Use reported speech when we tell people what

somebody said or thought in the past. Tenses

change if the time and speaker are different.

TIME References
DIRECT SPEECH

INDIRECT SPEECH

PRESENT TENSES BECOME PAST:

DIRECT
INDIRECT
I am tired She said that she was tired
(we often leave out that
especially after common verbs)

Now
Today
Here
This
This week
Tomorrow
Next week
Yesterday

Then
That day
There
That
That week
The following/next day
The following/next week
The previous day
The day before
Previously/before
3 days previously/before
That night
The previous Friday
The Friday before
The following Friday
The next Friday
The Friday after
That Friday

PRONOUNS ALSO CHANGE

DIRECT
INDIRECT
I like you
She said (that) she liked me

Ago
3 days ago
Tonight
Last Friday

TELL or SAY We can use both.

TELL + personal object:
We tell somebody
Sam told me to wait for him.
SAY doesnt need a personal object.
We say something (to somebody)
Sandra said she was very happy

Next Friday

TENSE CHART
PRESENT SIMPLE I am happy
PRES. CONTINUOUS I am singing
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE Ive won
PAST SIMPLE I saw Tom
PAST CONTINUOUS I was singing
PAST PERFECT I had been there
PAST PERFECT CONT.Id been playing

PAST
PAST
PAST
PAST
PAST
PAST
PAST

SIMPLE
She said she was happy
CONTINUOUS
She said she was singing
PERFECT CONT.
She said she had won
PERFECT
She said she had seen Tom
PERFECT CONT.
She said shed been singing
PERFECT no change
She said shed been there
PERF CONT no change She said shed been playing

OTHER VERB FORMS

WILL
CAN
MUST
SHALL
MAY

I will go
I can cook
I must study
What shall I do?
May I help you?

WOULD
COULD
HAD TO
SHOULD
MIGHT

she said she would go

she said she could cook
she said she had to study
she asked what she should do
she asked if she might help me.

IMPERATIVE
AFFIRMATIVE Sit down!
NEGATIVE
Dont sit down!
REQUEST
Give me my book!

TELL + INFINITIVE
She told me to sit down
TELL+NOT+INFINITIVE She told me not to sit down
ASK + INFINITIVE
I asked him to give me my book

EXERCISE ONE

Rewrite the sentences in reported speech

1-Im exhausted. She said (that) _____________________________________________

2-I went to the park yesterday. She said ______________________________________
3-I dont like vegetables. She said ____________________________________________
4-I am working this week. She said ____________________________________________
5-Ive already seen this film. She said _________________________________________
6-When I arrived he had gone. She said ________________________________________
7-I will go to Toms party. She said ____________________________________________
8-I cant stand dishonest people. She said _______________________________________
9-Please, do your homework! My mother _________________________________________
10-Shall I stay at home tonight? She asked if she_________________________________
11-I have to call my sister. She said ___________________________________________
12-I wont tell you the secret. She said ________________________________________
13-I played tennis last Sunday. She said _______________________________________
14-My parents are abroad. She said ___________________________________________
15-Mary doesnt live in London. She said ________________________________________
16-I was watching TV last night. She said ______________________________________

EXERCISE TWO

EXERCISE THREE

Write the conversation in reported speech

Complete the sentences with said/told

1-What did you do yesterday?

Sue asked Tom _______________________
2-I went to a birthday party.
Tom replied __________________________
3-Who did you go with?
Sue asked ___________________________
4-I went with my friend Martin.
He replied ___________________________
5-Did you see your ex girlfriend?
Sue asked ___________________________
6-Yes but she left early
Tom told her _________________________
7-What time did you get home?
Sue asked him ________________________
8-I arrived around 1 oclock.
He said _____________________________
9-Im going to bed. Dont wake me up tomorrow
He asked her __________________________
10-Fine. I wont wake you up.
She said ______________________________

1-Sam ______ he didnt want to come.

2-She ______ me not to talk to him.
3-The doctor ______ I was getting better.
4-Mary ______ him that he was so cute.
5-I ______ that I was too tired to dance.
6-Melissa _____ us about her holiday.
7-My father _____ me to be quiet.
8-Mary ______ shed already seen Titanic.
9-He _____ them to listen carefully.
10-Gina _____ she was angry with you.
11-He ______ her he had given up smoking.