Reported speech

Reported speech is the report of one speaker or writer on the words spoken, written, or thought by
someone else.  Sometimes someone says a sentence, for example "I'm going to the cinema tonight". Later,
maybe we want to tell someone else what the first person said.
Usually reported speech using “say”, “tell” and “ask”
Reported speech is how we represent the speech of other people or what we ourselves say. There are two
main types of reported speech: direct speech and indirect speech.
 Direct speech repeats the exact words the person used, or how we remember their words:
Ex : Barbara said, “I didn’t realise it was midnight.”
 In indirect speech, the original speaker’s words are changed.
Ex : Barbara said she hadn’t realised it was midnight.
In this example, I becomes she and the verb tense reflects the fact that time has passed since the words
were spoken: didn’t realise becomes hadn’t realised.
Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words:

1. Tenses
Tenses Direct speech Indirect speech
Present tense S + V1 (S/ES) + O S + V2 + O
Mom says “ I sweep floor” Mom said that she swept floor
Present continious S +TOBE (IS,AM,ARE) + VING + O S +TOBE (WAS/WERE) +
tense Mom says “ I am sweeping floor” VING + O
Mom said that she was
sweeping floor
Present perfect S +HAVE/HAS +V3 S +HAD +V3
tense Mom says “ I have swept floor” Mom said that she had swept
floor
Present perfect S+ HAVE/HAS +BEEN + VING S+ HAD +BEEN + VING
continious tense Mom says “ I have been sweeping Mom said that she had been
floor” sweeping floor
Past tense S + V2 + O S +HAD +V3
Mom said “ I swept floor” Mom said that she had swept
floor
Past continious S +TOBE (WAS/WERE) + VING + S+ HAD +BEEN + VING
tense O Mom said that she had been
Mom said “ I am swept floor” sweeping floor
Future tense S+ WILL/SHALL + V1 + O S +WOULD/SHOULD + V1 +
Mom says “ I will sweep floor” O
Mom said that she would
sweep floor
Future Continious S + WILL/SHALL +BE + Ving + O S +WOULD/SHOULD + BE +
tense Mom says “ I will be sweeping Ving + O
floor” Mom said that she would be
sweeping floor
Modal S + MODAL + V1 + O S + MODAL + V1 + O
Mom says “ I must sweep floor” Mom said that she must sweep
floor”

2. Time
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
now Then/ at the time
today That day
yesterday The day before / the previous day
tomorrow The next day / the following day
Next day/week/month/year The following day/the following week/ the
following mont h/ the following year
Last day/week/month/year The previous day / The previous week/ The
previous month/ The previous month
this these
that those
3. Questions
a. When we report questions, the subject comes before the verb.
 Direct speech: “Where are you going?”
Reported speech: He asked me where I was going.
 Direct speech: “Why is he shouting?”
Reported speech: He asked me why he was shouting.
 Direct speech: “What do you want?”
Reported speech: She asked me what I wanted.
b. When reporting questions we don’t use the auxiliary verb do, except in negative questions.
 Direct speech: “Who doesn’t like cheese?”
Reported speech: She asked me who didn’t like cheese.
c. We report yes/no questions with if or whether.
 Direct speech: “Do you want me to come?”
Reported speech: I asked him if he wanted me to come.
 Direct speech: “Have you fed the dog?”
Reported speech: She asked me whether I had fed the dog.
d. When we report questions with who, what or which + to be + object, the verb be can come before
or after the object.
 Direct speech: “Who is the champion?”
Reported speech: She asked me who the champion was / She asked me who was the champion.
 Direct speech: “What is your favourite colour?”
Reported speech: She asked me what my favourite colour was / She asked me what was my
favourite colour.

4. Command
Form
 affirmative commands → to + infinitive
 negative commands → not + to + infinitive

 Affirmative commands
Direct Speech → Dad: “Do your homework.”
Reported Speech → Dad told me to do my homework.

 Negative commands
Direct Speech → Teacher: “Don't talk to your friend.”
Reported Speech → The teacher told me not to talk to my friend.

The introductory sentence in commands

The word tell in introductory sentences in Reported Commands can be substituted with other words, e.g.
 Advise
 ask
There is no backshift of tenses, no matter which tense is used in the introductory sentence.

Example:
Direct Speech
Dad: “Do your homework.”
Indirect speech
Dad tells me to do my homework.
Dad told me to do my homework.

5. Suggestions
Direct Speech
Father: “Let's watch a film.”
Indirect speech
Father suggested watching a film.
Father suggested that they should watch a film
Do not use the infintive after suggest. Father suggested to watch a film