LESSON 16

Reported Speech
(part I)
 LESSON 16
Reported speech (part I)

If we report what another person has said, we usually do

not use the speaker’s exact words (direct speech), but
reported (indirect) speech. Therefore, you need to learn
how to transform direct speech into reported speech.
The structure is a little different depending on whether
you want to transform a statement, question or request.
 LESSON 16
Reported speech (part I)
When transforming statements, check whether you have
to change:

• Pronouns
• Present tense (3rd person singular)
• Place and time expressions.
• Tenses
 LESSON 16
Reported speech (part I)

There are some rules that you have to take into

account in order to change a statement into
reported speech, those are the following:
 Reported speech (part I)
Personal Pronouns Object Pronouns
I He or She Me Him or Her
You I or We You Me or Us
We They Us Them

Possessive Adjectives Demonatrative Possessive Pronouns

My His or Her Pronouns
Mine His or Hers
Your My or Our This That Yours Mine or Ours
Our Their These Those Ours Theirs
 Reported speech (part I)

Examples:
Direct speech, “ I speak English”
No Backshift She says that she speaks English.
Backshift She said that she spoke English.

Direct speech, “ These are mine”

No Backshift She says that those are hers.
Backshift She said that those were hers.
 Reported speech (part I)
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Simple Present Simple Past
Present Progressive Past Progressive
Simple Past
Past Perfect Simple
Presente Perfect Simple
Past Perfect Simple
Past Progressive
Past Perfect Progressive
Present Perfect Progressive
Past Perfect Progressive
Future I (going to) was/were going to
Future I (Will)
Conditional I (Would)
Conditional I (Would)
 LESSON 16
Practice
Change the following sentences into reported speech.

1. Charlie: “Marcos is my brother.”

2. Carol: “My book is interesting.”
3. Peter: “We are young.”
4. Simmon: “This is my friend Patty.”
5. Kevin: “These erasers are yours.”
6. Alice: “I am Alice.”