Reported Speech: Useful Rules & Examples https://7esl.

com/reported-speech/

Reported speech is often also called indirect speech in English. When we use reported speech, we are usually
talking about the past (because obviously the person who spoke originally spoke in the past). The verbs
therefore usually have to be in the past too.

For Example :

Direct speech: I have lost my umbrella. ---------Reported speech: He said (that) he had lost his umbrella.

Tense Changes in Reported Speech

When changing from direct to indirect speech, you need to change the grammar in certain ways.

Verb tense forms usually need to change. The tenses generally move backwards in this way:

 Present Simple Tense ( do/ does ) into Past Simple Tense (did)
 Present Continuous Tense (am /is / are doing) into Past Continuous Tense (was /were doing)
 Present Perfect Tense ( has/ have done) into Past Perfect Tense (had done)
 Past Simple Tense (did) into Past Perfect Tense (had done)
 Past Continuous Tense (was / were doing) into Past Perfect Continuous Tense(had been doing)
 Past Perfect Tense (had done) (The tense remains unchanged) (had done)
 Will into Would
 Will be into Would be
 Will have into Would have
 Will have been into Would have been
Other Verb Form Changes in Indirect Speech
 Can into Could
 Could (The verb remains unchanged)
 Have to into Had to
 Must into Must/Had to
 May into Might
 Might (The verb remains unchanged)
 Should (The verb remains unchanged)
Changes in Time and Place in Reported Speech
Time and place references often have to change in Indirect Speech

Direct speech Indirect Speech Direct speech Indirect speech

Now Then Today That day

Here There This That

Tomorrow The following day/ The Next week The following week/ The
next day/ The day after next week/ The week after

Yesterday The previous day/ The day Last week The previous week/ The
before week before

Ago Previously/ Before Tonight That night

 No Change in Verb Tenses in Reported Speech
There is no change in verb tenses in Indirect Speech when:

The introductory verb is in the Present, Present Perfect or Future.

Direct speech: I love Chocoate . ---------Reported speech: He says (that) he loves chocolate.

The introductory verb in this sentence is « says » therefore there is no change in verb tense in Indirect speech.

Introductory Verbs in Indirect Speech

 Tell, say, ask
 Verb + that + clause: complain, deny, explain, exclaim, remark, promise, boast, inform somebody, claim, agree,
suggest
 Verb + to + infinitive: agree, offer, refuse, demand, threaten, promise, claim
 Verb + indirect object + to + infinitive: advise, allow, beg, command, encourage, forbid, invite, want, instruct,
permit, urge, order, remind, warn
 Verb + “ing” form: admit (to), accuse somebody of, apologize for, boast about/ of, complain to somebody of,
deny, insist on, suggest
 Verb + how: explain to somebody
 Wonder
Changes of Pronouns in Reported Speech
In indirect speech, you need to be careful with personal pronouns. They need to be changed according to the situation. You
need to know the context.
Direct Speech Indirect Speech Direct Speech Indirect Speech Direct Speech Indirect Speech
I He / she We They You I he she we they
They They She She He / It He / It

Reported Questions in English

When you are changing a question from direct speech into indirect speech, you follow the same kinds of rules as
for statements. To report a question, we use verbs such as: inquire, wonder, want to know, ask…

Direct speech: Do you love me ? . --------- Reported speech: He asked her if she loved him.

Direct speech: where did you go ? . --------- Reported speech: SHe wanted to know where she had gone..

Reported Commands and Requests in English

Reported Orders, Commands and Requests are formed using the to-infinitive and not to-infinitive.

he reporting verbs for the orders/ commands/ requests are: order, shout, demand, warn, beg, command, tell, insist,
beseech, threaten, implore, ask, propose, forbid…

When we change from direct to indirect speech, the pronoun and tense changes that are also needed.

Direct speech : stay at home. ------------ Indirect speech : the government ordered people to stay at home.

Direct speech : do not go out. ------------ Indirect speech : the police warned people not to go out.

Reference : https://7esl.com/reported-speech/
 Mixed Exercise 1

Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note whether the sentence is a request, a statement or a
question.

1. He said, "I like this song."

→ He said-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. "Where is your sister?" she asked me.
→ She asked me ---------------------------------------------------------------------
3. "I don't speak Italian," she said.
→ She said---------------------------------------------------------------------
4. "Say hello to Jim," they said.
→ They asked me---------------------------------------------------------------------
5. "The film began at seven o'clock," he said.
→ He said---------------------------------------------------------------------
6. "Don't play on the grass, boys," she said.
→ She told the boys---------------------------------------------------------------------
7. "Where have you spent your money?" she asked him.
→ She asked him ---------------------------------------------------------------------
8. "I never make mistakes," he said.
→ He said---------------------------------------------------------------------
9. "Does she know Robert?" he wanted to know.
→ He wanted to know ---------------------------------------------------------------------
10. "Don't try this at home," the stuntman told the audience.
→ The stuntman advised the audience---------------------------------------------------------------------
1. He said that he liked that song.
2. She asked me where my sister was.
3. She said that she didn't speak Italian.
4. They asked me to say hello to Jim.
5. He said that the film had begun at seven o'clock.
6. She told the boys not to play on the grass.
7. She asked him where he had spent his money.
8. He said that he never made mistakes.
9. He wanted to know if she knew Robert.
10. The stuntman advised the audience not to try that at home.

REMEMBER: With reported speech, the pattern is the following:

1. simple present becomes simple past
2. future tenses becomes conditional
3. present continuous becomes past continuous
4. present perfect becomes past perfect
5. commands (ex. come!) become infinitive (ex. to come)

Choose the best response:

1. "He will come tomorrow".

She told me that he ________ tomorrow.

is coming

will come

would come

2. "I see the clouds.".

He told me that she ________ the clouds.

sees

is seeing

saw

3. "My mother is taking the bus to work tomorrow".

He told me that his mother ________ the bus to work tomorrow.

is taking

was taking

will take

4. "I will call you".

I told her that I ________ her.

will call

would call

would have called

5. "I have been there".

She told me that she ________ there.

had been

has been

was

6. "I will be studying tomorrow".

I told him that I ________ tomorrow.

will be studying

would be studying

will study

7. "Open the window!".

He asked me ________ the window.

to open

open

opened

8."I am happy".
She told me that she ________ happy.

has been

is

was

9. "I have seen that movie".

He told me that he ________ that movie.

had seen

will have seen

has seen

10. "I am flying to India tomorrow".

He told me that he ________ tomorrow.

is flying
 was flying

will fly
Q1 - I told him ____ do it.
to not
to don't
not to
don't
Q2 - He asked us ____ show our passports.
if
to
for
Q3 - She asked us if we ____ finished the work on Monday.
have
had
Either could be used here.
Q4 - She asked us ____ on time.
to be
for being
Q5 - She asked if she ____ leave early.
can
could
Q6 - They asked me _____ going to the party.
that I was
if I was
Q7 - He told me ____ my father.
phone
to phone
Q8 - She said that no one _____ to the meeting last week.
has come
had come
Q9 - She told me ____ she wasn't going to come.
that
---
Either could be used here.
Q10 - He asked me what I _____ if I failed to get the job.
would do
would have done
Q11 - He told me he ___ be here by three o'clock at the latest and it's half past already.
will
would
Either could be used here.
 Q12 - She promised she _____ do it by the end of the week and then let me down.
will
would
Either could be used here.
Q13 - She said it _____ raining when she got here.
already started
had already started
Either could be used here.
Q14 - She explained how ______ do it.
to
I should
Either could be used here.
Q15 - He said he _____ her before.
didn't meet
hadn't met
Either could be used here.

backshift

Rewrite the sentences in reported speech. Change pronouns and time expressions where necessary.

1. She said, "I am reading."

→ She said that ---------------------------------------------------------------------
2. They said, "We are busy."
→ They said that --------------------------------------------------------------------
3. He said, "I know a better restaurant."
→ He said that ---------------------------------------------------------------------
4. She said, "I woke up early."
→ She said that --------------------------------------------------------------------
5. He said, "I will ring her."
→ He said that ---------------------------------------------------------------------
6. They said, "We have just arrived."
→ They said that ---------------------------------------------------------------------
7. He said, "I will clean the car."
→ He said that ---------------------------------------------------------------------
8. She said, "I did not say that."
→ She said that ---------------------------------------------------------------------
9. She said, "I don't know where my shoes are."
→ She said that ---------------------------------------------------------------------
10. He said: "I won't tell anyone."
→ He said that ---------------------------------------------------------------------
11. She said, "I am reading."
→ She said that she was reading.
 12. They said, "We are busy."
→ They said that they were busy.
13. He said, "I know a better restaurant."
→ He said that he knew a better restaurant.
14. She said, "I woke up early."
→ She said that she had woken up early.
15. He said, "I will ring her."
→ He said that he would ring her.
16. They said, "We have just arrived."
→ They said that they had just arrived.
17. He said, "I will clean the car."
→ He said that he would clean the car.
18. She said, "I did not say that."
→ She said that she had not said that.
19. She said, "I don't know where my shoes are."
→ She said that she did not know where her shoes were.
20. He said: "I won't tell anyone."
→ He said that he would not tell anyone.

Transform these sentences into Reported Speech

Mum said: " I'm angry with you"

Mum said she angry with me

Geoffrey said: I'm cooking lunch today

Geoffrey said he lunch

My boyfriend said: I'll go to the cinema tomorrow

My boyfriend said he to the cinema

Her teacher said: " You must do your homework every day"

Her teacher said she do her homework every day

Their father said: " I can speak three languages"

Their father said he speak three languages

Paul said: "I have been on holidays"

Paul said he on holidays

 Phrasal verbs
A phrasal verb is a combination of words (a verb + a preposition or verb +adverb) that when
used together, usually take on a different meaning to that of the original verb.

Phrasal Verb Examples

Sit down / stand up / look for / hand out / put off / switch off / write down etc.

When we use phrasal verbs, we use them like normal verbs in a sentence, regardless if it’s
a regular or irregular verb.

1. Stand up when speaking in class, please.

2. We’ll have to wake up early if we want breakfast.
3. Take off your shoes before you walk on the carpet.

20 popular phrasal verbs

Break up
Meaning: to end a relationship
Example: John and Mary broke up after 7 months of dating.

Bring up
Meaning: to mention something
Example: Remember, don’t bring up Mary’s breakup when you talk to her.

Carry on
Meaning: to continue doing what you have been doing
Example: Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. Carry on with your speech.

Carry out
Meaning: to perform a task or assignment
Example: I couldn’t carry out my plan for the month.

Come across
Meaning: to seem or appear to have a specific quality, to make a certain impression on someone
Example: John comes across as a very positive person.

Find out
Meaning: to learn of or discover facts/information about something or someone
Example: I wanted to find out where Helena was from, I couldn’t tell by her accent.

Get along
Meaning: to have a friendly relationship with someone
Example: Alice and Sue get along very well, they never fight.

Get over
Meaning: to recover from a difficult or upsetting experience
Example: John can’t get over his breakup with Mary, it’s all he can think about.
Give up
Meaning: to stop trying to do something due to a lack of success
Example: Joan and Peter didn’t give up, they are still trying to have a baby.

Go on
Meaning: to continue
Example: The teacher waited for the students to quiet down before he went on with the lecture.

Look after
Meaning: to take care of someone, attend to
Example: Tom’s parents look after his kids when he has to work on the weekends.

Look forward to
Meaning: to anticipate something
Example: I’m looking forward to meeting my brother’s new girlfriend.

Look up
Meaning: to search for information
Example: My professor uses such difficult language that I have to look words up in a dictionary.

Put off
Meaning: postpone
Example: He had to put off the meeting because he was very busy.

Put up with
Meaning: to endure or tolerate
Example: I can’t put up with your behavior anymore.

Take over
Meaning: to assume control over something
Example: Mrs. Jones, the math teacher, is taking a maternity leave and Mrs. Green will be taking over.

Take up
Meaning: to develop an interest in something
Example: Greg took up hiking, because he wanted to spend more time outdoors.

Try on
Meaning: to put on an item of clothing in order to see if it fits
Example: These shoes look amazing, I want to try them on.

Turn out
Meaning: to end up, result
Example: The cake turned out to be very good, although Annie had a problem making it.

Work out
Meaning: end happily
Example: I was worried about the play I directed, but it all worked out in the end

Reference : https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/verbs/phrasal-verbs/
 Phrasal Verb Exercises

1. Someone broke into my car last night and stole the stereo. (broke down/broke into)
2. Will you be able to get by this month with the little you have?(get off / get by)
3. His father always taught him not to _____ those people with less. (look up to / look down on)
4. Stop complaining and _____ your work! (get on with / get over)
5. The boss wants you to _____ your figures for this month to him. (hand out / hand in)
6. We’re going to have to _____ our trip to Spain until September. (put up/ put off)
7. I _____ Amir today at the supermarket. It was great to see him. (ran out of / ran into)
8. I’m so tired of Sophie _____ her engagement ring all the time. (showing off, showing up)
9. The police would not _____ to the kidnapper’s demands. (give up/ give in)
10. I thought I would _____ for a cup of coffee. Is that okay? (drop off/ drop in)
11. Have you ever _____ such an unusual piece of art? (come forward/come across)
12. It’s important to _____ on time. (show up / show off)
13. _____ your feet when walking; you don’t want to trip! (uplift / lift up)
14. The tree was _____ by the wind. (blown up / blown over)
15. He _____ his hat to show me his new haircut. (took off / took up)
16. I just can’t seem to _____ this book. (get off / get into )

Answers:

1. look down on 2. get on with 3. hand in 4. put off 5.ran into 6.showing off. 7.give in 8.drop in
9.come across 10. show up 11. lift up 12.blown over 13.took off 14.get into

Exercise 2 Fill in the blanks with one of the phrasal verbs from the box.
run out of - get over - set off - tell off - let down - put up - switch off - tear down - take off - look up

1. Did the plane------------------------------------------ on time?

2. He'll never--------------------------------------- his grandfather's death.
3. We could------------------ you------------------------ for the night if you have no place else to stay.
4. Could you----------------------------- the number------------------------------ in the telephone directory?
5. Don't tell me we've----------------------------------- milk again.
6. If we don't---------------------------- soon, we won't get there in time.
7. We don't need the light on. Could you------------------- it---------------------------- ?
8. They're going to----------------------------- these flats and build new houses.
9. George has----------------------- me----------------------------- this time. He failed his exams again.
10. The teacher ordered him into his room to-------------------- him--------- because of the fight in the playground.
D. In pairs, study the following situations, then fill in the table below

Direct speech Indirect speech

‘m going Was going
This That
‘ve visited Had visited
Came Had come
Last Previous
Will Would
E look at the grammar summary. Then with your partner, report the following opinions.

1. An NGO represntative said that maids were ill treated.

2. Adisabled person told journalists that people with disability needed more care and interest.
3. ……………………………………………….. that road accidents could be redced if we did not change some ………..
4. …………………………………………………that the time of exclusion was over