Reported Speech

(Discurso Indirecto)
Reported Speech
 Reported Speech

“To report” means “to give an account of

something” or “to repeat information.”

Reported Speech is the act of repeating

information.
 Reported Speech: When to use it
Imagine your best friend tells you something, for example:
"I love eating ice cream!"

Later on, you want to tell someone else what your best
friend said. In that case, you will need to use reported
speech:

My best friend said (that) she loves eating ice cream.

 Reported Speech (1)
If the information you are reporting is:
a) recent
b) still true and relevant,
report it in the present tense:

Adriana: “I am hungry.”
… One minute later: Hey, David, what did Adriana say?
David: Adriana said (that) she is hungry.

(This information is still recent or relevant.)

 Reported Speech (1)
If the information you are reporting is still recent or
relevant, always report it in the present tense:

What did Millie say yesterday?

She said (that) she is working

for a company in London.

(Millie is still working for that company

- nothing has changed since yesterday.)
Reported Speech (1)
 Reported Speech (2)
If the information you are reporting is not that recent or
relevant, always report it in the past tense:

This morning:
Pedro: “I have class at 8:00 a.m.”

This afternoon, during lunch, Santiago mentions this:

Pedro said (that) he had class at 8:00 a.m.
(This information is not recent or relevant anymore.)
 Reported Speech (2)
If the information you are reporting is not that recent or
relevant, always report it in the past tense:
 Reported Speech (2)
Tenses change as follows:
am / are / is → was / were
do / does → did
have / has → had
can → could
will → would
Additionally:
- Eliminate all quotation marks: (“ ”)
- Change subjects, possessive adjectives, and time words accordingly.
 Reported Speech (2):
Changes to time words
Direct Speech Reported Speech
today that day
now then / at the moment
yesterday the day before
… days ago … days before
last week the week before
next year the following year
tomorrow the following day
here there
this / these that / those
ago previously / before
tonight that night
Reported Speech: Oral Practice
Reported Speech: Oral Practice

• She said that she had never been to the United States.
• She said that she couldn´t drive.
• She said that she didn´t like fish.
• She said that she was working the following night.
• She said that she doesn´t have / didn´t have any brothers or sisters.
• She said that Jane has / had a very-well paid job.
• She said that Jane is / was a friend of hers.
 Reported Speech

Reported Speech explanation (video):

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLFqFIjel
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Reported Speech in Spanish