Reported Speech

we use when we want to tell another person about a

conversation that took place in the past.

We often use reported speech to . . .

1. Give someone a telephone message

2. Tell someone news that we heard from

someone else:

3. To report something that happened:

How to use
reported
speech:
When we use reported speech, we are usually
talking about the past.
Therefore, verbs usually change to the past
tense in reported speech.
am / is was
are were

have / has had

could
can / can’t
couldn’t
would
will / won’t wouldn’t
Reported speech typically
uses the following
structure:

Someone said (that) she was very happy

OR

Someone told me (that) they were talking on the

phone
Changes in verb tenses
do becomes did
(Present Simple) (Past Simple)
am /is doing becomes
was doing
(Present Continuous) (Past Continuous)
are doing were doing
becomes
(Present Continuous) (Past Continuous)
has /have done had done
(Present Perfect) becomes (Past Perfect)
Changes
Time Place
now then here there

today that day this that

this week that week these those

tomorrow the next day

yesterday the day before

last week the week before

SIMPLE PRESENT----SIMPLE PAST
Shawn said:
Reported
“I want to buy a new speech:
dress”
Shawn said that she
wanted to buy a
new dress.
 PRESENT CONTINUOUS--PAST CONTINUOUS

Tina said: Reported

“My sister is speech:
coming to visit Tina told me that
me soon.” her sister was
coming to visit
her soon.
 Simple Past--Past Perfect
Reported
speech:
Tina said: Tina told me that
she had seen a
“I saw a movie.”
movie
 Present perfect -- Past Perfect
Edu said:
“I’ve read
interesting books” Reported
speech:
Edu said that he
had read
interesting books
Carla said: Will ---- Would
“The new computer
will help you” Reported
speech:
Carla told me
that the new
computer would
help me.
 CAN--COULD Reported
speech:
Susan said that
Susan said: they could learn a
“They can learn a lot” lot.
 REPORTED INSTRUCTIONS
 The nurse said: be
quiet!
Reported
speech:
 The nurse told me
to be quiet!
 REPORTED QUESTIONS
 André asked : Where
are you?

 He asked me where I
was.
 Rewrite the sentences in
Reported Speech

1- ‘I want a bite of your sandwich!’ she said.

She said that she wanted a bit of my sandwich
2- ‘They are waiting outside the museum for hours’ she said.
She said that they were waiting outside the museum for hours.
3- ‘A florist prepares the bouquets,’ she said.
She said that a florist prepared the bouquets
4- I’ve been to the theatre five times’ he told them.

He told them he had been to the theatre five times

5- ‘They will get into trouble’ he said.

He said that they would get in trouble.

6- ‘I’m studying martial arts,’ she said.

She said that she was studying martial arts

7- “Leave the building!’ he ordered.

He ordered them to leave the building.

8- “Don’t cross the road there!’ she said to us.
She said to us not to cross the road on that place.

9- ‘ Close the windows immediately!’ she ordered.

She ordered to us to close the windows immediately

10- He asked: Who is that girl?

He asked me which girl was that
 EXERCISES
• 1 The tests with dolphins didn't teach us
anything. (Dr. Henry Smith)
He said the tests with dolphins hadn’t taught them anything

• 2 My work has been very useful. (Professor Silvia Black)

She said her work had been very useful.

• 3 Humans.will never be able to talk to animals.

(Dr. HemySmith).

He said humans would never be able to talk to animals.

• 4 In the future, I will learn to understand all animals.
(Professor Silvia Black)
She said that in the future she would learn to understand all
animals.
• 5 I can copy bird song, but I can’ t communicate with
birds. (Dr. Henry Smith)

He said that he could copy bird songs, but he couldn’t

communicate with birds.