• There are two ways of relating what a person has said
• Direct speech → we repeat the speaker’s exact words
He said, “I have lost my umbrella”
• Indirect speech → we give the exact meaning of a speech, without
necessarily using the speaker’s exact words
He said (that) he had lost his umbrella
• There is no comma after the reporting verb in indirect speech
• THAT can usually be omitted after say & tell + object
• BUT it should be kept after other verbs → complain, explain, point out…
• Since reported speech is usually talking about the past, we usually change the verbs into the
past
Present Simple Past Simple
Present Continuous Past Continuous
Present Perfect Past Perfect
Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
Past Simple Past Perfect
Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect =
Future Simple “Will + Infinitive” Would + Infinitive
Be going to Was/Were going to
• WATCH OUT! Most modal and semi-modal verbs do not change tense in reported speech
Can Could
Must Had to
May Might
Have to Had to
Could =
Would =
Might =
Used to =
Should =
Today That day
Now Then, at that time
Tonight That night
Yesterday The day before
Tomorrow The next / following day
The day before yesterday Two days before
Next week / year / month… The next / following week / year / month…
Last week / year / month… The previous week / year / month…
Two days / a week … ago Two days / a week … earlier
Here There
This / these That / those
• When we change direct speech into reported speech, we must
change words which refer to who the speaker is talking about. This
includes both pronouns and possessive adjectives
• She said, “he’s my son” → She said that he was her son
• “I’m ill”, she said → She said that she was ill
• We have already eaten,” he said → He said that they had already eaten
• “Our house is quite big,” she said → She said that their house was quite big
• The question becomes a normal sentence → No inversion VERB + SUBJECT
• The question mark disappears
• If the introductory verb is SAY → it must be changed to ask, wonder, want to know…
• To report a question where the person addressed is mentioned → we must use ASK
• He said, “Mary, when is the next train?” → He asked Mary when the next train was
• We use IF or WHETHER after the • We keep the WH- word
reporting verb • NOT add if or whether
”Did you speak to John last night?,” she asked
He asked, “Where is the station?”
She asked IF / WHETHER I had spoken
to John the night before He asked WHERE the station was
• In direct speech, suggestions can be expressed in different ways:
1. Let’s… → “Let’s go to the theatre,” she said
2. Why don’t we…? → “Why don’t we go to the theatre?” she said
3. Shall we…? → “Shall we go to the theatre?” she said
4. Why not…? → “Why not go to the theatre?” she said
5. What / How about…? → “What / How about going to the theatre?” she said
• In order to write a suggestion in reported speech, we use the verb SUGGEST and this is followed by:
1. Gerund
• “Why don’t we go to the cinema?” she said → She suggested going to the cinema
• “Let’s not argue again,” he said → He suggested not arguing again.
2. A complex sentence that is introduced by “that + we / they + (not) verb”
• “Why don’t we go to the cinema?” she said → She suggested that we go to the cinema.
• “Let’s not argue again,” he said → He suggested that they not argue again.
• Commands are usually expressed using the imperative,
but in reported speech, the imperative becomes an
infinitive (to + verb // not to + verb)
✓ He said, “Go away, Mary!” → He ordered Mary to go away
✓ She said, “don’t open the door” → She told me not to open the door
When we tell someone what another person said, we often
use the verbs say, tell or ask. These are called 'reporting
verbs’.
However, we can also use other reporting verbs. Many
reporting verbs can be followed by another verb in either an
infinitive or an -ing form.
Some of these verbs may also be followed by “that + clause”
ACCEPT – AGREE – CLAIM – OFFER – PROMISE – REFUSE – “I will call you everyday. I promise!”
SWEAR – THREATEN He promised to call every day
ADVISE – ASK – BEG – CONVINCE – ENCOURAGE – FORBID – “If I were you, I would wait until tomorrow to call him”
INVITE – ORDER – PERSUADE – REMIND – TELL – WARN He adviced me to wait until the day after to call him.
ADMIT – DENY - MENTION –RECOMMEND – REGRET – “I wish I had applied for that job”
SUGGEST He regretted not having applied for that job.
ADMIT TO – APOLOGISE FOR – CONFESS TO – “I’m sorry I didn’t buy you a present”
COMPLAIN ABOUT – INSIST ON She apologised for not buying him a present.
“You cannot go out with your friends tonight!”
ACCUSE SOMEONE OF – WARN SOMEONE ABOUT/AGAINST
His father forbid him from going out with his friends that
– FORBID SOMEONE FROM – BLAME SOMEONE FOR
night
ADMIT – AGREE – ANSWER – CLAIM – COMPLAIN – CONFESS He promised that he would call every day.
– DENY – EXPLAIN – INSIST – PROMISE – REGRET – SAY – He admitted that he had stolen the money
SUGGEST She insisted that she needed her lawyer
Alice: “I love English”
Alice said (that) she loved English
Alice: “I love English”
Alice told me (that) she loved English
