1.6.

-How to Teach Reported Speech – Review – Practice &

Lesson plan
Teaching students reported or indirect speech can be complicated by the all the changes that are required
when moving from direct speech into reported speech. First off, students should understand that reported
speech is quite useful in conversational English as relating what someone has said using "quote" and
"unquote" is awkward at best. A further aspect of reported speech is encouraging students to use other
reporting verbs beyond "say" and "tell".

Introducing Reported Speech

Start with Tenses

I find it best to start off with simple examples in which changes are only made in tense. For example:

Write on the Board:

Direct Speech

Tom said, "I enjoy watching action movies."

becomes  Indirect Speech Tom said he enjoyed watching action movies.

Direct Speech

Anna told me, "I went to the shopping mall."

becomes  Indirect Speech Anna told me she had gone to the shopping mall.

Move on to Pronouns and Time Expressions

Once students have understood the basic concept of stepping one step back into the past when reporting in
the past, they can easily begin to make the minor changes in pronoun and time expression usage. For
example:

Write on the Board:

Direct Speech

The teacher said, "We're working on the present continuous today."

becomes  Indirect Speech The teacher said we were working on the present continuous that day.

Direct Speech

Anna told me, "My brother Tom has been to Paris twice this year."
becomes  Indirect Speech Anna told me her brother Tom had been to Paris twice that year.

Once students have become comfortable with direct to indirect speech transformations, practice reporting
through the use of interviews as in this reported speech lesson plan:

The use of reported speech is especially important at higher English levels. Students, at this point, are fine
tuning their communication skills to include expressing the ideas of others, as well as their own opinions.
Students usually need to focus not only on the grammar involved, but also on production skills. Reported
speech includes some rather tricky transformations that need to be practiced a number of times before
students feel comfortable using them in every day conversations.

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Aim: Developing reported speech grammar and productions skills

Activity: Introduction and written reporting activity, followed by spoken practice in the form of a
questionnaire

Level: Upper-intermediate

Outline:

 Introduce/review reported speech by making simple statements and asking students to report what
you have said. Make sure to emphasize reporting in the past (i.e., "the teacher said", NOT "the teacher
says")
 Provide review sheet of principle reported speech transitions (included in lesson printout pages)
 Have students get into pairs and convert the reported speech paragraph into the direct speech
form.
 Correct worksheet as a class.
 Ask students to divide up into new pairs and ask each other questions from the questionnaire.
Remind them to take notes on what their partners say.
 Have students divide into new pairs and ask them to report what they have learned about the other
students to their new partner (i.e., John said he had lived in Breubach for two years).
 Follow-up with class conversation focusing on problematic tense transformations.

Reported Speech

Study the following chart carefully. Notice how reported speech is one step back into the past
from direct speech.

Exercise 1: Put the following paragraph in the reported speech into conversational form using
direct speech.

Peter introduced me to Jack who said he was pleased to meet me. I replied that it was my pleasure, and
that I hoped Jack was enjoying his stay in Seattle. He said he thought Seattle was a beautiful city, but that
it rained too much. He said that he had been staying at the Bayview Hotel for three weeks, and that it
hadn't stopped raining since he had arrived. Of course, he said, this wouldn't have surprised him if it hadn't
been July! Peter replied that he should have brought warmer clothes. He then continued by saying that he
was going to fly to Hawaii the following week, and he that he couldn't wait to enjoy some sunny weather.
Both Jack and I commented that Peter was a lucky person indeed.

Exercise 2: Ask you partner the following questions making sure to take good notes. After you
have finished the questions, find a new partner and report what you have learnt about your first
partner using reported speech.

 What is your favorite sport and how long have you been playing/doing it?
 What are your plans for your next vacation?
 How long have you known your best friend? Can you give me a description of him/her?
 What kind of music do you like? Have you always listened to that kind of music?
 What did you use to do when you were younger that you don't do anymore?
 Do you have any predictions about the future?
 Can you tell me what you do on a typical Saturday afternoon?
 What were you doing yesterday at this time?
 Which two promises will you make concerning learning English?

As students become familiar with the reported speech, introduce a wider range of reporting verbs to
help students move past "say" and "tell".

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There are a number of other reporting verbs which can more accurately describe what someone has
said. These verbs take a variety of structures. The following list gives you reporting verbs in various
categories based on sentence structure. Notice that a number of verbs can take more than one form.

verb object verb verb (that) verb gerund verb object verb
infinitive infinitive preposition preposition
gerund gerund
advise agree admit deny accuse apologize
encourage decide agree recommend blame insist
invite offer decide suggest congratulate
remind promise deny
warn refuse explain
threaten insist
promise
recommend
suggest
Examples: Jack Examples: Examples: Examples: He Examples: Examples: He
encouraged me She offered to Tom admitted denied having They accused apologized for
to look for a new give him a lift (that) he had anything to do the boys of being late.
job. to work. tried to leave with her. cheating on the
early. exam.
She insisted on
They invited all My brother Ken suggested doing the
their friends to refused to She agreed studying early She blamed her washing up.
attend the take no for an (that) we in the morning. husband for
presentation. answer. needed to missing the
reconsider our train.
plans.

Advanced Issues with Reported Speech

Once the basics have been understood, there are a few more advanced issues to discuss. Here is a quick
outline of some of the more problematic aspects of the reported speech that students might find confusing.

 Reporting Tense: Says instead of Said - Sometimes, in the moment of speaking a speaker may use
the present tense to report what has been said. In this case, there is no change in the tense. However,
changes in pronouns apply. For example:

Teacher: We're going to work on the reported speech. Please turn to page 121 in your book.
Student 1: I can't understand. What are we supposed to do?
Student 2: The teacher says we are going to work on the reported speech on page 121.

Tom: I think this is a great idea!

Peter: Andy, I didn't understand.
Andy: Tom tells us he thinks it's a good idea.

 Other Reporting Verbs: Advise / Instruct / Etc. + Infinitive of Purpose - A number of reporting
verbs use the infinitive of purpose to express the idea, rather than using a transition of the tense. For
example:

Teacher: We're going to work on the reported speech. Please turn to page 121 in your book.
Student 1: I can't understand. What are we supposed to do?
Student 2: The teacher instructed us to work on reported speech and turn to page 121.

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 Teacher: I think you should hurry up and finish the activity.
Student 1: I didn't understand.
Student 2: The teacher advised us to hurry up and finish the activity.

Practicing Reported Speech Provide students with a chart of the principal changes in reported speech (i.e.
will -> would, present perfect -> past perfect, etc.). Ask students to practice the reported speech by
beginning with a simple reported speech quiz, a reported speech worksheet, or by asking them to
change sentences from direct to reported speech.

This quiz is for in-class use and does not have the answers provided.

Choose the correct reported speech version of each statement. Each question has only one correct answer.

Visit http://esl.about.com for more practice quizzes, as well as study sheets and information on grammar,
vocabulary, listening, reading and writing.

Tom said, 'I want to visit my friends this weekend.'

 Tom said he wants to visit his friends that weekend.

 Tom said he wanted to visit his friends that weekend.
 Tom said he wanted to visit his friends this weekend.

Jerry said, 'I'm studying English a lot at the moment.'

 Jerry said he was studying English a lot at that moment.

 Jerry said he was studying English a lot at the moment.
 Jerry said I was studying English a lot at that moment.

They said, 'We've lived here for a long time.'

 They said they have lived there for a long time.

 They said they lived here for a long time.
 They said they had lived there for a long time.

He asked me, 'Have you finished reading the newspaper?'

 He asked me if had I finished reading the newspaper.

 He asked me if I had finished reading the newspaper.
 He asked me if I finished reading the newspaper.

'I get up every morning at seven o'clock.', Peter said.

 Peter said he got up every morning at seven o'clock.

 Peter said I got up every morning at seven o'clock.
 Peter said he had got up every morning at seven o'clock.

Susan reassured me, 'I can come tonight.'

 Susan told me I could come that night.

 Susan told me she could come that night.
 Susan told me she could come tomorrow evening.

She said, 'I really wish I had bought that new car.'

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 She told me she really wished she bought that new car.
 She told me she really had wished she had bought that new car.
 She told me she really wished she had bought that new car.

Jack said, 'He must be guilty!'

 Jack said he must have been guilty.

 Jack said he must have be guilty.
 Jack said he must has been guilty.

Cheryl asked her, 'How long have you lived here?'

 Cheryl asked her how long she has lived there.

 Cheryl asked her how long she lived there.
 Cheryl asked her how long she had lived there.

He said, 'I must get going. Otherwise, I'm going to be late.'

 He told me he had to get going. Otherwise, he was going to be late.

 He told me he had to get going. Otherwise, I was going to be late.
 He told me he has to get going. Otherwise, he was going to be late.

She said, 'I've worked here since I left my last job.'

 She told me that she worked there since she had left her last job.
 She told me that she had worked there since she had left her last job.
 She told me that she had worked there since she left her last job.

You said, 'I will help you!'

 You said you would help me!

 You said I would help you!
 You said you would help her!

She asked me, 'When are we going to leave?'

 She asked me when she was going to leave.

 She asked me when we were going to leave.
 She asked me when we are going to leave.

Peter said, 'I may bring someone with me to the party.'

 Peter said he might bring someone with him to the party.

 Peter said he might have brought someone with him to the party.
 Peter said he might bring someone with her to the party.

My friend said, 'I will have finished my homework by the time you arrive.'

 My friend told me he would have finished his homework by the time I arrived.
 My friend told me he would have finished his homework by the time he arrived.
 My friend told me he would had finished his homework by the time I arrived.

Mark asked me, 'Why do you want to study Russian?'

 Mark asked her why I wanted to study Russian.

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 Mark asked me why did I want to study Russian.
 Mark asked me why I wanted to study Russian.

Marcia said, 'I have been waiting for you for over an hour.'

 Marcia said she had been waiting for me for over an hour.
 Marcia said she was waiting for me for over an hour.
 Marcia said she had waited for me for over an hour.

Alison said, 'I had eaten before you arrived.'

 Alison told me she had eaten before I had arrived.

 Alison told me I had eaten before I had arrived.
 Alison told me she had eaten before she had arrived.

Lenny sang, 'I want to get away, I want to fly away.'

 Lenny sang he wanted to get away, he wanted to fly away.

 Lenny sings he wanted to get away, he wanted to fly away.
 Lenny sang he wanted to get away, he wants to fly away.

Jason asked me, 'Are you coming with me?'

 Jason asked me if I came with him.

 Jason asked me if I was coming with him.

 Jason asked me if I was coming with you.

Here is a chart of the most common verb changes for reported

speech.

present simple -> past simple

Original Statement: I work hard.

Reported Statement:  He said he worked hard.

present continuous -> past continuous

Original Statement: She is playing the piano.

Reported Statement:  He said she was playing the piano.

future with 'will' -> future in the past with 'would'

Original Statement: Tom will have a good time.

Reported Statement:  He said Tom would have a good time.

future with 'going to' -> future in the past with 'was / were going to'

Original Statement: Anna is going to attend the conference.

Reported Statement:  Peter said Anna was going to attend the conference.

present perfect -> past perfect

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Original Statement: I have visited Rome three times.
Reported Statement:  He said he had visited Rome three times.

past simple -> past perfect

Original Statement: Frank bought a new car.

Reported Statement:  She said frank had bought a new car.

Changing Pronouns and Time Expressions

Remember to change pronouns and time expressions when using reported speech. For example:

Original Statement: I'm going to visit Tom tomorrow.

Reported Statement:  Ken told me he was going to visit Tom the next day.

Original Statement: We are working on our end of the year report right now.
Reported Statement:  She said they were working on their end of the year report at that moment.

Say - Present Tense

The use of reported speech is generally used in the past tense, but can be used at times in the present
tense to report to someone else who perhaps has not heard the original statement. When reporting with
say in the present tense, keep the tense the same as the original statement, but make sure to change the
appropriate pronouns and helping verbs. For example:

Original Statement: I am giving my opinion.

Reported Statement:  He says he is giving his opinion.

Original Statement: I moved back into my parents´ house two years ago.
Reported Statement:  Anna says she moved back into her parents´ house two years ago.

Reported Speech Worksheet

Put the verb in brackets into the correct tense by moving the reported verb one step back into the past
when necessary.

1. I'm working in Dallas today. / He said he _____ (work) in Dallas that day.
2. I think he will win the election. / She said she _____ (think) he _____ (win) the election.
3. Anna lives in London. / Peter says Anna _____ (live) in London.
4. My father is going to visit us next week. / Frank said his father ______ (visit) them the following
week.
5. They bought a brand new Mercedes! / She said they _____ (buy) a brand new Mercedes.
6. I have worked at the company since 1997. / She said she _____ (work) at the company since
1997.
7. They are watching TV at the moment. / She said they _____ (watch) TV at that moment.
8. Francis drives to work every day. / He said Francis _____ (drive) to work every day.
9. Alan thought about changing his job last year. / Alan said that he _____ (thought) about changing
his job the previous year.
10. Susan is flying to Chicago tomorrow. / Susan said she _____ (fly) to Chicago the next day.
11. George went to the hospital last night. / Peter said that George _____ (go) to the hospital the
preceding night.
12. I enjoy playing golf on Saturdays. / Ken says that he _____ (enjoy) playing golf on Saturdays.
13. I will change jobs soon. / Jennifer told me she _____ (change) jobs soon.
14. Frank is getting married in July. / Anna tells me that Frank ______ (get married) in July.
15. October is the best month of the year. / The teacher says that October _____ (be) the best month
of the year.
16. Sarah wants to buy a new house. / Jack told me that his sister ______ (want) to buy a new house.

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17. They are working hard on the new project. / The boss told me that they _____ (work) hard on the
new project.
18. We've lived here for ten years. / Frank told me that they _____ (live) there for ten years.
19. I take the subway to work every day. / Ken tells me he _____ (take) the subway to work every
day.
20. Angela prepared lamb for dinner yesterday. / Peter told us that Angela ______ (prepare) lamb for
dinner the day before.

Answers:
1. I'm working in Dallas today. / He said he was working in Dallas that day.
2. I think he will win the election. / She said she thought he would win the election.
3. Anna lives in London. / Peter says Anna lives in London.
4. My father is going to visit us next week. / Frank said his father was going to visit them the following week.
5. They bought a brand new Mercedes! / She said they had bought a brand new Mercedes.
6. I have worked at the company since 1997. / She said she had worked at the company since 1997.
7. They are watching TV at the moment. / She said they were watching TV at that moment.
8. Francis drives to work every day. / He said Francis drove to work every day.
9. Alan thought about changing his job last year. / Alan said that he had thought about changing his job the
previous year.
10. Susan is flying to Chicago tomorrow. / Susan said she was flying to Chicago the next day.
11. George went to the hospital last night. / Peter said that George had gone to the hospital the preceding night.
12. I enjoy playing golf on Saturdays. / Ken says that he enjoys playing golf on Saturdays.
13. I will change jobs soon. / Jennifer told me she would change jobs soon.
14. Frank is getting married in July. / Anna tells me that Frank is getting in July.
15. October is the best month of the year. / The teacher says that October is the best month of the year.
16. Sarah wants to buy a new house. / Jack told me that his sister wanted to buy a new house.
17. They are working hard on the new project. / The boss told me that they were working hard on the new
project.
18. We've lived here for ten years. / Frank told me that they had lived there for ten years.
19. I take the subway to work every day. / Ken tells me he takes the subway to work every day.
20. Angela prepared lamb for dinner yesterday. / Peter told us that Angela had prepared lamb for dinner the day
before.