CORPORACIÓN UNIVERSITARIA MINUTO DE DIOS-UNIMINUTO
NAME: Luri Pilar Torres ID. 562774
NAME: Jeimy Gisel Carreon ID. 597110
Study this example:
Direct speech (actual words):
Mike said, “I can’t help you now, but I’ll help you tomorrow”
Reported speech
Mike told me (that) he couldn’t help me then, but he’d help me the following day.
We use reported speech to say what someone else said. We do not repeat exactly the same
words, and we make some changes in the original message.
REPORTING VERBS
We use some specific verbs to introduce reported speech. The verbs are different
according to the type of message we are reporting:
Verbs used to report statements:
*Say: Ray said (that) he was tired.
We normally use say when we do not mention an indirect object.
*Tell: Sandra told me that she had worked hard.
When we use tell to report statements, we must mention an indirect object:
Tracy told us that her boyfriend had found a new job.
CHANGES FROM DIRECT INTO REPORTED SPEECH. CHANGES IN VERBS
TENSES.
DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH
Present simple: Past simple:
“I live in Rome” He said (that) he lived in Rome
Present continuous: Past continuous:
“I am not watching TV” He said (that) he was not watching TV.
Present perfect: Past perfect:
“I haven’t broken that glass” He said (that) he hadn’t broken that glass.
Past simple: Past perfect:
“I woke up at 7.” He said (that) he had woken up at 7.
Imperative: Infinitive:
“Close the door!” He told me to close the door.
“Close the door, please” He asked me to close the door.
Past perfect: It does not change:
“I had told Sue that joke” He said (that) he had told Sue that joke.
Will (future) Would (conditional)
“I will be home at 5.” He said (that) he would be home at 5.
Practice
1. Match the following sentences with their equivalent in reported speech.
I. “We understand that the world isn’t as the old books show it,” said the
writers. The writers said they understood that the world wasn’t ad the old
books showed it.
II. “I think I have eaten to many cookies,” he said. He said he thought he had
eaten too many cookies.
III. “You could improve your English by reading a well-known novel,” she
said. She told me that I could improve my English by reading a well-known
novel.
IV. “Do you agree with advertising in schoolbooks?” he said. He asked me if I
agreed with advertising in schoolbooks.
V. “Try to read the textbook and do the exercises,” she said. She told me to
try to read the textbook and to do the exercise.
VI. “You shouldn’t drink so much soda pop,” he said. He said that I shouldn’t
drink so much soda pop.
VII. “Don’t use the diameter to do the operation,” she said. She told me not to
use the diameter to do the operation.
a. The writers said they understood that the world wasn’t as the old books showed
it.
b. She told me to try to read the textbook and to do the exercise.
c. He said he thought he had eaten too many cookies.
d. She told me not to use the diameter to do the operation.
e. She told me that I could improve my English by reading a well-known novel.
f. He asked me if I agreed with advertising in schoolbooks.
g. He said that I shouldn’t drink so much soda pop.
2. Put these statements into reported speech.
a. “I hate advertising in the middle of films,” he said. He said that he hated
advertising in the middle of films.
b. “He is asking for the rights to sell the magazine,” she said. She said was asking
for the rights to sell the magazine.
c. “I always watch the news,” he said. He said he always watched the news.
d. “My parents don’t like brand names in our school,” he said. He said his parents
didn’t like brand names in your school.
e. “You will use Corn Flakes to do an art project,” she said. She said I would use
Corn Flakes to do an art project.
f. “They have bought the best-selling book,” he said. He said they had bought the
best-selling book.
3. Report the following conversation. Follow the example.
James: We have just finished a campaign for British Airways.
Peter: What is the campaign about?
James: It is about queues (lines).
Peter: Where can I see it?
James: You can see it in London airports.
Peter: Did you spend a lot of time on the campaign?
James: It took us two weeks.
Peter: Do you think it will be a good campaign?
James: I think it will. Look at it carefully when you see it.
a. James: said that they had just finished a campaign for British Airways.
b. Peter: _asked what the campaign was about._____________________
c. James: _said it was about queues._____________________________
d. Peter: _asked where he could see it.____________________________
e. James: _said he could see it in London airports.___________________
f. Peter: _asked if James had spent a lot of time on the campaign.______
g. James: _said it had taken two weeks. ___________________________
h. Peter: _asked if James thought it would be a good campaign.________
i. James: _said he thought it would be. He told Peter to look at it carefully
when he saw it.
4. Match the following direct speech expressions with the corresponding ones
in reported speech.
DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH
a. Last week 1. there
b. Now 2. That afternoon
c. Next month 3. then
d. Tomorrow 4. The day after, the following
e. Tonight day, the next day.
f. This afternoon 5. That night
g. Here 6. those
h. These 7. the week before, the
Previous week.
8. The month after, the
following month.
A–7 D- 4 G- 1
B–3 E- 5 H-6
C-8 F- 2
5. Rewrite in reported speech
a. “How are you doing?” Tom asked. Tom asked ¿How are you doing?.________
b. “Get out of my away!” she shouted. She shouted. Get out my away!_________
c. “What time is it? asked Jennifer. Jennifer asked. What time is it?____________
d. “You shouldn’t discriminate against women,” she told us. She told us. “You
shouldn’t discriminate against women”.________________________________
e. “Where had Brad gone?” she asked. She asked. Where had Brad gone?._____
f. “Do you often go to the movies?” she asked me. She asked me. Do you often go
to the movies?_________________________________________________
g. “Why are you so upset?” my teacher asked. My teacher asked. Why are you so
upset?._________________________________________________________
h. “Where did you buy that shirt?” asked Sandra. Sandra asked. Where did you buy
that shirt?.___________________________________________________
i. “Can you pass the salt, please?” my brother asked. My brother asked. Can you
pass the salt, please?._____________________________________________
j. “You must stay away from the electric fence”, he wanted us. He wanted us. “You
must stay away from the electric fence”.___________________________
YAMILE MUÑOZ
ENGLISH TEACHER
