Indirect Speech

Indirect Speech

(aka Reported Speech)

In this lesson you will learn

● What is indirect speech?
● How tenses, pronouns, and time & place expressions

change

● How to report

○ Commands
○ Yes-no Qs
○ Wh Qs

What is the
difference?

Nostradamus said to Catherine de Medici:
“Your husband will die in a jousting accident.”

Nostradamus said to Catherine de Medici that
her husband would die in a jousting accident.

What is Indirect Speech?

RS is used to report (not repeat!) what someone said.

Direct speech:

Ayşe: “I am coming tomorrow.” (repeating)

Indirect speech:

Ayşe said she was coming the next day.(reporting)

Multiple Choice

Indirect speech is repeating the exact words of a person.

• False

• True

Is it direct or
indirect?

“I am waiting here” he said

He said he was waiting there.

“Where are you now?” she asked.

She wanted to know where I was then.

“Are you coming?” she asked.

She asked if I was coming.

Pay attention

You do NOT need to change the verb

if the reporting verb is in PRESENT or

the original statement is still true.

She says she misses you.

We explained that our house is difficult to
find.

Multiple Choice

Figo says, "I love Tamara."

• Figo says "I love Tamara."

• Figo says "I loved Tamara."

Fill in the table

Direct Speech

Indirect Speech

present simple/present continuous

past simple/past continuous

present perfect/present perfect continuous

will

can

may

must/have to

Multiple Choice

John said, “I am very busy now.”

• John said that he was very busy then.

• John said that he is very busy now.

• John said that he was very busy now.

Multiple Choice

Gary said, “I will go to New York”.

• Gary asked that he would go to New York.

• Gary said that he would go to New York.

• Gary said that he would not go to New York.

Say or Tell

“I like coffee”

She said she likes coffee.

She told she likes coffee.

She said to me she likes coffee.

She told me/John/them… she likes coffee.

Multiple Choice

He _____ me that he felt very frustrated.

• say

• tell

• told

• said

How to report
commands

“Call the first witness” said the Judge.

The Judge ordered them to call the first
witness.

“Don’t look at me” said the boy.

He told them not tolook at him.

Common verbs: order, command,

ask, tell, request, warn…

Multiple Choice

'Please, sit here.' ⇒ She ______.

• asked me to sit there

• said to sit there

Multiple Choice

The man told her.........

• not to tell the boss

• to don't tell the boss

• to not tell the boss

• Don't tell the boss!

How to report Wh Qs

“Where are you going?”

He asked me where I was going.

“Why didn’t you come yesterday?”

He wanted to know why I hadn’t come the
day before.

Multiple Choice

Peter asked me: "What time is it?"

• He asked me what time it was

• He asked me what time is it

Multiple Choice

"Where did you eat?' ⇒ Sam asked me ______.

• where I had eaten

• where had I eaten

• where did I eat

How to report
Yes-No Qs

“Are you sleeping?”

He asked whether/if I was sleeping.

“Did you arrive home?”

He wanted to know if/whether I had
arrived home.

Multiple Choice

She said, "Are you hungry?"

• She asked if I was hungry.

• She asked that I am hungry

Multiple Choice

She asked, "Did you go out yesterday?"

• She wanted to know if I go out yesterday.

• She wanted to know if I had gone out the day before.

What have
you
learned?

Summarize in your own words:
❏

the main points

❏

the details