Reported Speech - statements

​Reported Speech

1. ​add a reporting verb

2. backshift the tenses by one

3. change the pronouns

​ Direct speech Indirect speech |

Reported speech

​Reported speech

• to ​say said

• to tell told

​Remember to always include the reporting verbs when dealing with reported speech!

​She said that she loved the movie.

or

She said she loved the movie.

​They said they ate breakfast.

or

They said that they ate breakfast.

​say + to someone

​Robert said to his teacher that he finished the assignment.

​Allison said to her teacher (that) she was feeling ill.

​tell + who we are reporting to

​She told me that she loved the movie.

They told us that they had eaten breakfast.

​Backshift in tenses

​English has 12 basic tenses

​Past

Present

Future

​With reported speech we do not change the tense if the information is current and ongoing.

​I love my son.

Ann said that she loves her son.

​Time and Place words

• ​'now' changes to 'then'/ 'immediately'

• 'today' changes to 'that day'

• 'yesterday' changes to 'the day before' /'the previous day'

• 'last week' changes to 'the week before' / 'the previous week'

• 'tomorrow' changes to 'the next day' / 'the following day'

• 'next week' changes to 'the week after' / 'the following week'

• 'here' changes to 'there'

• 'this week' changes to 'that week'

• 'these' changes to 'those'

• 'ago' changes to 'before'

Present simple

Past simple

Fill in the Blanks

Present continuous

Past continuous

Fill in the Blanks

Present perfect

Past perfect

Fill in the Blanks

Past simple

Past perfect

Fill in the Blanks

Future simple (will)

Conditional (would)

Fill in the Blanks

Modal verb "can" "could"

Fill in the Blanks

Modal verb "may" (possibility)

"might"

Fill in the Blanks

Multiple Choice

'My dad ran a marathon at the age of 75.'

She told me that her dad ___ a marathon at the age of 75.

• was running

• had run

• has run

Multiple Choice

'I wasn't paying attention at the time.'

He said that he ___ attention at the time.

• didn't pay

• hadn't been paying

• hasn't been paying

Multiple Choice

'I live in the centre.'

She told me that she ___ in the centre, but I think she's moved.

• has lived

• had lived

• lived

Multiple Choice

'We're meeting Toni at 8 o'clock.'

She said that they ___ Toni at 8 o'clock.

• were meeting

• are meeting

• had been meeting

Multiple Choice

'She had worked for that school for 40 years when she retired.'

He told me that she ___ for that school for 40 years when she retired.

• works

• was working

• had worked

Multiple Choice

'I've written three pages of the report.'

He said that he ___ three pages of the report.

• wrote

• was writing

• had written

Multiple Choice

'We're having a great time here on holiday!'

My parents said they're having a great time ___ on holiday.

• there

• here

• then

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

'Coralia's arriving today.'

She told me that Coralia was arriving ___, but I found out the next day that her visit was cancelled.

• today

• that day

• ago

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

'I commute 45 minutes to work.'

She told me that she ___ 45 minutes to work, but I bet it takes longer now with the roadworks.

• has commuted

• commuted

• had commuted

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.

• had been hoping

• are 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 ___.

• is just leaving

• was 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.

• were seeing

• have seen

• had seen

Multiple Choice

'I love this restaurant!'

Chloe said she loved ___ restaurant!

• that

• this

• there

Multiple Choice

'I told Dom to email you three days ago.'

She said that she had told Dom to email me three days ___.

• then

• ago

• before