Reported speech
Reporting Statements
General Structure:
Reporting verb + that + subject + verb
Case 1:
If the reporting verb (says, tells, believes...) is in the present, the tense does not change.
Examples:
“I work on the project day and night,” Samy says. ( Direct speech)
Samy says that he works on the project day and night. ( indirect speech)
“We are studying,” they say. ( Direct speech)
They say that they are studying. ( indirect speech)
Case 2:
If the reporting verb ( said, told, believed...) is in the past, the tense changes.
Examples:
I work on the project day and night,” Samy said. ( Direct speech)
Samy said that he worked on the project day and night. ( indirect speech)
They said: “We are studying.” ( Direct speech) They said that they were studying. ( indirect
speech)
Tense changes
Direct speech Indirect speech Example
Simple present Simple past “I work every day,” Samy said. (D.S)
S + V (s/es/ ies) S + V regular / irregular Samy said that he worked every day. (I.S)
Present continuous Past continuous “They are playing,” the teacher said.(D.S)
S + am/is/are + V-ing S + was/were + V-ing The teacher said that they were playing.(I.S)
Past simple Past perfect “I finished my work,” Samy said. (D.S)
S + V regular / irregular S + had + V(p.p) Samy said that he had finished his work.(I.S)
Present perfect Past perfect “They have visited Paris,” Ali said. ( D.S) Ali
S + have/has + V (p.p) S + had + V(p.p) said that they had visited Paris. (I.S )
Past continuous Past perfect continuous “I was working,” Sara said. (D.S)
S + was/were + V-ing S + had + been + V-ing Sara said that she had been working.(I.S)
Past perfect Past perfect “I had finished,” Samy said. (D.S) Samy said
S + had + V(p.p) (No change) that he had finished. (I.S)
“They are going to start,” Leila said.(D.S)
Am/ is / are going to Was / Were going to
Leila said that they were going to start.(I.S)
Modal verbs change Time expression changes Pronoun changes
Direct Indirect Today that day I he / she
speech Speech Here there My his / her
will / would / This that We they
won’t wouldn’t These those Our their
can / could / Tomorrow The following You I / we
can’t couldn’t day Me him / her
Yesterday the day before
may might Next The following
tonight That night
must / had to / Ago Before / earlier
mustn’t did not Last The previous
had to Tomorrow The following
should/ should/ morning morning
shouldn’t souldn’t Now then
have to had to
Reporting Functions:
Reporting a request, advice, order, warning, and suggestion
Positive Negative Direct speech Indirect speech
Request “Could you help me,” My father asked me to
my father asked me. help him.
to + verb( not to + verb
Advice infinitive) (infinitive) “Don’t eat too much The doctor advised me
sugar,” the doctor not to eat too much
advised me. sugar.
Order “Close the door,” the The teacher told me to
teacher told me. close the door.
Warning Be careful with that She warned me to be
knife,” she warned me. careful with that knife.
Suggestion verb + ing Not verb + ing “Let’s go to the He suggested going to
cinema,” he suggested. the cinema.
Questions
A. Reporting yes / no question
Rule:
When we report a yes/no question, we use:
If /whether + subject + verb ( tense chnges)
Examples:
Direct speech Indirect speech
“Do you like coffee?” she asked She asked if I liked coffee.
“Are you ready?” the coach wanted to know The coach wanted to know if he was ready.
“Will you come?” the teacher asked me. The teacher asked me if I would come.
“Can you swim?” she asked him. She asked him if he could swim.
“Have you finished your work?” the manager The manger asked her if she had finisher her
asked her. work.
B. Reporting Wh questions { what, when, why, where, how }
When we report Wh- questions, we keep the question word (what, where, why, when, how) in
reported speech.
Rule:
Wh word + subject + verb (tense changes)
Examples:
“Where do you live?” he asked me He asked me where I lived.
“Why are you late?” she wondered She wondered why I was late.
“What is he doing?” Sara wanted to know Sara wanted to know what he was doing.
Exercise:
Rewrite the sentences as suggested:
1. “When did you see the victim?” the detective asked the witness.
The detective wanted to know……………………………………………………………………
2. I’ll take you on a trip to Agadir after the exam,” The father told his children.
The father promised ……………………………………………………………………………….
3. “Have you ever been to the south of Morocco?” Jawad asked his guests.
Jawad wanted to know……………………………………………………………………………..
4. “ I have to be at the airport before 6 a.m” Rachid said.
Rachid said that …………………………………………………………………………….
5. “I am studying for my exam now,” says Sara.
Sara says that........................................................................................................................
6. “I will come in the evening, “ Susan said.
Susan told me………………………………………………………………………………..