REPORTED SPEECH

Indirect Speech

REPORTED SPEECH •Direct speech: I like ice cream.

Reported Statements •Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.
• We don't need to change the tense, though probably we do
When do we use reported speech? Sometimes someone says a need to change the 'person' from 'I' to 'she', for example. We
sentence, for example "I'm going to the cinema tonight". Later, also may need to change words like 'my' and 'your'. My mum
maybe we want to tell someone else what the first person said. said: “I’m coming to your place for lunch”. My mum said she
was coming to my place for lunch
Here's how it works:
We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. If this verb is in the (As I'm sure you know, often, we can choose if we want to use
present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the 'that' or not in English. I've put it in brackets () to show that
sentence: it's optional. It's exactly the same if you use 'that' or if you
don't use 'that'.)
But, if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we •
change the tenses in the reported speech: • You’re working too hard. ⇨ She told me I was working too hard.

• Direct speech: I like ice cream. Past Simple (Direct Speech) ⇨ Past Perfect (Reported Speech)
I drove to Paris yesterday. ⇨ He said he had driven to Paris the previous day.
• Reported speech: She said (that) she liked ice cream.
I woke up in hospital. ⇨ He said he had woken up in hospital. I worked last Sunday. ⇨ He
• Present simple(Direct Speech) ⇨ Past Simple said he had worked last Sunday
(Reported Speech) • Present Perfect (Direct Speech)⇨ Past Perfect (Reported Speech) •
• I’m from Spain. ⇨ He said he was from Spain. I’ve bought a new cushion. ⇨ She said she had bought a new cushion. • I’ve
swum with sharks. ⇨ She said she had swum with sharks.
• I love speaking in English ⇨ She said she loved speakYou’re
driving on the wrong side. ⇨ She said I was driving on the wrong side.ing in • I’ve swallowed my chewing gum. ⇨ He said he had swallowed his chewing
gum.
English.
• Past Perfect (Direct Speech)⇨ Past Perfect (Reported speech)
• I live in London. ⇨ He said he lived in London. • ¡Buenas noticias! No hay que cambiar el tiempo verbal para pasarlo a
‘reported speech’.
• The jury had had many doubts about the case. ⇨ She said the jury had had
many doubts about the case.
• Can (Direct Speech) ⇨ Could(Reported Speech)
• I can’t understand Scottish people. ⇨ She said she couldn’t understand Scottish
people.
REPORTED SPEECH EXAMPLES • I can play the piano. ⇨ He said he could play the piano.
• Present Continuous (Direct Speech) ⇨ Past Continuous (Reported Speech) • I can cook for you. ⇨ He said he could cook for me.
• I’m resting on the sofa. ⇨ He said he was resting on the sofa.
• Will (Direct Speech) ⇨ Would (Reported speech) MUST I must study at the weekend She said (that) she must
• I’ll take the rubbish out this evening. ⇨ He said he would take the rubbish out study at the weekend OR She said she had to study at the
that evening. weekend
• I’ll love you forever. ⇨ She said she’d love me forever. • REPORTED QUESTIONS WITH WH
• I’ll speak to the manager. ⇨ He said he would speak to the manager. •
• Direct question: Where do you live?
• Reported question: She asked me where I lived.
• Direct question: Where is Julie?
• Reported question: She asked me where Julie was.
Direct Question Reported Question
REPORTED SPEECH EXAMPLES COULD* I could swim
when I was four • Where is the Post Office, please? She asked me where the
Post Office was.
She said (that) she could swim when she was four.
• What are you doing? She asked me what I was doing.
SHALL I shall come later
She said (that) she would come later. • Who was that fantastic man? She asked me who that
fantastic man had been.
SHOULD* I should call my mother She said (that) she should
call her mother
MIGHT* I might be late
She said (that) she might be late
REPORTED QUESTIONS WITHOUT WH ‘esa noche’, mañana será ‘el día siguiente’, etc.
But, what if you need to report a 'yes / no' question? We don't • I will speak to you tomorrow.
have any question words to help us. Instead, we use 'if':
Direct question: Do you like chocolate?
Reported question: She asked me if I liked chocolate.
Direct Question Reported Question
Do you love me? He asked me if I loved him.
Have you ever been to Mexico? She asked me if I had ever
been to Mexico.
Are you living here? She asked me if I was living here.
Negative Reported Speech • She said she would speak to me the next/ following day. • this
afternoon ⇨ that afternoon
• I won’t be late. ⇨ She said she WOULD NOT be late.
• today ⇨ that day
• I don’t have any. She said she didn’t have an • now ⇨ then/at that time
• Los adverbios de tiempo y de lugar • tomorrow ⇨ the following/next day
• Al cambiar a estilo indirecto, damos un paso atrás en el • last week ⇨ the week before/the previous week
tiempo, por tanto ‘hoy’ será ‘ese día’, ‘esta noche’ será • next month ⇨ the following month
 9. I was waiting for the bus when he arrived.
EXERCISES R// He said he was waiting for the bus when he
1. I like ice cream
arrived.
R// He said he like ice cream
10. He hasn't eaten breakfast.
2. He works in a bank.
R// He said he works in a bank. R// He said he was hasn't eaten breakfast
11. I had never been there before.
3. I am living in London
R// She said she had never been there before.
R// He said he was living in London
12. I haven't seen Julie
4. "I'm coming! R// She said she had haven't seen Julie
R// He said he was coming!
13. I had taken English lessons before
5. We went out last night. R// He said he had taken English lessons before
R// They said they went out last night.
14. Lucy will come later.
6. I bought a car R// She said she will come later.
R// She said she had bought a car 15. I'll see you later
7. I didn't go to the party R// He said he was see you later
R// She said she had didn't go to the party 16. They would help if they could
R// They said they would help if they could
8. I was walking along the street
R//Se said he was walking along the street 17. I can speak perfect English
R// He said he can speak perfect English
18. I'll do the washing-up later
R// He said he was do the washing-up later
19. He could read when he was three.
R// He said he could read when he was three.
20. I don't like chocolate
R// She said she don't like chocolate

Explanation Reported Speech: https://youtu.be/-aOtbXum0OM