REPORTED SPEECH

(collected by Tian)

Lead in: Mai Thy

Imagine you’re telling a story that your friend told you for another person, you can’t
use the exact words your friend said. Let’s take this sentence as an example.
Ex:
John said, “I am going to the store” -> John said he was going to the store.
If you want to tell this, you can’t say “I” right? Because you’re talking to your
friends, not going to the store. Therefore, you have to change the subject “I” to “John”, or
“he” if the listener knows John. That’s Reported Speech, or you can called Indirect
Speech. My group is here today to tell you about this grammar and help you use it
yourself. So let’s find out.
I. Definition of Reported Speech? Mai Thy
The first thing is “What is Reported Speech?” Reported Speech (Indirect Speech) is
the form of speech used to convey what is said by someone. Reported Speech uses
reporting verbs to put the speaker's words or ideas into a sentence instead of using
quotation marks and commas.
Ex:
Jim: “I need to rest.” -> Jim said that he needed to rest.
Ben: “Is the cake going to be ready.” -> Ben asked if the cake was going to be ready.
Doctor Strange: “You should do exercises.” -> Doctor Strange advised me to do
exercises.
II. Changes of Pronouns and Adverbs? Anh Thiện
When transforming a sentence from Direct Speech into Reported Speech, you will
have to change the verb forms, modal verbs, pronouns and adverbs of time and place
used by the speaker to keep the speaker’s original meaning.
In this part, we will introduce you to two tables about the changes of pronouns and
adverbs because they are used in almost situations.
 On the other side, the changes of verb forms and modal verbs are just used in specific
situations, so we’re going to make them straight in the third part.
These are the table for Pronouns changes and Adverbs of Place or Time changes. At
the change of “tomorrow”, “yesterday”, “last...” and “next...”, I recommend you choose
one way to learn so that you don’t make mistakes in your exams.
1. Changes of Pronouns:
Subject Object Possessive Possessive Reflexive
Adj. Pron. Pron.
I me My mine Myself
You you Your yours Yourself
He him His his Himself
She her Her hers Herself
It it Its (its) Itself
We us Our ours Ourselves
You you Your yours Yourselves
They them Their theirs Themselves
2. Changes of Adverbs of Place and Adverbs of Time:
Direct Speech Reported Speech
This That
These Those
Here There
Now Then
anything (question) something (statement)
Today that day
Tonight that night
Ago Before
Thus So
Yesterday the day before/ the previous day/ the earlier day
Tomorrow the day after/ the following day/ the next day/
 the ensuing day
this (week/ month/ year/ night/...) that (...)
last (week/ month/ year/ night/...) the (...) before/ the previous (...)/ the earlier (...)
next (week/ month/ year/ night/...) the (...) after/ the following (...)/ the next (...)
III. Types of Reported Speech:
1. Statements (Affirmative and Negative): Nguyễn Thiện
Reporting verbs are usually said and told.

said (to sb) (that) + clause

S+
told (sb) (that) + clause
If the reporting verb is in the past (said, told...), the verb form in the statement usually
changes.
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Simple Present -> Simple Past
Present Continuous -> Past Continuous
Present Perfect -> Past Perfect
Present Perfect Continuous -> Past Perfect Continuous
Simple Past -> Past Perfect
Past Continuous -> Past Perfect Continuous
Simple Future -> Future in the past
Ex:
Troy: “I’m not cooking.” -> Troy told me (that) he wasn’t cooking.
Carla: “My friend ate the cake.” -> Carla said (to me) (that) her friend had eaten the cake.
Notes: It is not necessary to change the verb form of the direct sentence in some
situations:
 When it is about a general truth or something still true.
Ex:
My teacher told me that the sun rises in the East. (that is a fact)
Mary said Jack is in the kitchen. (Jack is still in the kitchen now)
Peter: “I didn’t do that” -> Peter always said that he didn’t do that. (if the statement “I
didn’t do that.” is Peter’s catchphrase)
 The reporting verb is in Present tense.
Ex:
He says that he is listening to music. (keep the tense Present Continuous)
 The direct sentence is in Past Perfect or Past Perfect Continuous.
Ex:
Teddy: I had joined the army before working in that company -> Teddy said that he had
joined the army before working in that company.
 The direct sentence is about a routine or a schedule which is in future.
Ex:
He said: “My father always drinks coffee after dinner.” -> He said that his father always
drinks coffee after dinner.
She said: “The plane takes off at 10 am next week.” -> She said that the plane takes off at
10 am next week.
 The direct sentence has a specific time.
Ex:
He said: “Taylor was born in 1989.” -> He said that Taylor was born in 1989.
 In complex sentences, the Past Simple and Past Continuous may remain
unchanged if the temporal relationship between the events in the clauses is clear
from the context.
Ex:
Bill: “I was reading a book when I heard the crash.” -> Bill said that he was reading a
book when he heard the crash.
John: “When I got home, I went to bed straight away.” -> John told me that he went to
bed straight away when he got home.
2. Modals: Minh Thư
 Reported Speech in modals is basically the same as Reported Speech in statements.
Instead of changing the verb form, you need to change the modals. But remember, the
way you change a modal depends on the purpose it is used
Direct Speech Reported Speech
can (ability, present) -> could
can (ability, future) -> would be able to
may (possibility) -> might
may (permission, present) -> could
may (permission, future) -> would be allowed to
will -> would
must (obligation, present) -> must/ had to
must (obligation, future) ->must/ would have to
needn't (necessity, present) -> didn't have to/ didn’t need to
needn't (necessity, future) -> wouldn't have to
shall (future time) -> would
shall (offers, suggestions) -> should
Ex:
Students: “We will be late for class.” -> They mentioned (that) they would be late for
class.
Lisa: “We can’t leave early.” -> She said (that) they couldn’t leave early.
Notes: The following modals do not change: could, would, might, must
(deduction), mustn’t, had better, should, ought to, used to.
Ex:
Oscar said to Jane: “You should be a chef.” -> Oscar said to Jane that she should be a
chef.
3. Questions: Tây Thi
Reporting verbs are usually asked and wanted to know.

wh-word + clause (wh-questions)

S+ asked (sb)/ wanted to know +
if/whether + clause (yes/no questions)

Similar to statements, if the reporting verb is in the past (asked, wanted to know...),
the verb form of the question usually changes. The way to change the verb form of
questions is also the same as statements. But remember, use statement word order when
reporting questions. Do not use question word order.
Ex:
Ben: “Is the cake going to be ready.”
-> Ben asked/ wanted to know if/whether the cake was going to be ready.
Celia: “How long has she been taking notes.”
-> Celia asked/ wanted to know how long she had been taking notes.
Notes: It is not necessary to change the verb form if the reporting verb is in present
or the verb form of the question is in Past Perfect or Past Perfect Continuous.
Ex:
Carl: “Why I love him?” -> Carl wants to know why he loves him.
Wendy: “What had you done before you worked in this company, Tom?”
-> Wendy wanted to know what Tom had done before he worked in that company.
4. Reported Speech: Commands, Advice, and Requests Tian
a) Reported Speech: Commands, Advice, and Requests
Use an infinitive phrase to report commands or advice and requests with modals.
Ex:
Commands:
Teacher: “Turn off your phones.”
-> The teacher told us to turn off our phones
Advice and Requests with modals:
Jim: You should bake a chocolate cake -> Jim told me to bake a chocolate cake
Ann: “Could you turn off the oven.” -> Ann asked me to turn off the oven
For negative commands, advice or requests, “not” comes before the infinitive phrase.
Ex:
Joe: “Don’t cut the cake yet.” -> Joe told me not to cut the cake yet.
Do not include please when reporting a command or request.
Ex:
Receptionist: “Please wait in the hallway” -> The receptionist told us to wait in the
hallway
b) Some common structures:
Advice:

You ought to/ should/ had better + V +...

Why don’t you + V +...
If I were you, I would + V +...
It’s (high) time for you + inf. +...
It’s (high) time you + V_2/ed +...
-> advise + O + (not) + inf. +...

Suggestion:

Let’s + V +...
Shall we + V +...
How/ What about + Ving +...
Why don’t we/ you + V +...
-> suggest + Ving +...
-> suggest (that) + S + (should) + V +...

Request:

Imperatives
Please + V +...
Can/ Could/ Will/ Would + you + (please) + V +...?
You might + V + for me
I’d like you + inf. +...
Would/ Do you mind + Ving +...?
-> ask/ tell + O + (not) + inf. +...