REPORTED SPEECH

USE: We use the Reported Speech to transfer someone

elses words.
FORM: In order to form the Reported Speech, we use an
introductory verb (usually the verb said) and we take
the main verb of the sentence back in time! More
specifically:
If we have a Present tense we turn it into a Past one (e.g.
Present Simple becomes Past Simple).
If we have a Past tense, we turn it into a Past Perfect one
(e.g. Past Simple becomes Past Perfect Simple).
BUT, we cant change the Past Perfect Simple or the Past
Perfect Continuous!
DIRECT SPEECH

Present Simple
He said, I eat pizza.

REPORTED SPEECH

Past Simple
He said (that) he ate
pizza.
Present Continuous
Past Continuous
He said, I am eating
He said (that) he was
pizza.
eating pizza.
Past Simple
Past Perfect Simple
He said, I ate pizza.
He said (that) he had
eaten pizza.
Past Continuous
Past Perfect
He said, I was eating Continuous
pizza.
He said (that) he had
been eating pizza.
Present Perfect Simple Past Perfect Simple
He said, I have eaten He said (that) he had
pizza.
eaten pizza.

Present Perfect
Continuous
He said, I have been
eating pizza.

Past Perfect
Continuous
He said (that) he had
been eating pizza.

However, when there are modal verbs in a

sentence, things are a lot easier!

DIRECT SPEECH
Will
She said, I will leave.
Can
They said, We can win
the game.
May
He said, They may be
late.
Must
She said, You must
wash your hands.
He said, You mustnt
smoke here.
Need
They said, We need to
go.

INDIRECT SPEECH
Would
She said (that) she would
leave.
Could
They said (that) they could
win the game.
Might
He said (that) they might be
late.
Had to (obligation)
She said that I had to wash
my hands.
Must (prohibition)
He said (that) we mustnt
smoke here.
Needed/Had to
They said (that) they
needed/had to go.

Neednt/Dont have to
She said, You
neednt/dont have to
wait.
She said, You
neednt/dont have to
come tonight.

Didnt have to (present)

She said (that) I didnt have
to wait.
Wouldnt have to (future)
She said (that) I wouldnt
have to go that night.

BUT you cannot change would, could, might should and

ought to.
OTHER TYPES OF REPORTED SPEECH

QUESTIONS
(Reported
questions have
the form of
affirmative
sentences)

COMMANDS

REQUESTS

ADVICE

DIRECT
SPEECH
He said/asked,
When is the
party?(with
question word)
He said/asked,
Did you enjoy
your meal?
He said, Sit
down!
He said, Could
you turn the lights
off?
She said, You
should stop
smoking.

REPORTED
SPEECH
He asked when
the party was.

He asked me if I
had enjoyed my
meal.
He told
me/ordered me
to sit down.
He asked me to
turn the lights off.
She advised me
to stop smoking.

WORDS THAT CHANGE

DIRECT SPEECH

INDIRECT

SPEECH
now
today
yesterday
the day before yesterday
tomorrow
the day after tomorrow
this
last
next
ago
here
Come

then
that day
the day before
two days before
the next/following day
in two days time
that
the previous/ . before
the following
. before
there
go

EXERCISES
Turn the statements into Reported Speech.
1. I am flying to London tomorrow, Mary said.
..
2. What did you do last night? she asked.

3. I would have called you if I knew you were home, Tom

said.

4. There is nothing to worry about, he replied.

5. Have you ever been to France? the boy asked her.

..
6. You should really see a doctor she said.
..
7. Is there anything else I can do? he asked.
..
8. I had just arrived, when I heard the news Paul said.

9. She said, Everything will be OK.

.
10.
Sit down! he said.
.

Turn the statements into the Direct speech.

1. He asked if we had gone there last month.

2. She advised me to eat more fruit every day.

.
3. She asked me to help her.
..
4. They said they had already visited the Big Ben.

5. He told his wife that he had bought a new shirt.

6. Tim said that he was having breakfast when I called him.

7. He told me that he would work overtime that week.

..
8. She said that she loved the weather that day.
..
9. The man asked her to go there.
.
10.
Mother said that she had been cooking for two hours
that day.

Change the following dialogue into Reported

Speech.
Lilly, what are you doing awake at this hour? Frank asked.
I have been studying for 4 hours Frank she said.

Do you have to do another one of these difficult projects?

Frank asked.
The truth is that I didnt do my last one and now I have
two of them to finish until tomorrow. she replied.
You should always do your projects on time Lilly he said.
You are right Tom. I am so tired now that I have learned
my lesson she said. I will be more consistent from now
on! she added.

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