Direct and Reported

Speech

When we communicate or
report what another person
has said, there are two ways
to do it
 Direct Speech
When we exactly report what another person has said, we use the direct
style. With this style what the person has said is placed between quotation
marks ("...") and should be word by word.

 "I am going to London

next week," she said. 
 Do you have a pen I could
borrow," he asked. 
 Alice said, "I love to
dance.“
 Chris asked, "Would you
like to have dinner with
me tomorrow night?"
 Reported Speech

Unlike direct style, does not use

quotation marks and does not need be
word by word. In general, when the
indirect style is used, the tense
changes. Then you have an explanation
of the changes they undergo in the
tenses.

Sometimes "that" is used in affirmative

and negative to introduce what the
other person said in phrases.
Moreover, in interrogative sentences
can be used "if" or "whether".
 Reported Speech
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Present Simple Past Simple

"He's American," she She said

said. he was American.
"I'm happy to see Mary
you," Mary said. said that she was happy
He asked, "Are you to see me.
busy tonight?" He asked
me if I was busy that
night.
 Reported Speech
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Present Continuous Past Continuous

Dan is living in San She said Dan was

Francisco," she said. living in San Francisco.
He said, "I'm He told me that he was
making dinner.“ making dinner.
"Why are you working They asked me why
 so hard?" they asked. I was working so hard.
 Reported Speech
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Past Simple Past Perfect Simple

He told me they had

"We went to the movies
gone to the movies the
last night," he said.
night before.
"Greg said, "I didn't
Greg said that he hadn't
go to work yesterday.“ gone to work the day
"Did you buy a new before.
car?" she asked. She asked me if I had
bought a new car.
 Reported Speech
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous

"I was working late Vicki told me she'd

last night," Vicki said. been working late the

They said, "we weren't night before.
They
waiting long.“
" He said that they hadn't
been waitinglong.
asked, "were you sleep
He asked if I'd been
ing when I called?"
sleeping when he
called.
 Reported Speech
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Present Perfect Simple Past Perfect Simple

"Heather Heather told

said, "I've already eaten.“ me that she'd already 
 "We haven't been to eaten.
China," they said.  They said they hadn't
 "Have you worked here been to China.
before?" I asked.  I asked
her whether she'd
worked therebefore.
 Reported Speech
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous

  "I've been  He said he'd been

studying English for two studying English for

years,"he said. two years.
 " Steve said, "we've been  Steve told me that they'd

dating for over a year now.“ been dating for over a

 "Have you been year.
 They asked whether I'd
waiting long?" they asked.
been waiting long.
 Reported Speech
Reported Speech
Direct Speech
Past Perfect Simple (*NO
Past Perfect Simple CHANGE)

  "I'd been to Chicago  He said that he'd

before to work," he said. been to Chicago before
to work.
 Reported Speech
Reported Speech
Direct Speech
Past Perfect Continuous (*NO
Past Perfect Continuous CHANGE)

 She said, "I'd been  She said she'd been

dancing for years before dancing for years
the accident." before the accident.
 Reported Speech
Modal Verbs

The tense change in

indirect speech also with
some of the modal verbs.

Note: "would", "could",

"should", "might" and
"ought to", time does not
change.
 Reported Speech
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Will Would

 "I'll go to the movies  John said he would

tomorrow," John said. go to the moviesthe
next day.
 "Will you help me  She asked
move?" she asked. me if I would
help her move.
 Reported Speech
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Can Could

  Debra  Debra said

said, "Allen can Allen could work the
work tomorrow.“ next day.

 "Can you open the  He asked

window, please?", he me if I could open the
asked. window.
 Reported Speech
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Must Had to

"You must  My mom said I had to

wear your wear my seatbelt.
seatbelt," mom said.
 She said I had to
 She said, "You must work the next day.
work tomorrow."
 Reported Speech
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Shall Should

"Shall we go to the Tom

beach today?" Tom asked if we should
asked. go to the beach that
day.
  "What shall we do t She asked me what
onight?" she asked. we should dothat
night.
 Reported Speech
Direct Speech Reported Speech
May Might/Could

 Jane said, "I may Jane said she might

not be in class not be in classthe next
tomorrow.“ day.

 The boy The boy

asked. "May I use the asked if he could
bathroom, please?"  use the bathroom.
Reported
Speech

Below is a table
where you can
observe the
changes
experienced by
expressions of
time when we
use reported
speech.