INDIRECT/ REPORTED SPEECH

There are two ways of reporting what a person has said.

a) Direct speech
b) Indirect speech

Direct speech:
We repeat the speaker’s words.
He said, "I have lost my key." (no tense shift)

Indirect speech / Reported Speech:

We give the exact meaning of a speech without necessarily using the speaker's exact
words. If we want to mention who the speaker talked to, we use told, otherwise we
use said.

She said that she had lost her wallet.

She told me that she had lost her wallet.

Convert Direct Speech to Indirect Speech

A. Make the necessary tense shift:

When we convert from direct speech to indirect speech, the tense of the sentence
changes. See the chart below to understand direct to indirect speech tense shift.

Direct Speech Indirect Speech

Simple Present Simple Past

Greg said, "I am an English teacher." Greg said that he was an English teacher.

Present Continuous Past Continuous

Edward said, "I am watching the news." Edward said that he was watching the news.

Past Perfect
Simple Past
Silva said that she had gone to school the day
Silva said, "I went to school yesterday."
before.

Present Perfect Past Perfect

Captain said, "I have built a ship." Captain said that he had built a ship.

Future Tense Future in the past

Eli said, "I will buy the book tomorrow" Eli said that she would buy the book tomorrow.
 Present Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Continuous

She said, "I have been waiting for two She said that she had been waiting for two
hours." hours.

Conditional (Future Possible)

Conditional (Present Unreal)
My mom said to her, "If you come
My mother told her that if she came the next
tomorrow, I will introduce you to my
day, she would introduce her to her husband.
husband."

Conditional (Present Unreal) Present Unreal

Lori said to William, "If you loved me, you Lori told William that if he loved her, he would
would say it." tell her.

B. Expressions of Time and Place in Reported Speech

Direct Speech Indirect Speech

Pronouns and possessive We usually change from first or second to third person except when
adjectives the speaker is reporting his own words.
today that day
yesterday the day before (the previous day)
Tomorrow / the next day The following day
The day before yesterday Two days before / earlier
Yesterday morning The previous morning
A year / month / week ago A year before / earlier
The day after tomorrow In two days' time
Next week / month / year The following week / month / year
now then
tonight that night
here here / there
this that, it
these those
can could
will would
could could
may might
might might
have to / has to had to
must must
ought to / should ought to / should

NOTE:

Pronouns and possessive adjectives normally change from first or second

person to third person except when the speaker is reporting his own
words.

Examples:

Direct: Paul says, "I don't like coffee."

Indirect: Paul says that he doesn't like coffee.

Direct: Dwayne says, "I didn't do my homework."

Indirect: Dwayne says that he didn't do his homework.

If the main verb is in the present tense, we don't change the tense in the
direct speech.

Examples:

Direct : He said, "You don't know my language."

Indirect : He said that I didn't know his language.
Direct : I said, "I sold my book."
Indirect : I said that I had sold my book.
Direct : She said to me, "Your brother is bothering me."
Indirect : She told me that my brother was bothering her.

Indirect Speech Statements

We join the indirect and the direct parts of a sentence with that. Sometimes we may
omit that.

Examples:

Direct : They said, "We love our teacher."

Indirect : They said that they loved their teacher.

Direct : Mr. Jones said to me, "I educated myself by reading widely."
Indirect : Mr. Jones told me that he had educated himself by reading widely.

Direct: The teacher said to her, "You have done your homework well."
Indirect: The teacher told her that she had done her homework well.
Direct: Mr. Woods said, "There are many boats in the harbor." Indirect: Mr. Woods said
that there were many boats in the harbor.

Indirect Speech in questions

1. Interrogative
We use “if / whether” in reported speech. The sentence then is in the
positive form.

Examples:
Direct: Theresa said, "Are you waiting for me?"
Indirect: Theresa asked me if I was waiting for her.

Direct: Liz said, "Did your father take you to school this morning?”
Indirect: Liz wanted to know whether my mother had taken me to school that
morning.

2. WH-question
We report WH – questions in positive form in reported speech.

Examples:
Direct: Theresa said, "Who have you been waiting for?"
Indirect: Theresa asked me who I had been waiting for.

Direct: Liz said, "When will your father finish his PhD course?”
Indirect: Liz wanted to know when my father would finish his PhD course.

Indirect Speech in Requests/ Commands

We usually report requests, advices with some common verbs

ask order advise invite

tell request encourage offer

Form: asked/ told/ …. (somebody) to infinitive.

requested/ advised/ …. (somebody) not to infinitive.
Examples:
Direct: John said to his brother “Don’t tell anybody what happened”.
Indirect: John asked his brother not to tell anyboby what had happened.

Direct: John said to his brother “Don’t tell anybody what happened”.
Indirect: John asked his brother not to tell anyboby what had happened.
Direct: “You should check the answers carefully in the test”, the teacher said.
Indirect: The teacher advised us to check the answers carefully in the test.

Mixed Types
If a direct speech consists of mixed types, each section requires its own
introductory verb.

Examples:

Direct: Theresa said, "I can't understand this lesson, mother. Please help me."
Indirect: Theresa told her mother that she couldn't understand that lesson and wanted
her mother to help her.

Direct: Tia said to me, "I can't help you now. I am very tired."
Indirect: Tia told me that she couldn't help me then as she was very tired.

Direct: Carl said, "It's hot in here. Isn't the AC on?"

Indirect: Carl said that it was hot in there and asked if the AC was on or not.

Direct: Mr. Jefferson said to Helen, "Didn't you hear what I said? You must be quiet
when I talk."
Indirect: Mr. Jefferson asked Helen if she had heard what he had said or not, and added
that she must / had to be quiet when he talked.

Direct: David said, "Let's go to the movie theater!"

Indirect: David suggested that they should go to the movie theater.
Or
Dave suggested going to the move theater.

Direct: Penny said, "How about going for a walk?"

Indirect: Penny suggested that we might go for a walk.

Direct: Jenny said, "What a lovely dress!"

Indirect: Jenny exclaimed that it was a lovely dress.

Common Verbs used with Reported Speech

Add complain point out shout Assure + Object

boast observe scream Argue murmur

object reply Answer inform remark

remind Announce grumble protest yell

Admit deny promise whisper Allege

You will feel comfortable at this hotel.
The travel agent assured us that we would feel comfortable at that hotel.

I can’t finish all this work.

She protested that she couldn't finish all that work.

Note:

Deny can’t be used in negative.

I didn't steal the money.

He denied that he had stolen the money.

Exercises:
1. Rewrite the sentences:
1. “Open the door,” he said to them.
-He told them...................................................................
2. “Where are you going?” he asked her.
-He asked her where.........................................................
3. “Which way did they go?” he asked.
-He asked... ......................................................................
4. “Bring it back if it doesn’t fit”, I said to her.
-I told... ............................................................................
5. “Don’t try to open it now,” she said to us.
-She told... ........................................................................
6. “Is it going to be a fine day today?” I asked her.
-I asked her... ....................................................................
7. “He’s not at home”, she said.
-She said that... .................................................................
8. “Is the bus station far away?” the girl asked.
-The girl wanted to know... ..............................................
9. “Don’t stay out late, Ann” Tom said.
-Tom told Ann... ...............................................................
10. “Please let me borrow your car,” he said to her.
-He asked... ........................................................................

2. Choose the best fitted

1. Mary said, "I love chocolate."
Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ chocolate."
a. loved b. loves c. loving

2. Mary: "I went skiing."

Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ skiing."
a. went b. had gone c. have gone
 3. Mary: "I will eat steak for dinner."
Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ eat steak for dinner."
a. willing b. will c. would
4. Mary: "I have been to Sydney."
Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ to Sydney."
a. had been b. has been c. was being
5. Mary: "I have had three cars."
Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ three cars.
a. has b. has had c. had had
6. Mary: "I'm going to go to Long Beach."
Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ going to go to Long Beach."
a. is b. was c. went
7. Mary: "I don't like spinach."
Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ like spinach."
a. doesn't b. don't c. didn't
8. Mary: "I have never been to London."
Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ never been to London."
a. had b. has c. have
9. Mary: "I was swimming."
Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ swimming.
a. has been b. had been c. have been
10. Mary: "I had a cat."
Jill: Mary said (that) she had ___ a cat."
a. have b. has c. had
11. Mary: "I can't swim."
Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ swim."
a. can't b. couldn't c. can not
12. Mary: "I won't buy a new car."
Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ by a new car."
a. won't b. will c. wouldn't
13. Mary: "I have to do my laundry."
Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ to do her laundry."
a. had b. has c. have

3. Correct the mistakes.

1 I told he to leave me alone. 
_______________________________
2 The teacher us told that we must concentrate more. 
_______________________________
3 Amy me asked not say anything. 
_______________________________
4 Holly admitted that she have took the necklace. 
_______________________________
5 Dad said he will to speak to my teacher in the morning. 
_______________________________
 6 Mrs Brown asked me if I have seen her cat. 
_______________________________
7 I asked Lisa did she wanted some water. 
_______________________________
8 Suzy asked Joe where he did left the newspaper. 
_______________________________
9 Jack asked Sam if he’d lend him some money. 
_______________________________
10 The teacher asked Ben what was he doing. 
_______________________________

4 Complete the text with the pronouns in the box. Use some
pronouns more than once.
When I got home from school, Mum wanted to talk to me. She asked me what I had
done with her hat. I told (1)_____________ I hadn’t touched it. This was a lie – it
was under my bed. I’d worn it to a party and I’d made it dirty. Then my brother came
in. Mum asked (2)_____________ the same question. He told (3)_____________ he
wasn’t interested in her hats – this was the truth. Mum looked at my brother and me
and told (4)_____________ that she was fed up with our lies. Then Dad came in. I
told (5)_____________ that Mum was being silly. He told (6)_____________ not to
be rude to my mother. Then my sister came in. She had the hat in her hand.
Everybody was looking at me. There was a silence. I told (7)_____________ all I
was sorry – then I ran!

4 Complete the text with the correct form of the verbs and a pronoun.
It was a normal day at school, but Daniel was feeling nervous. He knew that he was
in trouble and he knew why, too. During the morning break, his English teacher, Mrs
Drury, asked him to go (go) into her office for a chat. Daniel said
(1)__________________ (have to) go to his maths lesson, but he realized that he had
no choice. In the office, Mrs Drury had some of Daniel’s essays on her desk. She
wasn’t happy with them. She held the work in her hands and asked Daniel
(2)__________________ (tell) where (3)__________________ (get) the
information for his essays. Daniel said (4)__________________ (read) a lot of
different books. Mrs Drury said (5)__________________ (know) that
(6)__________________ (be) lying. She told (7)__________________ (be) honest.
Daniel admitted that (8)__________________ (copy) the information from the
internet. He said (9)__________________ (be) very sorry to Mrs Drury. He
promised that (10)__________________ (never do) it again.