe promise patterns too. Look…
complain inform
When the reporting verbs say and tell are in the present,
explain warn
future or present perfect (e.g. He says; They have told
insist me), the verb tenses when reported do not change. For
know example, He says he will call us; She has told me she has an
appointment today.
mention

Let’s practise!

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 Practice activities
Write these statements in reported speech.

1. Mary told me, “I am working tonight.”

Mary told me (that) she was working that night.
2. Francine and Roberto said, “We wanted to leave an hour ago, but the train has been cancelled.”
Francine and Roberto said (that) they had wanted to leave an hour before, but the train had been cancelled.
3. Jenny says, “I want my computer back next week.”
Jenny says (that) she wants her computer back next week.
4. Harry insisted, “You can go to the concert for free next Friday.”
Harry insisted (that) I/we could come to the concert for free the following Friday.
5. Rachel warned me, “It will be cold in England.”
Rachel warned me (that) it would be cold in England.
6. Carl said, “I could live here forever!”
Carl said (that) he could live there forever.

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