This document provides information about direct and reported speech. It gives examples of how to change direct speech into reported speech by modifying verb tenses and pronouns. The main changes include changing present tenses to past tenses, changing pronouns like "I" to "he/she", and changing words like "now" to "then". It also provides exercises for the reader to practice converting direct speech to reported speech.

1. DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH
Tom is moaning in his room:
- I have got a temperature.
- I can’t find the thermometer.
- I’m feeling worse and worse.
- Mum doesn’t care about me.
His sister told their mum she had
heard Tom saying that:
He had a temperature;
He couldn´t find the thermometer;
He was feeling worse and worse;
His mum didn’t care about him.
MAIN CHANGES
Simple present – has / have
can’t find
doesn’t / don’t (care)
Present continuous – am feeling
is feeling
are feeling
Simple past – had
couldn’t (find)
didn’t (care)
Past continuous – was feeling
was feeling
were feeling
Personal pronouns
(subject form)
Personal pronouns
(object form)
Possessives
I - he / she
we - they
me - him / her
us - them
my - his / her
our - their
this that
these those
here there
now then
today that day

2. Exercise:
“I don’t like getting up early.” (John)
..........................................................................................................................................
“My sister can’t speak French.” (Susan)
..........................................................................................................................................
“I get home and switch my TV on.” (Brian)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
“I like cartoons and adventure films.” (Kelly)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. REPORTED SPEECH (Discurso indireto)
Complete the gaps:
1. “I don’t do any sports here.”
Jason said that he ………………………………… any sports there.
2. “I can’t find my umbrella.”
Samantha said that she ……………………………… her umbrella.
3. “I can speak Chinese.”
John said that he ………………………………. speak Chinese.
4. “I’m going home because it is getting later.”
Tom said that he …………………………. home because it ………………………………later.
5. “I do my homework in the evening.”
Sandy said that she ………………… her homework in the evening.
6. “I’m going camping with my friends.”
Ron said that he ………………………………camping with his friends.
7. “We like working in Spain.”
Ben and Angela said that they …………………………… working in Spain.

4. REPORTED SPEECH (Discurso indireto)
Personal pronouns
(subject form)
Personal pronouns
(object form)
Possessives
I - he / she
we - they
me - him / her
us - them
my - his / her
our - their
Complete the gaps:
1- ‘I talk to my friends about privacy rights.’ (Matthew)
Matthew said that …………… talked to ………… friends about privacy rights.
2- ‘I don’t want my information given to others.’ (Jessica)
Jessica said that …………… didn’t want …………… information given to others.
3- ‘I always give the online businesses a wrong address.’ (Max)
Max said that ………. always gave the online businesses a wrong address.
4- ‘My computer keeps shutting and it irritates me.’ (Maggie)
Maggie said that ………… computer kept shutting and it irritated …………
5- ‘I can’t finish my schoolwork today.’ (Paul)
Paul said that ………… couldn’t finish ………… schoolwork …………………………………
6- ‘My TV set doesn’t work.’ (Anne)
Anne said that …………… TV set didn’t work.

5. this that
these those
here there
now then ; at that time
today that day
Complete the gaps:
1- ‘I don’t want to stay here all day.’ (Maggie)
Maggie said that she didn’t want to stay ……………………… all day.
2- ‘I know this is a very important message.’ (Roger)
Roger said that he knew ……………… was a very important message.
3- ‘I can’t finish this work today.’ (Tom)
Tom said that he couldn’t finish ………………… work ………………………
4- ‘We are trying to solve the problem now.’ (Rose and Paul)
Rose and Paul said that they were trying to solve the problem ………………………
5- ‘I don’t like these magazines.’ (Peter)
Peter said that he didn’t like ……………………… magazines.

6. REPORTED SPEECH
Direct speech Reported speech
Simple present Simple past
Present continuous Past continuous
Simple past Past perfect
Present perfect Past perfect
Future Conditional
Imperative Infinitive
Examples
‘I can speak English.’ He said that he could speak
English.
‘I am trying to read the paper.’ He said that he was trying to read
the paper.
‘I was in London.’ He said that he had been in
London.
‘I had just read the magazine.’ He said that he had read the
magazine.
‘I will surf the net.’ He said that he would surf the
net.’
‘Close the window.’ He told me to close the window.

7. Reported speech: questions
He asked her if she was bored.
When are you going to London?
She asked him/her when he/she was going to London.
EXERCISE
1.
2.
3.
1- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How are you?
How long have you been back?
Where are you living?

8. REPORTED SPEECH
You have been away for a while and have just come back to your hometown. You meet
Gerry, a friend of yours. He asks you lots of questions:
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
Now you tell another friend what Gerry asked you.
1- He asked me how I was.
2- He asked me ………………………………………………………………………..
3- He asked …………………………………………………………………………….
4- He …………………………………………………………………………………….
5- He ……………………………………………………………………………………
6- ………………………………………………………………………………………..
7- ………………………………………………………………………………………..
8- ………………………………………………………………………………………..
9- ………………………………………………………………………………………..
How are you? How long have you
been back?
What are you doing
now?
Where are you living? Are you glad to be back?
Are you going
away again?
Why did you come back? Do you still smoke? Can you
come to
dinner on
Friday?