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Understanding Reported Speech Rules

The document explains how to convert direct speech into reported speech using reporting verbs in present and past tense. It outlines the necessary changes in tense and pronouns, provides examples, and explains how to report requests and time expressions. Key transformations include changes from present to past tense and adjustments for time indicators.

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Nikola Cvejić
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7 views6 pages

Understanding Reported Speech Rules

The document explains how to convert direct speech into reported speech using reporting verbs in present and past tense. It outlines the necessary changes in tense and pronouns, provides examples, and explains how to report requests and time expressions. Key transformations include changes from present to past tense and adjustments for time indicators.

Uploaded by

Nikola Cvejić
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

REPORTED

(=INDIRECT)
SPEECH
Reporting verb in the present tense

We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell’.


◦Direct speech: I like ice cream.
• Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.
◦We don't need to change the tense, though probably we
do need to change the 'person' from 'I' to 'she', for
example. We also may need to change words like 'my'
and 'your', or change 'this' to 'that', etc.
Reporting verb in the past tense

◦But, if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then


usually we change the tenses in the reported speech:
• Direct speech: I like ice cream.
• Reported speech: She said (that) she liked ice
cream.
present simple > past simple I like ice cream. She said (that) she liked ice cream.

present continuous > past continuous I am living in London. She said (that) she was living in London.

past simple > past perfect I bought a car. She said (that) she had bought a car.

past continuous > past perfect continuous I was walking along the street. She said (that) she had been walking along the street.

present perfect > past perfect I haven't seen Julie. She said (that) she hadn't seen Julie.

past perfect* I had taken English lessons before. She said (that) she had taken English lessons before.

will > would I'll see you later. She said (that) she would see me later.

would* I would help, but... She said (that) she would help but...

can > could I can speak perfect English. She said (that) she could speak perfect English.

could* I could swim when I was four. She said (that) she could swim when she was four.

should* I should call my mother. She said (that) she should call her mother.

might* I might be late. She said (that) she might be late.

must > had to I must study at the weekend. She said she had to study at the weekend.
Reported requests/orders

• “Close the window, please.”/”Could you close the window


please?”/”Would you mind closing the window please?”
◦'ask me + to + infinitive’: She asked me to close the
window.
◦To report a negative request, use 'not’:
• “Please don't be late.” > She asked us not to be late.

◦“Sit down!” > She told me to sit down. ( for orders we use
‘tell' instead of 'ask’)
Time Expressions with Reported
Speech
now then / at that time
yesterday / that day / Tuesday /
today
the 27th of June
the day before yesterday / the
yesterday day before / Wednesday / the 5th
of December
last night the night before/ Thursday night
the week before / the previous
last week
week
today / the next day / the
tomorrow
following day / Friday
two days ago two days before

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