How often do you have to

report what someone else

said?
1. Teacher to students
2. Children to parents
3. Students to teacher
4. Classmates amongst themselves et al.
Paul said, “I need to get ready
for a meeting.”

Paul said that he needed to

get ready for a meeting.
REPORTED SPEECH
******
 WHAT IS IT?
• Reported Speech is the grammar we
use when we want to tell another
person about a conversation that
took place in the past.
 USAGE:
• We often use reported speech to . . .
• 1. Give someone a telephone message:
• Example: Ellen said she couldn’t come today because…
• 2. Tell someone news that we heard from someone
else:
• Example: Tom told me that he and Karen got engaged!
• 3. To report something that happened:
• Example: Sam said that the other driver wasn’t paying
attention and hit his car.
 HOW TO USE REPORTED SPEECH:
• When we use reported speech, we are usually talking
about the past. Therefore, verbs usually change to
the past tense in reported speech.
• am / is become was
• are becomes were
• have / has become had
• can / can’t become could
• couldn’t will / won’t become would wouldn’t

 
 Reported speech typically uses the following structure:

• Someone said (that) … Sentence, past

• OR
• Someone told me (that) … Sentence, past

• However, in English, you can NEVER say

Someone said me . . .
Examples of reporting what someone said . .

I talked to Sandra yesterday. She was telling me

about her job. Her job is quite stressful. Sandra
said: “I’m not happy at my job anymore. I think
I’ll quit.”
Now you want to tell someone else what
Sandra said. In this situation, it’s natural to use
reported speech.
You can say: Sandra told me that she wasn't
happy at her job anymore and she quit.
 Dual Name:

• Reported Speech can also

be termed as Indirect
speech since it makes no
use of quotation marks.
 REPORTING VERBS
• Below is a list (not exhaustive) of possible verbs: 
• admit
• Verbs used in the •
•
answer
argue
• ask (if)
• believe
framing of •
•
claim
confirm
• consider 

reported speech •
•
demonstrate
deny
• discuss
• doubt
are known as •
•
emphasize
find
• hope

reported verbs. •
•
inquire (if)
insist
• mention
 Examples for practice:
• 1. Shawn said: “I don’t feel like going to the
movies tonight.”
• Reported speech: Shawn said that he didn’t
feel like going to the movies tonight.
• 2. Tina said: “My sister is coming to visit me
soon.”
• Reported speech: Tina told me that her sister
was coming to visit her soon.
 MORE EXAMPLES:
• TRY SOLVING THESE YOURSELVES-
• 1. The counselor said: “I’ll always be available
for your students.”
• 2. The students said: “We want to do oral
presentations in class so we can practice
speaking more.”
• 3. Tom said, “I want to visit my friends this
weekend.”
ANSWERS TO THE PREVIOUS PAGE:
• 1. Reported speech: The counselor said that
she would always be available for my students.
• 2. Reported speech: The students told me that
they wanted to do oral presentations so they
could practice speaking more.
• 3. Reported Speech: Tom said he wanted to
visit his friends that weekend.
 Identify the mistake in each statement-1-

• 1. Megan said me that she wasn’t coming to work today.  

•  Said is wrong.
•  Me is wrong.
•  That is wrong.
•  Quotation marks are needed.

• 2. Jim told me that “he might start looking for another job.”   
•  Told is wrong.
•  Me is wrong.
•  That is wrong.
•  Quotation marks are not needed.
Identify the mistake in each statement-2-
• 3. Mrs. Nelson told to everyone that we needed to increase sales.  
•  Told is wrong.
•  To is wrong.
•  Everyone is wrong.
•  Quotation marks are needed.

• 4. He’s very sorry, but he must tell no to your offer.   

•  Sorry is wrong.
•  Tell is wrong.
•  Need to add the listener after tell (tell whom).
•  Quotation marks are needed.
Identify the mistake in each statement-3-
• 5. Some of my co-workers like to say jokes during coffee breaks.   
•  Say is wrong.
•  Need to add the listener after say (say whom).
•  A comma is needed after jokes.
•  Quotation marks are needed.

• 6. “Don’t do that, please.” my manager said.   

•  The first period is wrong.
•  The second period is wrong.
•  Said is wrong.
•  Quotation marks are not needed.
 ANSWERS TO: 1, 2 & 3
• 1. A: Megan told me that she wasn’t coming to work today.
• 2. D: Jim told me that he might start looking for another
job. [no quotation marks]
• 3. B: Mrs. Nelson told everyone that we needed to increase
sales. [not “to everyone”]
• 4. B: He’s very sorry, but he must say no to your offer.
• 5. A: Some of my co-workers like to tell jokes during coffee
breaks.
• 6. A: “Don’t do that, please,” my manager said. [use comma
not period after please]
 Hmmmmmmmmm………………
• Do you understand reported speech
better NOW than you did BEFORE?
Keep practicing!!! And please . . .
ASK if you need assistance!
****************************