1. Reported Speech:
Direct speech. Indirect
Speech/Reported Speech
When we report
something usin the exact
words of the speaker, we
use direct speech and we
put the words in inverted
commas or quotation
marks.
When we report
something in our own
words, we use indirect
speech.
Tom said “I am feeling
well”.
Tom said (that) he was
feeling well.
2. TENSE CHANGES WHEN USING
REPORTED SPEECH
Normally, the tense in reported speech is one
tense back in time from the tense in direct
speech:
Tom said “I am feeling well”.
Tom said (that) he was feeling well.
She said, "I am tired.”
She said (that) she was tired.
3. TENSE CHANGES WHEN USING
REPORTED SPEECH
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Simple present Simple past
Mike “You look tired”. Mike said that I looked tired.
Present continuous Past continuous
Archana said “I’m enjoying
my new job”
Archana said that she was
enjoying her new job.
Simple past Past perfect/Simple past
”Antonio arrived on
Saturday", he said.
He said that Antonio (had)
arrived on Saturday.
4. TENSE CHANGES WHEN USING
REPORTED SPEECH
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Present perfect Past perfect
Joao “My sister has gone to
Australia”
Joao said that his sister had
gone to Australia.
Past perfect Past perfect
She said “I had just read the
book”.
She said that he/she had just
read the book.
Present perfect continuous Past perfect continuous
They complained, "We have
been waiting for hours".
They complained that
they had been waiting for
hours.
5. TENSE CHANGES WHEN USING
REPORTED SPEECH
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Past continuous Past perfect continuous
"We were living in
Nampula", they told me.
They told me that they had
been living in Nampula.
Future Present conditional
Steve “I will phone you”. Steve said that he would
phone me.
Future continuous Conditional continuous
She said, "I'll be using the car
next Friday".
She said that she would be
using the car next Friday
6. SAY AND TELL (SAID AND TOLD)
SAID TOLD
We use say and tell in different ways in reported speech.
Say focuses on the words
someone said
tell focuses more on the
content or message of what
someone said:
‘Hello,’ she said.
Not: ‘Hello,’ she told.
We use say with direct
speech.
He said, ‘I’m not paying 50
mets for that.’
She told him they were going
on holiday. (The focus is on the
information.)
We don’t normally use tell in
this way:
He told “I’m not paying 50
mtes for that”
7. Said + (that) + subject Told + object + (that)
……….said that I………….. ………..told me that…………
………said that you………. ………..told you that……….
……said that she………… ………..told her that………
………said that he……….. ………..told him that………..
………said that
we…………
………..told us that………..
