Scribd
Upload
807 views2 pages

Reported Speech - Summary

Reported speech is used to tell someone else what was said previously by changing the tense and pronouns. Direct speech uses quotation marks and keeps the original tense, while reported speech does not use quotation marks and changes the tense and pronouns depending on when the statement was said. When transforming statements into reported speech, pronouns, tense, place, and time expressions may need to be changed depending on the rules for each tense. Modal verbs like could, should, would may not change form, while others like can and may do change form depending on the rules for reported speech transformations.

Uploaded by

Freddy Murrugarra
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
807 views2 pages

Reported Speech - Summary

Reported speech is used to tell someone else what was said previously by changing the tense and pronouns. Direct speech uses quotation marks and keeps the original tense, while reported speech does not use quotation marks and changes the tense and pronouns depending on when the statement was said. When transforming statements into reported speech, pronouns, tense, place, and time expressions may need to be changed depending on the rules for each tense. Modal verbs like could, should, would may not change form, while others like can and may do change form depending on the rules for reported speech transformations.

Uploaded by

Freddy Murrugarra
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Reported Speech (Indirect Speech) -------------------------- Teacher: Mercedes Vitteri

What is reported speech?


Reported speech is when you tell somebody else what you or a person said before.
Distinction must be made between direct speech and reported speech.

Direct speech vs Reported speech:


Direct speech Reported speech
She says: "I like tuna fish." She says that she likes tuna fish.
She said: "I'm visiting Paris next weekend" She said that she was visiting Paris the following weekend.

Different types of sentences


When you use reported speech, you either report:
 statements  requests / commands
 questions  other types

A. Reporting Statements
When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:
 pronouns  tense  place and time expression

Examples of the main changes in tense:


Direct Speech Reported Speech
Simple Present Simple Past
He said: "I am happy" He said that he was happy
Present Progressive Past Progressive
He said: "I'm looking for my keys" He said that he was looking for his keys
Simple Past Past Perfect Simple
He said: "I visited New York last year" He said that he had visited New York the previous year.
Present Perfect Past Perfect
He said: " I've lived here for a long time " He said that he had lived there for a long time
Past Perfect Past Perfect
He said: "They had finished the work when I arrived" He said that they had finished the work when he had arrived"
Past Progressive Past Perfect Progressive
He said: "I was playing football when the accident He said that he had been playing football when the accident
occurred" had occurred
Present Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Progressive
He said: "I have been playing football for two hours." He said that he had been playing football for two hours
Past Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Progressive
He said: "I had been reading a newspaper when the He said that he had been reading a newspaper when the light
light went off" had gone off
Future Simple (will+verb) Conditional (would+verb)
He said: "I will open the door." He said that he would open the door.
Conditional (would+verb) Conditional (would+verb)
He said: "I would buy Mercedes if I were rich" He said that he would buy Mercedes if he had been rich"
The modal verbs could, should, would, might, needn't, ought to, used to do not normally change.
Example:
He said, "She might be right."  He said that she might be right.

Other modal verbs may change:


Modal Direct speech Reported speech

can "I can do it." He said he could do it.

may "May I go out?" He wanted to know if he might go out.

must "She must apply for the job." He said that she must/had to apply for the job.

will "They will call you." He told her that they would call her.

D. Other transformations
 Expressions of advice with must, should and ought are usually reported using advise / urge.
Example:
"You must read this book."  He advised / urged me to read that book.
 The expression let’s is usually reported using suggest. In this case, there are two possibilities for reported speech:
gerund or statement with should.
Example:
"Let’s go to the cinema."  1. He suggested going to the cinema.
 2. He suggested that we should go to the cinema.

EXERCISES: Complete the sentences in reported speech


1. John said, "I love this town."
John said ……………………………………………………………………………………
2. "Do you like soccer ?" He asked me.
He asked me ………………………………………………………………………………
3. "I can't drive a lorry," he said.
He said ………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. "Be nice to your brother," he said.
He asked me …………………………………………………………………………………
5. "Don't be nasty," he said.
He urged me …………………………………………………………………………………
6. "Don't waste your money" she said.
She told the boys ………………………………………………………………………..
7. "What have you decided to do?" she asked him.
She asked him ………………………………………………………………………………
8. "I always wake up early," he said.
He said …………………………………………………………………………………………
9. "You should revise your lessons," he said.
He advised the students ……………………………………………………………………………………..
10. "Where have you been?" he asked me.
He wanted to know …………………………………………………………………………………………….

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy