The document provides instructions on how to report speech using verbs like "say" and "tell" in reported statements and questions. It explains that for reported statements, the tense should be backshifted, pronouns and time expressions changed. For questions, "ask" should be used as the reporting verb, and if the question doesn't use a wh- word, "if" should be used to report it. Examples are given for reporting statements and questions in the present simple and present continuous tenses, as well as questions with and without wh- words.

1. REPORTED SPEECH
Use of say and tell

2. Remember:
You say something
You tell someone

3. Fill in with ‘said’ or ‘told’:
1.David ______________ he was going to arrive at eight.
2 .They ______________ us they were going to the museum
this afternoon.
3. She ______________ she loved chocolate.
4. Jack ______________ my mother he would be in Spain this
week.
5. They ______________ they were meeting Luke today.
6. I ______________ him I wasn’t impressed.
7. Jonathan ______________ it was raining outside.
8. The man ______________ he saw a ghost.
said
told
said
told
said
told
said
said

4. We use reported speech when we want to tell
someone what someone said.
STATEMENT: We usually use a reporting verb in
the past (e.g. said, told, etc.) and then change the
tense (backshift), pronouns and time expressions
of what was actually said in direct speech.
Type Example
direct speech “I speak English.”
reported speech
(backshift)
He said that he spoke
English.
But: if the reporting verb is in the present, you don’t change the tense

6. Reported Statements: Present Simple
1. “I live in New York”
She said ________________________________________________________
2. “He works in a bank”
She told me _____________________________________________________
3. “Julie doesn’t like going out much”
She said ________________________________________________________
4. “I don’t have a computer”
She said ________________________________________________________
5. “They never arrive on time”
She said ________________________________________________________
she lived in New York
he worked in a bank
Julie didn’t like going out much
she didn’t have a computer
they never arrived on time

7. 1. “I'm sleeping”
She told me _____________________________________________________
2. “We’re working”
She told me _____________________________________________________
3. “She's coming to the party”
He told me _____________________________________________________
4. “Paul is talking on the telephone”
She told me _____________________________________________________
5. “The children are reading a book ”
She told me _____________________________________________________
6. “I'm not going out”
She said ________________________________________________________
she was sleeping
they were working
she was coming to the party
Paul was talking on the phone
she was not going out.
the children were reading comic books
Reported Statements: Present continuous

8. QUESTIONS:
Use a reporting verb: ask
use if without interrogative questions.
Type Example
with interrogative
direct speech “Why are you sad?”
reported speech
He asked me why I was
sad.
without interrogative
direct speech “Do you speak English?”
reported speech
He asked me if I spoke
English.

9. Reported Speech: Questions without interrogative WH questions
1.Is John at home?
She asked me if __________________________________________________
2. Is it cold outside?
She asked me if __________________________________________________
3. Do you live in Paris?
She asked me if __________________________________________________
4. Is the milk fresh?
She asked me if __________________________________________________
5. Does Mary work as a doctor?
She asked me if __________________________________________________
John was at home
it was cold outside
I lived in Paris
the milk was fresh
Mary worked as a doctor

10. Reported speech : with interrogative WH questions
1.Where is the post office?
She asked me ___________________________________________________
2. Why does Julie look so sad?
She asked me ___________________________________________________
4. Who is the woman in the red dress?
She asked me ___________________________________________________
5. How are your grandparents?
She asked me ___________________________________________________
6. Where do you work?
She asked me ___________________________________________________
where the post office was
why Julie looked so sad
who the woman in red was
how my grandparents were
where I worked