Reported speech is used to tell someone what another person said without using their exact words. When changing direct quotes to reported speech, verb tenses, time/place expressions, and pronouns may need to be changed. Common changes include changing the present tense to the past tense, changing adverbs of time and place, and substituting pronouns. Reporting verbs like "say" are used to introduce the reported portion of the speech.

1. REPORTED SPEECH
Intermediate Level

2. When is it used?
O REPORTED SPEECH is used to tell what someone
said. Yet, we do not repeat all the words exactly.
O REAL WORDS (direct speech):
Tom said: “We are going to the cinema this afternoon.”
O REPORTED SPEECH:
Tom said that they were going to the cinema that afternoon.

3. Changes
O Types of changes:
1. Verb Tenses
2. Time and place adverbial expressions
3. Logical change of pronouns
O EXAMPLE
O DIRECT: Mary said: “They are seeing me tomorrow”
O REPORTED: Mary said that they were seeing her the following
day

4. Verb Tenses
DIRECT SPEECH  REPORTED SPEECH
O PRESENT  • PAST
O We study • She said that they studied
O We are studying • She said that they were studying
O PAST  • PAST PERFECT
O We studied
• She said that they had studied
O We were studying
• She said that they had been studying
O FUTURE  • CONDITIONAL
O We will study • She said that they would study

5. List of Verb Changes
TENSE DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH
She said that she played tennis with her
PRESENT SIMPLE I play tennis with my friends
friends
PRESENT I am playing tennis with my She said that she was playing tennis with her
CONTINUOUS friends friends
PRESENT PERFECT I have played tennis with my She said that she had played tennis with her
SIMPLE friends friends
PRESENT PERFECT I have been playing tennis with She said that she had been playing tennis
CONTINUOUS my friends with her friends
She said that she had played tennis with her
PAST SIMPLE I played tennis with my friends
friends
I were playing tennis with my She said that she had been playing tennis
PAST CONTINUOUS
friends with her friends
I had played tennis with my She said that she had played tennis with her
PAST PERFECT SIMPLE
friends friends
PAST PERFECT I had been playing tennis with She said that she had been playing tennis
CONTINUOUS my friends with her friends
She said that they would play tennis with her
FUTURE SIMPLE I will play tennis with my friends
friends

6. Changes in Modals
DIRECT REPORTED
SPEECH SPEECH
CAN COULD
MAY MIGHT
MUST / HAVE
MUST / HAD TO
TO
WILL WOULD

7. Time and Place Adverb Change
DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH
Now Then
Today That day
Tonight That night
Yesterday The previous day / the day before
Last week The previous week / the week before
A __________ ago The previous ______ / the _____ before
The following day / the day after / the next
Tomorrow
day
The following ________ / the _______
Next ___________
after
Here There
This That
These Those

8. Reported Speech
In Statements
When transforming statements, first,
doublecheck:
O pronouns
O present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
O place and time expressions
O tenses (backshift)

9. Reported Speech
In Statements
Type Example
direct speech “I speak English.”
reported speech He says that he speaks English.
(no backshift)
reported speech He said that he spoke English.
(backshift)

10. In Questions
When transforming questions, check whether
you have to change:
O pronouns
O present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
O place and time expressions
O tenses (backshift)
Also note that you have to:
O transform the question into an indirect
question
O use the interrogative or if / whether

11. In Questions
Type Example
with interrogative direct speech “Why don’t you speak English?”
reported speech He asked me why I didn’t speak
English.
without interrogative direct speech “Do you speak English?”
reported speech He asked me whether / if I spoke
English.

12. In Requests
When transforming questions, check
whether you have to change:
O pronouns
O place and time expressions

13. In Requests
Type Example
direct speech “Carol, speak English.“
reported speech He told Carol to speak English.

14. Some reporting verbs.
IF / THAT + THAT+
THAT + Object +
WHETHER + sentence or sentence or
sentence infinitive
sentence infinitive should
ASK ANSWER CLAIM ADVISE ADVISE
REMEMBER BOAST PROMISE BEG ASK
SAY COMPLAIN THREATEN DEMAND BEG
DENY RECOMMEND INVITE
REPLY SUGGEST ORDER
SAY SHOUT
SUGGEST WARN
TELL
WARN