Reported speech

Reported speech

• Reported speech is the exact meaning of

what someone said, but not the exact
words. We do not use quotation marks in
reported speech. The word that can either
be used or omitted after the introductory
verb (say, tell, suggest, etc.).
• He said (that) he would join the tennis club.
• In reported speech, personal/possessive
pronouns and possessive adjectives change
according to the meaning of the sentence.
• Direct speech: Mary said, “I’m painting my
bedroom.”
• Reported speech: Mary said (that) she was
painting her bedroom.
Out of date reporting
• We often report someone’s words a long time after they were said. 

Direct speech Reported speech

Simple present Simple past

“I want to buy a new car,” he said. He said (that) he wanted to buy a new car.
 Direct speech Reported speech

Present progressive Past progressive

“She is sleeping,” he said. He said (that) she was sleeping.

Present perfect Past perfect

“I’ve finished my homework,” he said. He said (that) he had finished his homework.

Past perfect
Simple past
“I bought a new bike,” he said. He said (that) he had bought a new bike.

Future (will) Conditional (would)

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” he said. He said (that) he would call me the next day.

Past progressive Past perfect continuous

“They were searching for the burglar all night,” she said. She said that they had been searching for the burglar
All night
 now → then, at that time last → the week
week before, the
 Certain words and previous
time expressions week
change according to
the meaning of the today, → that day, that night next → the week
sentence as follows: tonight week after, the
following
week

yesterday → the day before, the ago → before

previous day

tomorrow → the next/following here → there

day

this week → that week come → go

 When we report someone’s words a short time
after they were said, the tenses can either change
or remain the same in reported speech.

Up to date
reporting
Direct Speech:     “I’m flying to Milan tomorrow,”
Tom said.

Reported Speech: Tom said (that) he is flying/was

flying to Milan tomorrow.
 We can use the
verbs say and tell both in direct and
reported speech.

tell + direct object (me, him,

her, etc.)

Say-tell
She told us (that) Mr. Smith was
busy.
   He told the teacher (that) he hadn’t
done his homework.
 say + to + direct object
   She said to me that she
Say-tell wanted to go to bed early.

say without a direct object

   She said (that) she wanted to
go to bed early.
 Say:   good
morning/afternoon/etc.,
something/nothing/etc., so, a few
Expressions with words
say and tell

Tell:   the truth, the difference, a

lie, sb one’s name, sb a secret, sb
the way to ..., sb a story, one
from another, the time, one’s
fortune