By: Gamachu Bayisa

DIRECT AND REPORTED SPEECH

Lencho said to you ( Direct Speech ) You tell somebody what he said ( Reported
Speech )

1. “My parents are very well.” 1. Lencho said that his parents are very well.

2. “Lelisa had given up writing module.” 2. He said that Lelisa had given up writing the
module.

3. “I am going to learn to swim.” 3. He said that he was going to learn to swim.

4. “I want to go away for a vacation but I don’t 4. He said that he wanted to go away for
know where to go.” vacation but (he) didn’t know where to go.

TENSES IN REPORTED SPEECH

Direct Speech Reported Speech

1. Simple Present: “I am an investor.” 1. Simple Past: He said he was an investor.

2. Present Continuous: “I‘m having 2. Past Continuous: He said he was having

lunch with Hunde.” lunch with Hunde.

3. Present Perfect: “I have been to 3. Past Perfect: He said he had been to Israel
Israel three times.” three times.

4. Present Prefect Continuous: “I have 4. Past Prefect Continuous: He said he had been
been studying English.” studying English.

5. Simple Past: “I bought a new shirt.” 5. Past Perfect: He said he had bought a new
shirt.

6. Past Continuous: “It was raining 5. Past Perfect Continuous: He said it had been
earlier.” raining earlier.

6. Past Perfect: “The game had 6. Past Perfect: He said the game had started
started when I arrived.” when he arrived. (No change)

7. Past Perfect Continuous 7. Past Perfect Continuous: He said that he had

“I had already been living in Israel for already been living in Israel for three weeks. (No
three weeks.” change)

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Auxiliary Direct Speech Reported Speech

will She said,” I will teach English online She said she would teach
tomorrow.” English online tomorrow.

can She said, “I can teach English online.” She said she could teach
English online.

must She said, “I must have computer to teach She said she had to have a
English online.” computer to teach English
online.

shall She said, “What shall we learn today?” She asked what we should
learn that day.

may She said, “May I open a new folder? She asked if she might open
a new folder.

VERBS AND MODAL AUXILIARIES THAT DO NOT CHANGE IN REPORTED SPEECH

Direct Speech Indirect Speech

1. Monera says, “Walabuma is at home.” 1. Monera says Walabuma is at home.

2. Waqo says, “He hasn’t finished his 2. Waqo says that he hasn’t finished his
work yet.” work yet.

3. She says, “My name is Kiya.” 3. She said her name is Kiya

4. Hawinet said, “Tokuma should finish 4. Hawinet said Tokuma should finish
editing the Module soon.” editing the Module soon.

5. Kena said, “He must be tired.” 5. Kena said that he must be tired.

6. Martiket remarked, “He ought to have 6. Martiket remarked that he ought to have
started sooner.” started sooner.

The modal auxiliaries such as could, might, ought to, should and would are not changed in reported
speech. Must also does not change when it expresses probability

Pronoun and Adverb Changes in Reported Speech

He said, “I will come tomorrow.”

He said that he would come the following day.

Lensa said, “I am staying here till this evening.”

Lensa said that she was staying there till that evening.

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Direct Speech Reported Speech

Now Then

Today That day

This week That week

Tomorrow The following day/the next day/ the day after

Next week/month /year The following week /month /year

The week / month /year / after

Yesterday The previous day/The day before

Last week /month /year ago The previous week / month /year

The week /month/ year/ before/ previously

Tonight That night

Last Saturday The previous Saturday

Next Saturday The following Saturday/ That Saturday

Direct Speech Reported Speech

1. He said, “I went to Finfine last week.” 1. He said that he had gone to Finfine the
week before.

2. Yerosan said, “I came from Bishoftu five 2. Yerosan said that he had come from
years ago.” Bishoftu five years before.

3. Ifabas a said, “I need the books now.” 3. Ifabas said that she needed the books then.

4. Sinan said, “The modules are here.” 4. Sinan said that the modules were there.

PRONOUN CHANGES

1. (a). Letu said, “I have to do the self-check exercises by myself.”

(b). Letu said that she had to do the self- check exercise by herself.

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Direct Speech Reported Speech

I He/she

You He/she /they

He/she /it He /she /it

We They

Us Them

Our Their

His /her /its His/hers /its

1. Direct: They said, “We are late.”

Reported: They said they were late.

2. Direct: Milkesa said, “He gave us presents.”

Reported: Milkesa said that he had given them presents.

The changes in demonstrative pronouns

Direct Speech Reported Speech

This That

That That

These Those

Here There

There There

Those Those

Examples:

1. Direct: Tiya said, “This is important.”

Reported: Tiya said that was important.

2. Direct: Bilisuma said, “These notes are very important for my research.”

Reported: Bilisuma said that those notes were very important for her research.

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REPORTING VERBS

Said, told and asked are not the only reporting verbs. There are many other verbs that we can use apart
from them. These include: accused, admitted, advised, agreed, apologized, complained, denied, explained,
implied, invited, ordered, promised, replied, suggested, alleged, begged, boasted and thought.

1. She asked me to join the ruling party.

2. She ordered me to join the ruling party.
3. She advised me to join the ruling party.
If the reporting verb is simple present, perfect or future (i.e. says, has said and will say) the reported
speech will be retained. Read the examples given below for better understanding of this exception of
reported speech.

Examples:

1. Direct: She says, “I wash my hair every day.”

Reported: She says that she washes her hair every day.

2. Direct: She has said, “I go to church every Sunday.”

Reported: She has said that she goes to church every Sunday.

3. Direct: She will say, “I go to church every Sunday.”

Reported: She will say that she goes to church every Sunday.

If the reporting sentence is expressing general truth or fact, the reported sentence is retained. This can be
best seen in:

Direct: The teacher said, “The sun rises in the east.”

Reported: The teacher said that the sun rises in the east.

Moreover, if the speaker reports something immediately or soon after, it was said in the direct speech, the
reported clause often remains as spoken.

For example:

Direct: He said, “The next stop is the main gate.”

Reported: He said that the next stop is the main gate.

The other exception here is, if will express future time, and if the situation described in the quote still
holds true at the time of the reported speech , will may not be changed to would though the reporting
verb is in the past.

For example:

Direct: Geologists said, “Volcanic eruption will occur next year.”

Reported: Geologists said that volcanic eruption will occur next year.

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THE USE OF ‘THAT’ IN REPORTED SPEECH

In reported speech the word that is often used. For example: He told me that he lived in Bensa.
However, sometimes that could be optional in use as: He told me he lived in Bensa. Moreover, that is
never used in questions, instead we use if/whether. For example: He asked me if she could come to the
party.

REPORTING STATEMENTS

After checking all possible changes, you should use: Subject + Reporting Verb (RV) + (that) + subject
+ tense change + the rest part of the sentence as a pattern of reported statement.

For example:

Direct: Jalie said, “I will never forget you.”

Reported: Jalie said (to me) that she would never forget me.

Here note that the most common reporting verbs for statements are: tell (tell + object pronoun) which is
necessary and say (to + object pronoun) which is optional. Other reporting verbs in statements include
add, admit, agree, decide, etc

REPORTING QUESTIONS

When you report questions, check whether you change the possible changes and identify the type of
question whether it is Yes/No or ‘Wh’ question. This is because the type of question matters in
transforming questions to reported speech.

1. YES/ NO QUESTIONS -to report Yes/No questions, you usually use: Subject + reporting verb
(normally ask) + if /whether clause + subject + tense change + rest of the sentence.
Example:

Direct: “Is your friend an Ethiopian?” she asked.

Reported: She asked him if /whether his friend was an Ethiopian.

Reported questions use normal word order and do not have


question marks.

2. ‘WH’--QUESTIONS --are introduced by questioning words such what, when, where, why, who,
etc. To report these questions, we use: Subject + reporting verb (RV) + questions word +subject +
tense change + rest of the sentence.
Direct: I asked her, “Where does she live?”

Reported: I asked her where she lived.

Direct: “Where is the registrar?” asked the student.

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Reported: The student wanted to know where the registrar was.

 The most common reporting verbs in questions are: ask, wonder, want to
know, enquire, etc.
REPORTING COMMANDS, REQUESTS, ADVICES, ORDERS, ETC.
Study the following examples:

I). Direct: “Be quiet!”

Reported: The teacher told them to be quite.

Direct: She said, “Please turn off the light when you sleep.”

Reported: She asked me to turn off the light when I slept.

To report commands, requests, advices, etc, which have been made to someone, we can use: Subject +
verb + object pronoun + infinitive with to + rest of the sentence.

Look at the following sentences.

II). Direct: The sign says, “Do not smoke!”

Reported: The sign tell us not to smoke.

Direct: “Do not get in.”

Note that the sentences in (I) are positive. But when the direct speech sentences are negative, we use:
Subject + reporting verb + object pronoun + Not + infinitive with to + rest of the sentence.

The most commonly used reporting verbs here are tell, ask, advise,

 command, order, remind, warn, etc.

Well done! Then, apply those patterns of reporting sentences in writing and speaking discourses while
you are reporting what has been said by someone else.