REPORTED SPEECH
DIRECT SPEECH Exact words someone said
SAY
She said, “I can’t drive”
TELL
She told me, “I can’t drive”
-REPORTING VERB (say, tell, explain)+THAT-CLAUSE.
In spoken English THAT can be omitted.
-PRONOUNS AND POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES change according to the context.
-TIME WORDS AND TENSES can change as follows depending
on the time reference.
REPORTED SPEECH Exact meaning of what someone said but not the exact words
REPORTING VERBS
SAY
She said that she couldn’t drive
TELL
She told me that she couldn’t drive
REPORTED STATEMENTS
Present Simple Past simple /Present Simple
‘He likes walking’ she said She said she liked /likes walking
Present Continuous Past Continuous
‘He is watching TV’ she said She said he was watching TV
Present Perfect Past Perfect
‘He has just left’ she said She said she had just left
Past Simple Past Perfect
‘He left an hour ago’ she said She said he had left an hour before
Future Conditional
‘He’ll be back in an hour’ she said. She said he would be back in an hour
Tonight, today, this week/month… That night, that day, that week/month
Now Then, at that time, at once, immediately
Now that Since
Yesterday, last night/week The day before, the previous night/week
Tomorrow, next week/month The following day/ the day after
Next week /month
Two days /months…ago Two days/month… before
-DEMONSTRATIVES & ADVERBS This /These Here That / Those There

REPORTED QUESTIONS

WE USE AFFIRMATIVE WORD ORDER AND THE QUESTION MARK IS OMITTED.

ASK+WH- WORD He said ‘Where did he stay?’ He asked where he had stayed

ASK+IF/WHETHER He said’Did you have a nice time?’ He asked if /whether I had had a nice time

INDIRECT QUESTIONS

When we ask for information Could you tell me…? Do you know…?/ I wonder… I want to know….

REPORTED COMMANDS /REQUESTS/SUGGESTIONS

REPORTING VERB + TO-INFINITIVE He said to me ‘Come with me’ He told me to go with him
+ NOT TO – INFINITIVE He said to me, ‘Don’t lie to me’ He told me not to lie to him.
+ ING FORM He said ‘Let’s go out’ He suggested going out.

MODALS
WILL WOULD
CAN COULD
CAN WOULD BE ABLE TO
MAY MIGHT
SHALL SHOULD
MUST MUST /HAD TO
 SHOULD SHOULD
HAD BETTER HAD BETTER
INTRODUCTORY VERBS
AGREE + TO+ INFINITIVE ADVISE+SB+TO+INFINITIVE ADMIT+GERUND AGREE+ THAT-CLAUSE
OFFER ASK ACCUSE SB OF COMPLAIN
PROMISE BEG APOLOGISE FOR DENY
REFUSE COMMAND BOAST OF /ABOUT EXPLAIN
THREATEN INVITE COMPLAIN TO SB OF EXLAIM /REMARK
ORDER DENY PROMISE
REMIND INSIST ON SUGGEST
WARN PREFERS
SUGGEST

Report what the jones family said when they came home from their holiday

Dad: ‘I didn’t like the food’ Sister: ‘The waiters were very rude’ Grandmother:’I was always bored of lying on the beach’

Mum:’I had a brilliant time’ Brother: ‘I’m not looking forward to going back to school. Grandfather:’I’ve never had so much fun in my life.

Aunt: ‘I fell in love with a Spanish girl’. Uncle: ‘I hope we’ll go to the same place next year. Cousin:’I’m going to get my photos developed tomorrow’

Report the tourists questions to the tour guide.

1. ‘How old is he?’ 2.’What are we going to do today?’ 3.’ Who made the sculpture in the square?’ 4 ‘What time do we leave tomorrow?’

5. ‘Where’s the main tourist office?’ 6. ‘Did you find my suitcase?’ 7. ‘When is breakfast served in the hotel?’ 8.’Is there a shopping centre near here?’

10.’ Do you know where the nearest bank is?’

Mrs Baxton is giving her claner instructions about what to do for the day.

1. ‘Clean the bathroom’. 2. ‘Make the beds’. 3. ‘Don’t forget to tidy the bedroom’. 4. ‘Feed the dogs’. 5.’ Sweep the kitchen floor’ 6. ‘Don’t leave the rubbish in
the kitchen’. 7. ‘Remember to water the plants’. 8. ‘Do the washing-up’ 9. ‘Hoover the sitting room’ 10. ‘Don’t let anyone into the house’.