Reported Speech (Group)

1.
DEFINITION
The report of one speaker/writer on the words said, written, or thought by

someone else. When the utterance of the speaker is a statement we use
the Reported Verbs- say, tell. The Conjunction used is- that. In order to
preserve the original tone of the speaker say or tell can be replace with
suggest, agree, mutter, admit, insist, whisper, boast, state, remark, claim,
object, protest, etc.
1.2
EXAMPLE
DIRECT SPEECH
She
says;
REPORTED SPEECH
like
She
tuna fish.
She
said:
says
that
she
likes tuna fish.

Im
She said that she was
visiting Paris next
visiting
Paris
the
weekend.
following weekend.
Different types of sentences in Reported Speech:

When you use reported speech, you either report:
Statements
Questions
Requests/commands
Other types
2.1 STATEMENTS
When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:
Pronouns
Tense
1
Place & Time Expression
2.1.1 PRONOUNS
In reported speech, you often have to change the pronoun depending on who says what.
Example:She says, My dad likes roast chicken.
She says that her dad likes roast chicken.
2.1.2 TENSES
DIRECT SPEECH
REPORTED SPEECH
Simple present
He said: I am happy
Present progressive
He said: Im looking for my keys
Simple past
He said: I visited New York last year
Simple past
He said that he was happy
Past progressive
He said that he was looking for his keys
Past Perfect Simple
He said that he had visited New York the
previous year
Past Perfect
He said that they had finished the work when
he had arrived.
Past Perfect Progressive
He said that he had been playing football
when the accident had occurred
Past Perfect Progressive
He said that he had been reading a
newspaper when the light had gone off
Conditional (would+verb)
He said that he would open the door
Present perfect
He said: They had finished the work when I
arrived
Past progressive
He said: I was playing football when the
accident occurred
Present Perfect Progressive
He said: I had been reading a newspaper
when the light went off
Future Simple(will+verb)
He said: I will open the door.
2.1.3 PLACE, DEMONSTRATIVE & TIME EXPRESSION

A. PLACE
2
here there
B. DEMONSTRATIVE
this that
these those
C. TIME EXPRESSION
today that day
now then
yesterday the day before
days ago - days before
last week the week before
next year the following year
tomorrow the next day/the following day
2.2 QUESTION
TYPE OF QUESTIONS
DIRECT SPEECH
REPORTED SPEECH
With question words (what,

why, where, how,)
Why dont you speak

English?
He asked me why I didnt

speak English.
Without question words (yes

or no question)
Do you speak English?
He asked me whether/if I
spoke English.
2.3 REQUEST/COMMAND
DIRECT SPEECH
REPORTED SPEECH
Nancy, do the exercise.
He told Nancy to do the

exercise.
Nancy, give me your pen,

please.
He asked Nancy to give him

her pen.
Tenses are not relevant for requests- simply use to/not to + verb (infinitive without to)
Example:
She said, Sit down.- She asked me to sit down.
She said, Dont be lazy- She asked me not to be lazy.
For affirmative use to+ infinitive (without to)
For negative requests, use not to + infinitive (without to)

2.4 OTHER
Expression of advice with must, should and ought are usually reported using advise/urge.
4

Example:
You must read this book. - He advised/urged me to read that book
The expression lets is usually reported using suggest. In this case, there are 2 possibilities
for reported speech: gerund or statement with should.
Example:
Lets go to the cinema.
1. He suggested going to the cinema.
2. He suggested that we should go to the cinema.
If two complete main clauses are connected with and/but, put that after the conjunction.
Example:
He said, I saw her but she didnt see me, He said that he had seen her but that she
hadnt seen him.
If the subject is dropped in the second main clause (the conjunction is followed by a
verb), do not use that.
Example:
She said, I am a nurse and work in a hospital, She said that she was a nurse and
worked in a hospital.
3.0 EXERCISE
3.1 CONVERTING DIRECT SPEECH (EXERCISE 1-EASY)
Change the direct speech into indirect speech.
1. Joan : It is snowing now.
2. Mary : Jill, take the letter to the post office.
3. Gopal : I am not feeling well today.
4. Carol : All the money has gone missing.
5. Jack : We will eat out tonight.
6. Ann : Are we going for a movie.
7. Leena : All good things must come to an end.
8. Ramesh : Police caught the thief last week.
9. Yamaguchi : I flew back to Japan yesterday.
10. Keera : I have completed my assignment already.
3.2 DIALOG (EXERCISE 2-AVERAGE)
Change the sentences from indirect speech to direct speech.

1. John said that he loved that town
___________________________
6
2. He asked me whether I liked soccer.

___________________________
3. He said that he couldn't drive a lorry.
____________________________
4. He asked me to be nice to my brother.
____________________________
5. He urged me not to be nasty.
__________________________
6. She told the boys not to waste their money.
______________________________
7. She asked him what he had decided to do
____________________________________
8. He said that he always woke up early.
____________________________________
9. He advised the students to revise their lessons.
____________________________________
10.He wanted to know where I had been.
____________________________________
3.3 ERROR CORRECTION (EXERCISE 3 HARD)
Find and correct the reported speech below.
This frightening video footage shows a man attack nurses at a hospital in Minnesota on
Sunday.
Maplewood Police releasing the CCTV showing 68-year-old Charles Emmett

Logan burst into a nursing station and attack the nurses with a metal bar, leaving four
medical workers injured.
The security system video capturing Logan chasing nurses, beating them with the bar,
part of medical equipment.
Police officers who were called on the scene shoots Logan with a Taser after he refuse to
drop the metal bar.
He was tackled and handcuffs, but soon went limp, and is rushed back to the hospital,
where he was pronounced died.
The officials said Logan was admits to the hospital after suffering bouts of confusion and
delusions. The cause of death is under investigated.
4.0 APPENDIXES
4.1 ANSWER (EXERCISE 1)
1. Joan said that it was snowing then.

2. Mary asked Jill to take the letter to the post office.
8
3. Gopal said he was not feeling well that day.

4. Carol said all the money had gone missing.
5. Jack said they would eat out that night.
6. Ann asked whether they were going for a movie.
7. Leena said all good things had to come to an end.
8. Ramesh said the police had caught the thief the week before.
9. Yamaguchi said he had flown back to Japan the day before.
10. Keera said she had completed her assignment already.
1. John said, "I love this town."

John said that he loved that town.
2. "Are you sure?" He asked me.
He asked me if / whether I liked soccer.
3. "I can't drive a lorry," he said.
He said that he couldn't drive a lorry.
4. "Be nice to your brother," he said.

He asked me to be nice to my brother.
5. "Don't be nasty," he said.
He urged me not to be nasty.
6. "Don't waste your money" she said.
She told the boys not to waste their money.
7. "What have you decided to do?" she asked him.
She asked him what he had decided to do.
8. "I always wake up early," he said.
He said that he always woke up early.
9. "You should revise your lessons," he said.
He advised the students to revise their lessons.
10. "Where have you been?" he asked me.
He wanted to know where I had been.
This frightening video footage shows a man attacking nurses at a hospital in Minnesota
on Sunday.
Maplewood Police released the CCTV showing 68-year-old Charles Emmett Logan burst into a
nursing station and attack the nurses with a metal bar, leaving four medical workers injured.
The security system video captured Logan chasing nurses, beating them with the bar, part of
medical equipment.
10
Police officers who were called on the scene shot Logan with a Taser after he refused to drop the
metal bar.
He was tackled and handcuffed, but soon went limp, and was rushed back to the hospital, where
he was pronounced dead.
The officials said Logan was admitted to the hospital after suffering bouts of confusion and
delusions. The cause of death is under investigation.
11

Reported Speech (Group)

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Reported Speech (Group)

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1.

The report of one speaker/writer on the words said, written, or thought by

likes tuna fish.

She said that she was

visiting Paris next

Different types of sentences in Reported Speech:

Place & Time Expression

2.1.3 PLACE, DEMONSTRATIVE & TIME EXPRESSION

With question words (what,

Why dont you speak

He asked me why I didnt

Without question words (yes

Do you speak English?

Nancy, do the exercise.

He told Nancy to do the

Nancy, give me your pen,

He asked Nancy to give him

She said, Sit down.- She asked me to sit down.

She said, Dont be lazy- She asked me not to be lazy.

For affirmative use to+ infinitive (without to)

For negative requests, use not to + infinitive (without to)

Change the direct speech into indirect speech.

1. Joan : It is snowing now.

2. Mary : Jill, take the letter to the post office.

3. Gopal : I am not feeling well today.

4. Carol : All the money has gone missing.

5. Jack : We will eat out tonight.

6. Ann : Are we going for a movie.

7. Leena : All good things must come to an end.

8. Ramesh : Police caught the thief last week.

9. Yamaguchi : I flew back to Japan yesterday.

10. Keera : I have completed my assignment already.

3.2 DIALOG (EXERCISE 2-AVERAGE)

Change the sentences from indirect speech to direct speech.

2. He asked me whether I liked soccer.

Maplewood Police releasing the CCTV showing 68-year-old Charles Emmett

4.1 ANSWER (EXERCISE 1)

1. Joan said that it was snowing then.

3. Gopal said he was not feeling well that day.

4.2 ANSWER (EXERCISE 2)

1. John said, "I love this town."

4. "Be nice to your brother," he said.

4.3 ANSWER (EXERCISE 3)

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