This document discusses how to report what someone else said in indirect or reported speech. It provides rules for changing pronouns, verb tenses, time and place expressions when reporting statements, questions, requests and commands that were originally direct speech. For statements, reporting verbs like said, told, explained are used followed by a that-clause. For questions, the verb ask is used along with whether or if for yes/no questions and the same wh- word for wh- questions. Requests and commands are reported using verbs like tell, ask or order followed by an object and infinitive.

1. REPORTED SPEECH
Or
INDIRECT SPEECH

2. REPORTED SPEECH
When we want to tell someone what
someone else said in the past, there are
two ways of doing so:
- You can repeat that person’s words
(direct speech)
Ann said “I am at home”
-You can use reported speech.
Ann said (that ) she was at home

3. REPORTED SPEECH
I’m feeling ill
Tom said “I am
feeling ill”
Tom said (that ) he
was feeling ill
Whe re ’s
To m ? He said he was
fe e ling ill.

4. REPORTING STATEMENTS
RULES:
1 We introduce reported speech with
said that
or told + indirect object+ that.
(that can be omitted)
2 Pronouns and time expressions change when necessary
33 We change verbs from present to past and from past or present
perfect to past perfect.
We change modal verbs from will to would, from can to could and
must to had to.

5. My favourite film is on TV
tonight. I love comedies.
Reported speechReported speech
Lisa said that her favourite film was on TV that night. She
said that she loved comedies.
Look at the example.

6. What has changed?
Pronouns: My ----- her
I ------ she
Verb Tense: am ------ was
Love -----
loved
Time words: tonight ------ that night

7. Introductory or Reporting verbsIntroductory or Reporting verbs
The most common reporting verbs are
- say (that) SAID
- tell somebody (that). TOLD
• Others such as admit, claim, explain, insist, reply, apologize, inform,
advise, agree or suggest can be used.
“It’s my fault” she said.
She............ it was her fault.
“I haven’t been thinking about you” Ann told me.
Ann ............... she hadn’t been thinking about me.
“I have been very tired” She explained.
She ................... she had been very tired.

8. Say or Tell
IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE!!!
• SAY is not followed by the indirect object:
Say (that)+ reported statement
He said he was tired
He said to me he was tired
• TELL is always followed by an indirect object (a
person or a pronoun).
He told me that he was tired.

9. CHANGES IN THE VERBS
DIRECT SPEECH
 “I like techno music” he informed me.
 “The are dancing very well” she agreed.
 We bought tickets yesterday.” they explained
 “I’ve never been here before”.
Tom declared.
 “I was listening to the music” she told us.
 “We will be here tomorrow,” they promised.
 “Young people must learn to behave” he said.
 “We can go to the festival” he explained.
 “I may visit you tomorrow” he said.
REPORTED SPEECH
 He informed me (that) he liked techno
music.
 She agreed (that) they were dancing very
well.
 They explained (that) they had bought
tickets the day before.
 Tom declared (that) he had never been
there before.
 She told us (that) she had been listening
to the music.
 They promised (that) they would be there
the next day.
 He said (that) young people had to learn
to behave.
 He explained (that) we could go to the
festival.
 He said he might visit me the next day.

10. In the Reported Speech we change the verbs
to the PASTPAST.
am /is
are
has / have
see
can
Will
May
becomes
becomes
becomes
becomes
becomes
becomes

11. Changes in verb tenses
do
(Present Simple) (Past Simple)
am /is doing
(Present Continuous) (Past Continuous)
are doing
(Present Continuous) (Past Continuous)
has / have done
(Present Perfect) (Past Perfect)
becomes
becomes
becomes
becomes

12. PRONOUNS
• Subject Pronouns (I, she, we, etc.),
• Object pronouns (me, you, him. her ..
• and possessives (my, your, his, etc.) may change depending who is
reporting and who they are talking to.
o “ I want to see you at my office”
Report 1: Mark to me
Mark told me that he wanted to see me at his office.
Report 2: Sara to Jim
Sara told him that she wanted to see him at her office.

13. EXPRESSIONS OF TIME AND PLACE
• DIRECT SPEECH
Here
Now
This / these
Tonight
Today
Tomorrow
Yesterday
Next week
Last month
• INDIRECT SPEECH
There
Then
That/ those
That night
That day
The following day/ the next day
The day before/ the previous day
The following week
The month before/ the previou month

14. Changes
Time Place
now here
today this
this week these
tomorrow
yesterday
last week

15. Use the reportrd speech
I saw the film last
week.
He ............ that he .............. the
film ..................

16. Reporting verbs ( Exercises)
 “I don’t like the bands that are playing here.” John mentioned
 “Techno music has become very popular”Peter said.
Peter said that techno music had become very popular.
 “Please, help me with this problem,”
Mark begged me to help him with that problem.
 “I will go to the concert with you next year” Jackie said.
Jackie said she would go to the concert with me the following year/
Jackie offered to go to the concertwith me the following year.
 “I’m sorry I missed the party” Alex said.
Alex apologized for missing the party.
 “Let’s finish early” he suggested.
He suggested finishing early/ He suggested that they finish early.
John mentioned that he didn’t like the bands that were playing there

17. Reporting verbs ( Exercises)
 “I don’t like the bands that are playing here.” John mentioned
 “Techno music has become very popular”Peter said.
Peter ........ that techno music ............ very popular.
 “Please, help me with this problem,”
Mark begged me to help him with that problem.
 “I will go to the concert with you next year” Jackie said.
Jackie said she would go to the concert with me the following year/
Jackie offered to go to the concertwith me the following year.
 “I’m sorry I missed the party” Alex said.
Alex apologized for missing the party.
 “Let’s finish early” he suggested.
He suggested finishing early/ He suggested that they finish early.
John mentioned that he didn’t like the bands that were playing there

18. REPORTING QUESTIONS
• The reporting verb is ASK.
• In Yes/ No questions IF or Whether is used.
Ex: “Have you been here long?”
He asked if/ whether I had been there long
• In WH- Questions the same word is used.
Ex: “Where do you come from?”
He asked me where I came from.
• In reported questions word order changes:
subject + verb.
Ex. “How are you?
He asked me how I was.

19. REPORTING QUESTIONS (Exercises)
 The policeman said to us, “Where are you going?”
The policeman asked us where we were going.
 Tom said: “ What time do the banks close?”
Tom wanted to know what time the banks closed.
 “Have you got a driving licence?” the interviewer
asked.
He enquired whether / if I had a driving licence
 “Do you know when Jane’s birthday is?” he asked.
He wanted to know when Jane’s birthday was.
 “Why did you call me?” Sandra asked.
Sandra asked me why I had called her.

20. REQUESTS & COMMANDS
The imperative is used to give orders. When we report
an imperative we use
Tell somebody to do something or ask somebody to do
something. ( Do not use SAY)
Other verbs can be used: order, command, invite, beg,
warn.
 “Hurry up, please!” he said.
He asked me to hurry up.
 “Don’t worry!” she said.
She told me not to worry.
 “Don’t forget that it’s our anniversary tomorrow”
She asked me not to forget our anniversary the next
day.