REPORTED SPEECH OR

INDIRECT SPEECH

What is Reported Speech

1. Reported Speech is how we report what people say.
2. We use Reported Speech to include reports of what
was written and thought as well as spoken.
3. Consider the context in which we report:

Who they are speaking to

Whether this person knows the person who said the original.

Whether what was said is still true

Know a n of reporting verbs: say, tell, explain, suggest.

To choose the patterns/ construct the clauses that follow these

verbs.

Use:
*The essential information people convey.
*We use fewer words than to report than were
originally spoken.
* Reported Speech is found in: newspaper
reports, fiction, taking or writing about
conversation, reports, articles or speeches we
have Heard/ read

Choosing reporting verbs: say & tell

Say & tell are the most common verbs to
introduce what we are reporting.
Say is never followed by an indirect object (him,
us, them, my sister,..)
We choose say when the person who was
spoken to is unimportant or already known.
We follow say with a that clause or a clause
beginning with a question word: She didnt say
who was there.

Tell: we use an indirect object after tell

Tell: when we wish to draw attention specifically
to the person who is being addressed.
Tell + indirect object with a variety of clause types
and with a noun phrase.
We often introduce a report with tell to make clear
who was spoken to. We dont subsequently need
to repeat this, and so we continue using say

Choosing tense forms (Back shift rules)

1. Present changes to past: I dont eat meat: She
said she didnt eat meat
2. Auxiliary verbs in the present also change to
the past: Im afraid theyre working and dont
want to stop: She said they were working
and didnt want to stop.
This rule is sometimes also expressed as
present perfect changes to past perfect
3. Past Simple changes to past perfect: I saw her:
He said he had seen her.

4. Auxiliary verbs in the past also change to the

past perfect: I was looking for Julie: He said he
had been looking for his sister.
5. The following modal verbs often change: can,
may, must: I can see them: She said she could
see them; We may go there later: She said they
might go there later; I must leave: She said she
had to leave
6. The auxiliary verbs in future forms change from
present to past: Ill see you: He said he would see
me.

7. Verbs already in the past perfect: Wed finished

our work: He said they had finished their work.
8. The following modal verbs: could, might, ought,
should, would: You should eat more: She said I
should eat more

SOME COMMON CHANGES IN EXPRESSIONS

OF TIME AND PLACE
Here: there
This: that
These: Those
Come: go
Bring: take
Now: then
Today: that day
Yesterday: the day before

Yesterday: the day before

Tomorrow: the next day
This week: that week
This month: that month
SOME COMMON CHANGES IN NAMES,
PRONOUNS, AND POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES
I: He/ she we: they
Me: him/ her
My: his/ her