1. MASTER STUDENT’S NAME: DIANA DRAGOŞ
“1 DECEMBRIE 1918” UNIVERSITY OF ALBA IULIA
LANGUAGE LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE
PRESENTATION DATE: 27 APRIL 2013
Reported Speech

2. Reported Speech - Introduction
Direct Speech
We can show that words are
direct speech by putting
them in quotation marks:
'But I don't love you,
Henry,' replied Claire.
Sometimes the words are put
after the speaker's name, to
indicate direct speech:
Trevor: I'm tired.
Reported Speech
In reported speech we give
the meaning of what was
said rather than the exact
words:
Claire replied that she
didn't love Henry.
Trevor says he's tired.

3. Tense Changes in Reported Speech
The present tense verb is changed to the past
tense
"I like pizza.” (What did she say?)
She said *that she liked pizza.
The past tense is changed to the past perfect
"I went to New York City.” (What did he say?)
He said that he had gone to New York City.
The present continuous is changed to the past
continuous.
"I am taking an English class.” (What did he say?)
He said that he was taking an English class.

4. Tense Change in Reported Speech
The present perfect verb is changed to the past
perfect
"I have been to California.” (What did she say?)
She said that she had been to California.
The past perfect tense doesn't change.
"I had talked to my neighbor.” (What did he say?)
John said that he had talked to his neighbor.
The future tense verb is changed to the conditional
"I will buy a new house.” (What did she say?)
She said that she would buy a new house.

5. *When we report statements, we often use that, but we
can sometimes leave it out, without affecting the
meaning of the sentence as a whole:
She said that she liked pizza She said she liked pizza

6. Reported Words
In reporting we use verbs such as announce, answer,
explain, mention, promise, reply, say, suggest, tell.
warn. The most common of these are say and tell.
TELL
We use tell if we want to mention the hearer
(the person spoken to).
Sarah's boss told her she could leave early.
NOT
Sarah's boss told she could leave-early.
We use tell without an indirect object (e.g. her, me) only
in the expressions tell a story, tell the truth and
tell a lie.

7. Reported Words
SAY
When we do not mention the hearer, we use say.
Sarah's boss said she could leave early.
NOT
Sarah's boss said her she could leave early.
We sometimes use to after say, especially when
the words are not reported.
The boss wanted to say something to Sarah.

8. Changes in Reported Speech
Changes from direct speech to reported speech depend
on changes in the situation. We may have to make
changes when we are reporting something another
person has said, or when we report it in a different
place or at a different time.
Here are some typical changes:
Person: I my
he/she his/her

9. Place: here there
Time: now then, at the time
today that day, on Monday, etc
yesterday the day before, the previous day
tomorrow the next/following day
this week that week
an hour ago an hour before/earlier
last week the week before

10. Exercises
Write the sentences using reported speech.
1. Lisa said, "I like to cook."
2. Tony said, "I finished his homework.“
3. Ryan said, "I am working right now.“
4. Selma said, "I have been shopping.“
5. George said, "I had just finished my work.“
6. Loren said, "I have seen the Grand Canyon.“
7.The students said, "We will take an English class .“
8. The teenager said, "I had hurried to class."

11. Exercises
Put in tell or say.
? All the experts say the earth is getting warmer.
? Did you tell Mark and Sarah how to find our house?
1 The Sales Manager is going to.................. everyone about the
meeting.
2 Vicky, why don't you just…………… what the matter is?
3 They……………. they're going to build a new Disney World here.
4 What did Natasha……………. about her holiday plans?
5 Could you………….. me the way to the train station, please?
6 The company should……………. its employees what's going on.
7 You shouldn't……………..lies, you know, Matthew.
8 Did you …………… anything to Melanie about the barbecue?

12. Exercises
Read what each person says and then complete the sentences.
Vicky: Daniel told me on Friday that he'd had a job interview the
previous day.
Daniel had a job interview on Thursday.
1 Trevor: Laura tells me I need a haircut……………………………….. needs a
haircut.
2 Claire: My brother told me in 1997 that he expected to become Manager
the following year.
Claire's brother expected that he would become Manager in
.............................
3 Alice: I wanted to see Mark in April, but he said he was very busy that
month. Mark was very busy in …………………………………………………………
4 Harriet: I saw Nick last week. He said he'd given up smoking the week
before. Nick gave up smoking ................................ ago.

13. Exercises
Put in here, that day, the day before, the next day, the week
before.
Rachel (a week ago): I'm taking my driving test tomorrow.
You (today): When I saw Rachel, she said she was taking her driving
test the next day
1 Emma (two days ago): I've only had this new computer since
yesterday.
You (today): Emma said she'd only had the new computer since.........
2 Matthew (a week ago): I'm meeting a friend at the station later
today.
You (today): Matthew said he was meeting a friend at the station
later..........
3 Mark (in the street): I'll see you in the office.
You (in the office): Mark said he would see me.................
4 Sarah (a month ago): The conference was last week.
You (today): Sarah told me the conference had taken place.................

14. Act out a dialogue between you and your
deskmate asking personal questions and then
write down the reported conversation.