1. VERB CHANGES
DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH
PRESENT SIMPLE
“I work very long hours”, Helen said
PAST SIMPLE
Helen said (that) she worked very long hours
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
“We are writing a postcard”, Tom said
PAST CONTINUOUS
Tom said (that) they were writing a postcard
PAST SIMPLE
“Carol worked as a secretary”, Jim said to me
PAST PERFECT SIMPLE
Jim said to me (that) Carol had worked as a secretary
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
“Frank has been to USA twice”, Bob said
PAST PERFECT SIMPLE
Bob said (that) Frank had been to USA twice
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
“We have been cooking all morning”, Chris said
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
Chis said (that) they had been cooking all morning
FUTURE “WILL”
Tom said, “I won’t win the match”
CONDITIONAL “WOULD”
Tom said (that) he wouldn’t win the match
FUTURE “BE GOING TO”
“They are going to travel next week” He said
FUTURE “WAS/WERE GOING TO”
He said (that) they were going to travel the following week
CAN
“We can’t speak German” Flora said
COULD
Flora said (that) they couldn’t speak German
MUST
“You must take off your shoes”, The girl said to me
HAD TO
The girl said to me (that) I had to take off my shoes
MAY
“I may arrive late”, The boss said
MIGHT
The boss said (that) he might arrive late
OTHER CHANGES
DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH
now then, at that moment
today / tonight that (day / night)
tomorrow the next day / the following day
yesterday the day before / the previous day
this (morning) that (morning)
last (week) the (week) before / the previous (week)
next (month) the following (month)
ago before
here there
this / that the
DIRECT SPEECH
When we report the exact words someone says or writes.
Kerry told Julia, “James is so nice…”
INDIRECT SPEECH
When we report something that has been said or written.
“Kerry told me that you were so nice…” Julia said to James.
When we report a statement or a question we use
reporting verbs. Such as: said, told, asked, promised…
James is so
nice...
Kerry told me
that you were so
nice...
Verbs in the PAST CONTINUOUS, PAST PERFECT, USED TO, WOULD, SHOULD, COULD and MIGHT do not change
Ex. “He had been missing for several months”, she said She said he had been missing for several months.
“We were playing cards when he arrived”, I said I said we were playing cards when he arrived.
“You should tell him the truth”, He said He said I should tell him the truth
2. REPORTED STATEMENTS
REPORTING VERB + (THAT) + CLAUSE
Ex. “I took the money” she said She said that she had taken the money.
REPORTED “YES/NO” QUESTIONS
When there is no question word in the direct speech, we use “IF / WHETHER”
The word order is the same as in the statements. REPORTING VERB + IF / WHETHER + SUBJECT + VERB
The verb tense and other changes are the same as for other types of reported speech
Ex. “Are you going to Peter’s party?” she asked me She asked me IF I was going to Peter’s party.
REPORTED “WH-” QUESTIONS
Where Question Word is used in the direct speech, the Question Word is also used in reported speech.
The word order is the same as in the statements. REPORTING VERB + QUESTION WORD + SUBJECT + VERB
The verb tense and other changes are the same as for other types of reported speech
Ex. “What’s your favourite colour?” she asked him She asked me WHAT his favourite colour was.
REPORTED ORDERS
REPORTING VERB + OBJECT + TO INFINITIVE.
Ex. “Go to the shops and get some tea”, she told me She told me to go to the shops and get some tea.
Negative imperatives or orders are made with “NOT” before the infinitive
Ex. “Don’t smoke in this room” she told him She told him NOT to smoke in that room.
REPORTED SUGGESTIONS
There are 3 differents ways to express a suggestion.
SUGGEST + V-ing
SUGGEST + THAT + SUBJECT + SHOULD + INFINITIVE (without TO)
SUGGEST + SUBJECT + PAST SIMPLE
Ex. “Let’s have a surprise party for Ellie”, she suggested
She suggested having a surprise party for Ellie
She suggested that we should have a surprise party for Ellie
She suggested we had a surprise party for Ellie
REPORTING VERBS
VERB + OBJECT + INFINITIVE (advise, ask, beg, encourage, order, persuade, remind, warn)
“Why don’t you take up a new sport?” She encouraged me to take up a new sport.
VERB + THAT + CLAUSE (claim, admit, say, explain, promise)
“I won’t do it again” She promised me that she wouldn’t do it again.
VERB + OBJECT + (THAT) + CLAUSE (tell, remind, warn)
“Remember that you work for a big company” He reminded us that we were working for a big company.
VERB + GERUND (admit, deny, suggest, recommend)
“I lied to the teacher” She admitted lying to the teacher
VERB + PREPOSITION + GERUND (accuse of, apologize for, blame for, congratulate on, insist on)
“I’m sorry to be so rude” He apologized for being so rude
VERB + INFINITIVE (agree, decide, offer, promise, refuse, threaten)
“Let’s meet again in September” We agreed to meet again in September