REPORTED SPEECH

Use reported speech for telling somebody what

somebody else said without using the exact
words.
Use the reporting verbs: say or tell and that
before the reported statement (you may omit
that if you want)

I like swimming said JuanK (direct speech)

JuanK said that he liked swimming (reported
speech)

USING SAY OR TELL

We use say when there is no indirect object

Im happy, she said She said that she was
happy
We use tell when there is an indirect object
Im happy, George, she said She told
George that she was happy

CHANGING PRONOUNS AND

POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES

Pronouns and possessive adjectives change

according to the meaning of the sentence

You look great in your new dress said Glenn

Glenn said that I looked great in my new dress

CHANGING TENSES

PRESENT SIMPLE PAST SIMPLE

Miguel said, I want to go to the cinema
Miguel said that he wanted to go to the cinema
PRESENT PROGRESSIVE PAST PROGRESSIVE
Nico said, Im reading a book about marketing
Nico said that he was reading a book about
marketing

CHANGING TENSES

PAST SIMPLE PAST PERFECT SIMPLE

The boy said,My mum made me a sandwich
The boy said that his mum had made him a
sandwich
PRESENT PERFECT PAST PERFECT
Yamile said, Ive worked hard today
Yamile said that she had worked hard that day

CHANGING MODALS

WILL WOULD
Edgar said, Shell be here soon
Edgar said that she would be there soon
CAN COULD
Reynaldo said, I can help him later
Reynaldo said that he could help him later
MAY MIGHT
America said, I may buy a house in Rio
America said that she might buy a house in Rio
MUST HAD TO
Dad said, You must be home early
Dad said I had to be home early

TIME EXPRESSIONS

TODAY THAT DAY

YESTERDAY THE PREVIOUS DAY / THE DAY
BEFORE
THIS MORNING/YEAR, etc. THAT MORNING
/YEAR, etc.
TOMORROW THE NEXT DAY / THE
FOLLOWING DAY
LAST WEEK/MONTH, etc THE PREVIOUS
WEEK/MONTH, etc
NEXT WEEK/MONTH THE FOLLOWING
WEEK/ MONTH

USE REPORTED SPEECH FOR THE

NEXT SENTENCES

My son plays the guitar beautifully, said John

John said that his son played the guitar
beautifully
Ill call you later , said Diana

Mum, I have been studying all day, said Angie

We may see you tomorrow, they said to Jen

If you need money, I can lend you some,
Andres said to me.
I hated the film last night, said Johnathan

REPORTED QUESTIONS

We usually introduce reported questions with

the reporting verb ask
If a direct question begins with a question
word, the reported question also begins with
the same question word
What are you reading? he asked He asked
me what I was reading
If a direct question does not begin with a
question word, the reported question begins
with if
Do you know his name? she asked She
asked me if I knew his name

REPORTED COMMANDS AND

REQUESTS

We commonly use tell when we report

commands and ask when we report requests
The imperative changes to full infinitive or not
+ full infinitive
Be quiet, she said She told me to be quiet
Dont go in there, please she said She
asked me not to go in there

REWRITE THE SENTENCES

Do you need any help with the report?, Jerry

asked Jerry asked me if I needed any help
with the report
Where were you yesterday? she asked
Please, call me tomorrow he said
Dont stay out late, dad said
Can you help me with my presentation?, he
asked.