📌 Reported Speech – Explanation & Exercises

📝 What is Reported Speech?

Reported speech is used when we want to report what someone else
said without using their exact words.
Example:
 Direct Speech: “I love playing football.”
 Reported Speech: He said (that) he loved playing football.
🔄 Changes in Reported Speech
1️. Changes in Pronouns & Possessives
Pronouns and possessive adjectives change depending on the context:

Direct Speech Reported Speech

She said (that) she loved that

"I love this movie."
movie.

"You have finished your He told me (that) I had finished

work." my work.

2️. Changes in Time & Place Expressions

Time expressions often change when reporting speech from the past:

Direct
Reported Speech
Speech

Today that day

yesterday the day before

the next day / the

tomorrow
following day

next week the following week

last week the previous week

Now Then

This That

These Those

Here There

🔹 Example:
 Direct Speech: "I will call you tomorrow."
 Reported Speech: He said (that) he would call me the next day.
3️. Changes in Verb Tenses
When the reporting verb is in the past (e.g., "he said," "she told me"), we
shift the tense back:

Direct Speech Reported Speech

"I work hard." → She said (that) she

Present Simple → Past Simple
worked hard.

Present Continuous → Past "I am studying." → He said (that) he was

Continuous studying.

"She left early." → He said (that) she had

Past Simple → Past Perfect
left early.

Past Continuous → Past Perfect "I was sleeping." → He said (that) he had
Continuous been sleeping.

"I have finished." → She said (that) she

Present Perfect → Past Perfect
had finished.

"I will help you." → He said (that) he

Future (will) → Would
would help me.

🚨 Exceptions:
 Past Perfect & Past Perfect Continuous do not change.
 Modal verbs: would, could, should, might, must do not change.
🔹 Examples:
 "I must go now." → She said (that) she must go then.
 "He could swim well." → They said (that) he could swim well.
🎤 Reported Questions
When reporting questions:
✅ The word order changes to a statement format.
✅ We remove do/does/did.
✅ We use if/whether for yes/no questions.
🔹 Examples:
1. "Where do you live?" → She asked me where I lived.
2. "Did you finish your homework?" → She asked me if I had
finished my homework.
3. "Can you help me?" → He asked me if I could help him.
📌 Reporting Verbs
Instead of just say/tell, we can use other verbs:

Reporting Verbs Examples

Without an object (say, complain, "I forgot my keys." → He admitted

deny, admit, agree, insist) (that) he had forgotten his keys.

With an object (tell, remind, inform, "Don’t touch that!" → She warned
warn, advise, assure) me not to touch it.

Verb + (not) to + infinitive

"I will help you." → He promised to
(promise, refuse, threaten, offer,
help me.
decide)

Verb + preposition + -ing (apologise "I’m sorry for shouting." → She

for, insist on, blame for, accuse of) apologised for shouting.

📄 EXERCISES
A. Rewrite the sentences in reported speech.
1. "I love Italian food," she said.
2. "We are watching a movie," they told me.
3. "Did you finish your project?" he asked.
4. "I have never been to London," she said.
5. "I will call you tomorrow," Mark told me.
B. Choose the correct answer.
1. "I don’t like coffee," she said.
a) She said she doesn’t like coffee.
b) She said she didn’t like coffee.
2. "Where do you work?" he asked.
a) He asked where did I work.
b) He asked where I worked.
3. "I can help you tomorrow," she said.
a) She said she can help me the next day.
b) She said she could help me the next day.
4. "I have seen this film," he said.
a) He said he had seen that film.
b) He said he saw that film.
C. Report these sentences using different reporting verbs.
1. "You should study more," my teacher told me. (advise)
 2. "I didn’t take your pen," she said. (deny)

3. "Yes, I broke the window," he said. (admit)

4. "Don’t be late," my boss said. (warn)

5. "I'm sorry for being rude," he said. (apologise for)

✅ Answer Key
A. Rewrite the sentences in reported speech.
1. She said (that) she loved Italian food.
2. They told me (that) they were watching a movie.
3. He asked me if I had finished my project.
4. She said (that) she had never been to London.
5. Mark told me (that) he would call me the next day.
B. Choose the correct answer.
1. b) She said she didn’t like coffee.
2. b) He asked where I worked.
3. b) She said she could help me the next day.
4. a) He said he had seen that film.
C. Report these sentences using different reporting verbs.
1. My teacher advised me to study more.
2. She denied taking my pen.
3. He admitted breaking the window.
4. My boss warned me not to be late.
5. He apologised for being rude.
 📄 Reported Speech – Extra Exercises
A. Change the sentences into Reported Speech.
1. "I am feeling tired," he said.

2. "We watched a great film last night," they told me.

3. "She will visit us next weekend," Mark said.

4. "I have never seen this before," she said.

5. "I can play the guitar," John told me.

6. "We are going to move to a new house," they said.

7. "Did you enjoy the concert?" he asked me.

8. "Where does your sister live?" she asked.

9. "Have you ever been to Paris?" my friend asked.

10."Please don’t be late," my teacher said.

B. Correct the mistakes in the reported sentences.

1. He said he is feeling tired.
2. They told me they watched a great film last night.
3. Mark said she will visit us the next weekend.
4. She said that she never seen this before.
5. John told me that he can play the guitar.
6. They said they going to move to a new house.
7. He asked me did I enjoy the concert.
8. She asked where do my sister live.
9. My friend asked me have I ever been to Paris.
10.My teacher said to please don’t be late.

C. Report the following commands and requests.

1. "Sit down, please," the teacher said to us.
 2. "Close the window," she told me.

3. "Don’t touch that button," he warned me.

4. "Can you help me with my homework?" she asked.

5. "Don’t make so much noise," my father said.

6. "Please turn off your phone," the flight attendant said.

7. "Could you bring me a glass of water?" she asked.

8. "Be careful when crossing the street," my mom told me.

D. Rewrite using different reporting verbs.

1. "I won’t be able to attend the meeting," she said. (apologise for)

2. "I think you should see a doctor," he said. (advise)

3. "I didn’t steal the money!" she said. (deny)

4. "Let’s go to the cinema tonight," he said. (suggest)

5. "I’ll call you later," she said. (promise)

6. "You should take a break," my boss told me. (recommend)

7. "Don’t forget to lock the door," she said. (remind)

8. "I’m sorry for shouting at you," he said. (apologise for)

✅ Answer Key
A. Change the sentences into Reported Speech.
1. He said (that) he was feeling tired.
2. They told me (that) they had watched a great film the night
before.
3. Mark said (that) she would visit them the following weekend.
4. She said (that) she had never seen that before.
5. John told me (that) he could play the guitar.
6. They said (that) they were going to move to a new house.
7. He asked me if I had enjoyed the concert.
8. She asked where my sister lived.
9. My friend asked me if I had ever been to Paris.
10.My teacher asked me not to be late.
B. Correct the mistakes in the reported sentences.
1. He said he was feeling tired.
2. They told me they had watched a great film the night before.
3. Mark said she would visit us the next weekend.
4. She said that she had never seen this before.
5. John told me that he could play the guitar.
6. They said they were going to move to a new house.
7. He asked me if I had enjoyed the concert.
8. She asked where my sister lived.
9. My friend asked me if I had ever been to Paris.
10.My teacher said not to be late.
C. Report the following commands and requests.
1. The teacher told us to sit down.
2. She told me to close the window.
3. He warned me not to touch that button.
4. She asked me to help her with her homework.
5. My father told me not to make so much noise.
6. The flight attendant asked us to turn off our phones.
7. She asked me to bring her a glass of water.
8. My mom told me to be careful when crossing the street.
D. Rewrite using different reporting verbs.
1. She apologised for not being able to attend the meeting.
2. He advised me to see a doctor.
3. She denied stealing the money.
4. He suggested going to the cinema that night.
5. She promised to call me later.
6. My boss recommended taking a break.
7. She reminded me to lock the door.
8. He apologised for shouting at me.