THEORY / RULES

Tense Direct Speech Reported Speech

present simple I like ice cream She said (that) she liked ice cream.

present
I am living in London She said (that) she was living in London.
continuous

She said (that) she had bought a car OR She said (that) she
past simple I bought a car
bought a car.

I was walking along the

past continuous She said (that) she had been walking along the street.
street

present perfect I haven't seen Julie She said (that) she hadn't seen Julie.

I had taken English

past perfect* She said (that) she had taken English lessons before.
lessons before

will I'll see you later She said (that) she would see me later.

would* I would help, but..” She said (that) she would help but...

I can speak perfect

can She said (that) she could speak perfect English.
English

I could swim when I was

could* She said (that) she could swim when she was four.
four

shall I shall come later She said (that) she would come later.

should* I should call my mother She said (that) she should call her mother

might* I might be late She said (that) she might be late

I must study at the She said (that) she must study at the weekend OR She said
must
weekend she had to study at the weekend

*doesn't change

WH- QUESTIONS
Direct Question Reported Question
Where is the Post Office, please? She asked me where the Post Office was.
What are you doing? She asked me what I was doing.
Who was that fantastic man? She asked me who that fantastic man had been
 A YES/NO QUESTIONS

Direct Question Reported Question

Do you love me? He asked me if I loved him.
Have you ever been to Mexico? She asked me if I had ever been to Mexico.
Are you living here? She asked me if I was living here.

REQUESTS

Direct Request Reported Request

Please help me. She asked me to help her.
Please don't smoke. She asked me not to smoke.
Could you bring my book tonight? She asked me to bring her book that night.
Could you pass the milk, please? She asked me to pass the milk.
Would you mind coming early tomorrow? She asked me to come early the next day.

ORDERS
Direct Order Reported Order
Go to bed! He told the child to go to bed.
Don't worry! He told her not to worry.
Be on time! He told me to be on time.
Don't smoke! He told us not to smoke.

TIME EXPRESSIONS WITH REPORTED SPEECH

now then / at that time

today yesterday / that day / Tuesday / the 27th of June
yesterday the day before yesterday / the day before / Wednesday / the 5th of December
last night the night before, Thursday night
last week the week before / the previous week
tomorrow today / the next day / the following day / Friday

For example: It's Monday. Julie says "I'm leaving today".

If I tell someone on Monday, I say "Julie said she was leaving today".
If I tell someone on Tuesday, I say "Julie said she was leaving yesterday".
If I tell someone on Wednesday, I say "Julie said she was leaving on Monday".
If I tell someone a month later, I say "Julie said she was leaving that day".
 How to Use 'Say' and 'Tell'
In reported statements, we can use either 'say' or 'tell'. The meaning is the same, but the grammar is different.
For example:

Direct speech:

•John: "I'll be late".

Reported speech:
•John said (that) he would be late.
OR
•John told me (that) he was going to be late.
With 'tell' we NEED the object (e.g. 'me', 'you', 'her').
With 'say' we CAN'T use the object (e.g. 'me', 'them', 'us').

So we CAN'T say:

•“John said me that he would be late.”

•“John told that he would be late.”
Here are some correct examples:

•Julie said (that) she'd come to the party.

•I said (that) I was going to bed early.
•He told me (that) he loved living in London.
•They told John (that) they would arrive at six

EXERCISES PART 1
Mixed Reported Speech 1 (Statements, Questions, Requests and Orders)
Change the direct speech into reported speech. Choose the past simple of ‘ask’, ‘say’ or ‘tell’:

1. “Don’t do it!”
She ______________________________________________________________
2. “I’m leaving tomorrow”
She ______________________________________________________________
3. “Please get me a cup of tea”
She ______________________________________________________________
4. “She got married last year”
She ______________________________________________________________
5. “Be quick!”
She ______________________________________________________________
6. “Could you explain number four, please?”
She ______________________________________________________________
7. “Where do you live?”
She ______________________________________________________________
8. “We went to the cinema and then to a Chinese restaurant”
She ______________________________________________________________
9. “I’ll come and help you at twelve”
She ______________________________________________________________
10. “What are you doing tomorrow?”
She ______________________________________________________________
11. “Don’t go!”
She ______________________________________________________________
12. “Do you work in London?”
She ______________________________________________________________
13. “Could you tell me where the post office is?”
She ______________________________________________________________
14. “Come here!”
She ______________________________________________________________
15. “I’ve never been to Wales”
She ______________________________________________________________
16. “Have you ever seen ‘Lord of the Rings’?”
She ______________________________________________________________
17. “I don't like mushrooms”
She ______________________________________________________________
18. “Don't be silly!”
She ______________________________________________________________
19. “Would you mind waiting a moment please?”
She ______________________________________________________________
20. “How often do you play sport?”
She ______________________________________________________________

EXERCISES PART 2
Mixed Reported Speech 2 (Statements, Questions, Requests and Orders)
Change the direct speech into reported speech. Choose the past simple of ‘ask’, ‘say’ or ‘tell’:
1. “Come quickly!”
She ______________________________________________________________
2. “Did you arrive before seven?”
She ______________________________________________________________
3. “How was your holiday?”
She ______________________________________________________________
4. “I would have visited the hospital, if I had known you were sick”
She ______________________________________________________________
5. “Don't touch!”
She ______________________________________________________________
6. “Do you usually cook at home?”
She ______________________________________________________________
7. “They had never been to Scotland until last year”
She ______________________________________________________________
8. “Make sure you arrive early!”
She ______________________________________________________________
9. “I should have studied harder for the exam”
She ______________________________________________________________
10. “Would you mind telling me how to get to the art gallery, please?”
She ______________________________________________________________
11. “Please don’t forget my book”
She ______________________________________________________________
12. “Make sure you arrive at six!”
She ______________________________________________________________
13. “Remember to study hard!”
She ______________________________________________________________
14. “Where do you want to eat tonight?”
She ______________________________________________________________
15. “I usually drink coffee in the mornings”
She ______________________________________________________________
16. “Do you like studying English?”
She ______________________________________________________________
17. “I’ll come and help you on Saturday”
She ______________________________________________________________
18. “Please buy some bread on your way home”
She ______________________________________________________________
19. “Please give this to John”
She ______________________________________________________________
20. “Could you give me the glass on the table, please?”
She ______________________________________________________________

EXERCISES PART 3
Put in ‘said’ or ‘told’:
1. Julie ______________ that she would join us after work.
2. She ______________ me that she was going running this evening.
3. John ______________ us that he couldn’t come to the party.
4. John ______________ that he had been to the cinema at the weekend.
5. She ______________ them she wanted to quit.
6. David ______________ he was going to arrive at eight.
7. They ______________ that they didn’t want to meet us on Tuesday.
8. I ______________ him I wasn’t impressed.
9. Lucy ______________ Julie that she was leaving on Wednesday.
10. We ______________ that we were going on holiday the following week.
11. Jack ______________ my mother he would be in Spain this week.
12. I ______________ that I hated mushrooms.
13. She ______________ she loved chocolate.
14. They ______________ they were meeting Luke today.
15. They ______________ us they were going to the museum this afternoon.
16. He ______________ he wouldn’t start without us.
17. I ______________ them I’d bring pudding.
18. Jonathan ______________ it would rain today.
19. They ______________ us that it was fine to come late.
20. The boss ______________ me that I should do some more work on this report.