Liceo Diego de Almeida – El Salvador

English Language Department

Ms. Gloria Vera Salazar

Direct Speech Reported Speech

Simple present Simple past
He said: “I am happy” He said that he was happy
He said: “She is happy” He said that she was happy
He said: “You are happy” He said that you were happy

Present continuous Past continuous

She said: “I am looking for my keys” She said that she was looking for her keys
She said: “He is looking for a job” She said that he was looking for a job
She said: ”They are working hard She said that they were working hard

Simple past Past perfect

Albert said: “I visited New York last year” Albert said that he had visited New York last year
Susy said: “He wrote a beautiful letter” Susy said that he had written a beautiful letter
They said: “You slept a lot” They said that you had slept a lot

From direct speech to reported speech

Reported speech is when you tell somebody else what you or a
person said before.

In the following table, you will find the different changes of place; demonstratives
and time expressions.

today  that day

now  then

yesterday  the day before

From direct … days ago  … days before

speech to
reported speech
 Liceo Diego de Almeida – El Salvador
English Language Department
Ms. Gloria Vera Salazar
last week  the week before

next year  the following

tomorrow  the next day

Example:

Anna said “I am going on vacations tomorrow”  Anna said that she was going on
vacations the next day”

The modal verbs could, should, would, might, needn't, ought to, used to do not
normally change.
Example:
He said, "She might be right." – He said that she might be right.

Other modal verbs may change:

Modal Direct speech Reported speech

can “I can do it” He said that he could do it
must “She must apply for job” He said she must/had to apply for the job
will “They will call you” He told her that they would call her

Practice. From report the following sentences. All of them are in present
simple.
a) Freddy said: “I feel alive”
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b) He said: “I am out of control”
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c) She said: “They work in the morning”
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d) Students said: “Our favorite singer is Rihanna”
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e) Frida said: “I am from Mexico”
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f) Boss: “We need someone right now”
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Liceo Diego de Almeida – El Salvador
English Language Department
Ms. Gloria Vera Salazar
g) Johnny said: “They call me Mr. Right”
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h) The man said: “The hospital isn’t very good”
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i) Germany doesn’t play against England”
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