Step 1 - THE GRAMMAR part 1

You have to use indirect speech / reported speech if you want to encase the quoted
sentence into a sentence. In this case there are going to be several changes in the
quoted sentence.
Changes:
First, we are going to learn how to
quote a sentence in the present. In
these cases you dont have to go
back a tense, but there are other
necessary changes you have to do.
Lets look at these first.

A) Look at the table below which contains the

adverbs of time and place that you have to change
in reported speech. At the end of the list there
are two verbs that can be changed.
Direct speech
Reported speech
this / these

that / those

here

there

now

then, at that time

today

that day

tonight

that night

yesterday

the day before, the

previous day

tomorrow

the next day, the

following day

the day after tomorrow

in two days time

the day before yesterday

two days before

this (week)

that (week)

last (month)

the (month) before,

the previous (month)

next (year)

the next (year), the

following (year)

two days ago

two days before

ago

before

come

go

bring

take

B) Change the pronouns: X says to Y

In reported speech you have to change
I, me, my, mine, myself, / we, us, our,
ours, ourselves if X isnt I or we. YOU
HAVE TO CONFORM I OR WE TO X.
Lets see two examples:

I am a
studen
t.

We are
friends.

Mary says to Peter she is a student.

Mary says to Peter they are friends.

In reported speech you have to change

you, your, yours, yourself and
yourselves if Y isnt you. YOU HAVE
TO CONFORM YOU TO Y.
Lets see an example:
You are a
teacher.

Mary says to Peter he is a teacher.

C) The order of the reported

statements.
When you encase the quoted sentence, you
have to use the following order:

D) The order of the reported

question.

Subject + Predicate (modal verb if necessary

+ verb) + Object + Adverbs (place, time )

whether /if + Subject + Predicate (modal

verb if necessary + verb) + Object +
Adverbs (place, time)

Lets see two examples:

Yesterday I went to the shop.
Mary says to Peter she went to the
shop the day before.
Now I am drawing a flower into my
notebook.
Mary says to Peter she is drawing a
flower into her notebook then.

Yes-no question:

Lets see two examples:

Do you like chocolate?
Mary asks Peter whether/if he likes
chocolate.
Have you ever been to Scotland?
Mary asks Peter whether/if he has
ever been to Scotland.

Wh-question:
E)
The
order
of
the
reported
commands / suggestions / requests
You have to change the verb into
TO+INFINITIVE. If it is a negative
command you have to change it into NOT+
TO+INFINITIVE.
Lets see two examples:
Go to your room.
Mary tells the children to go to their
room.
Dont watch late night films.
Mary tells the children not to watch
late night films.

Wh-question
pronoun
+
Subject
+
Predicate (modal verb if necessary +
verb) + Object + Adverbs (place, time)

Lets see two examples:

Where do you usually buy food?
Mary asks Peter where he usually
buys food.
Why have you bought this
camera?
Mary asks Peter why he has bought
that camera.
BE CAREFUL! You have to leave out
do, does and did if there isnt
negation in the sentence.

The most common used verb to introduce a

reported command is tell. If there is
please in the direct command, you have
If the person is mentioned in
to use ask and leave out please.
the direct command, you have
to write it into the introduction.
e.g.: Please, dont give up.
e.g.: Children, drink your juice.
He asks me not to give up.
Mother tells the children to drink
their juice.