Indirect Speech

REPORTING VERBS
VB + INF.
accuse sb. of
DIRECT SPEECH
INDIRECT SPEECH
agree
Yes, Ill do it again.
He agreed to do it again.
demand
Tell me the truth!
He demanded to know the truth
offer
Would you like me to drive

you home?
He offered to drive me home.
promise
I will pay you on Friday.
He promised to pay me on Friday.
refuse
No, I wont tell you her

secret.
He refused to tell me her secret.
threaten
Keep quiet or Ill punish you.
He threatened to punish me if I didnt

keep quiet.
claim
I witnessed the crime.
He claimed to have witnessed the crime.
VB + SB + INF.
DIRECT SPEECH
INDIRECT SPEECH
You should talk about your
He advised me to talk about my problem.
advise
problem.
You can use my phone.
He allowed me to use his phone.
allow
ask
beg
command
encourage
forbid
instruct
invite
order
permit
remind
urge
warn
want
VB + -ING
Please, close the door!
He asked me to close the door.
Please, please dont hit the

dog.
Move to your right.
He begged me not to hit the dog.

He commanded me to move to my right.
Go ahead, say what you

He encouraged me to say what I thought.
think.
You mustnt come home after He forbade me to come home after eleven.
11.
Mix the eggs with the flour. He instructed me to mix the eggs with the
flour.
Id like you to come to my
He invited me to go to his party.
party.
Dont leave your room
He ordered me not to leave the room
again.
again.
You may speak to the judge. He permitted me to speak to the judge.
Dont forget to turn the lights
off.
Try to have sympathy for the
family.
Dont touch the wires with
wet hands.
Id like you to be kind.
DIRECT SPEECH
He reminded me to turn the lights off.

He urged me to try to have sympathy for
the family.
He warned me not to touch the wires with
wet hands.
He wanted me to be kind.
INDIRECT SPEECH
You acted as if you were

guilty.
He accused me of acting as if I were

guilty.
apologise for Im sorry I hurt you.
He apologised for hurting me.
admit (to)
He admitted (to) being wrong.
Yes, I was wrong.
boast about Im the fastest runner of all.
He boasted about being the fastest runner

of all.
complain
about
You always argue.
He complained (to me) about my arguing.
deny
No I didnt eat your cake.
He denied eating/having eaten my cake.
insist on
You must wear that blouse.
suggest
Lets order a pizza
VB + THAT clause
He insisted on me/my wearing that

blouse.
He suggested ordering a pizza.
DIRECT SPEECH
INDIRECT SPEECH
agree
Yes, shes very kind.
He agreed that she was very kind.
claim
I saw the accident.
He claimed that he had seen the accident.
complain
You never ask my

opinion.
He complained that I never asked his opinion.
deny
I have never met her!
He denied that he had ever met her.
exclaim
Its a tragedy!
He exclaimed that it was a tragedy.
explain
Its a complicated
problem
He explained that it was a complicated

problem.
inform sb.
Your request is being

reviewed.
He informed me that my request was being

reviewed.
promise
I wont be late.
He promised that he wouldnt be late.
suggest
You ought to dive her a

call.
He suggested that I give her a call.
WONDER
DIRECT SPEECH
INDIRECT SPEECH
where
He asked himself, How old is
He wondered how old she
wonder + what + she?
was.
clause
He asked himself, Where are my He wondered where his keys
why
keys?
were.
how
He asked himself, Why is she so He wondered why she was
(when the introductory cold?
so cold.
verb is not the same He asked himself, What is the He wondered what the right
as the subject in the
right answer?
answer was.
indirect question)
wonder + whether
He asked himself, Shall I invite He wondered whether to
+ to-infinitive / clause her?
invite her.
He wondered whether he
wonder +
He asked himself, Where shall I should invite her.
where/what/how + to- go?
He wondered where to go.
infinitive
He asked himself, What shall I
read first?
He wondered what to read
He asked himself, How shall I

tell her?
first.
He wondered how to tell her
(when the subject of the

infinitive is the same as
the subject of the verb)
II. Turn the following sentences into Reported Speech:

1. A lot of English words are borrowed from other languages,
the teacher said to us.
2. China is a densely populated country, she said.
3. Its time they moved to a new house, Ann said.
4. Water freezes below 0 degrees, he said.
5. Ill help you to repair your car tomorrow, he said to me.
6. I didnt understand the meaning of the film, he said.
7. You can come to me if you have any problems, she said to
him.
8. I saw the film you recommended last night, he said to her.
9. Im going to Spain next week, he said.
10. She doesnt understand, he said. (immediate reporting)
11. I would invite more people if I had a bigger flat, he said.
12. I will not repeat this again, he said to us.
13. Ive applied for several jobs this week, he said.
14. Im afraid I cant come, he said to me. (immediate
reporting)
15. If I finish it this evening, well go out, he said to her.
16. I saw him yesterday but he didnt recognize me, she
said.
17. What time does the film start, Peter? (I asked)
18. Have you seen this movie, Chris? (The interviewer asked
Chris)
19. Why did you apply for this job? (The sales manager
asked me)
20. Are you taking much money with you to France? (He
wanted to know if I)
21. When will I know the results of the examination? (Maria
asked the examiner)
22. Are you enjoying your flight? (The stewardess asked
me)
23. How does the photocopier work? (I asked the

salesman)
24. Have you ever been to Japan, Paul? (Sue asked Paul)
25. Im taking the 5.30 train tomorrow evening. (Pete told
Helen)
26. I left my umbrella here two days ago. (Susan told
them)
27. Dont walk on the grass! the park attendant said to us.
28. Please sir, can I have some more food? said Oliver.
29. Close your eyes and open the parcel, she said to me.
30. Please do not leave your seats during takeoff or landing,
the flight attendant said to the passengers.
I. Report the following situations with an appropriate reporting
verb (other than SAY or TELL):
1. You should go to a doctor. (He advised me to go to a
doctor)
2. The bread is stale.
3. I will buy you a present.
4. You ought to tell her the news.
5. Shall I help you?
6. Give me a statement or Ill detain you.
7. Dont go near the fire!
8. Im sorry I insulted you.
9. Thats why I didnt go.
10. I didnt steal the money.
11. Lets go out tonight.
12. You must spend Christmas with us.
13. Please, please give me some money!
14. Dont forget to tell Ann!
15. Yes, shes a good person.
16. Shall I call her? he asked himself.
17. Can you pass me the salt, please?
18. Yes, Ill help you.
19. Would you like a cup of tea?
20. Ill never forget your birthday again.
21. No, I wont get out of bed.
22. Tell me where he is.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
You ought to stop smoking.

You mustnt be back later than 10.
Shes such a funny person!
Everybody be quiet!
You may see Mr. Rogers.
Go on, do as you want.
Yes, I lied about my age.
You made Sophie cry.
I saw the murderer.
Im the fastest swimmer of all.
Thats how you can do it.
What shall I do?

Indirect Speech

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REPORTING VERBS

Yes, Ill do it again.

Tell me the truth!

He demanded to know the truth

Would you like me to drive

He offered to drive me home.

I will pay you on Friday.

He promised to pay me on Friday.

No, I wont tell you her

He refused to tell me her secret.

Keep quiet or Ill punish you.

He threatened to punish me if I didnt

I witnessed the crime.

He claimed to have witnessed the crime.

Please, close the door!

He asked me to close the door.

Please, please dont hit the

He begged me not to hit the dog.

Go ahead, say what you

He reminded me to turn the lights off.

You acted as if you were

He accused me of acting as if I were

apologise for Im sorry I hurt you.

He apologised for hurting me.

He admitted (to) being wrong.

Yes, I was wrong.

boast about Im the fastest runner of all.

He boasted about being the fastest runner

You always argue.

He complained (to me) about my arguing.

No I didnt eat your cake.

He denied eating/having eaten my cake.

You must wear that blouse.

Lets order a pizza

He insisted on me/my wearing that

Yes, shes very kind.

He agreed that she was very kind.

I saw the accident.

He claimed that he had seen the accident.

You never ask my

He complained that I never asked his opinion.

I have never met her!

He denied that he had ever met her.

He exclaimed that it was a tragedy.

He explained that it was a complicated

Your request is being

He informed me that my request was being

He promised that he wouldnt be late.

You ought to dive her a

He suggested that I give her a call.

He asked himself, How shall I

(when the subject of the

II. Turn the following sentences into Reported Speech:

23. How does the photocopier work? (I asked the

You ought to stop smoking.

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