Reported Speech

Reported Speech

We use reported speech when we want to tell someone what someone said. We usually use a reporting verb (e.g. say, tell, ask, etc.) and then change the tense of what was actually said in direct speech.

Verbs changes while reporting

• Verbs in the present simple, change to the past simple

• the present continuous changes to the past continuous

• present perfect changes to the past perfect

• can changes to could; will changes to would; etc.

And, do you know that....

 Apart from changing the tense of the verb, you also have to think about changing other things, like pronouns and adverbs of time and place.

For example:

'We went yesterday.' > She said they had been the day before.

'I’ll come tomorrow.' > He said he’d come the next day.

What about reporting questions?

We often use ask + if/whether, then change the tenses as with statements. In reported questions we don’t use question forms after the reporting verb.

'Do you have any experience working with people?'

They asked if I had any experience working with people.

'What acting have you done?'

They asked me what acting I had done.

Are there any more reporting verbs?

• promise

• remind

• warn

• advise

• recommend

• encourage

• which you can choose, depending on the situation. But say, tell and ask are the most common.

Activity

Choose the box with the correct answer

Multiple Select

She said she _____ the answer.

• knows

• known

• knew

• know

Multiple Select

He ______ her that he loved her

• said

• told

• tell

• say

Multiple Select

Ryan said ______had bought the tickets.

• she

• we

• he

• his

Multiple Select

She asked me where ________

• was my sister.

• my sister was

• my sister were

• were my sister

Multiple Select

She asked me____

• if I spoke

• Whether I spoke

• if I speak

• Whether I speak

Multiple Select

How is reported speech for you?

• Easy

• Difficult

• Super easy

• I dont understand

Thanks for your attention

Time for Q&A´s