Unit

47 Reported speech 1 (He said that …)

A Study this example situation:
You want to tell somebody what Paul said.
I’m feeling ill.
There are two ways of doing this:
You can repeat Paul’s words (direct speech):
Paul said ‘I’m feeling ill.’
Or you can use reported speech:
PAUL Paul said that he was feeling ill.

Compare:

direct Paul said I am feeling ill.’ In writing we use these quotation

marks to show direct speech.
reported Paul said that he was feeling ill.

B When we use reported speech, the main verb of the sentence is usually past (Paul said that … /
I told her that … etc.). The rest of the sentence is usually past too:
Paul said that he was feeling ill.
I told Lisa that I didn’t have any money.
You can leave out that. So you can say:
Paul said that he was feeling ill. or Paul said he was feeling ill.
In general, the present form in direct speech changes to the past form in reported speech:
am/is → was do/does → did will → would
are → were have/has → had can → could
want/like/know/go etc. → wanted/liked/knew/went etc.
Compare direct speech and reported speech:
You met Anna. Here are some of Later you tell somebody what Anna said.
the things she said in direct speech: You use reported speech:

My parents are fine. Anna said that her parents were fine.
I’m going to learn to drive. She said that she was going to learn to
drive.
I want to buy a car. She said that she wanted to buy a car.
John has a new job. She said that John had a new job.
I can’t come to the party on She said that she couldn’t come to the
Friday. party on Friday.
I don’t have much free time. She said she didn’t have much free time.
I’m going away for a few days. ANNA She said that she was going away for a
I’ll phone you when I get back. few days and would phone me when she
got back.

C The past simple (did/saw/knew etc.) can usually stay the same in reported speech, or you can change it
to the past perfect (had done / had seen / had known etc.):
direct Paul said ‘I woke up feeling ill, so I didn’t go to work.’
reported Paul said (that) he woke up feeling ill, so he didn’t go to work. or
Paul said (that) he had woken up feeling ill, so he hadn’t gone to work.

Reported speech 2 ➜ Unit 48 Reported questions ➜ Unit 50B

Exercises Unit

Yesterday you met a friend of yours, Steve. You hadn’t seen him for a long time.
47
Here are some of the things Steve said to you:
1 I’m living in London. 7 I haven’t seen Amy recently.

2 My father isn’t very well. 8 I’m not enjoying my job very much.

3 Rachel and Mark are getting 9 You can come and stay at my place
married next month. if you’re ever in London.

4 My sister has had a baby. 10 My car was stolen a few days ago.

5 I don’t know what 11 I want to go on holiday, but I

Joe is doing. Steve can’t afford it.

6 I saw Helen at a party in 12 I’ll tell Chris I saw you.

June and she seemed fine.

Later that day you tell another friend what Steve said. Use reported speech.
1 Steve said that he was living in London.
2 He said that
3 He
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Somebody says something to you which is not what you expected. Use your own ideas to
complete your answers.
1 A: It’s quite a long way from the hotel to the station.
B: Is it? The man on the reception desk said it was only five minutes’ walk .
2 A: Sue is coming to the party tonight.
B: Is she? I saw her a few days ago and she said she .
3 A: Sarah gets on fine with Paul.
B: Does she? Last week you said each other.
4 A: Joe knows lots of people.
B: That’s not what he told me. He said anyone.
5 A: Jane will be here next week.
B: Oh, really? When I spoke to her, she said away.
6 A: I’m going out tonight.
B: Are you? I thought you said home.
7 A: John speaks French quite well.
B: Does he? He told me any other languages.
8 A: I haven’t seen Ben recently.
B: That’s strange. He told me last weekend.

➜ Additional exercise 25
Unit
48 Reported speech 2
A It is not always necessary to change the verb in reported speech. If the situation is still the same, you do
not need to change the verb to the past. For example:
direct Paul said ‘My new job is boring.’
reported Paul said that his new job is boring.
(The situation is still the same. His job is still boring now.)
direct Helen said ‘I want to go to Canada next year.’
reported Helen told me that she wants to go to Canada next year.
(Helen still wants to go to Canada next year.)
You can also change the verb to the past:
Paul said that his new job was boring.
Helen told me that she wanted to go to Canada next year.
But if the situation has changed or finished, you must use a past verb:
Paul left the room suddenly. He said he had to go. (not has to go)

B You need to use a past form when there is a difference

between what was said and what is really true. Have you heard?
Joe is in hospital.
For example:
SONIA
You met Sonia a few days ago.
She said: Joe is in hospital.
Later that day you meet Joe in the street. You say:
Hi, Joe. I didn’t expect to see you. Sonia said you were in hospital. Hi, Joe.
Sonia said
(not ‘Sonia said you are in hospital’, because clearly he is not)
you were
in hospital. JOE

C Say and tell

If you say who somebody is talking to, use tell:
Sonia told me that you were in hospital. (not Sonia said me)
What did you tell the police? (not say the police)
Otherwise use say:
Sonia said that you were in hospital. (not Sonia told that …)
What did you say?
But you can ‘say something to somebody’:
Ann said goodbye to me and left. (not Ann said me goodbye)
What did you say to the police?

D Tell/ask somebody to do something

We also use the infinitive (to do / to be etc.) in reported speech, especially with tell and ask (for orders
and requests):
direct ‘Drink plenty of water,’ the doctor said to me.
reported The doctor told me to drink plenty of water.
direct ‘Don’t be late,’ I said to Joe.
reported I told Joe not to be late.
direct ‘Can you help me, please,’ Jackie said to me.
reported Jackie asked me to help her.
You can also say ‘Somebody said (not) to do something’:
Paul said not to worry about him. (but not Paul said me)

Reported speech 1 ➜ Unit 47 Reported questions ➜ Unit 50B

Exercises Unit
Here are some things that Sarah said to you:
48
I’ve never been to the United States. I don’t have any brothers or sisters.

I can’t drive. I don’t like fish. Jane has a very well-paid job.

I’m working tomorrow evening. Jane is a friend of mine. Dave is lazy.

But later Sarah says something different to you. What do you say?
Sarah You
1 Dave works very hard. But you said he was lazy.
2 Let’s have fish for dinner. But
3 I’m going to buy a car.
4 Jane is always short of money.
5 My sister lives in Paris.
6 I think New York is a great place.
7 Let’s go out tomorrow evening.
8 I’ve never spoken to Jane.

Complete the sentences with say or tell (in the correct form). Use only one word each time.
1 Ann said goodbye to me and left.
2 us about your holiday. Did you have a nice time?
3 Don’t just stand there! something!
4 I wonder where Sue is. She she would be here at 8 o’clock.
5 Dan me that he was bored with his job.
6 The doctor that I should rest for at least a week.
7 Don’t anybody what I . It’s a secret just between us.
8 ‘Did she you what happened?’ ‘No, she didn’t anything to me.’
9 Gary couldn’t help me. He me to ask Chris.
10 Gary couldn’t help me. He to ask Chris.
The following sentences are direct speech:
Don’t wait for me if I’m late. Mind your own business. Don’t worry, Sue.

Please slow down! Can you open your bag, please? Could you get me a paper?

Hurry up! Will you marry me? Do you think you could give me a hand, Tom?

Now choose one of these to complete each of the sentences below. Use reported speech.
1 Will was taking a long time to get ready, so I told him to hurry up .
2 Sarah was driving too fast, so I asked .
3 Sue was nervous about the situation. I told .
4 I couldn’t move the piano alone, so I .
5 The security guard looked at me suspiciously and .
6 Tom was going to the shop, so I .
7 The man started asking me personal questions, so I .
8 John was in love with Marianne, so he .
9 I didn’t want to delay Helen, so I .

➜ Additional exercise 25