Reported Speech

Two important things to know

WhenHOW

We use reported speech when we want to

report (=say) what another person said but

without using the speaker’s exact words.

EXAMPLE

Patricia's house, 10pm...

Just a few minutes later...

Hi Becky!

You won’t believe this!

Jane told me Linda had a

loverrrrr…

Please don’t tell anyone!

Change time and place expressions

Andpronouns

Change Tenses (go backwards in time)

Use an Introductory Verb

1

2

3

The most common verbs in reported speech are:

SAY

TELL

JANE SAID LINDA HAD A LOVER

JANE TOLD ME LINDA HAD A LOVER

PRESENT SIMPLE OR CONTINUOUS

PAST SIMPLE OR CONTINUOUS

TEACHER: ‘THE STUDENTS ARE GOOD AT WRITING’

THE TEACHER SAID (THAT) THE STUDENTS WERE GOOD AT WRITING.

=

In the same way...

Past simple or continuous

PAST perfect SIMPLE OR

CONTINUOUS

Present perfect simple or

continuous

PAST perfect SIMPLE OR

CONTINUOUS

Future simple(will)

would

Change time and place

This, these hereNowtoday

Tonight

That, thoseThereThen

That dayThat night

yesterdaytomorrow

The previous dayThe next day

Change pronouns

They change according to the context:

He told me: ‘I’ll lend you my laptop’

He told me that he would lend me his laptop

LET’S

HOW MUCH YOU REMEMBER

I love reading books, especially when they have such an exciting plot as this one.

AUNT MOLLY SAID SHE.........................READING

BOOKS ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY.................SUCH AN

EXCITING PLOT AS..............ONE.

a bc

lovelovedloves

Are havinghashad that

thesethose

We can have a look at this photo album. It’s got all the photos Lucy took on her holiday.

Brain SAID ..............................have a look

at...............photo album and explained it had all the

photos Lucy................................

a bc

They couldWe couldcould

THISATHE WAS TAKEN

HAD TAKENHAS TAKEN

Mary used dad’s credit card to buy clothes and I don’t think dad will be happy.

Ellie informed her mum that Mary............................

Their dad’s credit card to buy clothes and

she.....................................he...........................happy.

a bc

usesusedHad used

thoughtDidn’t thinkDidn’t thought Would be

Will bewas

I’m getting good at driving. Actually, I think I’m going to be an excellent driver!

Tina said she..................................good at driving

and that, actually,

she..............................................................

a b

c

getsIs gettingWas getting

thoughtHad thoughtHas thought

She Was going to beShe Is going to be

Was going to be

We didn’t do our English test today so we had a free period.

The students from 6th year said they hadn’t

had..................English test..................................so

they.................................a free period.

a b

c

yourourtheir

The next dayThat dayThis day

hadHad had

Hadn’t had