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Reported Speech - Theory 2342

The document explains the rules for converting direct speech into reported or indirect speech, including changes in tense, pronouns, and time/place expressions. It provides examples for various verb forms and modal verbs, as well as guidelines for reporting questions and commands. Additionally, it notes that general truths can remain in the present tense when reported.

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24 views3 pages

Reported Speech - Theory 2342

The document explains the rules for converting direct speech into reported or indirect speech, including changes in tense, pronouns, and time/place expressions. It provides examples for various verb forms and modal verbs, as well as guidelines for reporting questions and commands. Additionally, it notes that general truths can remain in the present tense when reported.

Uploaded by

Pana Vrio
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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REPORTED or INDIRECT SPEECH

We use reported or indirect speech when we want to tell someone what a person said:
e.g. He said, “I have lost my umbrella.”
He said (that) he had lost his umbrella.

HOW WE FORM REPORTED SPEECH


We use a reporting verb like 'say' or 'tell'. If this verb is in the present tense, then, we just put 'she
says' and then the sentence:
Direct speech: I like ice cream.
Reported speech: She says she likes ice cream.
We don't need to change the tense, but we do need to change the ‘person' from 'I' to 'she', for
example. We also may need to change words like 'my' and 'your'.

But, if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change the tenses in the reported
speech:
Direct speech: I like ice cream.
Reported speech: She said (that) she liked ice cream.

Direct Speech Reported Speech


Simple Present Simple Past
He said: "I am happy" He said that he was happy
Present Continuous Past Continuous
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 He said that he had visited New York the previous
year" year.
Present Perfect Past Perfect
He said: " I've lived here for a long He said that he had lived there for a long time
time "
Past Perfect Past Perfect
He said: "They had finished the work He said that they had finished the work when
when I arrived" he had arrived"
Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
He said: "I was playing football when He said that he had been playing football when
the accident occurred" the accident had occurred
Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
He said:"I have been He said that he had been playing football for two
playing football for two hours." hours
Past Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
He said: "I had been reading a He said that he had been reading a newspaper
newspaper when the light went off" when the light 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 He said that he would buy Mercedes if he had
I were rich" been rich"

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Modal verbs may change:

Mod
Direct speech Reported speech
al
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 He said that she must/had to apply for
job." the job.
will "They will call you." He told her that they would call her.
shall “I shall help you.” He told me that he would help me.
“Shall I play the piano?” He asked me if he should play the piano.

The modal verbs could, should, would, might, needn't, ought to, used to do not normally
change.
e.g. He said "She might be right." – He said that she might be right.

If there is an expression of time/place in the sentence, it may be changed, depending on the


situation.
Direct
Reported Speech
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 / the year after
tomorrow the next day / the following day / the day
after
Place
here there
Demonstratives
this that
these those

GENERAL TRUTHS and SCIENTIFIC FACTS


To report general truths and scientific facts, we may either leave the verb in the present tense or
move it back one tense.
e.g. He said “The Nile River is the longest river in the world.”
He said that the Nile River is the longest river in the world.
He said that the Nile River was the longest river in the world.

2
QUESTIONS IN INDIRECT SPEECH
When we turn direct questions into indirect speech, the following changes are necessary:
a. tenses, pronouns and possessive adjectives, and adverbs of time and place change as in
statements.
b. the interrogative form of the verb changes to the affirmative form.
c. the question mark is omitted in indirect questions.

Types of questions Direct speech Reported speech


With question word (what, "Why" don’t you He asked me why I didn’t speak
why, where, how...) speak English?” English.
Without question word “Do you speak He asked me whether / if I spoke
(yes or no questions) English?” English.

REQUESTS OR COMMANDS IN INDIRECT SPEECH


We simply use 'ask / tell sb + to + infinitive' for affirmative requests or commands
and 'ask / tell sb + not to + infinitive' for negative ones.

Direct speech Reported speech


“Nancy, do the exercise.“ He told Nancy to do the
exercise.
“Nancy, give me your pen, He asked Nancy to give him her
please.” pen.
“Children, don’t speak!” He asked children not to speak.

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