Reported Speech

1. Reported Speech
We often have to give information about what people say or think.
Direct Speech: Saying exactly what someone has said is called “direct speech”. In direct
speech, what a person says appears within quotation mark (“…”) and should be word for
word. For example;
She said, “I’m going to the cinema tomorrow.”
Reported Speech: Reported speech doesn’t use quotation marks and what a person says
doesn’t have to be word for word.
Direct Speech Reported Speech
She said, “I am going to the cinema
tomorrow.”
She said she was going to the cinema the
next day.
Reported Speech: Statements and Questions
In reported speech, we change:
1. Pronouns
2. Time and Place
3. Tense
1. Pronoun Change
In reported speech, we usually have to change the pronouns.
Jane said: You report:
“I will always love you.” She said she would always love me.
2. Time and Place
If you report what someone said on a different day or in a different place, some time and
place words can change. For example; tomorrow > the next day, here > there, this > that
Direct Speech Reported Speech
M.O.1

2. She said, “I am going to the cinema
tomorrow.”
She said she was going to the cinema the
next day.
Expressions of time if reported on a different day
This (evening, morning, etc.)  That (evening, morning, etc.)
Today  Yesterday
These (days)  Those (days)
Now  Then
(A week) ago  (A week) before
Last weekend  The previous weekend
Here  There
Next week  The following / next week
Tomorrow  The next / following day
3. Tense Change
As a rule when you report something someone said, you go back a tense.
Direct Speech Reported Speech
She said, “I am going to the cinema
tomorrow.”
She said she was going to the cinema the
next day.
Present Simple  Past Simple
“I like shopping.”  She said (that) she liked shopping.
Present Continuous [for future plans]  Past Continuous:
“I’m going tomorrow.”  He told her he was going next day.
Future Tense  Would
“I’ll always love you.”  He said he would always love me.
Past Simple  Past Perfect
M.O.2

3. “I passed the exam!”  She told him she had passed the exam.
Present Perfect  Past Perfect
“I’ve forgotten my keys.”  He said he had forgotten his keys.
Past Perfect  Past Perfect
“I had forgotten my keys.”  He said he had forgotten his keys.
Some modal verbs changes:
Can  Could
“I can’t come.”  She said she couldn’t come.
May  Might
“I may be late.”  He said he might be late.
Must  Had to
“I must go.”  She said she had to go.
***Must changes to “had to” BUT “mustn’t” stays the same.
***Mustn’t  Mustn’t
***Past Perfect  Past Perfect
Other modal verbs stay the same:
Could  Could
Might  Might
Should  Should
The Use of “that”: Using “that” after said and told is OPTIONAL.
She said (that) she liked shopping.
She told him (that) she had passed the exam.
M.O.3

4. Say and Tell:
After SAID don’t use a person or an object pronoun
Tom: “I am tired.”
Tom said he was tired.
Tom to Jane: “I am tired.”
Tom told Jane/her he was tired.
Tom said to Jane/her he was tired.
QUESTIONS
When you report a question, the tenses change as in reported statements. Also, you
have to change the word order to “subject + verb” and don’t use “do/did”.
Yes/No Questions: When a question begins with an auxiliary verb (not a question word), add
“if” of “whether”.
Direct Speech Reported Speech
“Are you married?”
“Did she phone you?
He asked her if she was married.
She asked him whether she had phoned
him.
If/whether + Subject + Verb
Question Words: When a question begins with a question word (e.g. which, what, when,
where…), change the tense as in reported statements and change the word order to:
subject + verb
Direct Speech Reported Speech
“What’s your name?”
“Where do you live?”
I asked her what her name was.
She asked him where he lived.
Question word + Subject + Verb
Reported Speech: Commands and Requests
Use told or asked to report an imperative or request.
M.O.4

5. 1. Jane told Tom: “Go away.”
She told him TO go away.
2. Jane told Tom: “Don’t worry!”
She told him NOT TO worry.
3. “Please don’t smoke!”: She asked me not to smoke.
“Could you help me?”: She asked me to help her.
M.O.5

6. 1. Jane told Tom: “Go away.”
She told him TO go away.
2. Jane told Tom: “Don’t worry!”
She told him NOT TO worry.
3. “Please don’t smoke!”: She asked me not to smoke.
“Could you help me?”: She asked me to help her.
M.O.5