Reported Speech

We often have to give information about what people say or think.

Direct Speech: Saying exactly what someone has said is called “direct speech”. In direct speech, what a person says appears within quotation mark (“…”) and should be word for word. For example;

She said, “I’m going to the cinema tomorrow.”

Reported Speech: Reported speech doesn’t use quotation marks and what a person says doesn’t have to be word for word.

Direct Speech Reported Speech

She said, “I am going to the cinema tomorrow.”

She said she was going to the cinema the next day.

Reported Speech: Statements and Questions

In reported speech, we change:1. Pronouns2. Time and Place3. Tense

1. Pronoun Change

In reported speech, we usually have to change the pronouns.

Jane said: You report:

“I will always love you.” She said she would always love me.

2. Time and Place

If you report what someone said on a different day or in a different place, some time and

place words can change. For example; tomorrow > the next day, here > there, this > that

Direct Speech Reported Speech

M.O.1

She said, “I am going to the cinema tomorrow.”

She said she was going to the cinema the next day.

Expressions of time if reported on a different day

This (evening, morning, etc.) That (evening, morning, etc.)

Today Yesterday

These (days) Those (days)

Now Then

(A week) ago (A week) before

Last weekend The previous weekend

Here There

Next week The following / next week

Tomorrow The next / following day

3. Tense Change

As a rule when you report something someone said, you go back a tense.

Direct Speech Reported Speech

She said, “I am going to the cinema tomorrow.”

She said she was going to the cinema the next day.

Present Simple Past Simple

“I like shopping.” She said (that) she liked shopping.

Present Continuous [for future plans] Past Continuous:

“I’m going tomorrow.” He told her he was going next day.

Future Tense Would

“I’ll always love you.” He said he would always love me.

Past Simple Past Perfect

M.O.2

“I passed the exam!” She told him she had passed the exam.

Present Perfect Past Perfect

“I’ve forgotten my keys.” He said he had forgotten his keys.

Past Perfect Past Perfect

“I had forgotten my keys.” He said he had forgotten his keys.

Some modal verbs changes:

Can Could

“I can’t come.” She said she couldn’t come.

May Might

“I may be late.” He said he might be late.

Must Had to

“I must go.” She said she had to go.

***Must changes to “had to” BUT “mustn’t” stays the same.

***Mustn’t Mustn’t

***Past Perfect Past Perfect

Other modal verbs stay the same:

Could Could

Might Might

Should Should

The Use of “that”: Using “that” after said and told is OPTIONAL.

She said (that) she liked shopping.

She told him (that) she had passed the exam.

M.O.3

Say and Tell:

After SAID don’t use a person or an object pronoun

Tom: “I am tired.”

Tom said he was tired.

Tom to Jane: “I am tired.”

Tom told Jane/her he was tired.

Tom said to Jane/her he was tired.

QUESTIONS

When you report a question, the tenses change as in reported statements. Also, you

have to change the word order to “subject + verb” and don’t use “do/did”.

Yes/No Questions: When a question begins with an auxiliary verb (not a question word), add

“if” of “whether”.

Direct Speech Reported Speech

“Are you married?”

“Did she phone you?

He asked her if she was married.

She asked him whether she had phoned him.

If/whether + Subject + Verb

Question Words: When a question begins with a question word (e.g. which, what, when,

where…), change the tense as in reported statements and change the word order to:

subject + verb

Direct Speech Reported Speech

“What ’s your name?”

“Where do you live?”

I asked her what her name was.

She asked him where he lived.

Question word + Subject + Verb

Reported Speech: Commands and Requests

Use told or asked to report an imperative or request.

M.O.4

1. Jane told Tom: “Go away.”

She told him TO go away.

2. Jane told Tom: “Don’t worry!”

She told him NOT TO worry.

3. “Please don’t smoke!”: She asked me not to smoke.

“Could you help me?”: She asked me to help her.

M.O.5

1. Jane told Tom: “Go away.”

She told him TO go away.

2. Jane told Tom: “Don’t worry!”

She told him NOT TO worry.

3. “Please don’t smoke!”: She asked me not to smoke.

“Could you help me?”: She asked me to help her.

M.O.5