Unit 5 Lesson 2: Reported Speech: Statements/ Sentences

UNIT 5 LESSON 2
REPORTED SPEECH: STATEMENTS/ SENTENCES
If the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change the tenses in
the reported speech:
 Direct speech: I like ice cream.

 Reported speech: She said (that) she liked ice cream.
Tense Direct Speech Reported Speech

present
I like ice cream She said (that) she liked ice cream.
simple
present I am living in
She said (that) she was living in London.
continuous London
She said (that) she had bought a car OR
past simple I bought a car
She said (that) she bought a car.
past I was walking She said (that) she had been walking along
continuous along the street the street.
present I haven't seen
She said (that) she hadn't seen Julie.
perfect Julie
I had taken
She said (that) she had taken English
past perfect* English lessons
lessons before.
before
will I'll see you later She said (that) she would see me later.
I would help,
would* She said (that) she would help but...
but..”
I can speak perfect She said (that) she could speak perfect
can
English English.
I could swim when She said (that) she could swim when she
could*
I was four was four.
shall I shall come later She said (that) she would come later.
I should call my
should* She said (that) she should call her mother
mother
might* I might be late She said (that) she might be late
She said (that) she must study at the
I must study at the
must weekend OR She said she had to study at
weekend
the weekend
* doesn't change.
Occasionally, we don't need to change the present tense into the past if the
information in direct speech is still true (but this is only for things which are
general facts, and even then usually we like to change the tense):
 Direct speech: The sky is blue.

 Reported speech: She said (that) the sky is/was blue.
How to Use 'Say' and 'Tell'
In reported statements, we can use either 'say' or 'tell'. The meaning is the
same, but the grammar is different. For example:
Direct speech:
 John: "I'll be late".
Reported speech:
 John said (that) he would be late.
OR
 John told me (that) he was going to be late.
With 'tell' we NEED the object (e.g. 'me', 'you', 'her').

With 'say' we CAN'T use the object (e.g. 'me', 'them', 'us').
Here are some correct examples:
 Julie said (that) she'd come to the party.

 I said (that) I was going to bed early.
 He told me (that) he loved living in London.
 They told John (that) they would arrive at six.
(We can also use 'tell' in reported orders. In this case, 'tell' is followed by a direct
object and 'to + infinitive': 'She told me to sit down').
Time Expressions with Reported Speech
Sometimes when we change direct speech into reported speech we have to

change time expressions too.
now then / at that time
today yesterday / that day / Tuesday / the 27th of June
yesterday the day before yesterday / the day before / Wednesday / the 5th of
December
last night the night before, Thursday night
last week the week before / the previous week
tomorrow today / the next day / the following day / Friday
Say and Tell Exercise 1
Put in 'said' or 'told'
1) Julie said that she would join us after work.

2) She told me that she was going running this evening.
3) John told us that he couldn't come to the party.
4) John said that he had been to the cinema at the weekend.
5) She told them she wanted to quit.
6) David said that he was going to arrive at eight.
7) They said that they didn't want to meet us on Tuesday.
8) I told him I wasn't impressed.
9) Lucy told Julie that she was leaving on Wednesday.
10) We said that we were going on holiday the following week.
11) Jack told my mother he would be in Spain this week.
12) I said that I hated mushrooms.
13) She told she loved chocolate.
14) They told they were meeting Luke today.
15) They told us they were going to the museum this afternoon.
16) He told he wouldn't start without us.
17) I told them I'd bring pudding.
18) Jonathan said it would rain today.
19) They told us that it was fine to come late.
20) The boss told me that I should do some more work on this report.
Reported Statements Exercise 2
Change the direct speech into reported speech. Use 'she said' at the beginning of
each answer.
1) "He works in a bank."
She said that he worked in a bank
2) "We went out last night."
She said that the had gone out the previous night
3) "I'm coming!"
She said that he was coming.
4) "I was waiting for the bus when he arrived."
She said that he had been waited for the bus when he had arrived.
5) "I'd never been there before."
She said that he had never been there before
6) "I didn't go to the party."
She said that he hadn’t gone to the party.
7) "He hasn't eaten breakfast."
She said that he hadn’t eaten breakfast.
8) "I can help you tomorrow."
She said that he could help me the next day.
9) "You should go to bed early."
She said that I should go to be early
10)"I don't like chocolate."
She said that he didn’t like chocolate.
11) "I won't see you tomorrow."
She said that he wouldn’t see me the following day.
12) "She's living in Paris for a few months."
She said that she was living in Paris for a few months.
13) "I visited my parents at the weekend."
She said the she visited her parents at the weekend
14) "She hasn't eaten sushi before."
She
16) "I hadn't travelled by underground before I came to London."
17) "They would help if they could."
18) "I'll do the washing-up later."
19) "He could read when he was three."
20) "I was sleeping when Julie called."
UNIT 5 LESSON 1
REPORTED SPEECH: IMPERATIVES
Reported Requests
Direct speech: Close the window, please

Or: Could you close the window please?
Or: Would you mind closing the window please?
All of these requests mean the same thing, so we don't need to report every word
when we tell another person about it. We simply use 'ask me + to + infinitive':
Reported speech: She asked me to close the window.

Here are a few more examples:
Direct Request Reported Request

Please help me. She asked me to help her.
Please don't smoke. She asked me not to smoke.
Could you bring my book tonight? She asked me to bring her book
that night.
Could you pass the milk, please? She asked me to pass the milk.
Would you mind coming early tomorrow? She asked me to come early the
next day.
To report a negative request, use 'not':

Direct speech: Please don't be late.
Reported speech: She asked us not to be late.
Reported Orders
Direct speech: Sit down!
In fact, we make this into reported speech in the same way as a request. We just
use 'tell' instead of 'ask':
Reported speech: She told me to sit down.
Direct Order Reported Order

Go to bed! He told the child to go to bed.
Don't worry! He told her not to worry.
Be on time! He told me to be on time.
Don't smoke! He told us not to smoke.
Reported Orders Exercise 3

Make reported requests or orders. Start each sentence with 'she asked me' or
'she told me'.
1) "Please help me carry this."
2) "Please come early."
3) "Please buy some milk."
4) "Do your homework!"
5) "Don't smoke!"
6) "Don't be late!"
7) "Go to bed!"
8) "Tidy your room!"
9) "Wait here!"
10) "Don't do that!"
11) "Eat your dinner!"
12) "Don't make a mess!"

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UNIT 5 LESSON 2

REPORTED SPEECH: STATEMENTS/ SENTENCES

 Direct speech: I like ice cream.

Tense Direct Speech Reported Speech

 Direct speech: The sky is blue.

How to Use 'Say' and 'Tell'

 John: "I'll be late".

 John said (that) he would be late.

 John told me (that) he was going to be late.

With 'tell' we NEED the object (e.g. 'me', 'you', 'her').

Here are some correct examples:

 Julie said (that) she'd come to the party.

Time Expressions with Reported Speech

Sometimes when we change direct speech into reported speech we have to

Say and Tell Exercise 1

Put in 'said' or 'told'

1) Julie said that she would join us after work.

Direct speech: Close the window, please

Reported speech: She asked me to close the window.

Direct Request Reported Request

To report a negative request, use 'not':

Direct Order Reported Order

Reported Orders Exercise 3

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