REPORTED SPEECH (INDIRECT SPEECH)

● When we want to report what someone said, we can use ‘direct speech’ or ‘reported
speech’.
● We use ‘direct speech’, when we give the exact words that someone said, and we use
quotation marks ( ‘ …’ ).
Bill said, ‘ I’m at home.’

● In reported speech, we change some of the words that the person said and we don’t use
quotation marks.
Direct: ‘ I am studying English,’ he said.
Indirect: He said (that) he was studying English.

● We usually use the verbs say and tell, without quotation marks. We use tell when there is
an indirect object (Mary, me, us) and say when there is no indirect object.
Direct: He said, ‘I’m Ted.’ Indirect: He said (that) he was Ted.
Direct: He told me, ‘I’m Ted.’ Indirect: He told me (that) he was Ted.

If we want to put a personal object with say, we use to. Direct: ‘I’m Ted’ he said to me.
Indirect: He said to me ( that) he was Ted.

The tenses change as follows in reported speech:

Direct speech Reported
speech
‘I work hard,’ he said. → He said that he worked hard.
‘I am working hard,’ he said. → He said that he was working
very hard.
‘I worked hard,’ he said. → He said that he had worked
hard.
‘I have worked hard,’ he said. → He said that he had worked
hard.
‘I will work hard,’ he said. → He said that he would work
hard.
‘I have been working hard,’ he said. → He said that he had been
working hard.
‘I am going to work hard,’ he said. → He said that he was going to
work hard.
‘I was working hard,’ he said. → He said that he had been
working hard.
‘I can work hard,’ he said. → He said that he could work
hard.
‘I may work hard,’ he said. → He said that he might work
hard.
‘I must work hard,’ he said. → He said that he had to work
hard.
‘I have to work hard,’he said. → He said that he had to work
hard.

Note: would, could, might, should, ought to do not change in Reported Speech ● The
past perfect and past perfect continuous remain the same.

●When the reported sentence contains a time clause, the tenses do not change.
While I was staying in Madrid, I met Pedro twice,’ he said. He said that while he was staying in
Madrid, he met Pedro.

● If the reported sentence deals with conditionals type 2/ type 3 or wishes, the
tenses remain the same.
 ‘If I were you, I would apologise,’ he said. → He said that if he were me, he would apologise.

● When the sentence expresses a general truth or something that is unlikely to

change, the verb tenses do not change.

The teacher said,’ The second world war broke out in 1939.’ → The teacher said that the second
world war broke out in 1939.
He said, ’The sun sets in the west.’ → He said that the sun sets in the west.

Other Changes in Reported Speech

Direct Speech Indirect Speech
now then/at that time
today that day
tonight that night
ago before
yesterday the day before/ the previous day
tomorrow the next day / the following day/the day after
last week/month/year the previous week/month/year or the week /month/year
before
next week/month/year the following week/month/year
this week/month/year that week/month/year
this that
these those
here there
come go

REPORTING STATEMENTS.
Turn the following sentences into reported speech.
1. He said, ‘I’m going to the station.’
2. Tina said, ’you should exercise regularly.’
3. They said, ’We had booked the room before we left.’
4. ‘I’ve written you a letter,’ she said to her friend.
5. Jill said, ’I'll go to the bank tomorrow.’
6. She told me, ‘You must leave early tomorrow.’
7. They said, ‘ We may visit Joe tonight.’
8. She said, ‘I can meet you on Tuesday.’
9. Keith said, ‘There is a letter for you on the table.’
10. Eric said, ‘I'm going away, mother'

REPORTING QUESTIONS
● Reported questions usually start with ask, want to know, wonder, inquire.
● Reported yes/no questions need if or whether.
The teacher said, ’Do you speak English?’ ‘Can you play football?’ he wanted o
know. .
The teacher asked me if I spoke English. He wanted to know whether I could
play football.

● Reported wh- questions need a question word, eg. How, what, where ,when etc.
‘What are you doing now?’ my mother asked me. ‘Where did Bill go yesterday?’ Sarah
wondered.
My mother asked me what I was doing then. Sarah wondered where Bill had gone the
day before.

Turn the following into reported questions.

1. ‘Where do you live?’ I asked her.
2. ‘Do you like London?’ he wondered.
3. ‘Can you speak a foreign language?’ she asked her.
4. ‘Who broke my vase?’ I asked.
5. ‘Will you take the children to school today?’ he asked.
6. ‘When will you decorate the kitchen?’ Martha asked.
7. ‘Have you visited Buckingham Palace?’
8. ‘Who called you today?’ she asked.
9. ‘The boss asked, ‘What time are you going home today?
10. ‘Were you looking for Big Ben?’ the policeman asked.

REPORTING COMMANDS /ORDERS

● We usually report orders with tell someone + infinitive with to.
‘Drive carefully!’ they said. ‘Don’t make such a noise’ he said.
They told me to drive carefully. He told me not to make such a noise.

REPORTING REQUESTS
● We usually report requests with ask someone + infinitive.
‘Please, call me when you get home,’ Jane said. ‘ Don’t come with me tomorrow, please’
Jim asked his father.
Jane asked me to call her when I got home. Jim asked his father not to come
with him the following day.

‘Could you open the window please?’ he asked. ‘Would you mind waiting?’ he said.
He asked me to open the window. He asked me to wait.

Janet said to me, ‘ Will you please tell me the time?’ Could you please explain this subject
once more?’ the student said to the teacher.
Janet asked me to tell her the time. The student asked the teacher to
explain that subject once more.

Lara said to me, ‘Do you mind opening the door?’ ’Would you keep an eye on my suitcase
for a minute?’She said.
Lara asked me to open the door. She asked me to keep an eye on her
suitcase for a minute.

REPORTING SUGGESTIONS
● ‘Let’s watch this film,’ Jim said. ‘Why don’t you study medicine at university?’ Jane
told me.
Jim suggested watching this film. Jane suggested that I should study medicine
at university.

‘ What about going to a doctor?’ he said ‘ Shall we go for a walk?’ Ann said.
He suggested going to a doctor. Ann suggested going for a walk.

Change the following sentences into ‘Reported Speech’

1. James said,’ I always get up at six o’clock in the morning.’
2. The children said, ’We will go to the cinema tonight.
3. Janet said,’ I wrote a letter to my father yesterday.’
4. Susan said, ‘Let’s go for a walk in the forest.’
5. Donna said,’ I was living in Egypt when the war started.’
6. Peter said, 'I tried surfing last year and I hurt myself badly'
7. Jean said,’ I don’t think that I will be able to come to the party.’
8. Susan said to me,’ I will help you if I have time.’
9. Jane said to me, ’When does your father go to work?
10. Robin said, ‘These biscuits taste delicious.’
11. Fiona said, ‘That picture was painted by my great grandfather.’
12. I received a parcel this morning, but I haven’t opened it yet,’ Tom said.
13. The article says, ‘The artist only uses oil paints.’
14. ‘The Sun rises in the east,’ she said.
15.’Fish live in water,’ he said.
16. ‘You are very noisy in these days. I want to speak to you' the teacher said to me.
17. ‘The statue of Liberty is in America,’ she said to us.
18. ‘I would go on holiday if I had enough money,’ Bill said.
19. ‘If I am free, I’ll call you,’ Tom said.
20. ‘You should make a decision,’ he said to us.
21. ‘How old will you be on your next birthday? he asked me.
22. Father asked ‘Will you help me lift these boxes please?’
23. ‘Where is the tourist information centre?’ we asked.
24. The doctor said to the patient,’ come back to see me again next week.’
25. The guard said to the driver, ’stop’
26. Mother said, ’How about going for a drive?’
27. She said, ‘Let’s eat now.’
28. ‘Let’s try the exercise again,’ the ballet teacher said.
29. ‘Please visit me in hospital,’ Joan said to Colin.
30. ‘Don’t go near the fire,’ Dad said to us.
31. ‘There is nothing else I can do,’ he said.
32.’I am sorry I am late. I lost my way,’ she said to us.
33. ‘Have you had your hair cut?’ he asked . ‘It looks great.’
34. ‘I’m bored,’ Peter said. ‘This film is terrible.’
35.’I’m going to bed,’ Emma said. ’I’m tired.’
36. ‘Open the window, ’he said. ‘It’s hot in here.’
37. ‘What time is it? Bob asked. ‘My watch has stopped.’
38. ‘Shall we meet again next Thursday?’ Roger asked.
39. ‘Can you pass me the newspaper, please?’ Jane asked Toby.
40. ‘Did you phone your uncle?’ My mother asked.
41. Ben: ‘I didn’t do well in the test.’
42. Tania: ‘My roommate is having a party at the weekend. You’re all invited.’
43. Joe. ‘Does anyone want to come to the cinema with me this afternoon?’
44. ‘They don’t live here anymore,’ he said to me.
45. Mary said to me, ’Do you know how long Alice has been playing the piano?’
46. She told me, ‘You must leave early tomorrow.’
47. ‘Are you ready?’ Mother said to the children. ‘It’s time to go.’
48. ‘Are you busy?’ he asked me. ‘I need to talk to you.’
49. ‘We won’t be visiting Tom this evening,’ Sam told us.
50. ‘Fire at the enemy,’ The sergeant said.
51. She said, ’You must do your homework now.’
52. ‘I was reading the children a story last night when the lights went out,’ she said.
53. ‘I’m going to Spain next week,’ he said.
54. ‘I would invite more people if I had a bigger flat,’ he said.
55. ‘Where have you been?’ he said to me.
56. ‘Can I have some more food, please?’ he asked.
57. ‘Let’s paint the walls blue’ said my little brother.
58. ‘Will Lisa be safe on her own?’ her father wondered.
59. ‘What size shoes do you take?’ the shop assistant said to him.
60. ‘Who was the first man to fly?’ he said.
61. ‘Are there any petrol stations in this area?’ Mike said.
62. ‘Have you been running since early morning?’
63. The doctor said to me, ‘Eat fruit when you are hungry.’
64. My boss said to me, ‘Don’t tell anybody about this plan.’
65. My mother said, ’Wait in this room until I come back.’
66. Chris said, ’Why don’t we have a tea party next Saturday?’
67. Donna said to him,’ Do you know where Janet went last night?’
68.'Why don't we have a tea party' Mrs Stone said.
69.' George, would you bring me a blanket, please?' Shirley asked.
70. 'Make your bed on time ,Hilda' my mother said.
71. 'Follow that car' the detective said to the taxi driver.
72. 'Try to finish your homework before you go to bed' Carol said to me.
73. "May I use your telephone?" Our next door neighbour asked.
74. "Was it raining heavily when you left for work?" I asked Mum .
75. "How many rolls would you like?" The baker asked me .
76. "Do you have a good recipe for chocolate cake?" I asked Mum.
77. "How long have you been waiting for a reply, Mrs. Evans?" The company secretary inquired.
78. "Who is the woman standing behind you?" My brother asked me.
79. "Are you experiencing any pain?" the nurse asked.
80. 'Wash your hands before you sit at the table." Anna told her son
81. "Put your toys away after you have finished playing with them." The nanny instructed the
children.
82. "Don't make too much noise while the baby's sleeping." She reminded them.
83. "Find yourself a better job." She urged me
84. "Wear sunglasses if the sun is really strong." He told me.
85. "Don't worry about making grammar mistakes during open discussions." Our conversation
class teacher told us .
86. James said,' I always get up at six o'clock in the morning.'
87. The children said, 'We will go to the cinema tonight.
88. Janet said,' I wrote a letter to my father yesterday.'