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Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)
What is reported speech?
Reported speech is when you tell somebody else what you or a person said before.
Distinction must be made between direct speech and reported speech.
Direct speech vs Reported speech:
Direct speech
Reported speech
She says: "I like tuna fish."
She says that she likes tuna fish.
She said: "I'm visiting Paris next
weekend"
She said that she was visiting Paris the following
weekend.
Different types of sentences
When you use reported speech, you either report:
statements
questions
requests / commands
other types
A. Reporting Statements
When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:
pronouns
tense
place and time expression
1- Pronouns
In reported speech, you often have to change the pronoun depending on who says what.
Example:
She says, My dad likes roast chicken. She says that her dad likes roast chicken.
2- Tenses
If the sentence starts in the present, there is no backshift of
tenses in reported speech.
If the sentence starts in the past, there is often backshift of
tenses in reported speech.
Direct speech
Reported speech
(no backshift)
I write poems.
He says that he writes poems.
(backshift)
I write poems.
He said that he wrote poems.
No backshift
Do not change the tense if the introductory clause is in a present tense (e. g. He says).
Note, however, that you might have to change the form of the present tense verb (3rd
person singular).
Example:
He says, I write poems. He says that he writes English.
Backshift
You must change the tense if the introductory clause is in a past tense (e. g. He said).
Example:
He said, I am happy. He said that he was happy.
Examples of the main changes in tense:
Direct Speech
Reported Speech
Simple Present
Simple Past
He said: "I am happy"
He said that he was happy
Present Progressive
He said: "I'm looking for my keys"
Past Progressive
He said that he was looking for his keys
Simple Past
He said: "I visited New York last year"
Past Perfect Simple
He said that he had visited New York the
previous year.
Present Perfect
He said: " I've lived here for a long time "
Past Perfect
He said that he had lived there for a long
time
Past Perfect
He said: "They had finished the work
when I arrived"
Past Perfect
He said that they had finished the work when
he had arrived"
Past Progressive
He said: "I was playing football when the
accident occurred"
Past Perfect Progressive
He said that he had been playing football
when the accident had occurred
Present Perfect Progressive
Past Perfect Progressive
He said:"I have been playing football for He said that he had been playing football for
two hours."
two hours
Past Perfect Progressive
He said: "I had been reading a newspaper
when the light went off"
Past Perfect Progressive
He said that he had been reading a
newspaper when the light had gone off
Future Simple (will+verb)
He said: "I will open the door."
Conditional (would+verb)
He said that he would open the door.
Conditional (would+verb)
Conditional (would+verb)
He said: "I would buy Mercedes if I were He said that he would buy Mercedes if he had
rich"
been rich"
The modal verbs could, should, would, might, needn't, ought to, used to do not
normally change.
Example:
He said, "She might be right." He said that she might be right.
Other modal verbs may change:
Modal
Direct speec
Repored speech
can
"I can do it."
He said he could do it.
may
"May I go out?"
He wanted to know if he might go out.
must
"She must apply for the job." He said that she must/had to apply for the job.
will
"They will call you."
He tod her that they would call her.
3- Place, demonstratives and time expressions
Place, demonstratives and time expressions change if the context of the reported
statement (i.e. the location and/or the period of time) is different from that of the
direct speech.
In the following table, you will find the different changes of place; demonstratives and
time expressions.
Direct Speech
Reported Speech
Time Expressions
today
that day
now
then
yesterday
the day before
days ago
days before
last week
the week before
next year
the following year
tomorrow
the next day / the following day
Place
here
there
Demonstratives
this
that
these
those
B. Reporting Questions
When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:
pronouns
place and time expressions
tenses (backshift)
Also note that you have to:
transform the question into an indirect question
use the question word (where, when, what, how) or if / whether
Types of questions
Direct speech
Reported speech
With question word (what, "Why" dont you
why, where, how...)
speak English?
He asked me why I didnt
speak English.
Without question word (yes Do you speak
or no questions)
English?
He asked me whether / if
I spoke English.
C. Reporting requests / commands
When transforming requests and commands, check whether you have to change:
pronouns
place and time expressions
Direct speech
Reported speech
Nancy,do the exercise.
He told Nancy to do the exercise.
"Nancy, give me your pen, please."
He asked Nancy to give him her pen.
Tenses are not relevant for requests simply use to / not to + verb (infinitive without
"to")
Example:
She said, Sit down." - She asked me to sit down.
She said, "don't be lazy" - She asked me not to be lazy
For affirmative use to + infinitive (without to)
For negative requests, use not to + infinitive (without to).
D. Other transformations
Expressions of advice with must, should and ought are usually reported
using advise / urge.
Example:
You must read this book.
He advised / urged me to read that book.
The expression lets is usually reported using suggest. In this case, there
are two possibilities for reported speech: gerund or statement with
should.
Example:
Lets go to the cinema.=
1. He suggested going to the cinema.
2. He suggested that we should go to the cinema.
Main clauses connected with and/but
If two complete main clauses are connected with and or but, put that after the
conjunction.
Example:
He said,I saw her but she didn't see me. He said that he had seen her but that she
hadn't seen him.
If the subject is dropped in the second main clause (the conjunction is followed by a
verb), do not use that.
Example:
She said,I am a nurse and work in a hospital. He said that she was a nurse and
worked in a hospital.
GERUNDA AND INFINITIVES
Verbs Followed by an Infinitive
She agreed to speak before the game.
agree
aim
appear
arrange
ask
attempt
be able
beg
begin
care
choose
condescend
consent
continue
dare
decide
deserve
detest
dislike
expect
fail
forget
get
happen
have
hesitate
hope
hurry
intend
leap
leave
like
long
love
mean
neglect
offer
ought
plan
prefer
prepare
proceed
promise
propose
refuse
remember
say
shoot
start
stop
strive
swear
threaten
try
use
wait
want
wish
love
motivate
order
pay
permit
persuade
prepare
promise
remind
require
send
teach
tell
urge
want
warn
Verbs Followed by an Object and an Infinitive
Everyone expected her to win.
advise
allow
ask
beg
bring
build
buy
challenge
choose
command
dare
direct
encourage
expect
forbid
force
have
hire
instruct
invite
lead
leave
let
like
Note: Some of these verbs are included in the list above
and may be used without an object.
Verbs Followed by a Gerund
They enjoyed working on the boat.
admit
advise
appreciate
avoid
can't help
complete
consider
delay
deny
detest
dislike
enjoy
escape
excuse
finish
forbid
get through
have
imagine
mind
miss
permit
postpone
practice
quit
recall
report
resent
resist
resume
risk
spend (time)
suggest
tolerate
waste (time)
Verbs Followed by a Preposition and a Gerund
We concentrated on doing well.
admit to
approve of
argue about
believe in
care about
complain about
concentrate on
confess to
depend on
disapprove of
discourage from
dream about
feel like
forget about
insist on
object to
plan on
prevent (someone) from
refrain from
succeed in
talk about
think about
worry about
QUESTION FORMS
1) Yes/No questions - be
Subject and verb change their position in statement and question.
statement
You are from Germany.
question
Are you from Germany?
We always use the short answer, not only "Yes" or "No". This sounds rude.
NOTE:
If the answer is "Yes", we always use the long form.
Example: Yes, I am.
If the answer is "No", we either use the long or the contracted form (short form).
Example: No, I am not - No, I'm not.
Are
you
Yes,
am.
No,
am not.
'm not.
from Germany?
Is
he
your friend?
Yes,
he
is.
Are
Peter and John
from England?
Yes,
they
are.
2) Questions with question words - be
Question word
Verb
Rest
Answer
Where
are
you from?
I'm from Stuttgart.
What
is
your name?
My name is Peter.
How
are
Pat and Sue?
They're fine.
3) Yes/No Questions and short answers - have
Auxiliary
Subject
Verb
Rest
Yes/No
Subject
Auxiliary
(+ n't)
Have
you
got
a cat?
Yes,
have.
Have
you
got
a new car?
No,
we
haven't.
Has
your brother
got
a bike?
Yes,
he
has.
Do
you
have
a cat?
Yes,
do.
Do
you
have
a new car?
No,
we
don't.
Does
your brother
have
a bike?
Yes,
he
does.
4) Questions with question words - have
Question word
Auxiliary
Subject
Verb
Rest
Answer
Where
have
you
got
your ruler?
I've got it in my pencil case.
Where
do
you
have
your ruler?
I have it in my pencil case.
5) Questions without question words in the Simple Present
Auxiliary
Subject
Verb
Rest
Do
you
read
books?
Does
Peter
play
football?
Yes/No
Subject
Auxiliary (+ n't)
Yes,
do.
No,
don't.
Yes,
he
does.
6) Questions with question words in the Simple Present
Question word
Auxiliary
Subject
Verb
Rest
Answer
What
do
you
play
on your computer?
I play games on my computer.
When
does
your mother
go
to work?
She goes to work at 6 o'clock.
Where
do
you
meet
your friends?
I meet them at the bus stop.
7) Questions without question words in the Simple Past
Auxiliary
Subject
Verb
Rest
Did
Max
play
football?
Did
watc
h
you
Yes/No
Subject
Auxiliary (+ n't)
Yes,
he
did.
No,
he
didn't.
Yes,
did.
No,
didn't.
the film yesterday?
BUT:
to be
Subject
Were
you
xxx
Rest
Yes/No
Subject
Auxiliary (+ n't)
Yes,
was.
No,
wasn't.
in Leipzig last week?
8) Questions with question words in the Simple Past
Question word
Auxiliary
Subject
Verb
Rest
Answer
What
did
you
do
yesterday evening?
I did my homework.
When
did
she
meet
her boyfriend?
She met him yesterday.
Where
did
they
go
after the match?
They went to a caf.
BUT:
Question word
to be
Subject
Where
were
you
xxxxx
Rest
Answer
yesterday?
I was at the cinema.
9) Subject question
Question word
Verb
Rest
Subject
Verb
Object - Place - Time
Who
runs
to the shop?
Peter
runs
to the shop.
Question word
Auxiliary
Subject
Verb
Who
do
you
like?
Who
did
Mandy
phone
10) Object question
Rest
Answer
I like my mum.
last Monday?
Mandy phoned her uncle.
NOTE!
Subject question
Who
phoned
Answer:
Peggy phoned John.
Object question
John?
Who
did
Answer:
John phoned Peggy.
John
phone?
