Direct speech and reported speech

Direct speech and reported speech

“I love English”, Ariel said to Emma

Ariel told Emma that she loved English

Multiple Choice

“I love English”, Ariel said to Emma

The sentence above is a

• direct speech

• reported speech

Multiple Choice

Ariel told Emma that she loved English

The sentence above is a

• direct speech

• reported speech

Direct speech

Is a sentence in which the exact words are produced in “speech marks”

“I enjoyed the birthday party last night” Veronica said to Jim

Reported speech

When the general point of what someone has said are reported

Veronica told Jim that she had enjoyed the birthday party the night before.

Rules

• “I enjoyed the birthday party last night” Veronica said to Jim. (direct speech)

• Veronica told Jim that she had enjoyed the birthday party the night before. (Reported speech)

• From the example above;

• The main verb (enjoyed) moves back one tense in the past. (had enjoyed)

• We also change pronouns (Veronica to she) and possesive adjectives where necessary and there are often changes in words that show time (last night to the night before) and place.

Changes in main verb

• Examples

• simple present to simple past; do to did, can to could,does to did, will to would, may to might

• simple past to past perfect; said to had said, helped to had helped, visited to had visited, joined to had joined

• Present Perfect to past perfect; has bought to had bought, has told to had told, has done to had done

• Present continuous to past continuous: is going to was going, is happening to was happening, is buying to was buying

Changes in time

• tomorrow-the next day, the following day

• yesterday-the day before, the previous day

• last night-the night before, the previous night

• Now-at that moment

• This year-that year

Reporting verbs

• The word say and tell can be used to report speech

• When we use tell, we follow it with an object

• examples;

• My Piano teacher said that I had improved

• My piano teacher told me that I had improved

• In the above examples, we can notice that there is an object (me) after the reporting verb, tell. But not after say.

Apart from say and tell

The following verbs can also be used in Reported Speech

refuse, offer, agree, promise, threaten, advise, remind, invite, suggest, admit, deny, explain, announce

Practice

Choose the correct Reported speech. You may choose more than 1 answer

Multiple Select

“We will reach our destination tomorrow at 5 a.m”, the tour guide said to us.

• The tour guide told us that we would reach our destination the next day at 5 a.m.

• The tour guide explained to us that we would reach our destination the next day at 5 a.m.

• The tour guide told us that we would reach our destination the following day at 5 a.m.

• The tour guide announced that we would reach our destination the next day at 5 a.m.

Multiple Select

“My sister has bought all the necessary camping gear” Kate said

• Kate said that her sister had bought all the necessary camping gear.

• Kate told that her sister had bought all the necessary camping gear.

• Kate explained that her sister had bought all the necessary camping gear.

• Kate announced that her sister had bought all the necessary camping gear.

• Kate said that her sister has bought all the necessary camping gear.

Multiple Select

“I can’t go hiking with you because I hurt my ankle yesterday,” Ryan said to Fiona

• Ryan told Fiona that he could not go hiking with her because he hurt his ankle the day before.

• Ryan told Fiona that he could not go hiking with her because he had hurt his ankle the day before.

• Ryan told Fiona that he cannot go hiking with her because he hurt his ankle the previous day.

• Ryan told Fiona that he could not go hiking with her because he had hurt his ankle the previous day.

Multiple Select

“My dad is going on a business trip to Hong Kong Next weekend,” Harry said

• Harry said that his father was going on a business trip to Hong Kong the next weekend

• Harry said that his father was going on a business trip to Hong Kong the following weekend

• Harry said that his father went on a business trip to Hong Kong the next weekend

• Harry said that his father had gone on a business trip to Hong Kong the following weekend

Multiple Select

“I may become a receptionist in the future,” Karen said.

• Karen said that she might become a receptionist in the future

• Karen told that she might become a receptionist in the future

• Karen said that she may become a receptionist in the future

Multiple Select

“Where did I leave my ticket?” Mr John asked himself

• Mr John wondered where he had left his ticket

• Mr John was wondering where he had left his ticket

• Mr John wondered where he left his ticket

Multiple Select

”Please do not get into my room,” Anas said to his sister

• Anas asked his sister not to get in to his room

• Anas asked his sister to not get in to his room

• Anas told his sister not to get in to his room

Multiple Select

” Will the school take us on another outing this year?” Jerry asked his friends

• Jerry wanted to know if the school would take them on another outing that year.

• Jerry wanted to know whether the school would take them on another outing that year.

• Jerry wanted to know if the school would take them on another outing this year.

• Jerry wanted to know whether the school would take them on another outing this year.

Multiple Select

“Can I invite my friends over for dinner, Mum?” Leah wanted to know.

• Leah asked her mum if she could invite her friends over for dinner.

• Leah wanted to know if she could invite her friends over for dinner

• Leah asked her mum whether she could invite her friends over for dinner.

Multiple Select

”Kelly, ring the travel agency and ask about the trip to Spain.” Betty said.

• Betty had said to Kelly to ring the travel agency and ask about the trip to Spain.

• Betty told Kelly to ring the travel agency and ask about the trip to Spain.

• Betty said to Kelly to ring the travel agency and ask about the trip to Spain.

Multiple Select

“Why do you want to go to the market, Peter?” Dave asked.

• Dave wanted to know why Peter wanted to go to the market.

• Dave asked Peter why he wanted to go to the market.

• Dave wanted to know why did Peter want to go to the market.

Multiple Select

“Can you get me a ticket for the concert, please?” My friend asked me

• my friend asked me if I could get her a ticket to the concert.

• my friend asked me if I can get her a ticket to the concert.

Multiple Select

“Please sit down”, our teacher told us.

• Our teacher asked us to sit down

• Our teacher said to us to sit down

Multiple Select

”Do you like the movie” asked Nabil

• Nabil asked us whether we like the movie

• Nabil asked us if we like the movie

• Nabil asked us did you like the movie.

Multiple Select

“Turn off the radio”. My sister asked.

• My sister told me to turn off the radio.

• My sister asked to turn off the radio.

• My sister said to turn off the radio.