Unit 3 - Language Focus - Reported Speech
Unit 3 - Language Focus - Reported Speech
Unit 3 - Language Focus - Reported Speech
Name: ________________
Date: _____ / _____ / _____
REPORTED SPEECH
A. Theory
Direct speech
Ex: He said: “I am late this morning.”
Indirect speech
Ex: He said that he was late that morning.
Ex: He said: “I am American.”
He said (that) he was American.
She said: “He is working in the garden.”
She said he was working in the garden.
Notes
If the reporting verb is in the simple present / present continuous / present perfect / simple future / future
perfect, only persons are changed in the reported speech.
Ex: The farmer says, “I hope it will rain tomorrow”
The farmer says that he hopes it will rain tomorrow.
Change tenses
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
1. Simple present (V(s/es)) Simple past (V2/ed )
2. Present continuous (am/is/are + V-ing) Past continuous (was/ were + V-ing )
3. Present perfect (have/has + V3/ed) Past perfect (had + V3/ed)
4. Present perfect progressive (Have / has + Past perfect progressive (Had been + V-ing)
V-ing)
5. Simple past (V2/ed) Past perfect ( had + V3/ed )
6. Past continuous (was/were + V-ing) Past perfect continuous (had been + V-ing) / past
continuous (was / were + V-ing)
7. Past perfect (had + V3/ed) Past perfect (had + V3/ed)
8. Simple future (will/ shall + V0 ) Future in the past ( would + V0 )
9. Future continuous (will + be + V-ing) Future continuous in the past (would + be + V-ing)
10. Future perfect (will + have + V3/ed) Future perfect in the past (would + have + V3/ed)
11. Present condition (could + V0) Future condition perfect (would + have + V3/ed)
Page 1
12. Future intention (am / is / are going to + Past intention (was / were going to + Inf)
Inf)
13. Modal verbs Modals in the past
Can Could
May / Might Might
Must / have to / has to Had to
Should / could / ought to Should / could / ought to
Page 2
Ex: He said: “I can’t meet you here either today or tomorrow, Mary.”
He said to Mary / He told Mary he couldn’t meet her there either that day or the next day.
Ex: “I’m not going to walk all that way”, said Gary.
Gary refused to walk all that way.
S + V + O + to-infinitive
Verbs: advise, ask, beg, command, encourage, forbid, invite, order, recommend, remind, request, tell,
instruct, persuade, dare, urge, warn, etc.
Ex: “Would you like to stay at our house”, Mark said to us.
Mark invited us to stay at his house.
II. Reported speech with gerund
Page 4
We use gerund in reported speech as follows.
S + V + gerund
S + V + preposition + gerund
Verbs: apologize (to sb) for…, dream of, insist on…., object to…., boast about…, etc.
Ex: She said to me, “I’m sorry. I broke the vase of flowers.”
She apologized (to me) for breaking the vase of flowers.
S + V + O + preposition + gerund
Verbs: accuse…..…of, blame…..…for (đỗ lỗi cho ai về việc gì), blame sth on sb (đỗ tội gì cho ai),
congratulate….…..on, prevent…....from, thank…….for, warn ..…against, etc.
Ex: Mary told Peter, “It was your fault. You didn’t tell me the truth”.
Mary blamed Peter for not telling her the truth
III. Other structures
Verb + that + S? + (should) + V (demand, insist, suggest, propose, recommend, request, advise,
admit, agree, want, remind)
Ex: “You must come home before midnight,” said Mr Pike to his son.
Mr Pike insisted that his son (should) come home before midnight.
Can / Could / Will / Would you +V, please? / Would you mind / Do you mind + V-ing? request
Ex: “Could you please pass me the salt, please?
He asked / told me to pass him the salt.
Would you like + to V invitation
Ex: “Would you like to go to the movie?”
He invited me to go to the movie.
Shall I / shall we + V / Can I + V? suggestion
Ex: “Shall I carry your bag? The porter said.
Page 5
The porter offered to carry my bag.
If I were… advice
Ex: If I were you, I would stop smoking.
She advised me to stop smoking.
Let’s + V suggestion
Ex: The guide said: “Let’s stop for a rest.”
The guide suggested stopping for a rest.
The guide suggested that we (should) stop for a rest.
What (a/an) + adj + N! / How ….! exclamation
Ex1: “What a lovely garden!”
She exclaimed that / said that it was a lovely garden.
She exclaimed that / said that the garden was lovely.
Ex2: “How hot is it!”
He exclaimed that / he said that it was hot.
Notes
Ex1: “Good” he exclaimed.
He gave an exclamation with pleasure.
Ex2: “Ugh!” she exclaimed.
She gave an exclamation with disgust.
Ex3: He said: “Thank you!”
He thanked me.
Ex4: He said: “Welcome!”
He welcomed me.
Ex5: He said: “Good morning!”
He greeted me.
Ex6: He said: “Happy Christmas!”
He wished me a happy Christmas.
Ex7: He said: “Congratulations!”
He congratulated me.
Ex8: He said: “Liar”
He called me a liar.
Ex9: He said: “Damn”
Page 6
He swore.
Notes
1. “Come on….”
“Go on….” → encourage sb to V
Ex He said to me “Go on! Take the job”
→ He encouraged me to take the job.
2. ‘All right,…”
“Yes, please…” → accept/ agree to V
“I’d like to….”
I’d love to…”
Ex He said to me : “All right, I’ll wait for you”
→ He agreed to wait for me
3. “No, thank….” → refused to V
4. “It’s you/she/ he…. that……..” → accuse sb of V-ing
Ex “It’s you that broke my window.” She to me.
→ She accused me of breaking the window.
5. “I will + V…..” → promise + to V
Ex “We’ll come back again.” They said
→ They promised to come back again.
6. “feel like” → look forward to
Ex “I feel like meeting my children soon.”
→ She looked forward to meeting her children soon.
B. PRACTICE
I- Change the following sentences into reported speech
1 “I have seen the film before.”, she says
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2 “I want to go home.”, he has told you
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3 “ I haven’t meet my parents for years.”, he says
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4 “ I don’t know how much it costs.”, he tells her
…………………………………………………………………..………………………………………
5 “I will come next year.”, he tells me
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6 “I’m reading a book.” Simon says
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7 I need some money to buy a book.” , Mary tells Peter
………………………………………………………………………….…………………………………
8 “I can’t come on Tuesday.” they have told me.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
9 “Mary will come soon”, John tells me ………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………
10 “We haven’t eaten anything” the children say …………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………
Page 7
II- Write the following sentences into indirect speech.
Example: “My name is Lan”, she said
“I am writing a letter”, he told me.
1 “I am waiting for john.” She said
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2 “I don’t like the idea.”, he said
………………………………………………………………………………………………
3 “The car isn’t at my house.”, she told me
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4 “We have cleaned the room.”, they said
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5 “We are worried about Peter.”, they told me
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6 “I am going to the cinema.’, she said
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
7 “I saw her today”, he said
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
8 “I will see you tomorrow”, he told me
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
9 “They were here three months ago.” he said
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
10. “We visited her this morning.”, they said
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
III. Put the following ‘yes/no questions’ into reported speech:
EX: “Do you know Stonehenge?” , Nga asked Nhi
Nga asked Nhi if she knew Stonehenge.
Nga asked Nhi whether she knew Stonehenge (or not).
1. Mary asked me, “Do you want to visit London?”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. She said, “Can you speak Spanish, Minh?”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Thanh said to her teacher, “Will I finish my exercise at home?”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Nien asked Hoa, “Do you have many new friends?”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. My friend said, “Are you going to leave tomorrow?”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. They said to us, “Must you go now?”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IV. Wh- questions:
Examples: * “What is the time?” he asked. He asked me what the time was.
* “Where do you live?” he asked Mary. How wanted to know where Mary lived.
1. He asked me, “What are you doing at the weekend?”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. He asked, “How long does it take you to have lunch?”
Page 8
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. She asked, “Why are you late, Tom?”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. My mother asked me, “Where is your umbrella?”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. The secretary asked the man, “Who do you want to see, sir?”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. The students asked, “What time does the bell ring?”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. He asked Tom, “What kind of films do you like watching?”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. The teacher asked the girl, “When do you have to be home?”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. They always asked, “Why don’t you let my cat in?”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. The passengers asked, “When did the last train leave?”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
V. Put the following ‘commands and requests’ into reported speech:
EX: The teacher said to John, “Come into my office, please.”
The teacher asked John to come into his/her office.
The teacher told John to come into his/her office.
1. Their mother said to them, “Don’t make so much noise.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. The traffic policeman said, “Show me your driving license, please.”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Mrs. Jackson said to Tim, “Could you give me a hand, please?”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. The lifeguard said, “Don’t swim out too far, boys.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Nam said to the taxi driver, “Please turn left at the first traffic light.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. She said to her son, “Go straight upstairs and get into bed.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. The policeman said, “Don’t touch anything in the room.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. Mary said to John, “Can you carry my suitcase, please?”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. Miss Jackson said to Tom’s mother, “Can you give Tom this dictionary?”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. Mr. Binh said, “Please wait for me outside my office, Mary.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VI. Put the following ‘advice’ into reported speech:
EX: “You should take a few days off, John.”, the doctor said.
The doctor said to John (that) he should take a few days off.
The doctor advised him to take a few days off.
Page 9
The doctor advised taking a few days off. (IF THE OBJECT IS “ME”)
1. Miss Jackson said, “Tim should work harder on his Spanish pronunciation.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Miss Jackson said: “Kate should spend more time on English writing.”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Miss Jackson said: “Ben should practice speaking Chinese every day.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Miss Jackson said: “Tom should listen to Spanish conversations on TV.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Miss Jackson said to Denny, “You should practice reading aloud passages in English.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VII. Change direct speech into reported speech, using gerund.
1. “ I must have made a mistake in the calculations.” ® Mr. Forest said ( admit)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. “ It was nice of you to invite me to your birthday party. Thanks very much.® Miketold me (thank)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. “ I’ll pay for the meal.” ® Sarah said ( insist)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. “ Perhaps we can go to Paris for the weekend.” ® Neil said ( suggest)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. “ I’m sorry I couldn’t come to visit you the summer.” ® Kate told me ( apologise)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. “ I hear you won the championship. Congratulations!” ® Danesaid to me ( congratulate)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. “You’re selfish.” ® Jane told me ( accuse)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. “You mustn’t drink too much caffeine.” ® Marta warned ( warn)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. “I always want to run my own business”, she said to me. ® ( dream)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. “ To tell the truth, I have driven my car without insurance.” , she said. ® ( admit)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11. “ I didn’t break the windows.” Bill said. ® ( deny)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12. “You can’t run out of the garden,” Ms Kelly said to the children. ® ( prevent)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13. “ I feel like seeing you soon, Susan,” said her mother. ® ( look forward)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14. “You mustn’t run into the street !” he said to the child. ® ( stop)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page 10
15. “ It was nice of you to lend me your bike. Thank you.” She told me® ( thank)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VIII. Change direct speech into reported speech, using infinitive.
1. “Would you like to come to my party?”, he invited her.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (invite)
2. “I phone the police” she threatened.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. “Remember to book the table”, said Ann.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (remind)
4. “Get into the right lane”, said the driving instructor.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (tell / warn)
5. “I’ll buy you a bunch of bananas”, said Mary.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (promise)
6. “Try again”, said Ann’s friends encouragingly.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (encourage)
7. “Please, please don’t take any risks”, said his wife.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (beg)
8. “I should say nothing about it if I were you” said my brother.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (advise)
9. The man said to the boy: “Can you show me the way to the bank?”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (ask)
10. “I’m just not going to the student party?” Nora said.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (refuse)
Page 11