REPORTED SPEECH

TWO WAYS OF RELATING WHAT A PERSON SAYS

DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT/ REPORTED SPEECH

Repeating exactly the speaker's words Giving the meaning of a remark or

speech without necessarily using
the speaker's exact words.

Example Example
Bob: “I'm a good student.” Bob said that he was a good student.
 USE

DIRECT SPEECH

- Actual conversation.

REPORTED SPEECH
CONVERSION FROM DIRECT
TO REPORTED - Conversations in books, plays
and quotations.
 CONCEPTS
Reporting verb / introductory verb.

Ex: say, tell, ask, explain, etc.

Reporting clause.

Ex: The girl said...

Backshift: change of verbal tense.

Reported clause: what is said.

Ex: I am tired
 SENTENCE TYPES
1. STATEMENTS
2. QUESTIONS
3. COMMANDS / REQUESTS
4. EXCLAMATIONS
5. MIXED TYPES
6. MODALS
 1. STATEMENTS
MODEL SENTENCE

DIRECT SPEECH
Peter said: ”I am tired now”

REPORTED SPEECH
Peter said that he was tired then.
1.a) BACKSHIFT (CHANGES IN TENSES)

Direct Speech Reported speech

Present simple Past simple

Present continuous Past continuous

Past simple =Past simple / Past perfect

Past continuous Past perfect continuous

Present perfect Past perfect

Past perfect =Past perfect

Future simple Conditional simple

Conditional simple Conditional perfect

 1.b) EXCEPTIONS TO BACKSHIFT
● When the verb of the reporting clause is in present, present perfect or
future tense.

Ex: He says the the train will be late

● Universal truths.

Ex: He said that love is life

● Habitual actions.

Ex: Peter said that he gets up at 7 every day.

● Conditional sentences type 2.

Ex: He said that if he had a dog he would walk it everyday.

● Verbs should, ought to, had better, might, used to, could and must.
 1.c) CHANGES IN PRONOUNS

● Personal pronouns

I > he / she

● Possessives

my car > her / his car

● Demonstratives

this > that

these > those

 1.d) CHANGES IN ADVERBS
now > then

today > that day

yesterday > the day before / the previous day

tomorrow > the following day / the next day

last week > the week before / the previous week

next week > the following week / the week after

Here > there

Ago > before

Go > come // come > go

 2. QUESTIONS
MODEL SENTENCE

DIRECT SPEECH
Peter asked: ”Where is my book?”

REPORTED SPEECH
Peter asked where his book was.
 2.a) YES / NO QUESTIONS
● Backshift, exceptions and other changes apply.(1.a, 1.b, 1.c
and 1.d)

● Reporting verb: ask, wonder, want to know..

● Reported clause introduced by “if”

● Interrogative structure changes to affirmative.

EXAMPLE
John said to me: “ Are you at home now?”

John asked me if I was at home then.

 2.b) WH- QUESTIONS
● Backshift, exceptions and other changes apply.(1.a, 1.b,
1.c and 1.d)
● Reporting verb: ask, wonder, want to know..
● Reported clause introduced by “wh- word”
● Interrogative structure changes to affirmative.
EXAMPLE
John said to me: “ Where are you now?”

John asked me where I was then.

 3. COMMANDS
MODEL SENTENCE

DIRECT SPEECH
Peter said: ”Sit down and be quiet, Mary”

REPORTED SPEECH
Peter told Mary to sit down and be quiet.
 CHANGES IN COMMANDS
● Backshift, exceptions and other changes apply.(1.a, 1.b, 1.c
and 1.d)

● Reporting verb: tell, order, command, request …

● Imperative verbs > “To infinitive” (“not to” for the negative).

●
Add the person who is going to carry out the action.
EXAMPLE
The teacher said: “Don't sit here, Jenny”

The teacher ordered Jenny not to sit there.

 4. EXCLAMATIONS
MODEL SENTENCE

DIRECT SPEECH
Bill said: ”Happy birthday!”

REPORTED SPEECH
Bill wished me a happy birthday.
 CHANGES IN EXCLAMATIONS
● Backshift, exceptions and other changes apply.(1.a,
1.b, 1.c and 1.d)
● Reporting verb: according to the meaning of the
sentence.

EXAMPLE
Mary said: “Ugh, I hate canteen coffee”

Giving an exclamation of disgust, Mary complained that

She hated canteen coffee.
 5. MIXED TYPES
MODEL SENTENCE
DIRECT SPEECH
Pip said: ”Hello Tom!
Where have you been all this time?”

REPORTED SPEECH
Pip greeted me and then asked
where I had been all that time.
 CHANGES IN MIXED TYPES
● Backshift, exceptions and other changes apply.(1.a, 1.b, 1.c
and 1.d)

● Reporting verb and other changes according to the meaning of

the sentence.

EXAMPLE
Pip said: ”Hello Tom!
Where have you been all this time”

Pip greeted me and then asked

where I had been all that time.
 6. MODALS
MODEL SENTENCE

DIRECT SPEECH
The dentist said: ”You must be quiet now”

REPORTED SPEECH
The dentist said that I had to be quiet then
 CHANGES IN MODALS
● Backshift, exceptions and other changes apply.(1.a, 1.b, 1.c
and 1.d)

● Modals: may > might will / shall > would / should

can > could must > had to ( obligation)

have to > had to must > must ( deduction)

EXAMPLE
The boy said: “I can wait here”

The boy said that he could wait there.