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REPORTED SPEECH
GRAMMAR LESSON & QUIZ
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Reported speech is speech that tells us what someone said
without directly quoting them. In other words, we use
reported speech to summarize and communicate what
someone previously said. We use this everyday and it's an
excellent way to become more fluent!
1 Reported speech
Let's begin by looking at an example of direct speech:
“I listen to music every day.”
This is a statement someone has directly said. Now, what if we
want to report that statement to someone else? We must use
reported speech!
Reported speech: You said (that) you listened to music every
day.
Can you spot the difference?
There are essentially 3 main elements to converting direct
speech to reported speech.
Add a reporting verb
Backshift our tenses by one
Change the pronouns!
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Here’s another example!
Direct speech: I want to call my mother.
Reported speech: She said (that) he wanted to call his mother.
2 Reporting verbs
Reporting verbs are words which are used to talk
about or report on someone else’s thoughts, words,
or statements.
Our most common reporting verbs are "say" and "tell". Don't
forget their irregular conjugations!
SAY -------> SAID
TELL -------> TOLD
Why don’t we look at a few examples?
She said (that) she loved the movie.
They said (that) she ate breakfast.
We may also use the structure “say + to someone”.
For example:
Robert said to his teacher (that) he finished the homework
assignment.
Allison said to her teacher (that) she was feeling ill.
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When we use “tell”, we always have to remember to add in the
person to whom we are reporting.
Use the structure “tell + who we are speaking to”.
For example:
I told you (that) she loved the movie.
I told her (that) they already ate breakfast.
3 Backshift
We are changing the perspective so it is
imperative that we change our tenses! With
report speech we backshift our tense by one.
Direct tense to reported tense
Present simple ---> Past simple
Present continuous ---> Past continuous
Present perfect ---> Past perfect
Present perfect continuous ---> Past perfect continuous
Past simple ---> Past perfect
Past continuous ---> Past perfect continuous
Past perfect ---> (no change)
Past perfect continuous ---> (no change)
Future simple ---> would
Future continuous ---> would
Future perfect ---> would
Future perfect continuous ---> would
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Direct tense to reported tense
Present simple to Past simple
Direct speech: I want to buy a car.
Reported speech: John said (that) he wanted to buy a car.
Present Continuous to Past Continuous
Direct speech: I am doing my laundry.
Reported speech: Jeff told her that he was doing his
homework.
Present Perfect to Past Perfect
Direct speech: They have finished their homework.
Reported speech: My mom said that they had finished their
homework.
Past Simple to Past Perfect
Direct speech: I washed the dishes.
Reported speech: You told her (that) you had washed the
dishes.
Future simple
Direct speech: I will call you later.
Reported speech: She said (that) she would call you later.
Can to Could
Direct speech: He can eat a lot
Reported speech: They told me (that) he could eat a lot.
May to Might
Direct speech: This watch may be too expensive.
Reported speech: My dad said (that) this watch might be
too expensive.
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It’s worth noting that the reason we don’t make any
changes for the past perfect or past perfect continuous
tense is because we can’t really go farther back in the past.
All of our future tenses use the verb “will” so it is a simple
change to “would”.
3 Modal Verbs
Be sure to keep an eye out for the below modal verbs.
You need to pay special attention to them in reported
speech. Take a look!
Direct tense to Reported tense
Can -----> Could
May -----> Might (possibility)
May -----> Could (permission)
Will -----> Would
Shall -----> Should
Must -----> Had to (necessity/obligation)
Must -----> (no change)
Might -----> (no change)
Could -----> Would
Would -----> Would
Should -----> Would
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Let's look at some examples!
Direct speech: I will do it tomorrow.
Reported speech: He said that he would do it tomorrow.
Direct speech: My uncle can speak Spanish.
Reported speech: You said that your uncle could speak
Spanish.
Direct speech: I may to go the movies.
Reported speech: She said that she might go to the movies.
Direct speech: We may talk after class.
Reported speech: The teacher said we could talk after class.
Can you come up
with any of your
own? Give it a shot!
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4 Activity
Convert the following reporting verbs to their correct
conjugation.
1. They _____ that you were hungry.
2. He _____ my mother she would be late.
3. The teacher _____ the exam was cancelled.
4. John _____ me that he was upset.
5. Mark _____ that it was too late.
Change the following examples of direct speech into
reported speech
a) Direct speech: She always wears a coat.
Reported speech:
b) Direct speech: I’m looking for my car.
Reported speech
c) Direct speech: We were living in Brazil.
Reported speech:
d) Direct speech: He had been teaching abroad for 5 years in
my school.
Reported speech:
e) Direct speech: I will finish my homework tomorrow.
Reported speech:
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The End
1. said 2. told 3. said 4. told 5. said
a) He said that she always wears a coat.
b) He said that he was looking for his car.
c) They said that they had been living in
Brazil.
d) They said that he had been teaching
abroad for five years in their school.
e) She said that she would finish her
homework tomorrow.
Answers 4
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