Reported Speech

1. Reported
Speech
By Teacher Danitza Lazcano Flores.
Unit 9: “Books Matter”

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Reported speech or indirect speech is used
when we talk about the past. We use speech
marks (“”) to identify a person’s exact words
(Direct Speech).
Definition

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Examples

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Say or Tell?
We use SAY (THAT) to report what someone
said.
E.g.: He said (that) she loved him.
We use TELL to report information about the
person who is talking to. The noun or name
always goes after the verb TELL.
E.g.: He told me (that) she loved him.
*In both examples, THAT is optional*

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Helen
said she wanted to tell something about
her holiday in Santiago.
told her she wanted to tell her something
about her holiday in Santiago.
Helen: “I want to tell something about
my holiday in Santiago”
Look at the following
examples
Helen to Pamela: “I want to tell you something
about my holiday in Santiago”

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Basic Tense Chart
The tenses generally move
backshift. Look the following slides with
some verb tenses examples.
The tense on the left changes
to the tense on the right:

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Watch the following
changes...
PRESENT SIMPLE
I'm a teacher.
PAST SIMPLE
He said he was a
teacher.
PRESENT
CONTINUOUS
I'm having lunch
with my parents.
PAST
CONTINUOUS
He said he was
having lunch with
his parents.

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Watch the following changes..
PRESENT PERFECT
SIMPLE
I have written
books.
PAST PERFECT
SIMPLE
She said she had
written books.
PAST SIMPLE
I went to the
party.
PAST PERFECT
SIMPLE
She said she had
gone to the party.

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Watch the following
changes...
FUTURE WILL
I will help you.
WOULD
She said he would
help me.
CAN
I can live alone.
COULD
He said he could
live alone.
MAY
I may work at
home.
MIGHT
She said she
might work at home.

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Can all the tenses change?
Not all direct speech move one tense back. When
reporting facts or general truths, there is no
backshift. This is common when using words like
say or warn.
“Less people will buy books in the future” warns
the publisher.
The publisher warns that less people will buy
books in the future.

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What about the
imperatives?
IMPERATIVES
AS REQUESTS
Please give
me some
money.
ASK + INFINITIVE
He asked me to
give him some
money.

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What about the
imperatives?
POSITIVE
IMPERATIVES
Shut up!
TELL + INFINITIVE
He told me to
shut up.

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What about the
imperatives?
NEGATIVE
IMPERATIVE
Don’t open the
window!
TELL + NOT +
INFINITIVE
He told me not
to open the
window.

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How can we report
questions?
In this case we use a different word order,
we don’t use auxiliaries like do /did or does,
and there is no inversion of the subject with the verb
or the use of question marks (?).
“When did she buy that handbag?”
She asked me when she had bought that handbag.
(When is kept)
“Will you study for your test?
He asked me if/whether I would study for my test.
(Will changed into if or whether)

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Time and Place Changes
Now Then
Right now Right then
Today That day
Tomorrow The next day
At the moment At that moment
Here There
This That
This week That week

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Report the following
clauses.
1. Caroline: “I’m reading a new book”
_______________________________________
_
2. JP to Conny: “You can do it!”
_______________________________________
_
3. Dad to me: “You’ll speak English”
_______________________________________
_

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1. Caroline: “I’m reading a new book”
Caroline said she was reading a new
book.
2. JP to Conny: “You can do it!”
JP told Conny (her) she could do it!
3. Dad to me: “You’ll speak English”
Dad told me I would (‘d) speak English.

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Report the following
clauses.
4.Francia: “I’ll bring a pasta salad”
_________________________________________
5. Danny: “Mark’s going to install solar
panels in our house”
_________________________________________
6. Mary to her sister: “It’s raining”
_________________________________________

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4. Francia: “I’ll bring a pasta salad”
Francia said she would bring pasta salad.
5. Danny: “Mark’s going to install solar
panels in our house”
Danny said Mark (he) was going to install
Solar panels in their house.
6. Mary to her sister: “It’s raining”
Mary told her sister (her) it was raining.

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Report the following
clauses.
7. Betty to Andrea: “What time is it?”
_________________________________________
8. Benito to JP: “Did you bring my food?”
_________________________________________
9. Mermelada to Danny: “Do you love me?”
_________________________________________

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7. Betty to Andrea: “What time is it?”
Betty asked her what time it was.
8. Benito to JP: “Did you bring my food?”
Benito asked JP if he had brought his food.
9. Mermelada to Danny: “Do you love me?”
Mermelada asked Danny if she loved him.

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Material created by
Danitza Lazcano Flores
Teacher of English,
Master in Education and
Educational and
Vocational Counselor.