Scribd
Upload
11 views8 pages

Reported speech_rules

The document outlines the rules for converting direct speech into reported speech, including changes in verb tenses and pronouns. It provides examples for various tenses and highlights exceptions where tenses do not change, such as when the reporting verb is in the present or when reporting general truths. Additionally, it covers reported questions and commands, along with the appropriate verbs to use in these contexts.

Uploaded by

lobelia
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
11 views8 pages

Reported speech_rules

The document outlines the rules for converting direct speech into reported speech, including changes in verb tenses and pronouns. It provides examples for various tenses and highlights exceptions where tenses do not change, such as when the reporting verb is in the present or when reporting general truths. Additionally, it covers reported questions and commands, along with the appropriate verbs to use in these contexts.

Uploaded by

lobelia
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 8

Reported speech

Direct speech : Reported


speech
“He dances well,” she said She said (that) she
danced well

Direct Speech Reported Speech

Simple Present Simple Past


Example: Jane said, “I cook Example: Jane said that she
pasta.” cooked pasta.

Present Continuous Past Continuous


Example: Jane said, “I am Example: Jane said that she
cooking pasta.” was cooking pasta.

Present Perfect Past Perfect


Example: Jane said, “I have Example: Jane said that she
cooked pasta.” had cooked pasta.

Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous


Example: Jane said, “I have Example: Jane said that she
been cooking pasta.” had been cooking pasta.
Simple Past Past Perfect
Example: Jane said, “I Example: Jane said that she
cooked pasta.” had cooked pasta.

Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous


Example: Jane said, “I was Example: Jane said that she
cooking pasta.” had been cooking pasta.

Past Perfect Past Perfect (No change)


Example: Jane said, “I had Example: Jane said that she
cooked pasta.” had cooked pasta.

Past Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous (No


change)
Example: Jane said, “I had
been cooking pasta.” Example: Jane said that she
had been cooking pasta.

Direct Speech Reported Speech

This That

These Those

Adverbs of Place

Here There
Adverbs of Time

Now Then

Today That day

Tomorrow The next day / The following day

Yesterday The previous day

Tonight That night

Last week The week before

Next week The week after

Last month The previous month

Next month The following month

Last year The previous year

Next year The following year

Ago Before

Thus So
Come Go

Direct Reported Speech


Speech

Will Would

May Might/Could

Can Could

Shall Should (asking for advice);would(asking for


info)

Has/Have Had

Needn’t Didn’t need to/didn’t have to(with present


reference); wouldn’t have to (future reference)

Must Must/had to (for obligation); Must may remain


the same when it expresses logical assumption :
“You must be tired,” Paul told Susan.  Paul told
Susan (that) she must be tired. (logical
assumption)

Would, could, might, should, ought to, had better, used


to and mustn’t DON’T change.
 “I used to like him,” Melanie said.  Melanie said
that she used to like him.

Say / Tell
Say – is used with or without a personal
object. When used with a personal object , It is
always followed by the preposition TO.
 She said , “I’m hungry.”  She said that she
was hungry
 She said to me, “I’m hungry.”  She said to
me that she was hungry.
Tell – is always followed by a personal object.
 He told me, “I’m thirsty.”  He told me that
he was thirsty.

Reported questions
direct speech: 'Do you work from home?' he said.
indirect speech: He asked me if I worked from home.

direct speech: 'Who did you see?' she asked.


indirect speech: She asked me who I'd seen.

direct speech: 'Could you write that down for me?' she
asked.
indirect speech: She asked me to write it down.
The reported questions are usually introduced with ask,
inquire, wonder or the expression want to know.
The verb in reported questions is in affirmative
(positive).
 “When is the next train to London, please?’’ she
asked me  She asked me when the next train to
London was.
- When the direct speech begins with a question word
(who,when,where, how old, how long,why etc), the
reported question starts with the same question word.
 “How old is Tom?” Sue asked me.  Sue asked me
how old Tom was.

- When the direct question begins with an auxiliary


verb (be, do, have) or a modal verb ( can, may, etc),
the reported question starts with If or Whether.

 “Do you like pizza?” he asked us.  He asked us


If/whether we liked pizza.

Commands
To report commands, we use the verbs order or tell+sb
+(not) to-infinitive
 “Stand up straight!” she said to him (direct order) 
She told him to stand up straight. (reported order)
 “Don’t be late!” he said to me (direct order)  He
ordered me not to be late. (reported order)

!Some exceptions!
Tenses DON’T change in reported speech:
- when the reporting verb (say,tell) is in the present,
future or present perfect (when we pass on messages;
when we report the content of a letter or article while
reading it; when we refer to something someone says
very often)
 “Lunch is ready,”mum says.  Mum says that lunch
is ready.
 “People use too much electricity,” the article says 
The article says that people use too much
electricity.
- In conditionals type 2 and 3
 “If I had a lot of money , I would go on a cruise,”she
said.  She said that If she had a lot of money, she
would go on a cruise.

Tenses can either change or remain the same in


reported speech when:
- the speaker expresses general truths, permanent
states or conditions.
 “Water boils at 100 degrees.” He said  He said
that water boils/boiled at 100 degrees.
- the speaker is reporting something immediately after it
was said (up-to-date reporting)
 “The meal tastes delicious,” he said.  He said that
the meal tastes/tasted delicious.

You might also like