Grammar rules of English indirect speech.

1. REPORTED SPEECH
DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT/REPORTED SPEECH
Present Past simple
She said: “I´m hungry” She said she was hungry
Past simple Past perfect
She said: “I missed my family” She said she had missed her family
Present continuous Past continuous
She said: “I am walking” She said she was walking.
Present perfect Past perfect
She said: “I have bought a new car” She said she had bought a new car
WILL WOULD
She said:” I will wait” She said she would wait

2. DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT/REPORTED SPEECH
Past perfect Past perfect
She said: “ I had waited” She said she had waited
CAN COULD
 She said.”I can walk”  She said she could walk
MUST HAD TO
 She said: “I must walk”  She said she had to walk
MAY MIGHT
 She said: “It may be a good idea”  She said it might be a good idea.

3. CHANGES
ADJECTIVES/ADVERBS IINDIRECT CHANGES
 He told her: “I like your  He told her (that) he
car” liked her new car
 She asked him: “Is this  She asked him if that
your car? was his car.
 She told us:” these are  She told us those were
my books” her books.
 He told me : “He doesn’t
 He told me he didn’t
live here anymore”
live there anymore

4. TIME EXPRESSIONS
DIRECT INDIRECT
1 NOW 1 THEN
2 TODAY 2 THAT DAY
3 YESTERDAY 3 THE DAY BEFORE
4 THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY 4 TWO DAYS BEFORE
5 THE NEXT/FOLLOWING DAY
5 TOMORROW
6 TWO DAYS LATER
6 THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW
7 THE FOLLLOWING
7 NEXT WEEK/MONTH/YEAR WEEK/MONTH/YEAR
8 LAST WEEK/MONTH/YEAR 8 THE PREVIOUS
9 TWO DAYS/THREE HOURS AGO WEEK/MONTH/YEAR
9 TWO DAYS/THREE HOURS BEFORE

5. REPORTED QUESTIONS
YES/NO QUESTIONS WH- QUESTION
 Sandra  Henry wondered:
asked:”Are you “Why is Andrew
going out?” so late?”
 Sandra asked  Henry wondered
if/whether I was why Andrew was
going out. so late.

6. REPORTED COMMANDS
DIRECT INDIRECT
 “Sit down”  He ordered them to sit
down
 “Don’t forget your
 She reminded him not
umbrella” to forget his umbrella.
 “Don’t shout at me”.  He told her not to shout
at him
 “Work hard at
 He advised me to work
school” hard at school

7. REPORTED SUGGESTIONS
DIRECT INDIRECT
 “Let’s go for a  He suggested that
walk” we went for a
 “Why don’t we walk
relax?”  She suggested
that they relaxed.

8. REPORTING VERBS
ENGLISH CATALAN
 Add  Afegir
 Advise  Aconsellar
 Apologize  Demanar perdó
 Ask  Preguntar
 Complain  Queixarse
 Confirm  Confirmar
 Explain  Explicar
 Mention  Anomenar
 Order  Ordenar
 Promise  Prometre

9.  Remind  Recordar
 Say  Dir
 Tell  Dir, explicar
 Admit  Admetre
 Agree  Estar d’acord
 Beg  Suplicar
 Confess  Confessar
 Declare  Declarar
 Invite  Convidar
 Offer  Oferir
 Persuade  Convèncer
 Recommend  Recomanar
 Reply  Respondre
 Suggest  Suggerir
 whisper  xiuxiuejar

11. Do you want to know a secret?
 A: He whispered in my ear that he was in love with me.
 B: He expressed doubt that I would ever know how much
he really cared for me.
 C: He insisted that we were the only ones who knew.
 D: He told me that I would never know how much he
really loved me.
 E: He admitted that the realisation had dawned on him
a week or two earlier.
 F: He offered to confide in me if I promised not to tell.

12. Do you want to know a secret?
 D: He told me that I would never know how much he really
loved me.
 B: He expressed doubt that I would ever know how much he
really cared for me.
 F: He offered to confide in me if I promised not to tell.
 A: He whispered in my ear that he was in love with me.
 E: He admitted that the realisation had dawned on him a
week or two earlier.
 C: He insisted that we were the only ones who knew.

13. 1. “ I won’t lend you any money”
She refused to lend him any money.
2. “Would you like to have a drink with me?”
She invited him to have a drink with her.
3. “Let’s go to the beach!”
He suggested going /that they should go to the beach.
4. “ If you’re good, I’ll buy you an ice-cream”
He promised to buy her an ice cream (if she was good)
5. “I’m sorry I broke your heart”
She apologised for breaking /having broken his heart.

14. 6. “ If I were you, I’d tell your parents”
She advised him to tell his parents
7. “It wasn’t me. I didn’t break the window”
He denied breaking / having broken the window
8. “You’re the one who murdered the President. - I saw you”
He accused her of murdering / having murdered the President.
9. “ Stop shouting!”
She ordered them to stop shouting.
10. “ Shall I carry your suitcase for you?”
He offered to carry her suitcase (for her)

15. VERB + THAT CLAUSE
DECLARE
He declared that he loved her
EXPLAIN
SAY
SUGGEST

16. VERB + TO + INFINITIVE
( NOT TO DO SOMETHING)
AGREE
OFFER
José offered to drive me to the airport.
REFUSE
PROMISE
I promised not to tell anybody
THREATEN

17. VERB + OBJECT+ TO+ INFINITIVE
( SOMEBOBY NOT TO DO SOMETHING)
ADVISE
The doctor advised me to have a rest
ASK
CONVINCE
ENCOURAGE
INVITE
Julia’s friend invited her to stay for dinner
ORDER
PERSUADE
I persuaded my sister not to go out with Juan
REMIND
My boss reminded me to sign the documents.
TELL
WARN
The man warned us not to park in this street.

18. VERB+ GERUND
( NOT DOING SOMETHING)
APOLOGIZE ( FOR)
I apologized for being so late.
ACCUSE
The police accused Maria of stealing the car.
ADMIT
BLAME SOMEBODY FOR
DENY
INSIST ON
Jane insisted on going to the dcotor’s with me
RECOMMEND
REGRET
SUGGEST
Katie suggested going for a walk.

19. be get help lose pay sack steal walk
1. He was accused of stealing money from the company.
2. I offered to help him, but he said he could manage.
3. He apologized for losing his temper with me.
4. His boss threatened to sack him if was late one more
time.
5. Will you remind me to get some more petrol before
we leave?
6. Of course, she denies being anywhere near the scene of
the crime.
7. He warned the children not to walk on the frozen
lake.
8. Her family insisted on paying for the entire holiday.