Reported Speech ICOT - Upper Intermediate Teacher Brenda Devenish

1. Reported
Speech
Reporting people’s
exact words

2. Change of tense
When we report what someone
said, the verb form generally
moves one tense into the past

3. Direct speech Reported speech
Present simple (I do) Past simple (I did)
Present continuous (I’m doing) Past continuous (I was doing)
Present perfect (I have done) Past perfect (I had done)
Past simple (I did) Past perfect (I had done)
Past continuous (I was doing) Past perfect continuous (I had
been doing)
Past perfect (I had done) No change possible
Past perfect continuous (I had
been doing)
No change possible

4. Change of tenses
Direct speech Indirect speech
will would
is going to was going to
can could
must had to

5. Remember ……..
The change of tense often happens
because what the person said is now
in the past ……
His teachers said he would end up in
trouble, but now he’s successful

6. Remember ……
If what the person says is still true/relevant
now, we often don’t change tenses
I’ll be late home for dinner
He said he’ll be late for dinner (dinner is
later in the evening/future)

7. Remember………
If the reporting verb is in the present
tense, there is no change
Mum says I can borrow the car
tonight

8. Reported questions
Because reported questions are not real
questions, the word order is the same as in
sentences……..
Will you continue to fight this case? The
journalist asked.
The journalist asked if they would continue
to fight the case.

9. Some common verbs in reported speech
and the constructions used after them
Say: He said (that) he was enjoying the movie
Tell: He told her (that) he did not like his new job
Answer: She answered that she had no intention of
doing the work
Reply: She replied that she had no intention of
doing the job
Add: She added that she wanted to thank her
mother for her support

10. Verbs that summarise what people say …..
Verb + that
Verb + object + (that)
Verb + gerund
Verb + preposition + gerund
Verb + object + preposition + gerund
Verb + infinitive
Verb + object + infinitive

11. Verb + that …..
1a. deny. He denied that he had done
anything illegal.
1b. agree. We agreed that we would
meet again soon.
(Also: decide, conclude, threaten,
complain, imply.)

12. Verb + object + that
Verb + object + that
2a. Warn: We warned you that the
building was dangerous.
(Also: promise, persuade, assure.)

13. Verb + gerund
3a. Suggest: Molly suggested
meeting for a coffee first.
3b. Deny: He denied seeing her
on the evening of the murder.

14. Verb + preposition + gerund
4a. insist : The children
insisted on coming with us.

15. Verb + object + preposition +
gerund
5a. Accuse: You accused me of
lying!
(Also: blame, congratulate.)

16. Verb + infinitive
6a. Refuse: She refused to
tell me where she had been.
(Also: offer, promise, decide,
agree, threaten.)

17. Verb + object + infinitive
7a. Order: The police ordered them
to put up their hands.
7b. Warn: Her parents warned her
not to speak to strangers.
(Also: persuade, urge.)