C1.

1 - UNIT 3
GRAMMAR
REPORTED SPEECH

Reported speech (also known as indirect speech) is what we use when we want to
tell somebody what another person (or other people) said​.

To introduce reported speech we usually use the verbs ​say ​and ​tell​, normally in the
past simple (​said ​and ​told​). However, there are more reporting verbs which you can
use: ​admit,​ ​warn​, ​agree​, ​decide​, ​explain​, ​promise.​ .. You will study them in detail in
this unit.

Now observe these examples:

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

‘​I live in Manchester.​’ → She ​said​ that she lived in Manchester.

(a girl is talking)

‘​I want to find another job.​’ → He ​told ​me that he wanted to find another
(a man is talking to me) job.

​Say ​or ​tell​? When do we use one or the other?

The verb ​to say ​is normally used ​when ​the person who receives the message is
not specified​.

He said that he missed me. ​ y mother​ that he missed me​.

NOT: ​*​He said m

She said that she couldn’t go. NOT: ​*​She said ​me​ that she couldn’t go​.

However, you can also say:

Tom said all those horrible things ​to​ me.

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As you can see, we need to add the preposition ‘​to​’ if we want to indicate who
receives the message.

The verb ​to tell i​ s used when ​we know who receives the message​.

​ e​ (that) he missed me.

He told m NOT: ​*​He told that​ he missed me​.

​ y sister​ (that) he loved her.

He told m NOT: ​*​He told that​ he loved her.

TENSE CHANGES

At a C1 level, students should know that when we want to report what someone said,
tenses usually change from direct to reported speech. If you’re not familiar with these
changes, keep on reading:

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

PRESENT SIMPLE → PAST SIMPLE

‘I ​am ​a teacher,’ Rose said. Rose said (that) she ​was ​a teacher.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS → PAST CONTINUOUS

‘She ​is singing​,’ Greg said. Greg said (that) she ​was singing​.

PRESENT PERFECT → PAST PERFECT

‘I ​have watched ​a film,’ Rachel said. Rachel said (that) she ​had watched​ a
film.

PAST SIMPLE → PAST PERFECT

‘I ​finished ​my degree,’ Sarah said. Sarah said (that) she ​had finished​ her
degree.

PAST PERFECT → PAST PERFECT

‘I ​had​ never ​met​ someone like you,’ Stefan said (that) he ​had​ never ​met
Stefan said. someone like me.

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 FUTURE SIMPLE → CONDITIONAL (with ​would​)

‘I ​will go ​to university,’ Paul said. Paul said (that) he ​would go ​to
university.

We also change these modal verbs:

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

can → could

‘I ​can ​speak Russian,’ Rose said. Rose said (that) she ​could ​speak
Russian.

may → might

‘I ​may ​give the dress to Laura,’ Lily Lily said (that) she ​might ​give the dress
said. to Laura.

must​ ( obligation)
→ had to ​( in affirmative sentences)

‘I ​must ​finish before 6 o’clock,’ Klaus Klaus said (that) he ​had to​ finish before
said. 6 o’clock.

We don’t change ​must ​when:

➔ it’s negative:

Leo said: ‘You ​mustn’t tell him the truth.’ →

​ Leo said that you ​mustn’t tell him
the truth.

➔ it expresses a deduction:

​ ust ​still be late.’ ​→​ Poppy said that it ​must ​still be late.
Poppy said: ‘It m

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However, the verb form does not need to change when the information being
reported:

● is unchanged.

​ re rising,​ ’ said the news reporter.

(Direct speech) ​‘Temperatures a

(Reported speech)​ The news reporter said that the temperatures​ are rising.​

● happened recently.

(Direct speech) ​‘I’l​ l do​ the washing up,’ Mary said.

(Reported speech)​ Mary said that she’​ll do​ the washing up. ​(It’s still the same day)

● contains the past perfect.

(Direct speech) ​‘I ​had a

​ lready ​forgotten​ it,’ she said.

​ ad ​already f​ orgotten i​ t.
(Reported speech) ​‘She said that she h

Now, if you want to know more about the changes in the pronouns and in the
adverbs, keep on reading:

CHANGES IN THE PRONOUNS

Pronouns in Direct Speech Pronouns in Reported Speech

I he / she
→
Mary said: ‘​I​’m in a hurry.’ Mary said (that) ​she​ was in a hurry.
Changes
in the you I / he / she / they
speaker →
Harry told her: ‘​You​ don’t know Harry told her (that) ​she ​didn’t
my situation.’ know his situation.

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 he / she / it he / she / it
→
Ann told me: ‘​He​ is a liar.’ Ann told me (that) ​he​ was a liar.

we they
→
Will and Tom told them: ‘​We​ are Will and Tom told them (that) ​they
the champions.’ were the champions.

they
they
→
She said (that) ​they​ were very
She said: ‘​They​ are very noisy.​’
noisy.

Pronouns in Direct Speech Pronouns in Reported Speech

me him / her
→
Robert said: ‘My mum takes Robert said (that) his mum took
care of ​me​.’ care of ​him​.

you me / him / her / them

→
Phil said: ‘I love ​you​.’ Phil said (that) he loved ​me​.

Changes him / her / it him / her / it

in the
→
person Caroline said: ‘We are looking Caroline said (that) they were
who for ​him​.’ looking for ​him​.
receives
the us them
message →
Carl said: ‘She is taking ​us Carl said (that) she was taking
home.’ them​ home.

them them
→
Alex said: ‘My brother is taking Alex said (that) his brother was
care of ​them​.’ taking care of ​them.

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 Pronouns in Direct Speech Pronouns in Reported Speech

my his / her
→
Tim said: ‘​My​ mum cares for Tim said (that) ​his​ mum cared for
me.’ him.

your my / his / her / their

→
Hans said: ‘​Your​ house is Hans said (that) ​my​ house was
beautiful.’ beautiful.

his / her / its his / her / its

→
Eve said: ​‘His ​car is huge.’ Eve said (that) ​his​ car was huge.
Changes in
possessive our their
pronouns
→
Rosemary and Kim said: ‘​Our Rosemary and Kim said (that) ​their
country is amazing.’ country was amazing.

their their
→
Kate said: ‘​Their​ bicycles are Kate said (that) ​their​ bicycles were
new.’ new.

this / that it / that

→
Maya said: ‘You can give ​this Maya said (that) he could give ​that
to Toby.’ to Toby.
More
changes in this / that / these / those + ​noun the / that / those + ​noun
pronouns →
Phoebe said: ‘​This ​hospital​ is Phoebe said (that) ​the ​hospital​ was
new.’ new.

Pronouns that do not change are in green.

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 CHANGES IN ADVERBS

Adverbs in Direct Speech Adverbs in Reported Speech

today / this week / this month / this

→ that day / that week / that month / that year
year

now → at that moment, then

the next day / month / year…;

tomorrow / next month / next year →
the following day / month / year…

yesterday / last week / last month / last the previous day / week / month / year…;
→
year the day / week / month / year before...

here → there

VERB PATTERNS: STRUCTURES IN THE REPORTED CLAUSE

Reporting verbs can be followed by a number of structures in the reported clause.

Take a look at them and study them in detail.

1. ​Verb + (that) + sentence

Verb Examples

admit Peter admitted ​(that) he was jealous.​

agree We had agreed (​ that) the meeting should be held.

complain The customers complained (​ that)​ ​they had been given a bad service.

explain He explained (​ that) the police must obey the rules too.​

promise Jake promised (​ that) he would never let me down.

recommend The waiter recommended (​ that) we tried the red wine.

say She said​ (that) she would take the kids to the countryside.

suggest John suggests ​(that) we should leave home at five.

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2. ​Verb + object + (that) + sentence

Verb Examples

promise He promised ​me (that) he would come to watch the race.

She reminded ​me (that) this question would definitely be in the

remind
exam.

tell My mum told ​me (that) she was coming home by 7.

warn Nobody warned ​me (that) the floor was wet.

3. ​Verb + ​to infinitive

Verbs Examples

agree The parties agreed ​to suspend​ the direct distribution of royalty income.

Some representatives offered to participate actively in the development

offer
of the guidelines.

promise The President promised t​ o reduce ​the social deficit

claim She claimed t​ o be i​ nnocent.

The government decided t​ o recognise the independence of the country

decide
in October.

swear New members must swear ​to obey​ the rules.

threaten They threatened t​ o kill​ him.

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4.​ Verb + object + ​to infinitive

Verbs Examples

advise The dentist advised ​me not to eat ​so many sweets.

tell The police​ ​told ​me​ ​to press ​charges.

lead ​ e​ t​ o believe s​ omething entirely different.

The salesman led m

ask The customer asked ​me to bring ​another coffee.

invite Mark hasn’t invited ​me to go​ to the party with him yet.

order The police ordered​ the burglars to leave​ the house.

remind Mum reminded ​me to do​ the laundry.

warn ​ e not to walk​ on the ice.

A stranger warned m

urge Lawyers will urge t​ he parents to take​ legal action against the company.

persuade ​ e to go ​shopping.
She persuaded m

Do you know how we make negative sentences? We write ​not ​before the to
infinitive.​

​ ot​ to eat so many sweets.

The dentist advised me n

​ ot​ to write more than 190 words.

The teacher told us n

​ ot t​ o walk on the ice.

A random man warned me n

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5. ​Verb + ​-ing form

Verbs Examples

admit The Prime Minister admitted ​taking ​part in the negotiations.

deny The girls denied t​ hrowing​ the party while their parents were away.

Paul strongly recommends ​watching films in original version in

recommend
order to practise English.

Malcolm suggested ​coming to pick us up on more than one

suggest
occasion.

mention David mentioned ​seeing​ you last week.

regret I regret ​laughing a

​ t her.

6.​ Verb (+ object) + preposition +​ ing form

Verb Examples

insist on Malcolm insisted ​on picking ​us up in the end.

accuse sb of ​ e of telling a
They accused m ​ lie.

confess to He confessed t​ o stealing t​ he money.

apologise for I apologised f​ or being​ so unfair.

​ efore the
Did you realise how we make negative sentences? We write ​not b
-ing​ form.

I regret ​not making​ new friends when I was in India.

We recommend​ not watching​ 3D films for extended periods of time.

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