Reported Speech

Virtual encounter # 4
Day schedule: October 13th, 2020
- Reported speech
- Practice exercises
- Oral presentation # 1: My life project description
Reported speech:
Use: We use “reported speech” when we want to report what other

people have said.
Most common reporting verbs:

Ø Subject + Say – Said + (that) …
Ø Subject + Tell – Told + object (Maria / Luis) / object pronoun
(me, you, him, her, it, us, them) + (that) …
“I like English” Joan said. – Joan said that he liked English

“I like English” Joan says. – Joan says that he likes English
“I eat 3 apples a day” Lucia says. Lucia says that she eats 3 apples a
day
“I like English” Joan said. – Joan told me that he liked English
Change in subject pronoun – possessive adjectives
“I love my dog” Luis said. – Luis said that he loved his dog
“We have our cats” Maria said. - Maria said that they had their cats
Examples:
Backshift
You must change the tense if the introductory clause is in a past tense
(e. g. He said).
Example:
He said, “I am happy.” – He said that he was happy.
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
Past Perfect Simple
Simple Past
He said that he had visited New York the
He said: "I visited New York last year"
previous year.
Present Perfect Past Perfect
He said: "I have 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 He said that they had finished the work
when I arrived" when he had arrived"
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 He said that he would buy Mercedes if he
rich" had been rich"
Going to – Past simple form
Going to – Present simple form
He said that he was going to buy a new
He said: “I am going to buy a new car”
car”
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 speec Repored speech
can "I can do it." He said he could do it.
He wanted to know if he might go

may "May I go out?"
out.
"She must apply for He said that she must/had to apply

must
the job." for the job.
will "They will call you." He tod her that they would call her.
Place, demonstratives and time expressions
Place, demonstratives and time expressions change if the context of

the reported statement (i.e. the location and/or the period of time) is
different from that of the direct speech.
In the following table, you will find the different changes of place;
demonstratives and time expressions.
Direct Speech Reported Speech

Time Expressions
today that day
now then
yesterday the day before / the previous day
… days ago … days before
last week the week before / the previous week
next year the following year
tomorrow the next day / the following day
Place
here there
Demonstratives
this that
these those
Direct speech: “I am working now.” Maria says

Reported speech: Maria says that she is working now
Maria said that she was working then
Direct speech: “I am from Bogota” Angela said.

Reported speech: Angela said that she was from Bogota
Direct speech: “She doesn’t love animals.” José said.

Reported speech: José told me that she didn’t love animals
Direct speech: “I am playing soccer.” Marcela told Sandra.

Reported speech: Marcela told Sandra that she was playing soccer
Direct speech: “I can’t play the piano.” Luis said.
Reported speech: Luis said that he couldn’t play the piano
Direct speech: “We weren’t in the park.” Antonia said.

Reported speech: Antonia told us that they had been in the park
Direct speech: “She didn’t eat her soup.” Marcos said.

Reported speech: Marcos said that she hadn’t eaten her soup
Direct speech: “We haven’t finished our work.” Santiago said

Reported speech: Santiago told us that they hadn’t finished their work
Direct speech: “I hadn’t learned English before.” Karen said.

Reported speech: Karen said that she hadn’t learned English before
Direct speech: “He spoke English in class” Martin said.

Reported speech: Martin said that he had spoken English in class
Direct speech: “We aren’t students.” José said.

Reported speech: José told me that they weren’t students
Direct speech: “He speaks three languages.” Camila said.

Reported speech: Camila said that he spoke three languages
Direct speech: “She hasn’t been to Cali yet.” Karen said.

Reported speech: Karen said that she hadn’t been to Cali yet

More practice exercises:
“I will not use that computer.” José told me

A. Jose told that he would not use that computer
B. José told me that he will not use that computer
C. José told me that he would not use that computer
D. José told that he will not use that computer
“We didn’t eat all that food.” Julia said

A. Julia said me that they hadn’t eaten all that food
B. Julia said that we didn’t eat all that food
C. Julia said me that they didn’t eat all that food
D. Julia said that they hadn’t eaten all that food
Reported speech
Instruction: Change this direct speech into reported speech:
1. “He works in a bank” She said that he worked in a bank
2. “We went out last night” She told me that they had gone out the previous night
3. “I’m coming!” She said that she was coming!
4. “I am going to wait for the bus” She told me that she was going to wait for the bus
5. “I had never been there before” She said that she had never been there before
6. “I didn’t go to the party” She told me that she hadn’t gone to the party
7. “Lucy will come in a few minutes” She said that Lucy would come in a few minutes
8. “He hasn’t eaten breakfast” She told me that he hadn’t eaten breakfast
9. “I can’t help any more” She said that she couldn’t help any more
10. “I don’t like chocolate” She told me that she didn’t like chocolate
_______ / 10
Oral presentation # 1: Life project description
I am a graphic designer; We are waiting for this as soon as possible;

My wife paternal family is from...; Expectations;
Date: Tuesday, October 13th, 2020
Task: Describe your life project, including your personal, family,

and professional expectations for the following ten years in your
life. Your description must include a short introduction, body of
the presentation and conclusion. You might use the language
forms: I want; I would like to; I am going to etc.
Ø 4 – 5 minutes
Ø Evaluate
1. Grammar
2. Vocabulary
3. Pronunciation
Ø Power Point Presentation (Photos – Real / taken from Internet) –

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Virtual encounter # 4

Day schedule: October 13th, 2020

Use: We use “reported speech” when we want to report what other

Most common reporting verbs:

“I like English” Joan said. – Joan said that he liked English

“I like English” Joan said. – Joan told me that he liked English

Change in subject pronoun – possessive adjectives

Modal Direct speec Repored speech

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

He wanted to know if he might go

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

Place, demonstratives and time expressions change if the context of

Direct Speech Reported Speech

Direct speech: “I am working now.” Maria says

Direct speech: “I am from Bogota” Angela said.

Direct speech: “She doesn’t love animals.” José said.

Direct speech: “I am playing soccer.” Marcela told Sandra.

Direct speech: “We weren’t in the park.” Antonia said.

Direct speech: “She didn’t eat her soup.” Marcos said.

Direct speech: “We haven’t finished our work.” Santiago said

Direct speech: “I hadn’t learned English before.” Karen said.

Direct speech: “He spoke English in class” Martin said.

Direct speech: “We aren’t students.” José said.

Direct speech: “He speaks three languages.” Camila said.

Direct speech: “She hasn’t been to Cali yet.” Karen said.

“I will not use that computer.” José told me

“We didn’t eat all that food.” Julia said

Oral presentation # 1: Life project description

I am a graphic designer; We are waiting for this as soon as possible;

Date: Tuesday, October 13th, 2020

Task: Describe your life project, including your personal, family,

Ø Power Point Presentation (Photos – Real / taken from Internet) –

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