WHAT IS A REPORTED SPEECH?

REPORTED SPEECH

REWRITE EACH SENTENCE AS INDIRECT SPEECH, BEGINNING AS SHOWN.
IS A REQUEST, A

MIXED EXERCICE. NOTE WHETHER THE SENTENCE
TENSES. CHANGES
1. ‘You can’t park here.’ The police officer told Jack

With
REPORTED
SPEECH
you
generally inform someone else of what other
people just said, ordered, suggested, offered,
asked…
This speech is often done in a
different place and usually on a different day so
you need to make some changes:
1. PRONOUNS
2. VERB TENSES (except conditionals and past
perfects). Also, if we are reporting something
that was said but it is still true we don’t need to
move the tense back. “ I love Paul”. She said she
loves Paul
3. WORDS REFERRING TO A PARTICULAR TIME OR PLACE
These changes apply to all kind of
sentences on condition that the introductory verb
is in the SIMPLE PAST.

SENTENCES. CHANGES
REPORTED STATEMENTS
REPORTING VERB+(OBJ)+(THAT)+ SENTENCE
WITH THE NECESSARY CHANGES

“ I won’t go to the park tomorrow”, he said to
me
He said to me (that) he wouldn’t go to the park
the next day

FROM
SIMPLE PRESENT
SIMPLEPAST
PRESENT PERFECT
PAST PERFECT
WILL

STATEMENT OR A QUESTION
.
REPORTING
VERBS
____________________________________________________
"I like this
picture." He said
TO
2. ‘I’ll seeSIMPLE
you inPAST
the morning, Helen.’ Peter told Helen
SOME OF THEM ARE:

_____________________________________________
____________________________________________________
1. FOR STATEMENTS
PAST PERFECT
have
youtrain
parked
car?"
She
asked
…your
SAID
TO
SB
THAT
… me
3. ‘I’m"Where
taking
the
5:30
tomorrow
evening.’
Janet
said
TOLD SB THAT…./TO +INF
____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________

4.


WOULD

BOASTED TO
‘The"Itrousers
have
be ready
this afternoon.’
PAST
don'tCONTINUOUS
feel
liketogoing
out tonight,"
She saidPaul told the dryASSURED SB THAT…
PAST CONTINUOUS
cleaners_____________________________________________
PAST
PERFECT
_____________________________________________
REMARKED THAT…
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
5. ‘I leftCONTINUOUS
my umbrella here two days ago.’ Susan told them
PAST PERFERCT CONTINUOUS
MENTIONED
THAT…
"Say hello to Paul," They asked
me
___________________________________________________
COMMENTED THAT…
6. ‘The_____________________________________________

parcel ought to be here by
the endTHAT
of next
ADMITTED
… week.’ Brian said
"Don't play near the lake, boys,"
said
DENIEDShe
THAT
…/ GERUND
EXPRESIONS OF____________________________________________________
TIME.CHANGES
APOLOGIZE
FOR + GERUND
7. ‘I like
_____________________________________________
this hotel very much.’ Diana
told me
THIS (AFTERNOON)
THAT (AFTERNOON)
PROMISED TO + INF
____________________________________________________
"Where have you been all night?"She asked him
2. FOR QUESTIONS
TODAY/THIS DAY
THAT DAY
8. ‘I think
it’s going to rain tonight.’ William said
… ASKED SB IF / WHTHESE (DAYS)
THOSE (_____________________________________________

DAYS)
____________________________________________________
NOW
THEN "I am quite good at drawing,"
ENQUIRED
He said
9.(YEAR
‘What
time does the film start,
Peter?’ I asked
A (YEAR) AGO
A
) BEFORE
WONDERED
____________________________________________
LAST (WEEK)
THE
(WEEK
) BEFORE/ THE
____________________________________________________
WANTED TO KNOW
PREVIOUS (WEEK)
"Has
Ian?"→
He wanted
to know
WAS
CURIOUS
TOChris?’
KNOW The interviewer

10.
‘Doshe
youmet
watch
television
every
evening,
NEXT (WEEK)
THE FOLLOWING (WEEK)
3. FOR COMMANDS
asked
_____________________________________________
TOMORROW
THE NEXT/FOLLOWING DAY
… ORDERED SB TO + INF
____________________________________________________
"I was so tired that I couldn’t
sleep" She said
ASK SB TO + INF
11. ____________________________________________
‘Why did you apply for this job’ asked the sales manager?. The
REPORTED SUGGESTIONS
TOLD SB TO + INF
sales manager asked
REQUESTED
"Be careful with the matches, Ann," She told Ann
me____________________________________
REPORTING VERB+ THAT+
FINITE VERB
BEGGED SB TO + INF

+12.
SHOULD
+‘Are
INFINITIVE
_____________________________________________
you taking much money
with SB
youTOto+INF
France?’ My bank
IMPLORED
+ GERUND
manager
to know
"I willwanted
get some
food, I’m starving"
SheSBsaid
SHOUTED TO
+INF
“Why don´t we go to the park”______________________________________
he suggested
SCREAMED AT SB
____________________________________________
He suggested that we go to the park
4.FOR OFFERS
AND SPEECH USING ONE
REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES
IN REPORTED
"Why haven't you phoned me?" → He wondered
we should go to the park

OF THE FOLLOWING REPORTING SUGGESTIONS
VERBS
___________________________________________
going to the park
… OFFERED SB TO+ INF
PRESENT CONTINUOUS

ACCUSE

REPORTED QUESTIONS

"I cannot
APOLOGIZE

AGREE

DECIDE

OFFER

SUGGESTED
+THAT…/REMIND
GERUND
driveADMIT
them home,"
→
He said
INSIST

DOUBT

DENY
REFUSE
WARN
WRITE IN THE MOST SUITABLE VERB IN THE CORRECT FORM
PROMISE
CONFESS
SUGGEST
ADVISE /THREATEN
ADMIT - ADVISE - ANNOUNCE
– ASSUREREPORTS
- CLAIM -We
COMPLAIN
IMPERSONAL
can report

a) ‘No, it’s not true, I didn’t steal the money!’ said Jean.
YES/NO QUESTIONS
CONFIRM - CONVINCE what
- DECLARE
EXPLAIN INFORM
- using
INSIST people- generally
say
or think
REPORTING VERB+ (OBJ)+ IF/WHETHER
____________________________________________________
MENTION - PERSUADE PASSIVE
REASSURE
SUGGEST
VERBS.

There
are two
+SENTENCE (not in the interrogative
form)we go to the cinema REPORT
c) ‘Why don’t
this evening?’
said
Peter.

1.

structures:
____________________________________________________
“Are you hungry?” She asked 1– “Stop worrying so much,” he ________ her. “Everything will be ok.”
d) ‘Yes, of course. I’ll give you
a lift,My
Helen”
Liz.
late?B:
boss said
___________
that I stay
She asked me If I was hungry2– A: Why are you home so
IT+
THAT CLAUSE
REPORTING VERB+ (OBJ)+ TO (NOT TO)+
____________________________________________________
SUBJECT
+ TO for
+ INFINITIVE

until
I’d
finished
the
report
she
needs
tomorrow.A:
Well,
you can’t
INFINITIVE
e)
‘I’ve broken your pen.
awfully
sorry,
Jack.’
David.hard if you
2. WH- QUESTIONS
_______________.
YouI’m
knew
that you
would
havesaid
to work
REPORTING VERB+(OBJ)+WH-+
SENTENCE (not
“ “Sit down!, the teacher told me
“People say he is a thief”
____________________________________________________

took this job.
in the interrogative form) f) ‘Don’t forget to post It
The teacher told me to sit down
said /known/
hesaid
is a Diana
thief .
myisletter,
will you,that
Sue?’
3– The American and British
governments
_________________
a lot
“ Don’t speak so fast”, He begged me
He
is
said/known/
believed
to
be
a thief
____________________________________________________
“How old are you?” He wanted of
to people
know that Iraq was developing weapons of mass destruction
He begged me not to speak so fast
carry so
your
suitcase,

Harry said.
He wanted to know how old I g)
was‘Let me
(nuclear
bombs)
they
invadedJohn.’
the country.
They were wrong.
____________________________________________________
4– The student ________________ her teacher that she would be
h)
right,
true, I was nervous.’ The actor said
late‘All
the
nextit’s
day.
TRANSFORM THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES IN REPORTED SPEECH
_________________________________________________
5– He called his wife toQUESTIONS
tell her that he had been involved in a car
i) ‘I don’t __________
think Liverpoolher
willthat
win.’he
Vanessa
said.
wasn’t tomorrow?”.
badly hurt. He asked

STATEMENTS
COMMANDS/ SUGGESTIONS/accident,
OFFERS
1. “Are
you leaving
____________________________________________________
She
her students to stop messing around and
1. “I don’t know what she is doing”. He said.
1.“Wait outside. I’ll tell you 6–
when
to____________
come in”.
her____________________________
j)
‘If I were
Bill,only
I’d buy
a mountain
bike.’ Stephen
said. their
wasting
time you,
as they
fewhelp
more
tohomework?”
improve
_________________________________
He told the boys______________________

2. had
“Canayou
memonths
with my
____________________________________________________
English (!)
2. “I can’t speak as many languages as you do”
__________________________________
My brother asked me______________
k) –‘Don’t
worry,
Martin, I’llto?B:
bringI’m
your
book
back”,
A: Where
going
round
to saidLeslie.
Bill’s place.A: I
She confessed._______________________
2.“We could go to see a film7tonight”.
Sheare you off
______________________________
____________________________________________________
thought you were going 3.
to “Is
stayhehome
tonight?B:

Well, I He
was
but he
__________________________________
suggested______________________
coming
next Tuesday?
asked
l)_________________me
‘You murdered Lord Digby,
didn’t
to go
andyou,
see Colin!’
him. said the inspector
_
3. “Don’t leave the vase on the
table”. She
______________________________
____________________________________________________
8 – He _________________
that
hadn’t
been
tellingMy
theflat
truth.
3.“I met her in London last year”. He said.
told
4. “When

didhemy
mother
phone?”
m)
no, you
must to?B:
have another
drink!’Dick said
9 – ‘No,
A: Who
are really
you talking
I’m ___________
our reservation for
__________________________________
us________________________________
mate asked
____________________________________________________
tonight.
_
_
_______________________
n) ‘It
me
who
the money,’
said Jim.
– A:was
Did
she

tellstole
you that
she’s getting
divorced?B: She
4. “I have already finished the book you lent
4. Shall I make you a cup of10
coffee?
She
______________________________
____________________________________________________
_____________
it
when
we
were
talking
wedding.
me”. My friend told
offered_________________________
5. “Where have youabout
been Ann’s
lately?”
Ann I was
o)
‘Right,
I’ll take the brown pair.’said Andrew.
soinstead
surprised.
me__________________
5. “Let’s have dinner at home

of going
wanted to know___________________
____________________________________________________
11 – During the convention
he __________________ that he was
__________________________________
out” Ann suggested ___________________
______________________________
p)
‘No, sorry,
don’tafter
want25
to years
lend you
my camera.’
said Alex.
retiring
next Iyear,
Heexam?"
______________
_
__________________________________
6. "Did
youservice.
pass the
I said to
____________________________________________________
thathe
hesaid.
would be very sad

to leave the company and __________
5. “If you do that again I’ll be angry.” My
6. "How about rating a canoe?"
Joe.___________________________
q)
‘Don’t
play been
near having
the road,
Jimmy.’
Said Jimmy’s
that
he had
health
problems
recently.mother
mother said._________________________
__________________________________
______________________________
____________________________________________________
– He __________________
that
it
was
an accident and he
__________________________________
7. "Let's go for a swim!" he 12
said.
_______
r)

Get meant
off thetograss
immediately!’
heso
said
to the kids._
never
break
it but I’m not
sure.
____________________________________________________
REPORTED COMMANDS