Choosing the most appropriate verb tense when reporting what people say or think can sometimes be a challenge to writers. With this training deck, you'll get to review the guidelines in writing a reported speech to make your writing clear.

1. Indirect (Reported) Speech
in Daily Reports & Summaries
QC Team
July 3, 2013

2. What is a Reported Speech?
There are 2 ways to tell someone what someone else
has said:
1. Repeat the actual words. In this case, we use
“quotation marks”.
2. Explain what someone has said in our own
words. We use reporting clauses with reporting
verbs .
Indirect Speech
or
Reported Speech

3. Reported Speech
Main parts of a reported speech
“I was assigned to write daily and weekly reports this month,”
Andrea explained.
Andrea explained that she was assigned to write daily and weekly
reports this month.
Repeating
the actual
words by
enclosing in
quotation
marks
Reported
Speech
Reporting verb
Reporting clause

4. IN REPORTING WHAT PEOPLE SAY (STATEMENTS) OR THINK (THOUGHTS), WE USE:
• Reporting clauses with ‘that’
Examples:
The Associate Research Manager said that the findings in my report were
useful to the client. (formal)
The Associate Research Manager said the findings in my report were
useful to the client. (informal)
Reported Speech
General Guidelines

5. IN REPORTING WHAT PEOPLE SAY (STATEMENTS) OR THINK (THOUGHTS), WE USE:
• Wh- and if- clauses
Examples:
The netizen inquired which banks had the “best” customer service.
The netizens wanted to know if Samsung Galaxy S4 had “impressive”
features.
Reported Speech
General Guidelines

6. IN REPORTING WHAT PEOPLE SAY (STATEMENTS) OR THINK (THOUGHTS), WE USE:
• to-infinitives
We often use the to-infinitive after verbs of thinking and feeling to report
or summarize actions (decide, hope, intend):
Examples:
“I think I will start all over again.”  He decided to start all over again.
“I am going to write to the newspaper about it.”  She intended to
write to the newspaper about it.
… and verbs of saying (agree, promise, refuse):
The netizens agreed to attend the National Day Rally on Aug 18.
The CRE promised to deliver actionable insights to clients.
Reported Speech
General Guidelines

7. WE VERY RARELY REPORT EXACTLY WHAT SOMEONE HAS SAID. WE USUALLY GIVE
A SUMMARY:
Example:
Mary: Oh dear, we’ve been walking for hours. I am exhausted. I
don’t think I can go any further. I really need to stop for a
rest.
Peter: Don’t worry. I’m not surprised that you’re tired. I’m tired
too. I’ll tell you what. I’ll see if I can find a place to sit down,
and then we can stop and have our picnic.
Reported Speech
General Guidelines
When Mary complained that she was tired out after
walking so far, Peter said they could stop for a picnic.
Reported
Speech

8. WE NEED TO CHOOSE THE MOST APPROPRIATE VERB TENSE WHEN REPORTING:
The choices:
Pastvs Present
Reported Speech
General Guidelines
“My name is Julie,” she said.
She said her name was Julie. She said her name is Julie.

9. WE NEED TO CHOOSE THE MOST APPROPRIATE VERB TENSE WHEN REPORTING:
Reported Speech
General Guidelines
Past: General Rule
• Since reported speech is most commonly used to report something that was said
or thought in the past, the reporting verb is usually in the past tense.
If the main verb is in the past tense, we need to backshift to maintain consistency
and clarity in verb tense.
Examples:
The netizens expected the government to issue a Stop-Work Order (SWO) when PSI
levels had soared to a record high of 400.
The Dean of the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore , K Ranga Krishnan,
emphasized that emotions were as important as education.

10. WE NEED TO CHOOSE THE MOST APPROPRIATE VERB TENSE WHEN REPORTING:
Reported Speech
General Guidelines
• If we are talking about the past but mention something that is still true, we could
use a present tense form to show that we agree that it is true.
Example: Mary said she enjoyed the film because Robert de Niro is her favourite
actor.
“I feel hungry.”  ‘Tom said he feels hungry, so let’s go and eat.’
• If we are talking about something that everybody knows is true we normally use
present tense.
Example: Michael said he had always wanted to climb Everest because it is the
highest mountain in the world.
When is it all right to use Present Tense?

11. WE NEED TO CHOOSE THE MOST APPROPRIATE VERB TENSE WHEN REPORTING:
Reported Speech
General Guidelines
• We use present reporting verbs when we are uncertain as to whether the
information we are reporting is true.
Example: Meg tells me you have decided to resign.
• We use present reporting verbs when we want to make a general report about what
many people say.
Example: Everyone says that she has made the wrong decision.
Present

12. WE NEED TO CHOOSE THE MOST APPROPRIATE VERB TENSE WHEN REPORTING:
Reported Speech
General Guidelines
Past: Basic rules from direct to reported speech
1 . Present tense in direct speech usually becomes past tense in the
reported clause.
Examples:
“I feel sick.”  Kate said she felt sick.
“We’re moving house.”  She told me they were moving house.
“It’s David’s fault.”  He claimed that it was David’s fault.

13. WE NEED TO CHOOSE THE MOST APPROPRIATE VERB TENSE WHEN REPORTING:
Reported Speech
General Guidelines
Past: Basic rules from direct to reported speech
2. Present perfect in direct speech usually becomes past perfect in
reported clause:
Examples:
““I’ve finished.”  She said she had finished.
“Have you been crying?  I asked her if she had been crying.

14. WE NEED TO CHOOSE THE MOST APPROPRIATE VERB TENSE WHEN REPORTING:
Reported Speech
General Guidelines
Past: Basic rules from direct to reported speech
3. Past tense in direct speech often becomes past perfect in the
reported clause:
Examples:
“I was sleeping.” She said that she had been sleeping.
“She had already seen the film.”  He told me that she had already
seen the film.
Note that a simple past tense in direct speech
can also remain unchanged in the reported clause,
especially when it refers to a completed action.

15. Reported Speech
General Guidelines
Can  could
May  might
Will  would
Must  must; had to
• Would, could, should, might, ought to and used to do not
change in reported speech
Examples:
“I will be late,” Andrea said.  Andrea told me that she would be late.
“It may be better to wait.”  He thought it might be better to wait.
MODAL VERBS AND REPORTED SPEECH

16. Reported Speech
General Guidelines
If someone makes a suggestion about what they or someone else
could do, this can be reported with verbs such as advise, propose,
recommend and suggest, followed by an -ing clause (gerund)
Examples:
“You should eat in the hotel restaurant.”  He suggested eating in the
hotel restaurant.
“It would be useful to read the last chapter.”  The teacher recommended
reading the last chapter.
REPORTING SUGGESTIONS

17. Reported Speech
General Guidelines
Suggestions could also be introduced with that- clause
Examples:
The dentist said, "I think you should use a different toothbrush.”
 The dentist said that I should use a different toothbrush.
My manager said, "I think we should examine the budget carefully at
this meeting."  My manager proposed that we examine the budget
carefully at the meeting.
“You should eat in the hotel restaurant.”  He suggested that I eat in
the hotel restaurant. (subjunctive mood)
REPORTING SUGGESTIONS

18. Reported Speech
General Guidelines
Subjunctive Mood:
Example:
Teacher to Andrea: “It would be useful to read the last chapter.”  The
teacher recommended that Andrea read the last chapter (subjunctive
mood).
REPORTING SUGGESTIONS
Non-subjunctive Subjunctive
Is (e.g. “…is allowed…” Be (e.g. “…be allowed…”)
Was (e.g. “…if I was
ordered…”)
Were (e.g. “…if I were
ordered…”)
Verb ending in –s (e.g. “…that
he writes…”)
No –s (e.g. “… that he
write…”)

19. Thank you!
Next:
Exercises

20. EXERCISES
“My dad was a teacher.”
She told me that her dad a teacher.1
“We’ve been waiting for hours.”
He said that waiting for hours.2
“I didn’t go to the party because I was too tired.”
He said that he to the party because he
too tired.
3 4

21. EXERCISES
“I work for a bank.”
She told me that she for a bank.5
6
“We are meeting Tony at 8 o’clock.”
She said that meeting Tony at 8 o’clock.

22. Answers:
source

23. REPORTED SPEECH ON DAILY REPORTS

24. REPORTED SPEECH ON DAILY REPORTS
A netizen who “disliked” the user interface of Citi’s online banking platform
suggested that Citi simplify it to avoid “bad” user experience.
Subjunctive mood
Present tense (original) to past tense (reported)
Edited version:

25. Executive Summary
“Sean Lee” posted a comment on the Facebook Fan Page of Citi Australia to say that its
online banking service was not “user friendly”. He mentioned that e-Statements are were
sent via e-mail instead of keeping it on the portal, the system has had “too much”
unnecessary security, and snail mail notifications are were sent when adding new account
addresses. He requested Citi to simplify the interface and processes because the user
experience was “so bad”. No comments were observed in the past 24 hours.
REPORTED SPEECH ON DAILY REPORTS

26. REPORTED SPEECH ON DAILY REPORTS
Executive Summary
On Citi Australia Facebook Fan Page, “Sean Lee” suggested that to improve user experience, Citi
should simplify its processes and online banking platform’s user interface which was said to be
“not user-friendly”. He noted issues on e-statements sent to users, instead of being kept in the
portal, unnecessary security measures implemented, e.g. OTPs shown on several screens, and
snail mail notification sent when adding new account address.
Final edits:

27. REFERENCES
Direct and Indirect Speech (July 2013). Learn English Free. Retrieved from
http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/reportedspeech.htm
Maxwell, Kerry G & Clandfield, Lindsay (2000-2013). Reported Speech 1. Onestopenglish by MacMillan English
Campus. Retrieved from http://www.onestopenglish.com/grammar/grammar-reference/verbs-and-
tenses/reported-speech-1-article/152841.article
Maxwell, Kerry G & Clandfield, Lindsay (2000-2013). Reported Speech 2. Onestopenglish by MacMillan English
Campus. Retrieved from http://www.onestopenglish.com/grammar/grammar-reference/verbs-and-
tenses/reported-speech-2-article/152842.article
Maxwell, Kerry G & Clandfield, Lindsay (2000-2013). Reported Speech: Tips and Activities. Onestopenglish by
MacMillan English Campus. Retrieved from http://www.onestopenglish.com/grammar/grammar-
reference/verbs-and-tenses/reported-speech-tips-and-activities/152843.article
Reported Speech 1. British Council. Retrieved from http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/grammar-
reference/reported-speech-1
 Reported Speech 2. British Council. Retrieved from http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/grammar-
reference/reported-speech-2

28. REFERENCES
Reporting: Reports and Summaries. British Council. Retrieved from
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-grammar/clause-phrase-and-sentence/verb-
patterns/reporting-reports-and-summaries
Tense Consistency Exercises (1995-2013). Purdue University Online Writing Lab. Retrieved from
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/2/22
Verb Tense Consistency. Purdue University Online Writing Lab. Retrieved from
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/601/04/

29. Thank you!