Reported speech Presentation
GRAMMAR NOTES: https://inglescarmelitaslb.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/reported-speech.pdf
GRAMMAR NOTES: https://inglescarmelitaslb.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/reported-speech.pdf
Reported Speech
We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. (Click here for more about using 'say' and 'tell'.) If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence:
Direct speech: I like ice cream.
- Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.
We don't need to change the tense, though probably we do need to change the 'person' from 'I' to 'she', for example. We also may need to change words like 'my' and 'your'.
But, if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change the tenses in the reported speech:
But, if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change the tenses in the reported speech:
Direct speech: I like ice cream.
- Reported speech: She said (that) she liked ice cream.
| Tense | Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
|---|---|---|
| present simple | I like ice cream | She said (that) she liked ice cream. |
| present continuous | I am living in London | She said (that) she was living in London. |
| past simple | I bought a car | She said (that) she had bought a car OR She said (that) she bought a car. |
| past continuous | I was walking along the street | She said (that) she had been walking along the street. |
| present perfect | I haven't seen Julie | She said (that) she hadn't seen Julie. |
| past perfect* | I had taken English lessons before | She said (that) she had taken English lessons before. |
| will | I'll see you later | She said (that) she would see me later. |
| would* | I would help, but..” | She said (that) she would help but... |
| can | I can speak perfect English | She said (that) she could speak perfect English. |
| could* | I could swim when I was four | She said (that) she could swim when she was four. |
| shall | I shall come later | She said (that) she would come later. |
| should* | I should call my mother | She said (that) she should call her mother |
| might* | I might be late | She said (that) she might be late |
| must | I must study at the weekend | She said (that) she must study at the weekend OR She said she had to study at the weekend |
* doesn't change.
Occasionally, we don't need to change the present tense into the past if the information in direct speech is still true (but this is only for things which are general facts, and even then usually we like to change the tense):
Direct speech: The sky is blue.
- Reported speech: She said (that) the sky is/was blue.
Sometimes when we change direct speech into reported speech we have to change time expressions too. We don't always have to do this, however. It depends on when we heard the direct speech and when we say the reported speech.
For example:
It's Monday. Julie says "I'm leaving today".
If I tell someone on Monday, I say "Julie said she was leaving today".
If I tell someone on Tuesday, I say "Julie said she was leaving yesterday".
If I tell someone on Wednesday, I say "Julie said she was leaving on Monday".
If I tell someone a month later, I say "Julie said she was leaving that day".
So, there's no easy conversion. You really have to think about when the direct speech was said. Here's a table of some possible conversions:
For example:
It's Monday. Julie says "I'm leaving today".
If I tell someone on Monday, I say "Julie said she was leaving today".
If I tell someone on Tuesday, I say "Julie said she was leaving yesterday".
If I tell someone on Wednesday, I say "Julie said she was leaving on Monday".
If I tell someone a month later, I say "Julie said she was leaving that day".
So, there's no easy conversion. You really have to think about when the direct speech was said. Here's a table of some possible conversions:
| now | then / at that time |
| today | yesterday / that day / Tuesday / the 27th of June |
| yesterday | the day before yesterday / the day before / Wednesday / the 5th of December |
| last night | the night before, Thursday night |
| last week | the week before / the previous week |
| tomorrow | today / the next day / the following day / Friday |
1- Exercises: Change this direct speech into reported speech:
1. “He works in a bank”
She said ___________________________________________________________
2. “We went out last night”
She told me ________________________________________________________
3. “I’m coming!”
She said ___________________________________________________________
4. “I was waiting for the bus when he arrived”
She told me ________________________________________________________
5. “He hasn’t eaten breakfast”
She told me ________________________________________________________
6. “I can help you tomorrow”
She said ___________________________________________________________
7. “I won’t see you tomorrow”
She said ___________________________________________________________
8. “She’s living in Paris for a few months”
She said ___________________________________________________________
9. “I visited my parents at the weekend”
She told me ________________________________________________________
10. “She hasn’t eaten sushi before”
She said ___________________________________________________________
2- Integrated skills: Listening and Reading:
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