The document provides information on how to report or change direct speech into indirect speech or reported speech in English. It includes rules for changing verb tenses, pronouns, adverbs of time and place, and other elements of speech depending on whether it is being reported in the past, present or future. Examples are provided to illustrate reporting commands, questions, requests, statements and other speech acts indirectly rather than directly quoting the original speaker.
1. REPORTED SPEECH
Present
She said: “I´mhungry”
Past simple
She said: “I missed my family”
Present continuous
She said: “I am walking”
Present perfect
She said: “I have bought a new car”
WILL
She said:” I will wait”
Past simple
She said she was hungry
Past perfect
She said she had missed herfamily
Past continuous
She said she was walking.
Past perfect
She said she had bought a new car
WOULD
She said she would wait
DIRECT SPEECH
INDIRECT/REPORTED
SPEECH
2. Past perfect
She said: “ I had waited”
CAN
She said.”I can walk”
MUST
She said: “I must walk”
MAY
She said: “It may be a good idea”
Past perfect
She said she had waited
COULD
She said she could walk
HADTO
She said she had to walk
MIGHT
She said it might be a good idea.
DIRECT SPEECH
INDIRECT/REPORTED
SPEECH
3. CHANGES
He told her: “I like
your car”
She asked him: “Is
this your car?
She told us:” these
are my books”
He told me : “He
doesn’t live here
anymore”
He told her (that) he
liked her new car
She asked him if
that was his car.
She told us those
were her books.
He told me he
didn’t live there
anymore
ADJECTIVES/ADVERBS IINDIRECT CHANGES
4. TIME EXPRESSIONS
1 NOW
2 TODAY
3 YESTERDAY
4 THE DAY BEFORE
YESTERDAY
5 TOMORROW
6 THE DAY AFTER
TOMORROW
7 NEXT WEEK/MONTH/YEAR
8 LAST WEEK/MONTH/YEAR
9 TWODAYS/THREE HOURS
AGO
1 THEN
2 THAT DAY
3 THE DAY BEFORE
4 TWO DAYS BEFORE
5 THE NEXT/FOLLOWING DAY
6 TWO DAYS LATER
7 THE FOLLLOWING
WEEK/MONTH/YEAR
8 THE PREVIOUS
WEEK/MONTH/YEAR
9 TWO DAYS/THREE HOURS
BEFORE
DIRECT INDIRECT
5. REPORTED QUESTIONS
Sandra
asked:”Are you
going out?”
Sandra asked
if/whether I was
going out.
Henry
wondered: “Why
is Andrew so
late?”
Henry wondered
why Andrew
was so late.
YES/NOQUESTIONS WH- QUESTION
6. REPORTED COMMANDS
“Sit down”
“Don’t forget your
umbrella”
“Don’t shout at
me”.
“Work hard at
school”
He ordered them to
sit down
She reminded him
not to forget his
umbrella.
He told her not to
shout at him
He advised me to
work hard at school
DIRECT INDIRECT
7. REPORTED SUGGESTIONS
“Let’s go for a
walk”
“Why don’t we
relax?”
He suggested
that we went for
a walk
She suggested
that they
relaxed.
DIRECT INDIRECT
11. Do you want to know a secret?
A: He whispered in my ear that he was in love with
me.
B: He expressed doubt that I would ever know
how much he really cared for me.
C: He insisted that we were the only ones who
knew.
D: He told me that I would never know how much
he really loved me.
E: He admitted that the realisation had dawned on
him a week or two earlier.
F: He offered to confide in me if I promised not to
12. Do you want to know a secret?
D: He told me that I would never know how much he
really loved me.
B: He expressed doubt that I would ever know how
much he really cared for me.
F: He offered to confide in me if I promised not to tell.
A: He whispered in my ear that he was in love with
me.
E: He admitted that the realisation had dawned on
him a week or two earlier.
C: He insisted that we were the only ones who knew.
13. 1. “ I won’t lend you any money”
She refused to lend him any money.
2. “Would you like to have a drinkwith me?”
She invited himto have a drinkwith her.
3. “Let’s go to the beach!”
He suggested going /that they should go to the beach.
4. “ If you’re good, I’ll buy you an ice-cream”
He promised to buy heran ice cream(if she was good)
5. “I’msorry I broke yourheart”
She apologised forbreaking /having broken his heart.
14. 6. “ If I were you, I’d tell yourparents”
She advised himto tell his parents
7. “It wasn’t me. I didn’t breakthe window”
He denied breaking /having broken the window
8. “You’re the one who murdered the President. - I saw you”
He accused herof murdering /having murdered the
President.
9. “ Stop shouting!”
She ordered themto stop shouting.
10. “ Shall I carry yoursuitcase foryou?”
He offered to carry hersuitcase (forher)
15. VERB + THAT CLAUSE
DECLARE
He declared that he loved her
EXPLAIN
SAY
SUGGEST
16. VERB+ TO + INFINITIVE
( NOT TO DO SOMETHING)
AGREE
OFFER
José offered to drive me to the airport.
REFUSE
PROMISE
I promised not to tell anybody
THREATEN
17. VERB+ OBJECT+ TO+ INFINITIVE
( SOMEBOBY NOTTO DO
SOMETHING)
ADVISE
The doctor advised me to have a rest
ASK
CONVINCE
ENCOURAGE
INVITE
Julia’s friend invited her to stay for dinner
ORDER
PERSUADE
I persuaded my sister not to go out with Juan
REMIND
My boss reminded me to sign the documents.
TELL
WARN
The man warned us not to park in this street.
18. VERB+ GERUND
( NOT DOING SOMETHING)
APOLOGIZE ( FOR)
I apologized for being so late.
ACCUSE
The police accused Maria of stealing the car.
ADMIT
BLAME SOMEBODY FOR
DENY
INSIST ON
Jane insisted on going to the dcotor’s with me
RECOMMEND
REGRET
SUGGEST
Katie suggested going for a walk.
19. be get help lose pay sack steal walk
1. He was accused of money from the
company.
2. I offered to him, but he said he could
manage.
3. He apologized for his temper with me.
4. His boss threatened him if was late one
more time.
5. Will you remind me some more petrol
before we leave?
6. Of course, she denies anywhere near the
scene of the crime.
7. He warned the children not on the frozen
help
stealing
losing
to sack
to get
being
to walk
paying