Reported Speech

Reported Speech
Uses
We use reported speech when we want to repeat
what someone had previously said.
Let's look at the difference between direct speech
and reported speech:
Direct Tomie said = 'I am tired.' Reported Speech =
'Tomie said (that) she was tired.' In reported speech
we need to use the past tense form of the verb. In
direct speech the present tense is used. As you can
see, in the above sentence 'am' changes to 'was'
when we use reported speech.
DEFINITION
Reported Speech (also called Indirect Speech) is
used to communicate what someone else said,
but without using the exact words. A few changes
are necessary; often a pronoun has to be changed and the verb is usually moved back a tense,
where possible.
Special features
2
Passing the Direct Speech Reported
speech to modal verbs changes occur in
prayer, for example: They -will- help you. He
becomes: She Said That They -would- help
me. Here are more examples to understand its operation.
Changes of tenses in Reported Specch. The main

verb tense back one: if we
live: "I live in Italy". She Said.
In reported speech: "She
Said That She lived in Italy".
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Present Past
"I work in Argentina"
He said that he worked in Argentina
"I am doing my job"
He said that he was doing his job
Past Past Perfect
"We saw a good film on TV" He said they had seen a good film on
TV.
"I was dancing with Mary"
He said he had been dancing with
Mary
Present Perfect Past Perfect
"I have done this before"
She said that she had done that
before
"I have been doing this for two years"
He said that he had been
doing that for two years
Future Conditional
"I will visit my mother"
He said that he would visit his mother
"I will be flying to Spain"
He said that he would be flying to
Spain
Future Perfect Conditional Perfect
"I will have arrived there by 5 pm"
He said he would have arrived
here by 5 pm
"I will have been selling books for two years"
He said that he
would have been sellingbooks for two years
3
Adverbs both time and space are also modified by passing
reported speech: today / yesterday, this week / that week,
here / there. Here are some examples of its use

now then, at that moment
today that day
tonight that night
last night the previous night, the night before
tomorrow the next day, the following day
yesterday the previous day, the day before
this week that week
next week the following week, the week after
last year the previous year, the year before
here there

Can Could
"I can stay here until Sunday"
He said he
could stay there until Sunday
May Might
"I may go fishing next weekend"
He said
that he might go fishing next weekend
Will Would
"I will stay here!"
He said that he would
stay there
Must Had to
"I must work everyday"
He said he had
to work everyday
4
The questions had a direct to indirect
question. Where do they sell the tickets?,
becomes: He Asked Where They sold the
tickets. Here are more examples with
translations.
Direct Speech
What
Reported Speech
"What are you looking for?"

Where
He asked what I was looking for
"Where can we go tonight?" She asked where they could go

that night
When
"When did they go to India?" He asked when they had gone to
India
Who
"Who told you that?" He asked me who had told me that
How
"How old are the twins?" He asked how old the twins were
Why
"Why did Carla leave so early?"
so early
Which
He asked why Carla had left
"Which skirt did you choose?" She asked me which skirt I had
chosen
Whose
"Whose dog is missing?"
Yes-no questions
He asked whose dog was missing
"Are these your glasses?" He asked me if those were my glasses

"Isn't that Jen's boyfriend?"
She asked me if that wasn't Jen's
boyfriend
5
Certain verbs are very common at the time of report: say, tell, ask, admit,
agree, answer, invite, complain. I -asked- Where You Had put His Book.
verb Example
tell
"John is not here right now."
She told me that John wasn't there then.
say
"Mum came to see you today."
He said that mum had come to see me that day.
ask
"Please, give this letter to Penny."
He asked me to give the letter to Penny.
admit
"OK, OK. Yeah. I broke that window."
He admitted that he had broken the window
agree
"Yeah, of course. I will give you the money"
He agreed to loan me some money
answer
"Oh, not now. I am too busy at this moment."
She answered that she was too busy at that moment
invite
"Hey guys! Don't you want to go to the beach with
me?"
He invited us to go to beach with him
complain
"Oh, no. I have this terrible toothache again!"
He complained of a toothache
Verb Example
apologize
"I am very sorry for having insulted you in that way"
She apologized to her friend for having insulted her
thank
"Thank you so much for your help, Mary"
Jack thanked Mary for her help
protest
"Come on. It was not my fault. You are accusing the wrong
person!"
The girl protested against the unfair accusation
threaten
"If you don't give me the money, I will kill you"
The robber threatened to kill the man
advise
"If you don't want to have problems with your health, you
should stop smoking"
His doctor advised him to stop smoking
inquire
"Could you tell me where the main library is?"
She inquired how to get to the library
praise
"I really think that the work you are doing is excellent"
Bill's boss praised him for the work he was doing
deny
"I don't know what you think, but I didn't break that
window"
Billy denied having broken the window
Verb Example
offer
"I could help you with that math problem if you want"
She offered to help me with the math problem
suggest
"It's a nice day. We could go to the country and have
a picnic"
Bill suggested that we have a picnic
demand
"I want to see the manager of this company immediately!"
The man demanded to see the manager of the company
request
"Excuse me, Madam. Could I use your telephone for
a minute?"
He requested permission to use the woman's telephone
remind
"Hey Bill. Don't forget to mail this letter today!"
Jack reminded Bill that he had to mail a letter that
day
describe
"The house is white. It has three bedrooms and a
beautiful garden"
He described his house
confess
"I must tell you something Jane... I love you with all
my heart"
He confessed that he loved her
blame
"It was your fault that I couldn't arrive on time"
The girl blamed the boy for her arriving late
Verb Example
assure
"Don't worry. I will finish my work on time"
He assured me that he would finish his work on time
persuade
"Come on. You'll have a great time a the party. Let's go!"
Jack persuaded Bill to go to the party
convince
"Instead of going to France we should go to Brazil on vacation. It's cheaper, nearer and warmer"
She convinced her husband to go to Brazil instead of France
beg
"Oh please, Mom, please, let me go. I promise I'll be back
before midnight!"
She begged her mother to let her go the party
dissuade
"I don't think it is a good idea to fly now. The conditions are
dangerous"
The man dissuaded him from flying under those weather conditions
confide
"I am terribly afraid of storms"
He confided his fear of storms to his companion
recommend
"I think you should take these shoes. They are very nice and
have a good quality"
The sales girl recommended that I buy those shoes
scold
"Look what you have done!. You broke the vase!. You must be
more careful with things in the house"
Jack's mother scolded him for breaking the vase
Verb Example
order
"Fire!!"
The sergeant ordered the soldiers to fire at the enemy
accuse
"I saw you when you stole my money!"
The man accused his colleague of stealing his money
explain
"I couldn't call you because there was no phone nearby"
He explained why he couldn't call me
mention
"By the way, I am a bit tired after this trip"
Bill mentioned that he was tired after the trip
compliment
"Jane, how elegant you are tonight!"
The man complimented Jane on being so elegant that night
encourage
"Come on. Don't quit now!. You are about to win the game"
Bill's father encouraged him to continue with the game
discourage
"It is cold and it is raining. I think you shouldn't go out tonight"
Mary's mother discouraged her from going out that night
console
"Don't feel so bad. It is not so terrible to fail an exam. You'll pass it next time!"
Bill's companion tried to console him for having failed the exam

Reported Speech

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Reported Speech

Changes of tenses in Reported Specch. The main

Direct Speech Reported Speech

Direct Speech Reported Speech

"What are you looking for?"

He asked what I was looking for

"Where can we go tonight?" She asked where they could go

He asked why Carla had left

He asked whose dog was missing

"Are these your glasses?" He asked me if those were my glasses

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