2. We use it to:
Say what another person has said
We use that to begin the reported clause
We can omit that in informal language
Verbs to use:
SAY – He said that… / He said to me that…
TELL – He told me that….
3. Tense changes
She said that she was happy.
Present simple Past simple
Present continuous Past continuous
Present perfect simple Past perfect simple
Past simple Past perfect
Past perfect simple Past perfect simple
Am/ is / are going to Was / were going to
4. Modal verbs
DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH
Should, could, would, might
I should go to hospital, she said
Don’t change
She said she should go to hospital
Will
They will pass the test, said the
teacher
Would
The teacher said they would pass
the test
Can
You can open the door, said Tom
Could
Tom said I could open the door
Must
We must tell the truth, said Fiona
Had to
Fiona said that they had to tell the
truth
5. Pronouns and possessive adjectives
- When we change from direct speech to reported
speech, we must change the words which refer
to who the speaker is talking about.
- Ex. We arrived early, she said
- She said that they had arrived early
- Ex. My mum is a nurse, she said
- She said that her mum was a nurse
6. Time expressions
DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH
now then, at the moment
today that day
tonight that night
this morning / week / month… that morning / week / month…
two days ago two days earlier
yesterday the day before
last week / month / year… the week / month / year before
tomorrow the next day
next week / year / month… the next / following week…
7. Place expressions
DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH
THIS
These are my keys, he said
THAT
He said that those were his keys
THESE THOSE
HERE THERE
8. Imperatives – to give orders
Positive: subject + verb + object + to inf
‘Sit down!’ - He ordered them to sit down
Negative: subject + verb + object + (not) to inf
‘Don’t talk!’ - He ordered me not to talk
Verbs to indicate command:
ASK TELL ORDER REMIND WARN
‘Be careful!’ - The policeman warned us to be careful
Verbs to indicate suggestions:
SUGGEST RECOMMEND
‘Let’s go to the beach!’
Martha suggested that we go to the beach/ going to the beach
9. Reported questions
Remember: the word order changes!!!!
We keep the question word
‘How old are you?’ she asked
She asked me how old I was.
If there is no WH- word, we use if or
whether
‘Are you hungry?’ mum asked
Mum asked if I was hungry.
10. Reported questions
Remember: the word order changes!!!!
We keep the question word
‘How old are you?’ she asked
She asked me how old I was.
If there is no WH- word, we use if or
whether
‘Are you hungry?’ mum asked
Mum asked if I was hungry.
