Grammar - Reported Speech

GRAMMAR

Reported Speech

by Teacher Tisha

​What is reported speech?

​Reported speech is when we tell someone what another person said. To do this, we can use direct speech or indirect speech.

​

direct speech: 'I work in a bank,' said Daniel.

indirect speech: Daniel said that he worked in a bank.

​

In indirect speech, we often use a tense which is 'further back' in the past (e.g. worked) than the tense originally used (e.g. work). This is called 'backshift'. We also may need to change other words that were used, for example pronouns.

​Rules to remember

Verbs in the present simple change to the past simple;

the present continuous changes to the past continuous;

the present perfect changes to the past perfect; 

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

​

She said she was having the interview at four o’clock.

(Direct speech: 'I’m having the interview at four o’clock.')

They said they’d phone later and let me know.

(Direct speech: 'We’ll phone later and let you know.')

​

Multiple Choice

My best friend at school became a nurse first, then a paramedic.'

→ He told me that his best friend at school ___ a nurse first, then a paramedic.

• was becoming

• had become

• has become

Multiple Choice

'I had lived in four countries by the age of ten.'

→ She said that she ___ in four countries by the age of ten.

• lived

• was living

• had lived

Multiple Choice

'We were hoping to have our wedding in June.'

→ She told me that they ___ to have their wedding in June. In the end, though, they got married in September.

• are hoping

• had been hoping

• have been hoping

Multiple Choice

'Oh, hi, Ethan! I'm just leaving, unfortunately.'

→ When I got there I saw him, but he said he ___.

• was just leaving

• is just leaving

• had just left

Multiple Choice

We've seen four elephants already and it's only our first day.'

→ He said that they ___ four elephants on their first day. Imagine what animals they've seen by now.

• were seeing

• have seen

• had seen

Multiple Choice

'I love this restaurant!' →

We could go back to Bella Roma? Chloe said she loved ___ restaurant!

• that

• this

• there

​HOMEWORK!

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​CLOSE UP TEXTBOOK

​PAGE 125

​EXERCISE E & F

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​WRITE YOUR ANSWERS ON PIECE OF PAPER

​TURN IN ON GOOGLE CLASSROOM

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​:)