1. Larisa said that
the new teacher
had given all the
students an A
last semester.
Really! Victor
told me that
students
could eat in
his class.
No, what is it?
Rumors and Gossip
Have you heard
the latest gossip
about the new
teacher?
Wow! Yeah, I
heard he was
an easy
teacher.
Maria said that
the new teacher
didn’t give any
homework.

2. Reported Speech 1
The table below presents the changes in verb forms:
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Simple Present
Present Continuous
Simple Past Tense
Present Perfect
 Simple Past
 Past Continuous
 Past Perfect
 Past Perfect

3. Example 1
“The
teacher
is strict.”
She said
the teacher
was strict.
“The teacher
is giving
everyone an
A.”
He said
the
teacher
was
giving
everyone
an A.

4. Example 2
“Somebody
put the final
exam on the
Internet.”
She said
somebody
had put the
final exam
on the
Internet.
“The
teacher has
graded our
grammar
tests.”
Joe said the
teacher had
graded our
grammar tests.

5. Reported Speech
There are other changes in the Reported Speech
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Here
This /These
I
My
Our
We
There
That / those
He / She
His / Her
Their
They

6. Direct Speech Reported Speech
Now
Today
Tonight
Tomorrow
Yesterday
Last week
Ago
Then
That day
That night
The next day / The
following day
The day before
The week before
Before

7. Exercise 1
1. “The library is closed.” He said…
2. “We have registered for classes.” They said…
3. “She got an A on the test.” You said…
Rewrite the following
sentences into the
Reported Speech:
“My friend is helping me study.” She said…
Example:
She said her friend was helping her study.
He said the library was closed.
They said they had registered for classes.
You said she had gotten an A on the test.

8. Reported Speech 2
Modal verbs also change in the Reported Speech
Direct Speech Reported Speech
will
can
may
must
 would
 could
 might
 had to

9. Example 1
“The test
will be
difficult.”
He said the test
would be
difficult.
She said we
could use
our notes
on the test.
“You can
use your
notes on
the test.”

10. Example 2
She said we
had to study
hard for the
final exam.
“You must
study hard
for the final
exam.”
“We may
have a
substitute
teacher.”
She said we
might have a
substitute
teacher.

11. Exercise 2
1. “We’ll help you with your homework.” They said…
2. “Anna must finish her paper.” He said…
3. “She may take a different class.” You said…
Rewrite the sentences into
the Reported Speech.
“You can relax about the exam.” She said…
Example:
She said I could relax about the exam.
They said they would help me with my homework.
He said Anna had to finish her paper.
You said she might take a different class.

12. Reported Speech 3
The following verbs don’t change in the Reported
Speech: should, could, might, ought to.
“You
shouldn’t
tell this
secret to
anyone.”
She said I
shouldn’t tell
this secret to
anyone.
“You ought
to tell this to
a friend.”
! He said I
ought to tell
this to a
friend.

13. “I could have gotten help
from a tutor.”
He said he could have gotten
help from a tutor.
He said if he had studied, he
would have gotten an A.
“I thought I had chosen
the easy teacher.”
“If I had studied, I would
have gotten an A.”
He said he thought he had
chosen the easy teacher.
Reported Speech 4
The Past Perfect and the 3rd Conditional don’t
change in the Reported Speech

14. Exercise 3
1. “If I knew, I would tell you.” She said…
2. “I might have known the test was difficult.” He said…
3. “She had had that teacher before.” We said…
Rewrite the sentences into
the Reported Speech
“We ought to study some more.” He said…
Example:
He said we ought to study some more.
She said if she knew, she would tell me.
He said he might have known the test was difficult.
We said she had had that teacher before.