reported speech no tense change exercises

Reported Speech in English Grammar

Direct speech, changing the tense (backshift), no change of tenses, question sentences, demands/requests, expressions with who/what/how + infinitive, typical changes of time and place.

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Introduction

In English grammar, we use reported speech to say what another person has said. We can use their exact words with quotation marks , this is known as direct speech , or we can use indirect speech . In indirect speech , we change the tense and pronouns to show that some time has passed. Indirect speech is often introduced by a reporting verb or phrase such as ones below.

Learn the rules for writing indirect speech in English with Lingolia’s simple explanation. In the exercises, you can test your grammar skills.

When turning direct speech into indirect speech, we need to pay attention to the following points:

• changing the pronouns Example: He said, “ I saw a famous TV presenter.” He said (that) he had seen a famous TV presenter.
• changing the information about time and place (see the table at the end of this page) Example: He said, “I saw a famous TV presenter here yesterday .” He said (that) he had seen a famous TV presenter there the day before .
• changing the tense (backshift) Example: He said, “She was eating an ice-cream at the table where you are sitting .” He said (that) she had been eating an ice-cream at the table where I was sitting .

If the introductory clause is in the simple past (e.g. He said ), the tense has to be set back by one degree (see the table). The term for this in English is backshift .

The verbs could, should, would, might, must, needn’t, ought to, used to normally do not change.

If the introductory clause is in the simple present , however (e.g. He says ), then the tense remains unchanged, because the introductory clause already indicates that the statement is being immediately repeated (and not at a later point in time).

In some cases, however, we have to change the verb form.

When turning questions into indirect speech, we have to pay attention to the following points:

• As in a declarative sentence, we have to change the pronouns, the time and place information, and set the tense back ( backshift ).
• Instead of that , we use a question word. If there is no question word, we use whether / if instead. Example: She asked him, “ How often do you work?” → She asked him how often he worked. He asked me, “Do you know any famous people?” → He asked me if/whether I knew any famous people.
• We put the subject before the verb in question sentences. (The subject goes after the auxiliary verb in normal questions.) Example: I asked him, “ Have you met any famous people before?” → I asked him if/whether he had met any famous people before.
• We don’t use the auxiliary verb do for questions in indirect speech. Therefore, we sometimes have to conjugate the main verb (for third person singular or in the simple past ). Example: I asked him, “What do you want to tell me?” → I asked him what he wanted to tell me.
• We put the verb directly after who or what in subject questions. Example: I asked him, “ Who is sitting here?” → I asked him who was sitting there.

We don’t just use indirect questions to report what another person has asked. We also use them to ask questions in a very polite manner.

When turning demands and requests into indirect speech, we only need to change the pronouns and the time and place information. We don’t have to pay attention to the tenses – we simply use an infinitive .

If it is a negative demand, then in indirect speech we use not + infinitive .

To express what someone should or can do in reported speech, we leave out the subject and the modal verb and instead we use the construction who/what/where/how + infinitive.

Say or Tell?

The words say and tell are not interchangeable. say = say something tell = say something to someone

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• Reported Speech

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Reported speech – statements with expressions of time – Exercise

Task no. 2313.

Finish the sentences using Reported speech. Always change the tense, although it is sometimes not necessary.

Peter, "I cleaned the black shoes yesterday." Peter told me (that)  

Peter told me (that) he had cleaned the black shoes the day before .

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Reported Speech (Indirect Speech) in English – Summary

• Emily, "Our teacher will go to Leipzig tomorrow." Emily said (that) .
• Helen, "I was writing a letter yesterday." Helen told me (that) .
• Robert, "My father flew to Dallas last year." Robert told me (that) .
• Lisa, "Tim went to the stadium an hour ago." Lisa said (that) .
• Patricia, "My mother will celebrate her birthday next weekend." Patricia said (that) .
• Michael, "I am going to read a book this week." Michael said to me (that) .
• Jason and Victoria, "We will do our best in the exams tomorrow." Jason and Victoria told me (that) .
• Andrew, "We didn't eat fish two days ago." Andrew remarked (that) .
• Alice, "I spent all my pocket money on Monday." Alice complained (that) .
• David, "John had already gone at six." David said (that) .
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Reported speech

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Reported Speech ESL Games, Activities and Worksheets

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But he told me...

Esl reported speech activity - grammar and speaking: asking and answering questions, forming sentences, true or false, guessing - group work - pre-intermediate (a2) - 40 minutes.

Double Trouble

Esl direct and indirect speech game - grammar and speaking: pelmanism, reforming sentences, controlled practice - group work - pre-intermediate (a2) - 20 minutes.

ESL Reported Speech Game - Grammar and Speaking: Reading and Responding to Statements, Forming Sentences, Controlled Practice - Pre-intermediate (A2) - 35 minutes

You said...

Esl reported speech game - grammar and speaking: miming, guessing, forming sentences - group and pair work - pre-intermediate (a2) - 25 minutes.

Report This

Esl reported speech activity - grammar and speaking: asking and answering questions, forming sentences - pair work - intermediate (b1) - 25 minutes.

Reporting Modal Verbs

Esl reporting modal verbs worksheet - grammar exercises: identifying, matching, gap-fill, rewriting sentences, writing a paragraph - intermediate (b1) - 30 minutes.

Run and Report

Esl reported speech activity - reading, speaking and grammar: running dictation, rewriting sentences - pair work - intermediate (b1) - 25 minutes.

Somebody told me that...

Esl reported speech activities - speaking activity: asking and answering questions - grammar game: forming sentences, guessing - group work - intermediate (b1) - 40 minutes.

Telephone Messages

Esl reported speech game - grammar and speaking: asking and answering questions from prompts, freer practice - group work - intermediate (b1) - 25 minutes.

Trip Around the World

Esl reported speech activity - grammar, speaking and writing: writing questions and answers, role-play, interview, writing a short article - group and pair work - intermediate (b1) - 45 minutes.

What did they say?

Esl reported speech game - grammar and speaking: asking and answering questions from prompts, writing sentences, controlled and freer practice - group work - intermediate (b1) - 45 minutes.

What did you ask me?

Esl reported speech activity - grammar, speaking and writing: asking and answering questions, writing sentences - pair work - intermediate (b1) - 40 minutes.

I asked you not to...

Esl reported speech game - grammar: forming sentences from prompts - group work - upper-intermediate (b2) - 45 minutes.

Infinitive Clauses Practice

Esl infinitive clauses worksheet - grammar exercises: binary choice, gap-fill, matching, unscrambling, rewriting sentences - upper-intermediate (b2) - 25 minutes.

Listening In

Esl reported speech game - grammar: sentence completion, guessing - group and pair work - upper-intermediate (b2) - 25 minutes.

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Reported Speech — Present Continuous — Exercise 1

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Reported Speech - Exercise 4

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1. He said (that) he was looking forward to his holidays 2. She said (that) they had had a day away at the beach 3. He said (that) his mum had taken them to an alligator farm 4. She said (that) there was a big pool with lots of alligators 5. She said (that) she didn't (doesn't) like alligator meat 6. He said (that) they had never seen such a beautiful view 7. She said (that) her dad worked (works) in town 8. They told us (that) they spent their holidays on a farm every year 9. She said (that) they had gone for a picnic 10. He said (that) his brother had come home late 11. Bill said (that) he was looking for his key 12. She said (that) they had bought a farmhouse in the country 13. He said (that) he had been to the top of the Empire State Building 14. Betty said (that) she had forgotten to give him her address 15. Bobby said (that) he liked (likes) science fiction books

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Reported speech

Tense changes in reported speech

Indirect speech (reported speech) focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words.  In indirect speech, the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command.

Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech: She said, "I  am  tired." = She said that she  was  tired.

Phrase in Direct Speech	Equivalent in Reported Speech
"I always   coffee", she said	She said that she always   coffee.
"I   a book", he explained.	He explained that he   a book
"Bill   on Saturday", he said.	He said that Bill   on Saturday.
"I   to Spain", he told me.	He told me that he   to Spain.
"I   the light," he explained.	He explained that he   the light.
They complained, "We   for hours".	They complained that they   for hours.
"We   in Paris", they told me.	They told me that they   in Paris.
"I   in Geneva on Monday", he said.	He said that he   in Geneva on Monday.
She said, "  the car next Friday".	She said that she   the car next Friday.

You do not need to change the tense if the reporting verb is in the present, or if the original statement was about something that is still true (but this is only for things which are general facts, and even then usually we like to change the tense) , e.g.

• He says  he has missed  the train but  he'll catch  the next one.
• We explained that  it is  very difficult to find our house.
• Direct speech: The sky is blue.
• Reported speech: She said (that) the sky  is/was  blue.

These modal verbs do not change in reported speech:  might, could, would, should, ought to :

• We explained, "It  could  be difficult to find our house." = We explained that it  could  be difficult to find our house.
• She said, "I  might  bring a friend to the party." = She said that she  might  bring a friend to the party.

Course Curriculum

• Direct and indirect speech 15 mins
• Tense changes in reported speech 20 mins
• Changing time and place in reported speech 20 mins
• Reported questions 20 mins
• Reporting verbs 20 mins
• Reporting orders and requests 15 mins
• Reporting hopes, intentions and promises 20 mins

Reported Speech Exercise 12

Perfect english grammar.

• Review reported statements here
• Download this quiz in PDF here
• More reported speech exercises here

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Exercise on Reported Speech

Reported speech without backshift – change of pronouns and places.

Your friend is an exchange student in the USA at the moment. You are speaking with him on the phone and your friend Sue is standing next to you. She is very excited - you have to repeat every sentence to her.

Complete the sentences in reported speech (no backshift). Note the change of pronouns, places and verbs.

• Tom: I'm fine.
• Sue: What does he say?
• You: He says that
• Tom: The weather here is great.
• Tom: My host family is very nice.
• Tom: I have my own room.
• Tom: We have a national park here.
• Tom: We went there yesterday.
• Tom: It was great.
• Tom: I'd love to go there again.
• Tom: The teachers at my school are very nice.
• Tom: My English has improved.