Indirect reports of statements consist of a reporting clause and a that -clause. We often omit that , especially in informal situations:
The pilot commented that the weather had been extremely bad as the plane came in to land. (The pilot’s words were: ‘The weather was extremely bad as the plane came in to land.’ )
I told my wife I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday. ( that -clause without that ) (or I told my wife that I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday .)
Indirect speech: reporting questions
Reporting yes-no questions and alternative questions.
Indirect reports of yes-no questions and questions with or consist of a reporting clause and a reported clause introduced by if or whether . If is more common than whether . The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:
She asked if [S] [V] I was Scottish. (original yes-no question: ‘Are you Scottish?’ )
The waiter asked whether [S] we [V] wanted a table near the window. (original yes-no question: ‘Do you want a table near the window? )
He asked me if [S] [V] I had come by train or by bus. (original alternative question: ‘Did you come by train or by bus?’ )
Questions: yes-no questions ( Are you feeling cold? )
Reporting wh -questions
Indirect reports of wh -questions consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a wh -word ( who, what, when, where, why, how ). We don’t use a question mark:
He asked me what I wanted.
Not: He asked me what I wanted?
The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:
She wanted to know who [S] we [V] had invited to the party.
Not: … who had we invited …
Who , whom and what
In indirect questions with who, whom and what , the wh- word may be the subject or the object of the reported clause:
I asked them who came to meet them at the airport. ( who is the subject of came ; original question: ‘Who came to meet you at the airport?’ )
He wondered what the repairs would cost. ( what is the object of cost ; original question: ‘What will the repairs cost?’ )
She asked us what [S] we [V] were doing . (original question: ‘What are you doing?’ )
Not: She asked us what were we doing?
When , where , why and how
We also use statement word order (subject + verb) with when , where, why and how :
I asked her when [S] it [V] had happened (original question: ‘When did it happen?’ ).
Not: I asked her when had it happened?
I asked her where [S] the bus station [V] was . (original question: ‘Where is the bus station?’ )
Not: I asked her where was the bus station?
The teacher asked them how [S] they [V] wanted to do the activity . (original question: ‘How do you want to do the activity?’ )
Not: The teacher asked them how did they want to do the activity?
Questions: wh- questions
Indirect speech: reporting commands
Indirect reports of commands consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a to -infinitive:
The General ordered the troops to advance . (original command: ‘Advance!’ )
The chairperson told him to sit down and to stop interrupting . (original command: ‘Sit down and stop interrupting!’ )
We also use a to -infinitive clause in indirect reports with other verbs that mean wanting or getting people to do something, for example, advise, encourage, warn :
They advised me to wait till the following day. (original statement: ‘You should wait till the following day.’ )
The guard warned us not to enter the area. (original statement: ‘You must not enter the area.’ )
Verbs followed by a to -infinitive
Indirect speech: present simple reporting verb
We can use the reporting verb in the present simple in indirect speech if the original words are still true or relevant at the time of reporting, or if the report is of something someone often says or repeats:
Sheila says they’re closing the motorway tomorrow for repairs.
Henry tells me he’s thinking of getting married next year.
Rupert says dogs shouldn’t be allowed on the beach. (Rupert probably often repeats this statement.)
Newspaper headlines
We often use the present simple in newspaper headlines. It makes the reported speech more dramatic:
JUDGE TELLS REPORTER TO LEAVE COURTROOM
PRIME MINISTER SAYS FAMILIES ARE TOP PRIORITY IN TAX REFORM
Present simple ( I work )
Reported speech
Reported speech: direct speech
Indirect speech: past continuous reporting verb
In indirect speech, we can use the past continuous form of the reporting verb (usually say or tell ). This happens mostly in conversation, when the speaker wants to focus on the content of the report, usually because it is interesting news or important information, or because it is a new topic in the conversation:
Rory was telling me the big cinema in James Street is going to close down. Is that true?
Alex was saying that book sales have gone up a lot this year thanks to the Internet.
‘Backshift’ refers to the changes we make to the original verbs in indirect speech because time has passed between the moment of speaking and the time of the report.
direct speech
indirect speech
not very happy at work.’
not very happy at work.
going home.’
going home.
be late.’
be late.
beenworking,’ she said.
.
to make her so angry?’ he asked.
to make her so angry.
In these examples, the present ( am ) has become the past ( was ), the future ( will ) has become the future-in-the-past ( would ) and the past ( happened ) has become the past perfect ( had happened ). The tenses have ‘shifted’ or ‘moved back’ in time.
direct
indirect
present simple
→
past simple
present continuous
→
past continuous
present perfect simple
→
past perfect simple
present perfect continuous
→
past perfect continuous
past simple
→
past perfect simple
past continuous
→
past perfect continuous
future (will)
→
future-in-the-past (would)
past perfect
↔
past perfect (no change)
The past perfect does not shift back; it stays the same:
Direct speech
Indirect speech
already left.
Modal verbs
Some, but not all, modal verbs ‘shift back’ in time and change in indirect speech.
direct speech
indirect speech
change
be there,’ he promised.
be there.
becomes
need more money.’ I open it?’ she asked.
need more money. open it.
usually becomes
in reported questions, becomes
see you at 2.30,’ he added.
see me at 2.30.
becomes
be back later,’ she said. wait in the hallway,’ he said.
be back later. wait in the hallway.
(possibility) becomes
(permission) becomes
pay by 30th April.’ be awful to live in such a noisy place,’ she said.
pay by 30th April. be awful to live in such a noisy place.
(obligation) usually becomes
(speculation) does not change
sell it for about 2,000 euros,’ he said.
sell it for about 2,000 euros.
no change
go there immediately,’ she said.
go there immediately.
no change
buy it if I had the money,’ he said.
buy it if he had the money.
no change
snow tonight,’ he warned.
snow that night.
no change
come till six o’clock,’ he said.
come till six o’clock.
no change
We can use a perfect form with have + - ed form after modal verbs, especially where the report looks back to a hypothetical event in the past:
He said the noise might have been the postman delivering letters. (original statement: ‘The noise might be the postman delivering letters.’ )
He said he would have helped us if we’d needed a volunteer. (original statement: ‘I’ll help you if you need a volunteer’ or ‘I’d help you if you needed a volunteer.’ )
Used to and ought to do not change in indirect speech:
She said she used to live in Oxford. (original statement: ‘I used to live in Oxford.’ )
The guard warned us that we ought to leave immediately. (original statement: ‘You ought to leave immediately.’ )
No backshift
We don’t need to change the tense in indirect speech if what a person said is still true or relevant or has not happened yet. This often happens when someone talks about the future, or when someone uses the present simple, present continuous or present perfect in their original words:
He told me his brother works for an Italian company. (It is still true that his brother works for an Italian company.)
She said she ’s getting married next year. (For the speakers, the time at the moment of speaking is ‘this year’.)
He said he ’s finished painting the door. (He probably said it just a short time ago.)
She promised she ’ll help us. (The promise applies to the future.)
Indirect speech: changes to pronouns
Changes to personal pronouns in indirect reports depend on whether the person reporting the speech and the person(s) who said the original words are the same or different.
direct
indirect
don’t want to shock people,’ Tom said.
said he didn’t want to shock people.
different speakers ( changes to )
’ll look after Toby,’ I said.
said I would look after Toby.
same speaker (no change)
need to be here at nine o’clock,’ George told Beatrice.
told Beatrice she needed to be there at nine o’clock.
different speakers ( changes to )
hope you will join us tonight,’ I said to James.
told James I hoped he would join us that night.
same speaker (no change to ; changes to )
Indirect speech: changes to adverbs and demonstratives
We often change demonstratives ( this, that ) and adverbs of time and place ( now, here, today , etc.) because indirect speech happens at a later time than the original speech, and perhaps in a different place.
direct speech
indirect speech
.’
the next/following day.
this moment in time.’
.
.”
.
,’ the boy protested.
.
Typical changes to demonstratives, adverbs and adverbial expressions
direct
indirect
Indirect speech: typical errors
The word order in indirect reports of wh- questions is the same as statement word order (subject + verb), not question word order:
She always asks me where [S] [V] I am going .
Not: She always asks me where am I going .
We don’t use a question mark when reporting wh- questions:
I asked him what he was doing.
Not: I asked him what he was doing?
Word of the Day
side hustle
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a piece of work or a job that you get paid for doing in addition to doing your main job
Fakes and forgeries (Things that are not what they seem to be)
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Reported speech - 1
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Worksheet - reported speech
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Reported Speech / Indirect Speech
Direct speech:, indirect speech / reported speech:, convert direct speech to indirect speech.
Pronouns and possessive adjectives
We usually change from first or second to third person except when the speaker is reporting his own words.
that day
the day before (the previous day)
Tomorrow / the next day
The following day
The day before yesterday
Two days before / earlier
Yesterday morning
The previous morning
A year / month / week ago
A year before / earlier
The day after tomorrow
In two days' time
Next week / month / year
The following week / month / year
now
then
tonight
that night
here
here / there
this
that, it
these
those
can
could
would
could
might
might
might
have to / has to
had to
must
must
ought to / should
ought to / should
Indirect Speech Statements
Mixed types, common verbs used with reported speech.
Add
boast
complain
observe
reply
Announce
deny
point out
scream
Answer
grumble
promise
shout
Argue
inform
Assure + Object
murmur
remark
GrammarBank Video Exercises
Reported Speech: Rules, Examples, Exceptions
👉 Quiz 1 / Quiz 2
Advanced Grammar Course
What is reported speech?
“Reported speech” is when we talk about what somebody else said – for example:
Direct Speech: “I’ve been to London three times.”
Reported Speech: She said she’d been to London three times.
There are a lot of tricky little details to remember, but don’t worry, I’ll explain them and we’ll see lots of examples. The lesson will have three parts – we’ll start by looking at statements in reported speech, and then we’ll learn about some exceptions to the rules, and finally we’ll cover reported questions, requests, and commands.
So much of English grammar – like this topic, reported speech – can be confusing, hard to understand, and even harder to use correctly. I can help you learn grammar easily and use it confidently inside my Advanced English Grammar Course.
In this course, I will make even the most difficult parts of English grammar clear to you – and there are lots of opportunities for you to practice!
Backshift of Verb Tenses in Reported Speech
When we use reported speech, we often change the verb tense backwards in time. This can be called “backshift.”
Here are some examples in different verb tenses:
Simple present
“I to go home.”
Simple past
She said she to go home.
Present continuous
“I a good book.”
Past continuous
She said she a good book.
Simple past
“I pasta for dinner last night.”
Past perfect
She said she pasta for dinner the night before.
Present perfect
“I just cleaning my room.”
“My mother never to Japan.”
Past perfect
She said she just cleaning her room.
She said her mother never to Japan.
Can/can’t
“I meet with you next Monday.”
“Sorry, I talk now; I’m at work.”
Could/couldn’t
She said she meet with me next Monday.
She said she talk at the moment because she was at work.
Will/won’t
“I pick him up from the airport.”
“I tell anyone your secret.”
Would/wouldn’t
She said she pick him up from the airport.
She said she tell anyone my secret.
Should
“You apologize.”
Should
She said I apologize.
Reported Speech (Part 1) Quiz
Exceptions to Backshift in Reported Speech
Now that you know some of the reported speech rules about backshift, let’s learn some exceptions.
There are two situations in which we do NOT need to change the verb tense.
No backshift needed when the situation is still true
For example, if someone says “I have three children” (direct speech) then we would say “He said he has three children” because the situation continues to be true.
If I tell you “I live in the United States” (direct speech) then you could tell someone else “She said she lives in the United States” (that’s reported speech) because it is still true.
When the situation is still true, then we don’t need to backshift the verb.
He said he HAS three children
But when the situation is NOT still true, then we DO need to backshift the verb.
Imagine your friend says, “I have a headache.”
If you immediately go and talk to another friend, you could say, “She said she has a headache,” because the situation is still true
If you’re talking about that conversation a month after it happened, then you would say, “She said she had a headache,” because it’s no longer true.
No backshift needed when the situation is still in the future
We also don’t need to backshift to the verb when somebody said something about the future, and the event is still in the future.
Here’s an example:
On Monday, my friend said, “I ‘ll call you on Friday .”
“She said she ‘ll call me on Friday”, because Friday is still in the future from now.
It is also possible to say, “She said she ‘d (she would) call me on Friday.”
Both of them are correct, so the backshift in this case is optional.
Let’s look at a different situation:
On Monday, my friend said, “I ‘ll call you on Tuesday .”
“She said she ‘d call me on Tuesday.” I must backshift because the event is NOT still in the future.
Review: Reported Speech, Backshift, & Exceptions
Quick review:
Normally in reported speech we backshift the verb, we put it in a verb tense that’s a little bit further in the past.
when the situation is still true
when the situation is still in the future
Reported Requests, Orders, and Questions
Those were the rules for reported statements, just regular sentences.
What about reported speech for questions, requests, and orders?
For reported requests, we use “asked (someone) to do something”:
“Please make a copy of this report.” (direct speech)
She asked me to make a copy of the report. (reported speech)
For reported orders, we use “told (someone) to do something:”
“Go to the bank.” (direct speech)
“He told me to go to the bank.” (reported speech)
The main verb stays in the infinitive with “to”:
She asked me to make a copy of the report. She asked me make a copy of the report.
He told me to go to the bank. He told me go to the bank.
For yes/no questions, we use “asked if” and “wanted to know if” in reported speech.
“Are you coming to the party?” (direct)
He asked if I was coming to the party. (reported)
“Did you turn off the TV?” (direct)
She wanted to know if I had turned off the TV.” (reported)
The main verb changes and back shifts according to the rules and exceptions we learned earlier.
Notice that we don’t use do/does/did in the reported question:
She wanted to know did I turn off the TV.
She wanted to know if I had turned off the TV.
For other questions that are not yes/no questions, we use asked/wanted to know (without “if”):
“When was the company founded?” (direct)
She asked when the company was founded.” (reported)
“What kind of car do you drive?” (direct)
He wanted to know what kind of car I drive. (reported)
Again, notice that we don’t use do/does/did in reported questions:
“Where does he work?”
She wanted to know where does he work.
She wanted to know where he works.
Also, in questions with the verb “to be,” the word order changes in the reported question:
“Where were you born?” ([to be] + subject)
He asked where I was born. (subject + [to be])
He asked where was I born.
Reported Speech (Part 2) Quiz
Learn more about reported speech:
Reported speech: Perfect English Grammar
Reported speech: BJYU’s
If you want to take your English grammar to the next level, then my Advanced English Grammar Course is for you! It will help you master the details of the English language, with clear explanations of essential grammar topics, and lots of practice. I hope to see you inside!
I’ve got one last little exercise for you, and that is to write sentences using reported speech. Think about a conversation you’ve had in the past, and write about it – let’s see you put this into practice right away.
Master the details of English grammar:
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About the author.
Shayna Oliveira
Shayna Oliveira is the founder of Espresso English, where you can improve your English fast - even if you don’t have much time to study. Millions of students are learning English from her clear, friendly, and practical lessons! Shayna is a CELTA-certified teacher with 10+ years of experience helping English learners become more fluent in her English courses.
English Grammar
Reported Speech
Reported Speech - Definition, Rules and Usage with Examples
Reported speech or indirect speech is the form of speech used to convey what was said by someone at some point of time. This article will help you with all that you need to know about reported speech, its meaning, definition, how and when to use them along with examples. Furthermore, try out the practice questions given to check how far you have understood the topic.
Table of Contents
Definition of reported speech, rules to be followed when using reported speech, table 1 – change of pronouns, table 2 – change of adverbs of place and adverbs of time, table 3 – change of tense, table 4 – change of modal verbs, tips to practise reported speech, examples of reported speech, check your understanding of reported speech, frequently asked questions on reported speech in english, what is reported speech.
Reported speech is the form in which one can convey a message said by oneself or someone else, mostly in the past. It can also be said to be the third person view of what someone has said. In this form of speech, you need not use quotation marks as you are not quoting the exact words spoken by the speaker, but just conveying the message.
Now, take a look at the following dictionary definitions for a clearer idea of what it is.
Reported speech, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a report of what somebody has said that does not use their exact words.” The Collins Dictionary defines reported speech as “speech which tells you what someone said, but does not use the person’s actual words.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, reported speech is defined as “the act of reporting something that was said, but not using exactly the same words.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines reported speech as “the words that you use to report what someone else has said.”
Reported speech is a little different from direct speech . As it has been discussed already, reported speech is used to tell what someone said and does not use the exact words of the speaker. Take a look at the following rules so that you can make use of reported speech effectively.
The first thing you have to keep in mind is that you need not use any quotation marks as you are not using the exact words of the speaker.
You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech.
Subject said that (report whatever the speaker said)
You can use verbs like said, asked, requested, ordered, complained, exclaimed, screamed, told, etc. If you are just reporting a declarative sentence , you can use verbs like told, said, etc. followed by ‘that’ and end the sentence with a full stop . When you are reporting interrogative sentences, you can use the verbs – enquired, inquired, asked, etc. and remove the question mark . In case you are reporting imperative sentences , you can use verbs like requested, commanded, pleaded, ordered, etc. If you are reporting exclamatory sentences , you can use the verb exclaimed and remove the exclamation mark . Remember that the structure of the sentences also changes accordingly.
Furthermore, keep in mind that the sentence structure , tense , pronouns , modal verbs , some specific adverbs of place and adverbs of time change when a sentence is transformed into indirect/reported speech.
Transforming Direct Speech into Reported Speech
As discussed earlier, when transforming a sentence from direct speech into reported speech, you will have to change the pronouns, tense and adverbs of time and place used by the speaker. Let us look at the following tables to see how they work.
I
He, she
Me
Him, her
We
They
Us
Them
You
He, she, they
You
Him, her, them
My
His, her
Mine
His, hers
Our
Their
Ours
Theirs
Your
His, her, their
Yours
His, hers, theirs
This
That
These
Those
Here
There
Now
Then
Today
That day
Tomorrow
The next day / The following day
Yesterday
The previous day
Tonight
That night
Last week
The week before
Next week
The week after
Last month
The previous month
Next month
The following month
Last year
The previous year
Next year
The following year
Ago
Before
Thus
So
Simple Present
Example: Preethi said, “I cook pasta.”
Simple Past
Example: Preethi said that she cooked pasta.
Present Continuous
Example: Preethi said, “I am cooking pasta.”
Past Continuous
Example: Preethi said that she was cooking pasta.
Present Perfect
Example: Preethi said, “I have cooked pasta.”
Past Perfect
Example: Preethi said that she had cooked pasta.
Present Perfect
Example: Preethi said, “I have been cooking pasta.”
Past Perfect Continuous
Example: Preethi said that she had been cooking pasta.
Simple Past
Example: Preethi said, “I cooked pasta.”
Past Perfect
Example: Preethi said that she had cooked pasta.
Past Continuous
Example: Preethi said, “I was cooking pasta.”
Past Perfect Continuous
Example: Preethi said that she had been cooking pasta.
Past Perfect
Example: Preethi said, “I had cooked pasta.”
Past Perfect (No change)
Example: Preethi said that she had cooked pasta.
Past Perfect Continuous
Example: Preethi said, “I had been cooking pasta.”
Past Perfect Continuous (No change)
Example: Preethi said that she had been cooking pasta.
Will
Would
May
Might
Can
Could
Shall
Should
Has/Have
Had
Here are some tips you can follow to become a pro in using reported speech.
Select a play, a drama or a short story with dialogues and try transforming the sentences in direct speech into reported speech.
Write about an incident or speak about a day in your life using reported speech.
Develop a story by following prompts or on your own using reported speech.
Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written. Check them out.
Santana said that she would be auditioning for the lead role in Funny Girl.
Blaine requested us to help him with the algebraic equations.
Karishma asked me if I knew where her car keys were.
The judges announced that the Warblers were the winners of the annual acapella competition.
Binsha assured that she would reach Bangalore by 8 p.m.
Kumar said that he had gone to the doctor the previous day.
Lakshmi asked Teena if she would accompany her to the railway station.
Jibin told me that he would help me out after lunch.
The police ordered everyone to leave from the bus stop immediately.
Rahul said that he was drawing a caricature.
Transform the following sentences into reported speech by making the necessary changes.
1. Rachel said, “I have an interview tomorrow.”
2. Mahesh said, “What is he doing?”
3. Sherly said, “My daughter is playing the lead role in the skit.”
4. Dinesh said, “It is a wonderful movie!”
5. Suresh said, “My son is getting married next month.”
6. Preetha said, “Can you please help me with the invitations?”
7. Anna said, “I look forward to meeting you.”
8. The teacher said, “Make sure you complete the homework before tomorrow.”
9. Sylvester said, “I am not going to cry anymore.”
10. Jade said, “My sister is moving to Los Angeles.”
Now, find out if you have answered all of them correctly.
1. Rachel said that she had an interview the next day.
2. Mahesh asked what he was doing.
3. Sherly said that her daughter was playing the lead role in the skit.
4. Dinesh exclaimed that it was a wonderful movie.
5. Suresh said that his son was getting married the following month.
6. Preetha asked if I could help her with the invitations.
7. Anna said that she looked forward to meeting me.
8. The teacher told us to make sure we completed the homework before the next day.
9. Sylvester said that he was not going to cry anymore.
10. Jade said that his sister was moving to Los Angeles.
What is reported speech?
What is the definition of reported speech.
Reported speech, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a report of what somebody has said that does not use their exact words.” The Collins Dictionary defines reported speech as “speech which tells you what someone said, but does not use the person’s actual words.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, reported speech is defined as “the act of reporting something that was said, but not using exactly the same words.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines reported speech as “the words that you use to report what someone else has said.”
What is the formula of reported speech?
You can use the following formula to construct a sentence in the reported speech. Subject said that (report whatever the speaker said)
Give some examples of reported speech.
Given below are a few examples to show you how reported speech can be written.
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How to use reported speech.
Learn about Reported Speech in English grammar. Clear and simple explanation of meaning and use, with examples.
Forming reported speech
Direct speech: “I’m not playing football.” Reported later: “He said that he wasn’t playing football.”
Direct speech: Jane: “I don’t like living here.” (Jane is referring to herself) Reported speech: Jane said (that) she didn’t like living here. (The pronoun she refers to Jane )
Direct speech: “I like this car.” Reported speech: He said (that) he liked that car.
Direct speech: “I went to Tokyo last week .” Reported speech: She said (that) she’d been to Tokyo the week before .
We use reported speech to tell someone what another person said:
Jim says to you:
“I don’t feel well.” “I can’t drive.” “My parents have gone on holiday.” “I’m going out now so you will have to wait until I get back.” “I’ll help you.”
Later, you tell your friend what Jim said:
Jim said (that) he didn’t feel well. He said (that) he couldn’t drive. He said (that) his parents had gone on holiday. He said (that) he was going out now so I would have to wait until he got back. He said that he would help me .
Additional points
Direct speech: “My car is bigger than yours.”
Reported speech: He said his car is/was bigger than mine.
Direct speech: “The earthquake happened at half past seven.”
Reported speech: The radio said that the earthquake happened at half past seven.
Direct speech: “I should go to the dentist.”
Reported speech: He said that he should go to the dentist.
Pronunciation
See the phonemic chart for IPA symbols used below.
If we use that in reported speech, we pronounce the weak form.
I said that he’d do it: /ðət/
Related grammar points
Reported Questions Reporting Verbs Say and Tell
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Keith is the co-founder of Eslbase and School of TEFL . He's been a teacher and teacher trainer for over 20 years, in Indonesia, Australia, Morocco, Spain, Italy, Poland, France and now in the UK.
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16 comments
Hello, I’m not a teacher, I’m an ESL class student. So, I’m here to ask you guys a question about wich is still making me to be confused. I asked my teacher, ”if you say, ”I am a teacher”, should I make it a reported speech as ” she said she was a teacher?”. she answered that I needed to say ,” she said she is a teacher”. One more thing: I found a sentence in worksheet written , ”He told his birthday is next week”. Is it correct? I thought it had to be ” he told his birhday would be next week” So, is this modern English rule? Is that a difference? Can you pleeease, explain and help me to make sure to correct this hesitation.
Thanks for your questions.
1. “She said she was a teacher” and “She said she is a teacher” are both correct. Often we don’t change the tense if the fact that we are reporting is still true. So, if it is still true that she is a teacher, then she can report it with “She said she is a teacher” (see Additional point number 1 above).
2. “He told his birthday is next week”. First of all, if you use “told” then you must add a direct object, like this: “He told me his birthday is next week”.
Now, let’s look at the different ways we can use reported speech for this. If the person says “My birthday is next week” then we can report it like this: – He told me his birthday was next week – He told me his birthday is next week (it’s still true so we don’t need to change the tense)
If the person says “My birthday will be next week” then we can report it like this: – He told me his birthday would be next week.
I hope that helps!
This is what I wanted to know. Thanks a lot!
I ask one of my students to introduce him/herself (name, age, hobbies)… and ask other students to take notes. When they are finished, I ask “What did he say?”
I tell students to think about what happened to them before they came to class. For example, “what did your mom, dad, husband, wife say to them? They write down the direct speech and then the reported speech.
I prepare cards with several questions in different tenses, such as:
“What were you doing yesterday at 6?” “How long have you been studying English?” “Will you do your homework for tomorrow?”
I put my students in pairs and ask them to interview each other using the questions on the cards. Once they’ve got their answers, they change partners and share everything they’ve learnt about the previous student.
Cut a dialogue into four parts. Paste it on four walls. Students work in pairs. One of them is the messenger and the other one is a receiver. The messenger runs to the walls and remembers the sentences, comes back and narrates the same to the receiver.
I did a “Find someone who…” mingling activity with my students and then divided the group into two teams. I asked a member from the first team to report one of the replies to a question they had asked. If their reply was correctly put into reported speech, they got a point for their team. I repeated the process until I had covered all the responses from the activity. The team with the most points won the game and was rewarded with cream eggs!
I have students make 10 questions they would ask their favourite actor or actress. Then, they use these questions to interview another partner who pretends to be that famous person. He or she will answer those questions the same way the famous person would. Students end up reporting their answers to the teacher. In that way, they can practice reported speech in an interesting form.
If you have the resources, you can play a short listening/video about an important event, news, etc. Students then have to report to the teacher what they heard.
I show them some debate shows on the Internet after advising them to make notes of the main points. Then I ask them to report what different participants opined. SBS insight has nice discussions to be used for this purpose.
I showed some slides about a fire at a petrol station and the group had to make up a conversation between two witnesses to the fire. We then wrote it as a newspaper report.
I put students in groups of three. Two in the group are a couple quarrelling, but who will not speak to each other. The middle man/woman receives information from one and uses reported speech to relay the message(s).
I ask students to think of a fun sentence. I put them all in a line and the student at the end whispers their sentence to the one beside them, this student then reports the sentence to the following student, and so on. The last student says the sentence aloud and we see if they did it correctly… it is like the “telefono descompuesto” in Spanish.
I ask students to tell their partner three secrets. Then, this student tells other students in the class (a good way to explain the word: gossip!). This activity helps students practice reporting but in a fun way!
I give the students comic strips from the funny pages, and they have to summarize the direct speech. There are always lots of questions, and that makes especially good practice.
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Reported speech provides a challenge for most learners of English. The shifting tenses and changes to both pronouns and modal verbs take time to learn and practice to use effectively. This practice is key because reported speech requires accuracy on the part of the speaker. Even minor errors can make it difficult for the listener to understand when the action in the reported speech occurred.
When working with reported speech, it is helpful to have the students work through the sentence by identifying the following grammar aspects of the direct speech that is to be converted to reported speech.
1. Identify the type of sentence. Is it a statement, a command, or a question?
This will determine the reporting verb used, such as said , told , or asked .
2. Identify the verb tense used in the direct speech as the verb tenses will backshift when being changed to reported speech.
Note: Although it is not standard, some native speakers may not change present tense into past tense for facts. For example “Mt. Everest is the tallest mountain in the world” can change to “She said Mt. Everest is the tallest mountain in the world.”
3. Identify the pronoun and change it accordingly. For example, “I like soccer” requires a change of pronoun to he or she “She said she likes soccer”.
4. Identify any times and/or places. These will need to be changed when converting to reported speech. For example, “I will come there after class” changes to “She told me she would come here after class.”
In this month’s Teacher’s Corner, we will showcase four activities that can be used to practice reported speech. These activities are designed to give students practice using reported speech in a variety of ways. The activities create opportunities for students to practice reported speech in both spoken and written form.
Week 1 – Reported Speech Overview
Week 2 – Gossip and Rumors
Week 3 – Trace Effects
Week 4 – World News Report
The goal in each of these activities is to provide students opportunities to work through the steps above to convert direct speech to reported speech. Week 1 works with the mechanics of reported speech and centers on an interview activity. Week 2 encourages students to get to know each other better by using a variation of the game “two truths and a lie.” Week 3 provides a variety of reported speech activities that utilize the game Trace Effects . Week 4 gives students the chance to work with reported speech to deliver news reports in the classroom.
Students will increase their understanding of reported speech through a matching and interview activity.
Teacher: whiteboard/chalkboard, markers or chalk, a timing device, a world map for reference, match-up cards (Appendix 1), reported speech interviews worksheet (Appendix 2).
Students: pencils or pens, notebooks or writing paper.
Preparation
This week’s Teacher’s Corner introduces students to the grammatical structures in reported speech. Students will practice matching direct speech to reported speech and then practice changing direct speech to reported speech via interviews with fellow students.
1. Read through all the materials carefully.
2. Print one copy of the reported speech match-up cards found in Appendix 1 for the class activity. For larger classes, multiple copies may be needed.
There are 39 cards in total. For smaller classes, the match-up activity can be completed in rounds – first the verb tenses and then the modals.
3. Once the match-up cards have been printed, cut them into individual cards. These cards are in three categories: verb tense (x13 cards), direct speech (x13 cards), and reported speech (x13 cards).
4. For the interview activity, print enough of the reported speech interviews worksheets in Appendix 2 so that each student has a copy. These print outs do not need to be cut into individual cards.
Part 1 – Reported Speech Match Up
1. Begin the class activity by having the students stand up and mix themselves around.
2. Next, give each student one of the 39 cards found in Appendix 1.
Students should keep their card hidden at the start and not show it to their classmates.
Instruct the students that when you say “Go!” they should move around the room and match their card with the correct cards held by other students.
Once they find the students with the matching cards, they should stand in a group.
Note : Students will end up forming groups of three – one student with the verb tense card, one with the direct speech card, and one with the reported speech card. For example:
Student #1 Student #2 Student #3
present simple
I enjoy reading.
He said (that) he enjoyed reading.
3. Yell “Go!” and have the students mingle and find the students with the correct cards.
4. Once all of the groups of students have been formed, have them read their card aloud to the rest of class. Have them begin with the verb tense, then the direct speech, and then the reported speech.
5. Once finished, have the students turn in their cards, mix them up and then play again. Play as many rounds as time permits.
Part 2 – Interviews
1. Have the students sit down. The first portion of this activity is individual work, so they do not need to sit with a partner or group.
2. Give each student a copy of the reported speech interviews worksheets found in Appendix 2.
3. Have the students read through the sheet. Ask them if they have any questions before beginning the writing portion of the activity.
4. Next, instruct the students to choose 10 out of the 13 possible verb tenses or modals. The students then write 10 questions using the verb tenses or modals that they selected.
Students should write their questions in the left column under Verb Tenses . For example:
present simple
Do you like to read?
5. After the students have written their questions, have them find a partner.
6. Once the students are in pairs, organize each pair into student A or student B.
7. Student A begins by asking their questions to student B. When student B answers, student A should write down the answer under the column Direct Speech .
8. Once student A is finished asking questions, have the pair switch roles: Student B asks questions and student A answers the questions. Student B should write down student A’s answers in the Direct Speech column as well.
9. After the interviews have been completed, have the students return to their seats. Now, each student should take the answers provided by their partner and convert them to reported speech. Instruct them to write down the reported speech in the column on their worksheet labeled Reported Speech .
Part 3 – Information Sharing
1. Once students have converted their partner’s direct speech to reported speech, have them stand up and find a new partner.
2. With their new partner, have the students share the answers provided by their previous partner. Circulate around the room to ensure that students are using reported speech.
For more advanced classes, have them also use reported speech to report the questions they asked as well. For example: Susan: “I asked Robert if he likes to read. Roberto said he enjoys reading mystery stories.”
3. Once each student has reported on the answers of their previous partner, bring the class back together. If time permits, have the students share the answers with the rest of the class.
Appendix 1: Reported Speech Match-Up
Verb Tenses
present simple
I enjoy reading.
He said (that) he enjoyed reading.
past simple
I traveled to New York City.
She said (that) she had traveled to New York City.
present continuous
I am studying English at school.
She said (that) she was studying English at school.
past continuous
I was talking with my friend.
He said (that) he had been talking with his friend.
present perfect
I have not been to a baseball game.
He said (that) he had not been to a baseball game.
past perfect
I had visited America before starting university.
She said (that) she had visited America before starting university.
will
I will visit her after class.
She said (that) she would visit her after class.
would
I would help you, but I need to study for exams.
He said (that) he would help me, but he needed to study for exams.
can
I can play football with you tomorrow.
She said (that) she could play football with us tomorrow.
could
I could ride a bicycle when I was eight years old.
He said (that) he could ride a bicycle when he was eight years old.
should
I should study for the test tomorrow.
She said (that) she should study for the test tomorrow.
might
I might not go to the party tomorrow.
He said (that) he might not go to the party tomorrow.
must
I must improve my English before I travel to Chicago.
She said she had to improve her English before she traveled to Chicago.
Appendix 2: Reported Speech Interviews
present simple
past simple
present continuous
past continuous
present perfect
past perfect
will
would
can
could
should
might
must
Students will practice using reported speech through discussing gossip and rumors.
Teacher: whiteboard/chalkboard, markers or chalk, “Two Truths” Appendix 1.
This week’s Teacher’s Corner is using a variation on the game “Two Truths and a Lie”. The game is simple; each player tells two facts that are true and one that is a lie. The other players must correctly guess which one of the three statements is a lie. In this variation of the game, students will write their statements down on a sheet of paper, trade them with other students, and then use reported speech to share these statements with the class.
Read through all the materials carefully.
Print out the “Two Truths and a Lie” cards in Appendix 1. Make enough copies so that each student in class has a statement card. Note : If playing multiple rounds, print enough copies so each student has one card per game.
Each game will have five rounds. In the first round, student A will talk to his/her partner, reporting on the statements. Their partner (student B) will choose the statement they believe is a lie. Student A will then note on their card student B’s choice in the “Vote for a Lie” table at the bottom of their card. The pair of students will repeat this process for student B’s card. Once both students have noted their partner’s vote, they will find new partners and repeat the process. Once each student has talked to five other students and registered the votes, the game is over.
After students have played two rounds and have become familiar with the game, encourage them to expand the game to include statements about their favorite celebrities and/or sports stars. For example a student may write:
Lionel Messi has won eight La Liga titles.
Lionel Messi plays for Real Madrid.
Lionel Messi has won three European Golden Shoes.
Part 1 – Two Truths and a Lie Statements Cards
Tell the students to think about two facts and one untrue fact about themselves. Encourage the students to think carefully so that the lie is difficult to detect!
Next, pass out the “Two Truths and a Lie” statement card to the students.
Have the students write down their name at the top of the card and their three statements in the numbered spaces provided. Note : Remind students to mix up their statements. If each student writes the lie as the third statement, the game will become predictable!
Part 2 – “Did you know that…?”
Next, have each student switch their card with a classmate so that each student now has another student’s card.
Instruct the students to read the card and convert the statements to reported speech. For example : Susan writes, “I went to America”, so John should change it to, “Susan said that she has gone to America. Note : When gossiping in English, the beginning of a sentence is typically altered to make the news more exciting. For example, instead of “Susan said that…” the sentence may begin with a phrase such as, “Did you hear that…”or “Do you think that…” or “I heard that…” While lower level classes may need to practice the more formal structures, more advanced students can use these more informal phrases.
Next, have the students stand up and find a partner. They can choose any partner except the person who has their original card (and whose card they now have).
Each student should report the information on the card to their partner. After hearing the three statements, their partner should guess which one is the lie. Each student should mark down their partner’s guess at the bottom of their card.
Have the students switch and find a new partner and repeat the process.
After five rounds, have the students find the classmate whose card they have. Have the students share the results with their partner. Note : If time permits, have students volunteer to share their results with the class. Which student had the most believable lie?
Optional Activity
If time permits, have the students play another round. This time, have them create statements about each other or their favorite celebrities or sports stars.
Students will increase their reported speech skills through role play activities centered on the game Trace Effects .
Teacher: whiteboard/chalkboard, markers or chalk, computer and projector, computer lab if possible, copies of Trace Effects (online or DVD version). Copies of the Trace Effects Chapter 1 comics, which can be found in the downloads section of this webpage.
This week’s Teacher’s Corner uses the video game Trace Effects to practice reported speech. Trace Effects , like other video games, requires players to solve problems using the information provided. Gathering information in Trace Effects requires asking questions and listening to the answers. This question and answer format makes it an effective way for students to practice reported speech.
This week’s Teacher’s Corner provides a series of activities centered on Trace Effects to help students practice reported speech. If you have never played Trace Effects, you can find it here .
These activities are best used in a computer lab, if possible. Have students work on the computers in pairs or small groups.
The fourth activity is an information gap using Chapter 1 of the Trace Effects Comic book. When students are paired for the activity, one student will have the regular version of the comic and his/her partner will have a special version of the same comic. This special version will have some of the text missing. Both are included in the “Downloads” section of this week’s Teacher’s Corner web page.
Trace Telephone – Pairs or Small Groups
1. Before class, ensure that each computer has a set of headphones.
2. Have the students form pairs or small groups. Each pair or small group should have a computer on which to work.
3. Next, have the students go to the webpage Trace Effects . If your school has DVD copies of Trace Effects , or the game is installed on school computers, have the students use that version.
4. Provide each student a role during gameplay: one student (the controller) should control the mouse and keyboard, while a second student (the reporter) listens to the audio in the headphones.
a. If playing in small groups, the third student can be the “grammar checker.” Their job is to listen to what they reporter tells the controller and check the reported speech that the reporter uses.
5. Let the groups begin a game of Trace Effects . The player with the headphones must communicate the responses of the other characters to their partner or group.
a. If playing as a whole class, have one student come to the front of the class to be the reporter. The remainder of the class can shout out/vote for what should be selected next in the dialogue chain.
Trace Telephone – Class Version
1. If a computer lab is not available, a similar activity to the one above can be conducted as a whole class.
2. In this version of the activity, one student works as the controller of the game while another student uses the headphones to listen to the audio.
3. Taking turns, students come to the front of the class and put on the headphones. The student must listen to the dialogue from the NPCs (Non-Playable Characters) and change the speech they hear to reported speech. Using reported speech, they must tell the class what they heard.
4. If the student uses reported speech successfully, they continue to be the class reporter. If the student does not use the correct reported speech, the reporter must sit down and a new student comes to the front of the class to assume the role.
a. Optional: When a student reports the dialogue incorrectly, they can take over controlling the game.
5. The student who correctly reports the dialogue the most number of times in a row wins!
Trace Summary – Chapter 2
Reported speech is regularly used when summarizing an event or telling a story. In this activity, students will report on the events of Trace Effects Chapter 2.
1. Place students into pairs or small groups. These pairs/small groups will work together to complete Trace Effects Chapter 2.
2. Have the students play Chapter 2 of the game.
a. While students play the chapter, have them take notes about the events in the game.
Encourage them to take notes on who Trace talks to and what the characters say to Trace.
b. If students are playing in pairs or small groups, have them take turns at the controls. This chapter of Trace Effects has two scenes: the farmers’ market and a high school. Students can switch turns on the controls when the scene changes.
3. Once students have completed the chapter, have them provide a summary of the chapter in the form of a story. For example:
Trace asked the woman at the tomato booth if she was Emma Fields. The woman said no and told Trace to ask the people at the corn booth.
4. Depending on the level of the students, the summary can be presented in class as a spoken activity, or students can take their notes home and write a summary to be presented in class the following day.
Trace Effects – Comic Book
This activity is best completed after students have played Trace Effects Chapter 1. This activity can also benefit from being conducted in a computer lab if possible.
1. Have the students form pairs of A and B.
2. Give half the students (student A) copies of the Trace Effects Chapter 1 – Blanks comic book included with this activity.
3. Give the other half of the class (student B) a copy of the Trace Effects Chapter 1 comic.
4. Instruct student A to fill in the blanks in their comic by asking student B what was said by the characters with the missing text. Student B should give the missing lines using reported speech. Student A should listen to the reported speech and convert it to direct speech and fill in the words missing in the speech bubbles.
Note: to extend the activity and give both students in the pair the opportunity to work with reported speech, hand out only half of the comic (pages 3-5) to the students. Then, once the pairs have completed those pages, have them switch roles and to complete the second half of the comic (pages 6-8).
Students will practice using reported speech by giving news reports.
Teacher: whiteboard/chalkboard, markers or chalk, copies of the article “ Scott Kelly Reflects On His Year Off The Planet ”.
This week’s Teacher’s Corner practices reported speech through reporting on news stories. Reporting on events, such as news stories, allow students to practice a larger variety of verbs when using reported speech.
Read through all the materials carefully before starting the activity.
Read the article “ Scott Kelly Reflects On His Year Off The Planet ” before class to identify vocabulary that may be new or challenging to students. Identify the quotes made by astronaut Scott Kelly in the article; students will convert these quotes to reported speech.
Print a copy of the article for each student to read or, if possible, complete part one of the activity in a computer lab.
Part 1 – In-Class Practice
1. Pass out copies of the article “ Scott Kelly Reflects On His Year Off The Planet ”, or provide students a link to the article if working in a computer lab.
2. Have the students read the article.
3. Once the students have finished reading, have the students underline or highlight the quotes made by astronaut Scott Kelly in the article. If students are reading the article online, have them write the quotes on a sheet of paper.
4. Next, have the students write a short summary of the article. Instruct them to use at least two quotes from astronaut Kelly. These quotes must be changed to reported speech.
a. For lower level classes, students can do the summary in pairs or small groups.
b. Advance classes can use this opportunity not only to practice reported speech but to cite sources as well.
For example, with Scott Kelly’s quote, "I have taken a lot of pictures because I've been up here for a long time," can be changed to: Kelly told reporters that he had taken a lot of pictures because he had been up there a long time .
More advanced classes can also use reported speech to summarize what the author of the article wrote, such as: Brumfiel states that when Kelly had returned to Earth he had spent 340 days aboard the International Space Station .
5. Have students switch summaries with another student. The students read their partner’s summary and analyze how closely it matches the information in the article. Instruct the students to make corrections to any errors they see in the reported speech contained in the summary.
a. Optional: The summaries can be collected and corrections made to the reported speech.
Part 2 – Homework
1. Now that students have practice with the in-class article, assign them homework to find a new article on which to report.
2. Encourage students to find an article on a topic they enjoy. A resource for articles designed for learners of English is Voice of America .
3. Have the students summarize their article and, as in the class example, include at least two instances of reported speech.
Part 3 – In-Class Report
1. In the next class, have the students present their article summary to the class. Give each student two minutes to present their summary to the class.
2. Encourage students not to rely on their writing but to try giving the summary from memory.
Optional variations
1. Make this a regular activity in your class by requiring students to present a news report each week. Each class period, a set number of students can provide a report, such as two students at the start of each class.
2. If class time is limited, have the students record their summaries and submit them as audio journals. For ideas on student recordings, see the September 2015 Teacher’s Corner on using Audacity recording software.
For more ways to incorporate global affairs and news into your classroom check out the Teacher’s Corner for March 2016 .
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Reported Speech
Learn how to use reported speech in English. Reported speech is also known as indirect speech and is used to tell somebody else what another person said. Using reported speech in English can sometimes be difficult for non-native speakers as we (usually) change the verbs, pronouns and specific times.
Keep reading to understand how to use reported speech and download this free English lesson!
Let’s study reported speech !
Reported speech vs. direct speech.
When we want to tell somebody else what another person said, we can use either direct speech or reported speech .
When we use d irect speech, we use the same words but use quotation marks, “_”. For example:
Scott said, “I am coming to work. I will be late because there is a lot of traffic now.”
When we use r eported speech, we usually change the verbs, specific times, and pronouns. For example:
Scott said that he was coming to work. He said that he would be late because there was a lot of traffic at that time.
How do we use reported speech ?
Since reported speech is usually talking about the past, we usually change the verbs into the past. It is always necessary to change the verbs when the action has finished or is untrue.
We do not always change the verbs. When you are reporting an action that is still current or true, it is not necessary to change the verb tense. For example:
How old are you? “ I am twenty-seven years old .” She said she is twenty-seven years old.
We usually follow the rules below. When we are reporting speech, we are usually talking about the past; therefore, we change the verbs into the past.
“I eat pizza.”
He said (that) he ate pizza.
“I am eating pizza.”
He said (that) he was eating pizza.
“I will eat pizza.”
He said (that) he would eat pizza.
“I am going to eat pizza.”
He said (that) he was going to eat pizza.
When we are reporting past actions, it is not always necessary to change the verb tense. We can usually leave the verbs in the same tense and just change the pronouns. However, we sometimes need to use the to clarify the time order of events.
the never changes in .
“I ate pizza.”
“I ate pizza, so I am not hungry.”
He said (that) he ate pizza.
He said (that) he had eaten pizza, so he wasn’t hungry.”
“I was eating pizza.”
“I was eating pizza when she called.”
He said (that) he was eating pizza.
He said (that) he had been eating pizza when she called.
Reporting Questions
We use a special form when we report questions:
WH-Questions:
Where is + Tom’s house ? He asked where Tom’s house + was.
Where does Tom live? He asked where Tom lived.
Yes/No Questions:
Does Tom live in Miami? She asked if Tom lived in Miami.
Is Tom happy? She asked if Tom was happy.
Say vs. Tell
Say Something
June: “I love English .”
June said (that) she loved English.
Tell Someone Something
June: “I love English.”
June told me (that) she loved English.
Modal Verbs and Reported Speech
Must, might, could, would, should , and ought to stay the same in re ported s peech . We usually change may to might .
Infinitives and Reported Speech
Infinitives stay the same in reported speech:
“ I am going to the store to buy milk.” He said he was going to the store to buy milk.
We also use infinitives when reporting orders and commands, especially when using tell .
“ Do your homework. Don’t use a dictionary!!” He told me to do to my homework and not to use a dictionary.
Reporting Suggestions
When we are reporting another speakers suggestions, we can use a special form with suggest, recommend, or propose .
“I think you should visit Viscaya.” → He suggested we visit Viscaya. He suggested visiting Viscaya.
“Try to get there early to get good seats.” → He recommended we get there early to get good seats.
*That is often omitted in speech.
**The verb is always in the base form. We do not use third person.
Reporting Statements
A reported statement begins with an introductory clause and is followed by the ‘information’ clause. The speaker may choose different words, but the meaning remains unchanged. Some formal words to introduce a reported statement or response are: declared, stated, informed, responded, replied, etc.
“I don’t agree with these new rules. I am not going to accept this change!” → He declared that he was in disagreement with the new rules and stated that he would not accept the changes.
Free English Lesson PDF Download
Reported Speech ~ Exercises and Practice
A. Change each direct speech example into the reported speech . The first one has been done for you.
Michelle said, “I love my Chihuahua, Daisy.”
Michelle said that she loved her Chihuahua, Daisy.
2. Republicans said, “We don’t support Obama’s plan to raise taxes.”
3.With her mouth full, Sarah said, “I am eating mashed potatoes.”
4. John Lee said, “This year, I will not pay my taxes.”
5. Lebron said, “I am going to win the championship next year.”
6. Patty said, “I can’t stomach another hamburger. I ate one yesterday.”
B. Rewrite the sentences/questions below using reported / indirect speech . Always change the tense, even though it is not always necessary. You can use ‘said’, ‘told me’ , or ‘asked’ .
13. My parents: “What are you going to do with your life?”
14. Sarah: “I ate breakfast before I came to school.”
C. Your friend Megan is very nosy (she always wants to know what’s going on) so she constantly asks questions about your life and the lives of your friends. Rewrite her questions using the reported questions form. The first one has been done for you .
D. Your American grandfather is telling you about how things used to be. Using the reported speech , tell your friends what he said.
“In the 1930s, people were very poor. They ate watery soup and hard bread. Many people lost their jobs. To make matters worse, a horrible drought ruined most of the farmland in the American midwest. People went to California to look for a better life. They picked strawberries in the hot California sun.”
Did you download this lesson? If not, don’t forget to download this free English lesson.
If you have any questions about English grammar, please contact us via email us or just comment below. I hope this lesson helped you understand how to use reported speech in English.
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Reported Speech with Examples and Test (PDF)
Reported speech is used when we want to convey what someone else has said to us or to another person. It involves paraphrasing or summarising what has been said , often changing verb tenses , pronouns and other elements to suit the context of the report.
Tense
Direct Speech
Reported Speech
Present Simple
She sings in the choir.
He said (that) she sings in the choir.
Present Continuous
They are playing football.
She mentioned (that) they were playing football.
Past Simple
I visited Paris last summer.
She told me (that) she visited Paris last summer.
Past Continuous
I was cooking dinner.
He said (that) he had been cooking dinner.
Present Perfect
We have finished the project.
They said (that) they had finished the project.
Past Perfect*
I had already eaten when you called.
She explained (that) she had already eaten when I called.
Will
I will call you later.
She promised (that) she would call me later.
Would*
I would help if I could.
He said (that) he would help if he could.
Can
She can speak French fluently.
He mentioned (that) she could speak French fluently.
Could*
I could run fast when I was young.
She recalled (that) she could run fast when she was young.
Shall
Shall we meet tomorrow?
They asked (whether) we should meet the next day.
Should*
You should visit the museum.
She suggested (that) I should visit the museum.
Might*
It might rain later.
He mentioned (that) it might rain later.
Must
I must finish my homework.
She reminded me (that) I must finish my homework.
*doesn’t change
Formula of Reported Speech
The formula for reported speech involves transforming direct speech into an indirect form while maintaining the meaning of the original statement. In general, the formula includes:
Choosing an appropriate reporting verb (e.g., say, tell, mention, explain).
Changing pronouns and time expressions if necessary.
Shifting the tense of the verb back if the reporting verb is in the past tense.
Using reporting clauses like “that” or appropriate conjunctions.
Adjusting word order and punctuation to fit the structure of the reported speech.
She said (reporting verb) to me (indirect object) that (conjunction) she liked ice cream (reported clause).
Here’s how we use reported speech:
Reporting Verbs: We use verbs like ‘say’ or ‘tell’ to introduce reported speech. If the reporting verb is in the present tense, the tense of the reported speech generally remains the same.
Direct Speech
Reported Speech
“I enjoy playing tennis.”
She said (that) she enjoys playing tennis.
“We plan to visit Paris.”
They told us (that) they plan to visit Paris.
“He loves listening to music.”
She said (that) he loves listening to music.
“She bakes delicious cakes.”
He told me (that) she bakes delicious cakes.
“They watch movies every weekend.”
She said (that) they watch movies every weekend.
If the reporting verb is in the past tense , the tense of the reported speech often shifts back in time.
Direct Speech
Reported Speech (Reporting verb in past tense)
“I eat breakfast at 8 AM.”
She said (that) she ate breakfast at 8 AM.
“We are going to the beach.”
They told me (that) they were going to the beach.
“He speaks Spanish fluently.”
She said (that) he spoke Spanish fluently.
“She cooks delicious meals.”
He mentioned (that) she cooked delicious meals.
“They play soccer every weekend.”
She said (that) they played soccer every weekend.
Tense Changes: Tense changes are common in reported speech. For example, present simple may change to past simple, present continuous to past continuous, etc. However, some verbs like ‘would’, ‘could’, ‘should’, ‘might’, ‘must’, and ‘ought to’ generally don’t change.
Direct Speech
Reported Speech
“I like chocolate.”
She said (that) she liked chocolate.
“We are watching TV.”
They told me (that) they were watching TV.
“He is studying for the exam.”
She mentioned (that) he was studying for the exam.
“She has finished her work.”
He said (that) she had finished her work.
“They will arrive soon.”
She mentioned (that) they would arrive soon.
“You can swim very well.”
He said (that) I could swim very well.
“She might be late.”
He mentioned (that) she might be late.
“I must finish this by tonight.”
She said (that) she must finish that by tonight.
“You should call your parents.”
They told me (that) I should call my parents.
“He would help if he could.”
She said (that) he would help if he could.
Reported Questions: When reporting questions, we often change them into statements while preserving the meaning. Question words are retained, and the tense of the verbs may change.
Direct Question
Reported Statement (Preserving Meaning)
“Where do you live?”
She asked me where I lived.
“What are you doing?”
They wanted to know what I was doing.
“Who was that fantastic man?”
He asked me who that fantastic man had been.
“Did you turn off the coffee pot?”
She asked if I had turned off the coffee pot.
“Is supper ready?”
They wanted to know if supper was ready.
“Will you be at the party?”
She asked me if I would be at the party.
“Should I tell her the news?”
He wondered whether he should tell her the news.
“Where will you stay?”
She inquired if I had decided where I would stay.
Reported Requests and Orders: Requests and orders are reported similarly to statements. Reported requests often use ‘asked me to’ + infinitive, while reported orders use ‘told me to’ + infinitive.
Direct Request/Order
Reported Speech
“Please help me.”
She asked me to help her.
“Please don’t smoke.”
He asked me not to smoke.
“Could you bring my book tonight?”
She asked me to bring her book that night.
“Could you pass the milk, please?”
He asked me to pass the milk.
“Would you mind coming early tomorrow?”
She asked me to come early the next day.
“Please don’t be late.”
He told me not to be late.
“Go to bed!”
She told the child to go to bed.
“Don’t worry!”
He told her not to worry.
“Be on time!”
He told me to be on time.
“Don’t smoke!”
He told us not to smoke.
Time Expressions: Time expressions may need to change depending on when the reported speech occurred in relation to the reporting moment. For instance, ‘today’ may become ‘that day’ or ‘yesterday’, ‘yesterday’ might become ‘the day before’, and so forth.
Direct Speech
Reported Speech
“I finished my homework.”
She said she had finished her homework.
“We are going shopping.”
He told me they were going shopping.
“She will call you later.”
They mentioned she would call me later.
“I saw him yesterday.”
She said she had seen him the day before.
“The party is tonight.”
He mentioned the party would be that night.
“The concert was last week.”
She told me the concert had been the previous week.
Reported Speech with Examples PDF
Reported Speech PDF – download
Reported Speech Test
Reported Speech A2 – B1 Test – download
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COMMENTS
Homework: Reported Speech
This handy homework sheet helps students to practise Reported Speech in a number of different ways. After downloading your PDF: print it immediately or save and print later. Answers are provided for teachers on the second page. Make your own worksheets with the free EnglishClub Worksheet Maker! Printable downloadable PDF homework on Reported ...
100 Reported Speech Examples: How To Change Direct Speech Into Indirect
Direct: "I will help you," she promised. Reported: She promised that she would help me. Direct: "You should study harder," he advised. Reported: He advised that I should study harder. Direct: "I didn't take your book," he denied. Reported: He denied taking my book. Direct: "Let's go to the cinema," she suggested.
What is Reported Speech and How to Use It? with Examples
Reported speech: She said she was going to the store then. In this example, the pronoun "I" is changed to "she" and the adverb "now" is changed to "then.". 2. Change the tense: In reported speech, you usually need to change the tense of the verb to reflect the change from direct to indirect speech. Here's an example:
Reported Speech
Watch my reported speech video: Here's how it works: We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. ( Click here for more about using 'say' and 'tell' .) If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence: Direct speech: I like ice cream. Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.
Reported speech worksheet
Sentences are given in direct speech. Change them into indirect speech. 1. The teacher said to the boys, 'Have you done your homework?' 2. The little girl asked the man, 'Will you help me?' 3. Janaki said, 'I have been reading this book.' 4. Mother said to the daughter, 'Go and change your dress.' 5.
Reported speech
We use reported speech when we want to tell someone what someone said. We usually use a reporting verb (e.g. say, tell, ask, etc.) and then change the tense of what was actually said in direct speech. ... Yesterday I was doing homework, when then my brother arrives and tells me that he needs help quickly, so I asked him what was happening, that ...
Reported 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)
Reported speech: indirect speech
Reported speech: indirect speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary
Reported Statements 1. Change the direct speech into reported speech. Use 'she said' at the beginning of each answer. It's the same day, so you don't need to change the time expressions. 1) "He works in a bank." [ . Check. Show.
Reported Speech
B. Expressions of Time and Place in Reported Speech. We usually change from first or second to third person except when the speaker is reporting his own words. If the main verb is in the present tense, we don't change the tense in the direct speech. Examples: Direct: Paul says, "I don't like coffee." Indirect: Paul says that he doesn't like coffee.
Reported Speech: Rules, Examples, Exceptions
When we use reported speech, we often change the verb tense backwards in time. This can be called "backshift.". Here are some examples in different verb tenses: "I want to go home.". She said she wanted to go home. "I 'm reading a good book.". She said she was reading a good book. "I ate pasta for dinner last night.".
PDF Homework Reported Speech
A. Underline the correct words in the Reported Speech sentences below. 1. "Have you done your homework?". Dad asked me if I have done / had done my homework. 2. "I spoke to Jim last week.". He told me that he speak / had spoken to Jim the week before. 3. "It's my husband's birthday.".
Indirect speech
What is indirect speech or reported speech? When we tell people what another person said or thought, we often use reported speech or indirect speech. To do that, we need to change verb tenses (present, past, etc.) and pronouns (I, you, my, your, etc.) if the time and speaker are different.For example, present tenses become past, I becomes he or she, and my becomes his or her, etc.
Reported Speech
Reported speech is the form in which one can convey a message said by oneself or someone else, mostly in the past. It can also be said to be the third person view of what someone has said. In this form of speech, you need not use quotation marks as you are not quoting the exact words spoken by the speaker, but just conveying the message. Q2.
How to use Reported Speech in English Grammar, with examples
Direct speech: Jane: "I don't like living here." (Jane is referring to herself) Reported speech: Jane said (that) she didn't like living here. (The pronoun she refers to Jane) Other words about place and time may also need to be changed. Direct speech: "I like this car.". Reported speech: He said (that) he liked that car.
Teacher's Corner: Reported Speech
a. Optional: The summaries can be collected and corrections made to the reported speech. Part 2 - Homework. 1. Now that students have practice with the in-class article, assign them homework to find a new article on which to report. 2. Encourage students to find an article on a topic they enjoy.
Reported Speech or Indirect Speech
Reported speech is also known as indirect speech and is used to tell somebody else what another person said. Using reported speech in English can sometimes be difficult for non-native speakers as we (usually) change the verbs, pronouns and specific times. Keep reading to understand how to use reported speech and download this free English lesson!
Reported Speech with Examples and Test (PDF)
Direct Speech Reported Speech "I finished my homework." She said she had finished her homework. "We are going shopping." He told me they were going shopping. "She will call you later." They mentioned she would call me later. "I saw him yesterday." She said she had seen him the day before. "The party is tonight."
Reported Speech Exercise 3
Reported Requests and Orders 1. Make reported requests or orders. Start each sentence with 'she asked me' or 'she told me'. It's the same day, so you don't need to change the time expressions. 1) "Please help me carry this." [ . 2) "Please come early." [ . 3) "Please buy some milk."
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IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
This handy homework sheet helps students to practise Reported Speech in a number of different ways. After downloading your PDF: print it immediately or save and print later. Answers are provided for teachers on the second page. Make your own worksheets with the free EnglishClub Worksheet Maker! Printable downloadable PDF homework on Reported ...
Direct: "I will help you," she promised. Reported: She promised that she would help me. Direct: "You should study harder," he advised. Reported: He advised that I should study harder. Direct: "I didn't take your book," he denied. Reported: He denied taking my book. Direct: "Let's go to the cinema," she suggested.
Reported speech: She said she was going to the store then. In this example, the pronoun "I" is changed to "she" and the adverb "now" is changed to "then.". 2. Change the tense: In reported speech, you usually need to change the tense of the verb to reflect the change from direct to indirect speech. Here's an example:
Watch my reported speech video: Here's how it works: We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. ( Click here for more about using 'say' and 'tell' .) If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence: Direct speech: I like ice cream. Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.
Sentences are given in direct speech. Change them into indirect speech. 1. The teacher said to the boys, 'Have you done your homework?' 2. The little girl asked the man, 'Will you help me?' 3. Janaki said, 'I have been reading this book.' 4. Mother said to the daughter, 'Go and change your dress.' 5.
We use reported speech when we want to tell someone what someone said. We usually use a reporting verb (e.g. say, tell, ask, etc.) and then change the tense of what was actually said in direct speech. ... Yesterday I was doing homework, when then my brother arrives and tells me that he needs help quickly, so I asked him what was happening, that ...
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)
Reported speech: indirect speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary
Reported speech 2. Reported requests and orders. Reported speech exercise. Reported questions - worksheet. Indirect speech - worksheet. Worksheets pdf - print. Grammar worksheets - handouts. Grammar - lessons. Reported speech - grammar notes.
Reported Statements 1. Change the direct speech into reported speech. Use 'she said' at the beginning of each answer. It's the same day, so you don't need to change the time expressions. 1) "He works in a bank." [ . Check. Show.
B. Expressions of Time and Place in Reported Speech. We usually change from first or second to third person except when the speaker is reporting his own words. If the main verb is in the present tense, we don't change the tense in the direct speech. Examples: Direct: Paul says, "I don't like coffee." Indirect: Paul says that he doesn't like coffee.
When we use reported speech, we often change the verb tense backwards in time. This can be called "backshift.". Here are some examples in different verb tenses: "I want to go home.". She said she wanted to go home. "I 'm reading a good book.". She said she was reading a good book. "I ate pasta for dinner last night.".
A. Underline the correct words in the Reported Speech sentences below. 1. "Have you done your homework?". Dad asked me if I have done / had done my homework. 2. "I spoke to Jim last week.". He told me that he speak / had spoken to Jim the week before. 3. "It's my husband's birthday.".
What is indirect speech or reported speech? When we tell people what another person said or thought, we often use reported speech or indirect speech. To do that, we need to change verb tenses (present, past, etc.) and pronouns (I, you, my, your, etc.) if the time and speaker are different.For example, present tenses become past, I becomes he or she, and my becomes his or her, etc.
Reported speech is the form in which one can convey a message said by oneself or someone else, mostly in the past. It can also be said to be the third person view of what someone has said. In this form of speech, you need not use quotation marks as you are not quoting the exact words spoken by the speaker, but just conveying the message. Q2.
Direct speech: Jane: "I don't like living here." (Jane is referring to herself) Reported speech: Jane said (that) she didn't like living here. (The pronoun she refers to Jane) Other words about place and time may also need to be changed. Direct speech: "I like this car.". Reported speech: He said (that) he liked that car.
a. Optional: The summaries can be collected and corrections made to the reported speech. Part 2 - Homework. 1. Now that students have practice with the in-class article, assign them homework to find a new article on which to report. 2. Encourage students to find an article on a topic they enjoy.
Reported speech is also known as indirect speech and is used to tell somebody else what another person said. Using reported speech in English can sometimes be difficult for non-native speakers as we (usually) change the verbs, pronouns and specific times. Keep reading to understand how to use reported speech and download this free English lesson!
Direct Speech Reported Speech "I finished my homework." She said she had finished her homework. "We are going shopping." He told me they were going shopping. "She will call you later." They mentioned she would call me later. "I saw him yesterday." She said she had seen him the day before. "The party is tonight."
Reported Requests and Orders 1. Make reported requests or orders. Start each sentence with 'she asked me' or 'she told me'. It's the same day, so you don't need to change the time expressions. 1) "Please help me carry this." [ . 2) "Please come early." [ . 3) "Please buy some milk."
The source said: "It's outrageous that an organisation reported to have been leaking the names of people involved in this investigation would be allowed to mark its own homework.