The document discusses the differences between direct and reported speech. Direct speech uses quotation marks and maintains the same tenses and pronouns. Reported speech does not use quotation marks, usually changes verb tenses back one time, and may change pronouns and other context-dependent words. It provides examples of how to report statements, questions, commands, requests, suggestions and conditional sentences. Reported speech is used to tell someone what another person said without using their exact words.

1. Page 1
Reported speech
Statements, questions,
commands and requests

2. Page 2
Notice the differences in these two
sentences:
• Ken: “I had a terrible row with
Pauline a few days ago and she has
kicked me out.”
• Mike told Isobel that Mike had
had a terrible row with Pauline a
few days before and she had
kicked him out.

3. Page 3
Direct Speech
We say the exact words someone said.
• Sarah told me “I prefer second-hand shops
here!”
• Samuel asked Tim “Where is your dad today?”
We use “”, !, ?, capital letter, a
reporting verb (say, tell...)

4. Page 4
Reported Speech
We don't use “ ”, !, ?, capital letter...
We introduce the sentence with a reporting verb
(SAY, TELL...)
We can omit THAT (more informal)
Verb Tense goes ONE STEP back in time
Person, time and place references may change
• Sarah told me (that) she prefered second-
hand shops there.
• Samuel asked Tim where his dad was that day.

5. Page 5
• We use reported speech when
we are telling someone what
another person said or thought,
but do not use their exact
words.
When we report a statement, we
use reported verbs such as say,
agree, announce,tell, explain,
inform, state, remark, complain,
remind, decide, suggest, think,
etc. often followed by THAT.

6. Page 6
Statements
There are NO changes if the reporting verb is in
the present or future or is something
permanent:
• She says she is not going out today.
• Mark will tell you he can't help you now.
• Sheila says the prices here are really cheap.
SAY and TELL are the most used verbs but be
careful:
• He said / said + TO + someone that....
• He told + someone that...

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Changes in reported speech

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Tense change
• Present Simple Past Simple
• Present Continuous Past Continuous
• Present Perfect Past Perfect
• Past Simple Past Perfect
• Future Conditional
• can could
• must had to

9. Page 9
Questions
• In reported WH- questions, we use
the wh- word + the subject + the verb.
• In reported Yes/No questions, we use
if/whether + the subject + the verb.
• We do not use the interrogative
form of the verb: do/does/did
• As it is an indirect question, no
question marks are used.
• We use reporting verbs: ask, wonder, enquire,
want to know, etc.

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Commands and requests
• Ken: “Don’t spread it around, Mike.”
• Ken asked Mike NOT TO spread it around.
• Mike advised Ken:”Make it up with Pauline!”
• Mike advised Ken TO make it up with Pauline.

11. Page 11
Commands and requests
• When we report requests,
orders, advice or warnings we
use verbs such as advice, ask,
beg, tell, order, instruct, etc,
followed by an infinitive.
• NB: In negative
requests/commands use NOT
before TO.

12. Page 12
Conditionals
• When we report Conditionals
type I, they change to
Conditionals type II:
– “If you phone after 7.00, we
won't be home”, we told him
– We told him that if he
phoned after 7.00, we
wouldn't be home.
• Conditionals Type II and III do
not change

13. Page 13
Suggestions
• When we report a suggestion we use
the verb suggest followed by
gerund or a THAT clause:
– “”Let's go to the bowling alley”,
Mark suggested
1) Mark suggested going to the …
2) Mark suggested that we (should)
go to the...

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Thanks for your attention!