REPORTED SPEECH

If we report what another person has said, we usually do not use the speakers exact words (direct speech), but reported (indirect) speech. Therefore, you need to learn how to transform direct speech into reported speech. The structure is a little different depending on whether you want to transform a statement, question or request.

Statements When transforming statements, check whether you have to change: pronouns present tense verbs (3rd person singular) place and time expressions tenses (backshift)

Direct speech

Reported speech

"I always drink She said that she coffee". She said. always drank coffee.

 TO TALK ABOUT SOMEONE HAS SAID WE USE VERBS LIKE EXPLAIN, SAY, TELL, SUGGEST TO INTRODUCE WHAT IT HAS BEEN SAID WE USE THAT . EVEN THOUGH IT CAN BE OMMITED. WHEN TURNING DIRECT SPEECH INTO INDIRECT SPEECH WE MUST REMEMBER THAT THE MAIN VERB BACKSHIFTS.

Type direct speech reported speech (no backshift)

Example I speak English. He says that he speaks English.

reported speech (backshift)

He said that he spoke English.

Questions When transforming questions, check whether you have to change: pronouns present tense verbs (3rd person singular) place and time expressions tenses (backshift) Also note that you have to: transform the question into an indirect question use the interrogative or if / whether

Type with interrogative direct speech

Example Why dont you speak English?

reported speech

He asked me why I didnt speak English.

Do you speak English?

without interrogative

direct speech

reported speech

He asked me whether / if I spoke English.

Requests When transforming questions, check whether you have to change: pronouns place and time expressions

Type direct speech

Example Carol, speak English.

reported speech He told Carol to speak English.

Additional Information and Exceptions

Apart from the above mentioned basic rules, there are further aspects that you should keep in mind, for example: main clauses connected with and / but tense of the introductory clause reported speech for difficult tenses exceptions for backshift requests with must, should, ought to and

lets

Direct speech

BACKSHIFT TABLE

Reported speech

Present simple I am happy I sleep Present continuos I am feeling happy I am sleeping

Past simple He said he was happy He said he slept Past continuos He said he was feeling happy He said he was sleeping

Past simple I was happy I slept

Past perfect He said he had been happy He said he had slept

Present perfect I have been happy I have slept

Past perfect He said he had been happy He said he had slept

Present perfect continuos I have been feeling happy I have been sleeping

Past perfect continuos He said he had been feeling happy He said he had been sleeping

Future I will be happy I will sleep

Simple conditional He said he would be happy He said he would sleep Simple conditional perfect He said he would have been happy He said he would have slept

Future perfect I will have been happy I will have sleep

Direct speech

MODALS BACKSHIFT TABLE

Reported speech

CAN I can sleep

MAY I may sleep

COULD He said he could sleep

MIGHT He said he might sleep

WILL I will sleep

MUST I must sleep

WOULD He said he would sleep

HAD TO He said he had to sleep

now

TIME AND PLACE BACKSHIFT TABLE

at that moment, then
that night that day the night before

tonight today last night

this morning
this week next week

that morning
that week the following week

next year
here

the year after

there

EXERCISES Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note

the change of pronouns in some sentences.
1."Stop talking, Joe," the teacher said. The teacher told Joe _____________ 2."Be patient," she said to him. She told him ___________ 3."Go to your room," her father said to her. Her father told her ____________ 4."Hurry up," she said to us. She told us ___________ 5."Give me the key," he told her. He asked her_____________

1."Play it again, Sam," she said.

She asked Sam ___________ 2."Sit down, Caron" he said. He asked Caron _____________ 3."Fill in the form, Sir," the receptionist said. The receptionist asked the guest _______ 4."Take off your shoes," she told us. She told us ________________ 5."Mind your own business," she told him. She told him _________________

 Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note the change of pronouns in some sentences. 1."Don't touch it," she said to him. She told him 2."Don't do that again," he said to me. He told me 3."Don't talk to me like that," he said. He told her 4."Don't repair the computer yourself," she warned him. She warned him 5."Don't let him in," she said. She told me

Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note whether the sentence is a request, a statement or a question. 1.He said, "I like this song." He said 2."Where is your sister?" she asked me. She asked me 3."I don't speak Italian," she said. She said 4."Say hello to Jim," they said. They asked me 5."The film began at seven o'clock," he said. He said

Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note the change of pronouns and tenses. 1."Where is my umbrella?" she asked. She asked 2."How are you?" Martin asked us. Martin asked us 3.He asked, "Do I have to do it?" He asked 4."Where have you been?" the mother asked her daughter. The mother asked her daughter 5."Which dress do you like best?" she asked her boyfriend. She asked her boyfriend

1."What are they doing?" she asked. She wanted to know 2."Are you going to the cinema?" he asked me. He wanted to know 3.The teacher asked, "Who speaks English?" The teacher wanted to know 4."How do you know that?" she asked me. She asked me 5."Has Caron talked to Kevin?" my friend asked me. My friend asked me