The document discusses indirect or reported speech. It provides examples of how to change direct speech into indirect speech by modifying pronouns, verbs, adverbs of time, and removing quotation marks. It also discusses changing yes/no questions and Wh- questions into indirect speech and lists some common reporting verbs used in indirect speech like advise, agree, apologize, ask, congratulate, decide, invite, offer, promise, refuse, remind, suggest.

1. INDIRECT SPEECH
Starts

2. Reported speech
We often tell people what other people have
told us. This is called reported or indirect
speech. We usually change tenses and
references to people, places and times.

3. Speech marks
Note that sentences in direct speech have
speech marks “”(inverted commas) “”around
the spoken words. Indirect or reported speech
does not use speech marks.

4. Speakers in direct speech
Speakers can be mentioned at the beginning
or end of the sentence in direct speech.
Jack said, ‘We’re going to miss the train.’
‘We’re going to miss the train,’ said Jack.

5. Speakers in reported speech
Speakers are mentioned at the beginning of
the sentence in reported speech.
Jack said (that) they were going to miss the
train.

6. Commands and requests
Commands are reported with tell and the infinitive.
‘Wait! Wait!’
I told him to stop.
Requests are reported with ask and the infinitive.
‘Please wait!’
I asked her to wait.

7. Joe said, ‘I love chocolate.’ (Direct Speech)
Joe said that he loved chocolate. (Indirect Speech)
Example 1 :
Example 2 :
Carman said, ‘I am sick.’ (Direct Speech)
Carman said that she was sick. (Indirect Speech)
Change the
pronoun
Change the
tense
Put in ‘that’
Change the
pronoun
Change the
tense
Put in ‘that’

8. Joe said, ‘I ate some chocolate yesterday.’ (Direct
Speech)
Joe said that he had eaten some chocolate the day
before. (Indirect Speech)
Example 3 :
Example 4 :
Carman said, ‘I was sick last week.’ (Direct
Speech)
Carman said that she had been sick the week
before. (Indirect Speech)
Change the
pronoun
Change the
tense
Change the adverb of time
Put in ‘that’

9. Joe said, ‘Carman is doing homework.’ (Direct
Speech)
Joe said that Carman was doing homework.
(Indirect Speech)
Example 5:
Example 6 :
Carman said, ‘They will see a film tomorrow.’
(Direct Speech)
Carman said that they would see a film the
following day. (Indirect Speech)
Put in ‘that’
Change the
tense
Change the
adverb of time

10. Joe said, ‘You have not returned the book to me.’
(Direct Speech)
Joe said that you/I had not returned the book to
him. (Indirect Speech)
Example 7:
Example 8 :
Carman said, ‘You can use my computer.’
(Direct Speech)
Carman said that you/I could use her computer.
(Indirect Speech)
Put in
‘that’
Change the
pronoun
Change the pronoun
Change the tense
Change the possessive adjective

11. How to change the tense:
is/am/are was/were
do/does not work did not work
did not work had not worked
is/are working was/were working
was/were working had been working
will/shall work would work
has/have worked had worked
can work could work

12. How to change the pronouns and possessive adjectives:
I/you he/she
me/you him/her
my/your his/her
mine/yours his/hers
we/you they
us/you them
our/your their
ours/yours theirs

13. How to change the adverbs of time:
now then
today that day
This afternoon that afternoon
tonight that night
tomorrow the following day
yesterday the day before
next week the following week
last week the week before

14. Other changes to make:
this that
these those
here there
come go

15. Yes/no questions
Questions with the answer yes or no are reported using if
‘Does the London train stop here?’ she asked.
She asked me if the London train stopped here.
Note that the question form of the direct speech is not
used in reported speech, as there is no longer a direct
question. There is no question mark.

16. Whether
Whether means if... or not. We use whether
when we report questions linked with or.
‘Are you staying the night, or are you going home?’ he
asked.
He asked me whether I was staying the night or
going home.

17. Wh-questions
Questions beginning when, what, why, where, how, etc.
are reported with backshift. The question forms of direct
speech are not used, so the subject in bold comes
before the verb. There is no question mark.
‘Where is the bus-station?’she asked.
She asked where the bus-station was.
‘Where have you come from?’ he asked.
He asked me where I had come from.

18. Some of the most common
Reporting verbs: Reporting verbs include part of the
meaning of the words reported.
advise
‘I wouldn’t buy that car, Janos, if I were you.’
I advised Janos not to buy the car.
agree
‘Yes, Jill, I think you’re right,’ said Mike.
Mike agreed with Jill.

19. apologize
‘I’m really sorry for being so late,’ said Maria.
Maria apologized for being late.
ask
‘Do you think you could help me, Sue?’
I asked Sue to help me.
congratulate
‘Well done, Tina, you’ve passed the exam!’
I congratulated Tina on passing her exam.

20. decide
‘I’m going to become a doctor!’ said Helen.
Helen decided to become a doctor.
‘I’ll have the fish pie, please,’ said Bill.
Bill decided to have the fish pie.

21. invite
‘Would you like to come to the cinema on
Saturday, Pam?’
I invited Pam to the cinema on Saturday.
offer
“Shall I carry your case, Dawn?’ said Peter.
Peter offered to carry Dawn’s case.

22. promise
‘I’ll definitely be home by eight, ‘said Ann.
Ann promised to be home by eight.
‘I’ll wait for you, Helen,’ said Peter.
Peter promised Helen that he would wait for her.
refuse
‘No, I won’t open the door!’ said Carol.
Carol refused to open the door.

23. remind
‘Don’t forget to send your mother a birthday card, Joe.’
I reminded Joe to send his mother a birthday card.
suggest
‘How about spending the day at the beach?’ said Carlos.
Carlos suggested spending the day at the beach.

24. NOW YOU TRY))

34. “What do you think about cloning?”

35. “What is the meaning of life?”

36.  Who built that enormous bridge? (I wonder...)
 Did Benjamin Franklin write 'Poor Richard's
Almanac'? (I can't remember ....)
 Have they flown an ultralight too? (I don't
know ...)
 There must be a law which prohibits drunk
driving.
 Don’t post too much information on social
networking.