direct
indirect
reported clause
statement
-clause
question
clause clause
clause
command
-infinitive clause
Indirect speech: reporting statements
Indirect reports of statements consist of a reporting clause and a that -clause. We often omit that , especially in informal situations:
The pilot commented that the weather had been extremely bad as the plane came in to land. (The pilot’s words were: ‘The weather was extremely bad as the plane came in to land.’ )
I told my wife I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday. ( that -clause without that ) (or I told my wife that I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday .)
Reporting yes-no questions and alternative questions.
Indirect reports of yes-no questions and questions with or consist of a reporting clause and a reported clause introduced by if or whether . If is more common than whether . The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:
She asked if [S] [V] I was Scottish. (original yes-no question: ‘Are you Scottish?’ )
The waiter asked whether [S] we [V] wanted a table near the window. (original yes-no question: ‘Do you want a table near the window? )
He asked me if [S] [V] I had come by train or by bus. (original alternative question: ‘Did you come by train or by bus?’ )
Questions: yes-no questions ( Are you feeling cold? )
Indirect reports of wh -questions consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a wh -word ( who, what, when, where, why, how ). We don’t use a question mark:
He asked me what I wanted.
Not: He asked me what I wanted?
The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:
She wanted to know who [S] we [V] had invited to the party.
Not: … who had we invited …
In indirect questions with who, whom and what , the wh- word may be the subject or the object of the reported clause:
I asked them who came to meet them at the airport. ( who is the subject of came ; original question: ‘Who came to meet you at the airport?’ )
He wondered what the repairs would cost. ( what is the object of cost ; original question: ‘What will the repairs cost?’ )
She asked us what [S] we [V] were doing . (original question: ‘What are you doing?’ )
Not: She asked us what were we doing?
We also use statement word order (subject + verb) with when , where, why and how :
I asked her when [S] it [V] had happened (original question: ‘When did it happen?’ ).
Not: I asked her when had it happened?
I asked her where [S] the bus station [V] was . (original question: ‘Where is the bus station?’ )
Not: I asked her where was the bus station?
The teacher asked them how [S] they [V] wanted to do the activity . (original question: ‘How do you want to do the activity?’ )
Not: The teacher asked them how did they want to do the activity?
Questions: wh- questions
Indirect reports of commands consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a to -infinitive:
The General ordered the troops to advance . (original command: ‘Advance!’ )
The chairperson told him to sit down and to stop interrupting . (original command: ‘Sit down and stop interrupting!’ )
We also use a to -infinitive clause in indirect reports with other verbs that mean wanting or getting people to do something, for example, advise, encourage, warn :
They advised me to wait till the following day. (original statement: ‘You should wait till the following day.’ )
The guard warned us not to enter the area. (original statement: ‘You must not enter the area.’ )
Verbs followed by a to -infinitive
We can use the reporting verb in the present simple in indirect speech if the original words are still true or relevant at the time of reporting, or if the report is of something someone often says or repeats:
Sheila says they’re closing the motorway tomorrow for repairs.
Henry tells me he’s thinking of getting married next year.
Rupert says dogs shouldn’t be allowed on the beach. (Rupert probably often repeats this statement.)
We often use the present simple in newspaper headlines. It makes the reported speech more dramatic:
JUDGE TELLS REPORTER TO LEAVE COURTROOM
PRIME MINISTER SAYS FAMILIES ARE TOP PRIORITY IN TAX REFORM
Present simple ( I work )
Reported speech
Reported speech: direct speech
In indirect speech, we can use the past continuous form of the reporting verb (usually say or tell ). This happens mostly in conversation, when the speaker wants to focus on the content of the report, usually because it is interesting news or important information, or because it is a new topic in the conversation:
Rory was telling me the big cinema in James Street is going to close down. Is that true?
Alex was saying that book sales have gone up a lot this year thanks to the Internet.
‘Backshift’ refers to the changes we make to the original verbs in indirect speech because time has passed between the moment of speaking and the time of the report.
direct speech | indirect speech |
not very happy at work.’ | not very happy at work. |
going home.’ | going home. |
be late.’ | be late. |
been working,’ she said. | . |
to make her so angry?’ he asked. | to make her so angry. |
In these examples, the present ( am ) has become the past ( was ), the future ( will ) has become the future-in-the-past ( would ) and the past ( happened ) has become the past perfect ( had happened ). The tenses have ‘shifted’ or ‘moved back’ in time.
direct | indirect | |
present simple | → | past simple |
present continuous | → | past continuous |
present perfect simple | → | past perfect simple |
present perfect continuous | → | past perfect continuous |
past simple | → | past perfect simple |
past continuous | → | past perfect continuous |
future (will) | → | future-in-the-past (would) |
past perfect | ↔ | past perfect (no change) |
The past perfect does not shift back; it stays the same:
Direct speech | Indirect speech |
| already left. |
Some, but not all, modal verbs ‘shift back’ in time and change in indirect speech.
direct speech | indirect speech | change | |
| be there,’ he promised. | be there. | becomes |
| need more money.’ I open it?’ she asked. | need more money. open it. | usually becomes in reported questions, becomes |
| see you at 2.30,’ he added. | see me at 2.30. | becomes |
| be back later,’ she said. wait in the hallway,’ he said. | be back later. wait in the hallway. | (possibility) becomes (permission) becomes |
| pay by 30th April.’ be awful to live in such a noisy place,’ she said. | pay by 30th April. be awful to live in such a noisy place. | (obligation) usually becomes (speculation) does not change |
| sell it for about 2,000 euros,’ he said. | sell it for about 2,000 euros. | no change |
| go there immediately,’ she said. | go there immediately. | no change |
| buy it if I had the money,’ he said. | buy it if he had the money. | no change |
| snow tonight,’ he warned. | snow that night. | no change |
| come till six o’clock,’ he said. | come till six o’clock. | no change |
We can use a perfect form with have + - ed form after modal verbs, especially where the report looks back to a hypothetical event in the past:
He said the noise might have been the postman delivering letters. (original statement: ‘The noise might be the postman delivering letters.’ )
He said he would have helped us if we’d needed a volunteer. (original statement: ‘I’ll help you if you need a volunteer’ or ‘I’d help you if you needed a volunteer.’ )
Used to and ought to do not change in indirect speech:
She said she used to live in Oxford. (original statement: ‘I used to live in Oxford.’ )
The guard warned us that we ought to leave immediately. (original statement: ‘You ought to leave immediately.’ )
We don’t need to change the tense in indirect speech if what a person said is still true or relevant or has not happened yet. This often happens when someone talks about the future, or when someone uses the present simple, present continuous or present perfect in their original words:
He told me his brother works for an Italian company. (It is still true that his brother works for an Italian company.)
She said she ’s getting married next year. (For the speakers, the time at the moment of speaking is ‘this year’.)
He said he ’s finished painting the door. (He probably said it just a short time ago.)
She promised she ’ll help us. (The promise applies to the future.)
Changes to personal pronouns in indirect reports depend on whether the person reporting the speech and the person(s) who said the original words are the same or different.
direct | indirect | |
don’t want to shock people,’ Tom said. | said he didn’t want to shock people. | different speakers ( changes to ) |
’ll look after Toby,’ I said. | said I would look after Toby. | same speaker (no change) |
need to be here at nine o’clock,’ George told Beatrice. | told Beatrice she needed to be there at nine o’clock. | different speakers ( changes to ) |
hope you will join us tonight,’ I said to James. | told James I hoped he would join us that night. | same speaker (no change to ; changes to ) |
We often change demonstratives ( this, that ) and adverbs of time and place ( now, here, today , etc.) because indirect speech happens at a later time than the original speech, and perhaps in a different place.
direct speech | indirect speech |
.’ | the next/following day. |
this moment in time.’ | . |
.” | . |
,’ the boy protested. | . |
direct | indirect | |
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The word order in indirect reports of wh- questions is the same as statement word order (subject + verb), not question word order:
She always asks me where [S] [V] I am going .
Not: She always asks me where am I going .
We don’t use a question mark when reporting wh- questions:
I asked him what he was doing.
Not: I asked him what he was doing?
Word of the Day
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a day that you spend somewhere that is not your home or usual place of work
It’s not really my thing (How to say you don’t like something)
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5th - 8th , possesive adjectives, 5th - 6th , direct speech, 50.7k plays, 4th - 6th , 10.1k plays, 7th - 10th , punctuating dialogue, 6th - 8th , punctuating speech.
5th - 12th grade.
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Jessica: "Don't play football in the garden."
Jessica told me to not play football in the garden
Jessica told me not to play football in the garden
Jessica told me not to played football in the garden
She: "Don't sing that song."
She told me not to sung that song
She told me to not sing that song
She told me not to sing that song
Teacher: "Do your homework."
The teacher told me to do my homework
The teacher told me to did my homework
The teacher told me to done my homework
Linda: "Did Peter fly to Paris two weeks ago?"
Linda asked me whether Peter flew to Paris two weeks ago
Linda asked me whether Peter flies to Paris two weeks ago
Linda asked me whether Peter had flown to Paris two weeks ago
Helen: "I was writing a letter yesterday."
Helen told me that she had been writing yesterday
Helen told me that she was writing the day before
Helen told me that she had been writing the day before
Helen told me that she was writing yesterday
Robert: "My father flew to Dallas last year."
Robert said that his father flew to Dallas last year
Robert said that his father flew to Dallas the previous year
Robert said that his father had flown to Dallas last year
Robert said that his father had flown to Dallas the previous year
Jim: "I'll do my best in the exams next week."
Jim told me that he will do his best in the exams next week
Jim told me that he would do his best in the exams next week
Jim told me that he would have done his best in the exams next week
Jim told me that he did his best in the exams next week
Alice: "I spent all my pocket money last week."
Alice complained that she had spent all her pocket money last week
Alice complained that she spent all her pocket money last week
Alice complained that she had spent all her pocket money the week before
Alice complained that she spent all her pocket money the week before
David: "John already finished work at five.”
David said that John had already finished work at five
David said that John already finished work at five
David said that John would have already finished work at five
Betty: "When did you come?"
Betty asked me when I had come
Betty asked me when I came
Betty asked me when I did come
Betty asked me when I would come
Ronald: "Where does Maria park her car?"
Ronald asked me where Maria parked her car
Ronald asked me where Maria would park her car
Ronald asked me where Maria has parked her car
Ronald asked me where Maria had parked her car
Mandy: "Can I help you?"
Mandy asked me if she could help
Mandy asked me if she can help
Mandy asked me if she could be helping me
Mandy asked me if she can be helping me
Tom: "Would you like to dance with me?"
Tom asked me if I would have liked to dance with him
Tom asked me if I had liked to dance with him
Tom asked me if I would like to dance with him
Tom asked me if I liked to dance with him
Ross: "Are you leaving next week?"
Ross asked me if I am leaving the following week
Ross asked me if I was leaving the following week
Ross asked me if I would be leaving the following week
Amy: "Where is Aidan now?"
Amy asked me where Aidan is at that time
Amy asked me where was Aidan at that time
Amy asked me where Aidan was at that time
Amy asked me where is Aidan at that time
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Reported speech - unit 9, hi guys although the situation nowadays is a bit complicated, we have to keep going. for that reason, i will be uploading materials for you to work. .
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Reported speech explanation
Turn the following sentences into reported speech:
1. "The boss must sign the letter", Jean said. Jean said (that) .
2."Our teacher will go to Madrid tomorrow", Emily said.
Emily said (that) to Madrid the day before the following day .
3. "I was writing a letter yesterday", Helen told me.
Helen told me (that) a letter that day the following day the previous day .
4. "Tim went to the Stadium yesterday", Peter said.
Peter said (that) to the Stadium the day before tomorrow .
5. "My mother will celebrate her birthday next week", Paul told me.
Paul told me (that) .
6. "John had already gone at six", David said.
David said (that) .
7. "Are the boys reading a book?" Mandy asked me.
Mandy asked me .
8. "Where are you playing football today?", Jennifer asked.
Jennifer asked .
9. "Did Max fly to London two weeks ago?", Paul asked.
Paul asked if Max .
10. Where are my glasses? My grandmother asked me.
My grandmother asked me .
11. "Clean the blue bike", Andrew told me.
Andrew told me .
12. "Write a text message", Jessica told me.
Jessica told me .
13. "Don't play football in the garden!", Karen told me.
Karen told me .
14. "Don't forget to do your work!", the teacher told me.
The teacher told me .
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Reported Speech 1. Rewrite these sentences using reported speech. 1. Jessica: "Don't play football in the garden." Jessica told me 2. She: "Don't sing that song." She told me 3. Hanna: "Don't go to the cinema." Hanna told me 4. Tom: "Don't ring me on Sunday." Tom told me 5. Teacher: "Do your homework." The teacher told me 6. Andrew: "Wash the ...
Finish the sentences using Reported speech. Always change the tense, although it is sometimes not necessary. Show example. Example: Peter, "Don't clean the black shoes!" ... Reported commands and requests in English. Karen, "Don't play football in the garden!" Karen told me . Teacher, "Don't forget your homework!" The teacher reminded me . Mike ...
Q.4. Rewrite these sentences using reported speech. 1. Jessica: "Don't play football in the garden." Jessica told me 2. She: "Don't sing that song." She told me 3. Hanna: "Don't go to the cinema." Hanna told me 4. Tom: "Don't ring me on Sunday." Tom told me 5. Teacher: "Do your homework." The teacher told me 6. Andrew: "Wash the dishes." Andrew ...
Reported Speech 1. Rewrite these sentences using reported speech. 1. Jessica: "Don't play football in the garden." Jessica told me 2. She: "Don't sing that song." She told me 3. Hanna: "Don't go to the cinema." Hanna told me 4. Tom: "Don't ring me on Sunday." Tom told me 5. Teacher: "Do your homework." The teacher told me 6. Andrew: "Wash the ...
Rewrite this sentence using reported speech. Jessica: "Don't play football in the garden." ... Jessica told me not to play football in the garden. Jessica said me not to play football in the gardem. 2. Multiple Choice. Edit. 45 seconds. 1 pt. Rewrite this sentence using reported speech. ... Change this direct speech into reported speech: "I ...
Change the commands into reported according to the rules of reported speech. 1. Karen: "Don't play football in the garden." Karen told me . 2. Teacher: "Don't forget your homework." The teacher told me . 3. Maik: "Don't shout at Peter." Maik told me . 4. Yvonne: "Don't talk to your neighbour."
Watch my reported speech video: Here's how it works: We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. ( Click here for more about using 'say' and 'tell' .) If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence: Direct speech: I like ice cream. Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.
Reported speech: indirect speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary
Rewrite these sentences using reported speech: 1. Jessica said not to play football in the garden. 2. She said not to sing that song. 3. She asked what I was going to do at the weekend. Instant Answer. Step 1/3 1. Jessica told them not to play football in the garden.
Reported Speech quiz for 5th grade students. Find other quizzes for English and more on Quizizz for free! ... Jessica told me to not play football in the garden. Jessica told me not to play football in the garden. Jessica told me not to played football in the garden. 2. Multiple Choice. Edit. 30 seconds. 1 pt. She: "Don't sing that song."
REPORTED SPEECH - EXERCISE A ... Jessica told me _____. www.ejerciciosingleosnline.com www.ejerciciosinglesonline.com Created with learnclick.com 2 13. "Don't play football in the garden!", Karen told me. Karen told me _____. 14. "Don't forget to do your work!", the teacher told me. ...
Here you have some exercises to practice reported speech and a little summary. 1. "Nothing grows in my garden. It never gets any sun", she said. 2. "I'm going away tomorrow, mother", he said. 3. "I've been in London for a month but so far I haven't had time to visit the Tower", said Rupert. 4.
Karen: "Don't play football in the garden!" Karen told me_____ not to play football in the garden. 300
Jane said that she wanted to tell me about her trip to New York. He asked us ," Don't make so much noise!" He asked us not to make so much noise. Robert said, " You can stay at my place over the weekend." Robert said that I could stay at his place over the weekend. worksheets.english-grammar.at.
Karen: "Don't play football in the garden!" Karen told me not to play football in the garden. 100. Peter: "I clean the black shoes." ... Jessica told me to write a text message. 200. Teacher: "Don't forget your homework!" The teacher told / reminded me not to forget my homework. 200.
Jessica: "Don't play football in the garden." Jessica told me shraddhaholikatti shraddhaholikatti 29.05.2020 English Secondary School answered Q.4. Rewrite these sentences using reported speech. 1. Jessica: "Don't play football in the garden." Jessica told me See answer Advertisement Advertisement AdrishaGhosh AdrishaGhosh Answer: Jessica told ...
Reported speech explanation ... Jessica told me . 13. "Don't play football in the garden!", Karen told me. ... "Don't forget to do your work!", the teacher told me. The teacher told me . Comprobar. Me doy por vencido! Muéstrame la(s) respuesta(s). Terminar ejercicio ...
Reported Speech 1. Rewrite these sentences using reported speech. 1. Jessica: "Don't play football in the garden." Jessica told me 2. She: "Don't sing that song." She told me 3. Hanna: "Don't go to the cinema." Hanna told me 4. Tom: "Don't ring me on Sunday." Tom told me 5. Teacher: "Do your homework." The teacher told me 6. Andrew: "Wash the ...
REPORTED SPEECH - EXERCISE A www.ejerciciosinglesonline.com Reported speech explanation Turn the following sentences into reported speech: 1. "The boss must sign the letter", Jean said. Jean said (that) _____. 2."Our teacher will go to Madrid tomorrow", Emily said.
Reported Speech Lisbeth Daniela Alvarado Shiguango 5 GOT A. 1. Rewrite these sentences using reported speech. Jessica: "Don't play football in the garden." --Jessica told me not to play football in the garden. She: "Don't sing that song." She told me not to sing that song. Hanna: "Don't go to the cinema." Hanna told me not to go the ciname.
Q16. Rewrite these sentences using reported speech:- 1. Jessica: "Don't play football in the garden." 2. She: "Don't sing that song." 3. "What are you going to do at the weekend?"
Share Reported speech (simple) Class PIN. Use Class PIN to share Baamboozle+ games with your students. ... Karen told me not to play football in the garden. 15 Teacher: "Don't forget your homework!" The teacher reminded _____