Transcript Reported speech is used to express what others have said.

Reported speech is used to express what others have said. It is also useful
when you are writing a paper at college level. In this case, it involves
paraphrasing and summarizing what different authors have said.
In spoken discourse there are certain rules to follow. First of all, to make
sentences in reported speech you need verbs like say or tell.
On the other hand the tense used to express and idea is also an important
factor. Take into consideration the following chart:
Direct Speech
Reported Speech

Present Tense

Simple Past Tense

Future with "Going to"

Past with "Going to"

Present Perfect

Past Perfect

Sentences with "Can"

Sentences with "Could"

Future with "Will"

Sentences with "Would"

Present Progressive

Past Progressive
Look at the following examples:
Direct Speech
Reported Speech

Julia:"I live in my own
apartment".

She said that she lived in her own
apartment

Nick:"I am going to visit my
parents next weekend".

He said he was going to visit his
parents next weekend.

Tom:"I have studied Italian
for a year".

Tom said he had studied Italina for a
year.

Linda and John: "We can't
come to the party next week".

They said they couldn't come to the
party next week.

Terry: "I'll write as soon as I
get there".

She said that she would write as soon as
he got there.

Andrew:"I'm learning to cook
Chinese food".

He said he was learning to cook
Chinese food.
Put the following sentences into the reported speech introducing
them with a verb in the past tense
I am ill He said he was ill
I met him last year She said she had met him the year before
She said she met him last year
They will be here soon They said they would be there soon
She has finished now She said she had finished then
I am living in London
He said he was living in London
He is going to Berlin tomorrow He said he was going to Berlin the following day
I have just been to the super market She said she had just been to the supermarket
I can come next week He said he could come the following week
They went away yesterday He said they had gone away the day after
He said they went away yesterday
Reported Requests and Commands
Reported requests and commands are made by using verbs like want, would like, ask and
tell with an object and an infinitive.
Direct (Affirmative)
“Can you come and see me about the job?” (request)
“Talk to Bob about the job.” (command)
Reported
Clare asked / wants / would like me to go and see her about the job.
Clare told me to talk to Bob about it.
Direct (Negative)
“Please don’t call me.” (request)
“Don’t call me.” (command)
Reported
Alan asked / told me not to call him.
Said is also possible with the infinitive: The doctor said to stay in
bed for a few days. (but not said me)
What’s the difference in meaning?
1 – He asked me to go.
2 – He told me to go.
Reported questions
In reported questions the word order of the question always changes
He asked, «what are you doing?»
He asked, «what is your name?»
He asked me what I was doing
He asked me what my name was
If there is no question word (who, what, where etc.) if is used instead.
Are you American?
Do you live in Boston?
He asked if I was American
He asked if I lived in Boston
Put the following sentences into the reported speech
Are you enjoying yourself? She asked me if I was enjoying myself
Do I look all right? She asked me if she looked all right
Is it time to go? He wanted to know if it was time to go
Can you hear a noise? He asked her if she could hear a noise
Do you sleep in the afternoons? He wanted to know if I slept in the afternoons
Was the train full? He asked if the train was full
Did Bill give you that ring? She wanted to know if Bill had given her that ring
Say and tell
If you say who you are talking to, use tell:
 Tom told me (that) he didn’t like Brian. (not Tom said me ... )
Otherwise use say:
 Tom said (that) he didn’t like Brian. (not Tom told (that) he ... )
Also: you can’t say “Tom told about his trip to Mexico.” You have to say:
 Tom told us (or me/them/Ann, etc) about his trip to Mexico.
If you don’t say who he told, you have to say:
 Tom talked (or spoke) about his trip to Mexico. (but not said
about)
EXERCISES
1 – Give the Reported Speech of these sentences.
a) “I live in an apartment in Cambridge.”
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b) “Eat more fruits and vegetables,” the doctor said.
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c) “I don’t smoke.”
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d) “I’m working tomorrow evening.”
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e) “You must come back by 9:00 pm.”
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f) “It may rain.”
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g) “I have been to a lot of places.”
_________________________________________________________________________________
h) “I drove home last night.”
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i) “Speak more slowly.”
_________________________________________________________________________________
j) “Do you work in Boston?”
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k) “Don’t shout!”
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l) “New York is bigger than London.”
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m) “She has taught English for many years.”
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n) “Mr. Evans didn’t go to the concert last Monday.”
_________________________________________________________________________________
o) “Can you open the gate for me, please?”
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p) “Ann, answer the question, please!
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q) “I will be there for sure.”
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r) “I can’t come to the party tonight.”
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s) “Don’t come before 6:00,” I said to her.
_________________________________________________________________________________
t) “I wake up very tired this morning.”
_________________________________________________________________________________
told
said
advised
warned
suggested
asked
offered
ordered
REPORTING VERBS
I would go and see the doctor if I were you
Julie advised me to go and see a doctor
Can you come and help me with this box?
John asked me to help him with that box
This is an exam Mr Jones. Shut up now.
The headmaster told me to shut up
That road is very dangarous, so just be careful.
His mother warned him that the road was dangerous
and asked him to be careful
Liverpool won the match last night
The journalist reported that Liverpool won the match last night
Why don’t we go and see that film at the cinema?
Bill suggested we should go and see that film at the cinema
I can come and look after the children tomorrow
Jane offered to come and look after the children tomorrow
The lesson starts at six o’clock in the evening
The teacher said that the lesson starts at six o’clock in the evening