Reported Speech (Discurso indirecto

Verb Changes (mudanças de tempos verbais)

Direct Speech Reported Speech
Present Simple Past Simple

I want to go He said (that) he wanted to go

Present Continuous Past Continuous

I am giving a party He said (that) he was giving a party

Past Simple Past Perfect

I gave a party He said he had given a party

Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous

I was telling a story He said he had been telling a story

Present Perfect Past Perfect

I have given a party He said he had given a party

Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous

I have been telling a story He said he had been telling a story

Future Conditional

I will give a party He said he would give a party

Other Changes (outras mudanças)
Personal and possessive adjectives: third person
first/second person
(passam para a terceira pessoa)
(pronomes na primeira pessoa)
here (aqui) there (ali)
Today (hoje) that day (naquele dia)

Tomorrow (amanhã) the following day, the next day (no dia
seguinte)
Yesterday (ontem)
the day before (no dia anterior)
Next week/year... (na próxima
semana/ano …) the following week/year/... (na semana/ano
seguinte)
A year ago (há um ano,…)
a year before/the previous year (no ano
anterior)
Nota: Quando o verbo que introduz o discurso indirecto está no presente os tempos
verbais não mudam.

Eg: I want to join your club.

Mary says she wants to join our club

EXERCISES Clique aqui para ver a correcção

A. Rewrite the following sentences as follows.

E.g. I work in a garage.

He said that he worked in a garage

1. I like all my classmates.

He said that …
2. We are doing a good job.

He said that …

3. We didn’t have to face any serious difficulty last year.

They said that …

4. I’m looking forward to my Summer holidays.

She said that …

5. We went to Australia last year.

They said that …

6. We saw a lot of kangaroos there.

They said that …

7. I will visit New Zealand next year.

He said that …

8. My friends had already been there the year before.

She said that …

B. Some days ago a group of foreign students who attend London University visited the famous British Museum.

Here are some of the statements they made. Rewrite them as indicated below.

E.g. Pedro: I'll tell Carmen to visit the British Museum next year.

Pedro said that he would tell Carmen to visit the British Museum the following year.

1. Ismini: I enjoy visiting museums, especially when it is cold and wet.

Ismini said that ...

2. Maria: I feel really happy when I see a work of art.

Maria confessed that ...

3. Paolo: I hope we won't spend the whole morning in here.

Paolo said that ...

4. Pedro: I'll never forget the time I had visiting the British Museum.

Pedro confessed that ...

5. Monique: Visiting museums is my hobby. I can spend a whole week in the British Museum without getting bored..

Monique said that ...

C. Now look at this example and rewrite the following questions as indicated below.

E.g. Pedro: Where can we buy slides?

 Pedro asked where they could buy slides.

1. Ismini: How much does this guidebook to the British Museum cost?

Ismini asked ....

2. Maria: How did the British manage to collect all these beautiful things?

Maria wanted to know ...

3. Monique: Do you like modern art, Maria?

Monique asked Maria if ...

4. Paolo: Did you visit the National Gallery last week?

Paolo wanted to know if ...

5. Maria: Monique, what's your opinion of this work of art? Do you like it?

Maria asked Monique ...

D. Now read these commands, advices and requests and rewrite them as indicated below:

E. g. Pedro: Don't make so much noise.

Pedro told them not to make so much noise.

1. Ismini: Please, don't walk so fast.

Ismini asked them ...

2. Monique: You should visit the National Gallery; it's worth it.

Monique advised me ...

3. Paolo: Hurry up? It's getting late.

Paolo told them ...

4. Monique: Don't smoke in here, Pedro.

Monique told Pedro ...

In: Structures in context, Longman (adapted)

E. Rewrite as indicated below. Nr 1 is already done as an example.

1. “I am studying English this year”.

He said that he was studying English that year.

2. “I have visited my parents last week”.

He said that ...

3. “I’ll go to the seaside next summer if I can”.

Mr McMillan said that ...

4.“They went to Spain two weeks ago”.

They wrote me saying that ...

5. “I am not going to the cinema today”.

She insisted that ...

6. “My daughter wants me to buy her a doll like this one ”.

She said that ...

7. “They will come to our party tomorrow”.

Aunt Mary told me that ...

8. “I cannot understand this passage”.

The pupil told his teacher that ...

9. “Mary won’t come next month. She has a lot of work to do”.

Mary’s mother said that ...

10. “Our children are not studying music this year”.

Mr Johnson said that ...

F. Report the following questions and commands. Nr 1 is already done as an example.

1. “Did you meet my brother yesterday?” Mary asked Jane.

Mary asked Jane if she had met her brother the day before.

2. “Follow that car!” Mr. Smith told the taxi driver.

3. “Wait for me in front of the shoe shop.” Jane told me.

4. “Is this your umbrella?”. Tom asked Peter.

5. “Go out and don’t make a noise!” The teacher told his students.

6. “Can you show me your driving license!” The police asked the lady.

7. “Do you want to come with us to the cinema next weekend?” John asked me.

8. “What are you doing here?” Peter asked Jane.

9. “Why do you have to ask me these silly questions?” Mary asked Peter.

10. “Where have you been lately?” Mary wanted to know

11. “I’ve got something here to show you”, she said.

12. “I am going to meet my grandparents this afternoon”, Peter said.

13. “If it rains today, we will stay at home and we will play the match tomorrow. they said”.

14. “I went to my friend’s birthday party last weekend. I enjoyed it very much”, Mary said.
15. “Why do you speak so loudly?” Mary asked Peter.

16. “Fred, are you going with us to the cinema tonight?” Mary wanted to know.

17. “Don’t do that again!” Mary advised them.

18. “Don’t get angry with us. They advised Mary.

19. “What hobbies do you have?” She asked me.

20 “Where do you buy the newspaper?” Mary wanted to know.

G. A group of European students went on a ten-day visit to New York. It was the first time they had been there. They were
interviewed during their stay. Report what each one said about New York.

Maria Pei, from Italy - It's a perfect choice of holiday for anyone who likes bright lights and lots to do.

Maria said that she …

Nico Ianopolos, from Greece - It's not as expensive as I imagined. You can live here quite cheap if you know the right places to
go. Yesterday I had an excellent meal for 5 dollars.

Nico said that he …

Bruce Matlock, from England - I've never seen such a beautiful city in my life.

Bruce said that …

Etienne Mathieu, from France - I love this city. It's very noisy, very dirty, but very full of life. I'll definitely come back next
year. Ten days are too short.

Etienne said that she …

Kersti Kristiansen, from Denmark - I don't like New York at all. It's too impersonal. I may not stay here for the full ten days.

Kersti said that she ..

Gilles Poitier, from Luxembourg - I've found the people very friendly and generous. And there seem to be far more integration
between black and white people than I imagined.

Giles said that he …

Martin Dressler, from Germany - We don't like the fast food, but the food you get in the restaurant is wonderful. You can get
almost everything you like here.

Martin said that he …

In: Developing Strategies

H. Report the following questions:

1. “Is your mother at home?”

Mrs Brown asked me ...

2. “Did you receive my letter last week?”

Laura’s friend asked me ...

3. “Will our Mother be back soon?”

John asked his brother ...

4. “Have you worked as hard as your brother?”

Aunt Mary asked me ...

5. “When did you last see John?”

She wanted to know ...

6. “Which of these books do you want to read?”

I asked her ...

7. “How many English songs can you sing?”

She asked them ...

I. Report the following orders, requests and advices.

1. “Don’t do this again.”

He told me ...

2. “Could you shut this door, please”.

He asked her ..

3. “Will you do it for me?”

He asked her...

4. “You should be a bit more careful.”

He advised her ...

5. "Don't come too late!"

She told him ...

J. Report the following:

1. “It’s late. I have to go home”, he said.

He said that...

2. “I didn’t like the film. I found it very boring”, she said.

She said that ...

3. "I am swimming much better now”, she said.

She said that ...

4. “Why have you told your mother I was ill?”, he asked him.

He asked him ...

5. “Don’t spend all your pocked money in a day”, she advised him.
She advised him ...

6. “Did you see my brother Robert at school this morning ?”, she asked him.

She asked him ...

7. I will finish all my work tomorrow”, he promised.

He promised that ...

8. “Have you enjoyed your holidays?”, the teacher asked the pupils.

The teacher asked the pupils ...

9. “Take your umbrellas with you. It may rain”.

The mother told her children ...

10. "My parents enjoyed it a lot", she said.

She said that ...

11. "John has given up his job", she told me.

She told me that ...

12."Why don't you come with me", She asked Peter.

She asked Peter ...

13. "Don't you want to go with us?" She asked Peter.

She asked Peter if ...

14. "Can I borrow your book?" asked Peter.

She asked Peter ...

15. ."What can I do to convince you?" She asked Peter.

She asked Peter

16. "Who is going to help me?" Mr Smith asked.

Mr Smith asked ...

17. "Can I speak to Sam?", Jack asked.

Jack asked ...

18. Take your umbrella, it may rain", His mother told him.

His mother told him...

19. "I have just met your brother in the supermarket," said Alice.

Alice said ...

20. "Tim will not be back before next weekend."

Tim's mother told us ...

21. "Write all these sentences on your exercise-books."

Mr Elliot told the class :::

22. "Did you enjoy your holidays in Greece?"

Mr Elliot asked his neighbour ...

23. "Have you seen your friend Peter lately?",

Mr Elliot asked his son ...

K. Turn into the reported speech.

Note: When the Introductory verb is in the present there are no verb changes

E.g. "I want to go home." He says that he wants to go home

1. "They’ve bought a very beautiful house" .

Mrs Jones has told me that …

2. "My students are very hardworking."

A proud teacher usually says that …

3. "My mother has given me a lot of toys."

Charles says that …

4. "I’ll give you some presents on your birthday too."