REPORTED SPEECH

HOW TO REPORT STATEMENTS

• In Direct Speech, we repeat the exact words someone said.
• The words of the speaker are in quotation marks.
● Ex: Taylor Swift said, ‘My mind is alive’.

• In Reported Speech, we report what someone said.

• We use a reporting verb, usually say or tell, followed by that. (That can be omitted)
● Ex: Taylor Swift said (that) her mind was alive.
The difference between ‘say’ and ‘tell’
• We use say when there is no indirect object.
● Jimmy Fallon said (no indirect object)that her mom had given them the video.

• We use tell when there is an indirect object.

● Jimmy Fallon told Taylor Swift that her mom had given them the video.

● He told me (indirect object)

● Serdar told Orhun (indirect object)
1. Change pronouns and possessive
adjectives.
• Direct Speech: ‘Your mom videotaped you after surgery and she gave us the video,’ said
Jimmy Fallon.
• Reported Speech: Jimmy said her mom had videotaped her after surgery and she
had given them the video
• Direct Speech: ‘I will eat the banana which you don’t want to eat,’ said Taylor’s mom.
• Reported Speech: Taylor’s mon told Taylor that she would eat the banana which
she didn’t want to eat.
2. Change the verbs come and go.
• She said, ‘I will come and help you after the surgery’.
• She said she would go and help her after the surgery.
3. Change tenses and modals.
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Present Simple Past Simple
Present Progressive Past Progressive
Past Simple Past Perfect Simple
Present Perfect Simple Past Perfect Simple
will would
can could
may might
must had to
4. Change the words referring to time and place.
Direct Speech Reported Speech
today/tonight that day/that night
now then
yesterday the day before/
the previous day
…. days/months/years ago ….days/months/years before
last week/month/year the week/month/year before/
the previous week/month/year
next month/year the following month/year/ the next
year/month
tomorrow the following day/
the next day
here there
this that
these those
Direct Speech
I often attend TV shows.
I am attending a TV show now.
I attended a TV show last week.
I have attended many TV shows in my life.
I will attend a TV show next week.
I can sing very well.
I may have another concert next month.
I must be on time for the concert.
Indirect Speech
She said she often attended_______ TV
shows.
She said she _was attending_______a TV
show_then____
She said she _had attended_________a TV
show the week before/the previous
week________
She said she _had attended__________many
TV shows in her life.
She said she would attend_________a TV
show the following week/the next
week______________
She said she _could sing_________very well.
She said she _might have__________
another concert _the following month/the
next month______________
She said she had to be____________ on time
for the concert.
• These changes cannot be made when the sentence expresses a general truth.
• ’I enjoy singing’ Taylor said.
• Taylor said _she enjoys singing____________
• The teacher explained the world turns around the sun

• These changes cannot be made when the reporting verb is in the Present, Future or Present Perfect
Simple.
• ‘ I will always try to entertain my audience’ Taylor says.
• Taylor says she will always try to entertain her audience__________________________-
• Taylor said she would always ……

• I can’t help eating deserts

• The teacher said she couldn’t help eating deserts (Change)
• The teacher has said/says she can’t help eating deserts.
• Yesterday I saw Büşra and she said ‘I am going to see my friends at the weekend.
• Yesterday I saw Büşra and she said she was going to see her friends at the weekend.
• The Past Perfect and the modal verbs could, might, should, would and used to do not
change in Reported Speech.

• The Past Progressive usually doesn’t change in Reported Speech.

• Conditional Sentences Types 2 and 3 do not change in Reported Speech.
• Explain, inform, add, etc. can also be used in Reported Speech.
HOW TO REPORT QUESTIONS
• We usually introduce reported questions with the verbs ask, wonder, want to know.
• Reported questions follow the word order of affirmative sentences.
• When we change questions from Direct to Reported Speech, pronouns, tenses, adverbs,
etc. change in the same way as when we report statements.
Yes/No Questions
• If the direct question is a yes/no question, the reported question begins with if/whether.

● Direct Question: ‘Can you see me? Did you get laser surgery?’ Jimmy Fallon asked.
● Reported Question: Jimmy Fallon asked Taylor Swift if/whether she could see him and wanted
to know if/whether she got laser surgery.
● Direct Question: ‘Do you take painkillers or anything? Jimmy asked.
● Reported Question: Jimmy also asked her if/whether she took painkillers or something.
Wh- Questions
• If the direct question is a Wh- question, the reported question also begins with the same
Wh- question word.

● Direct Question: ‘How do you know that? Taylor asked.

● Reported Question: Taylor asked him how he knew that.

● Direct Question: What is going on? Taylor asked.

● Reported Speech: Taylor asked him what was going on.

● Direct Question: How often do you attend TV shows? Jimmy asked.

● Reported Speech: Jimmy asked her how often she attended TV shows.

● Direct Question: When will you attend a TV show? Jimmy asked.

● Reported Speech: Jimmy asked her when she would attend a TV show.
HOW TO REPORT COMMANDS &
REQUESTS
• We commonly use tell when we report commands and ask when we report requests.
• Tell sb to do sth
• Tell sb not to do sth
• Ask sb to do sth
• Ask sb not to do sth.

● Direct Command: ‘Stop crying,’ said her mom.

● Reported Command: Her mom told her to stop crying

● Direct Command: ‘Don’t sleep while eating a banana,’ said her mom.
● Reported Command: Her mom told her not to sleep while eating a banana.

● Direct Request: ‘Please, don’t be mad at me,’ said Jimmy.

● Reported Request: Jimmy asked her not to be mad at him.