Reported S

 Reported Speech

Direct speech:

We repeat the speaker’s words.
He said, "I have lost my key." (no tense shift)

Indirect speech / Reported Speech:

We give the exact meaning of a speech without necessarily using the speaker's exact words. If we want to mention who the speaker talked to, we use told, otherwise we use said.

She said that she had lost her wallet.

She told me that she had lost her wallet.

B. Expressions of Time and Place in Reported Speech

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
Pronouns and possessive adjectives	We usually change from first or second to third person except when the speaker is reporting his own words.
today	that day
yesterday	the day before (the previous day)
Tomorrow / the next day	The following day
The day before yesterday	Two days before / earlier
Yesterday morning	The previous morning
A year / month / week ago	A year before / earlier
The day after tomorrow	In two days' time
Next week / month / year	The following week / month / year
now	then
tonight	that night
here	here / there
this	that, it
these	those
can	could
will	would
could	could
may	might
might	might
have to / has to	had to
must	must
ought to / should	ought to / should

If the main verb is in the present tense, we don't change the tense in the direct speech.

Examples:

Direct: Paul says, "I don't like coffee."
Indirect: Paul says that he doesn't like coffee.

Direct: Dwayne says, "I didn't do my homework."
Indirect: Dwayne says that he didn't do his homework.

Direct : He said, "You don't know my language."
Indirect : He said that I didn't know his language.
Direct : I said, "I sold my book."
Indirect : I said that I had sold my book.
Direct : She said to me, "Your brother is bothering me."
Indirect : She told me that my brother was bothering her.

We join the indirect and the direct parts of a sentence with that. Sometimes we may omit that.

Examples:

Direct : They said, "We love our teacher."
Indirect : They said that they loved their teacher.

Direct : Mr. Jones said to me, "I educated myself by reading widely."
Indirect : Mr. Jones told me that he had educated himself by reading widely.

Direct: The teacher said to her, "You have done your homework well."
Indirect: The teacher told her that she had done her homework well.

Direct: Mr. Woods said, "There are many boats in the harbor." Indirect: Mr. Woods said that there were many boats in the harbor.

Mixed Types

If a direct speech consists of mixed types, each section requires its own introductory verb.

Examples:

Direct: Theresa said, "I can't understand this lesson, mother. Please help me."
Indirect: Theresa told her mother that she couldn't understand that lesson and wanted her mother to help her.

Direct: Tia said to me, "I can't help you now. I am very tired."
Indirect: Tia told me that she couldn't help me then as she was very tired.

Direct: Carl said, "It's hot in here. Isn't the AC on?"
Indirect: Carl said that it was hot in there and asked if the AC was on or not.

Direct: Mr. Jefferson said to Helen, "Didn't you hear what I said? You must be quiet when I talk."
Indirect: Mr. Jefferson asked Helen if she had heard what he had said or not, and added that she must / had to be quiet when he talked.

Direct: David said, "Let's go to the movie theater!"
Indirect: David suggested that they should go to the movie theater.
Or
Dave suggested going to the move theater.

Direct: Penny said, "How about going for a walk?"
Indirect: Penny suggested that we might go for a walk.

Common Verbs used with Reported Speech

Add boast object remind Admit

complain observe reply Announce deny

point out scream Answer grumble promise

shout Argue inform protest whisper

Assure + Object murmur remark yell Allege

You will feel comfortable at this hotel.
The travel agent assured us that we would feel comfortable at that hotel.

I can’t finish all this work.
She protested that she couldn't finish all that work.

Note:

Deny can’t be used in negative.

I didn't steal the money.
He denied that he had stolen the money.

Reported Requests/Commands

When we put direct commands or requests into indirect speech we usually follow the below structure:

a. We use introductory verbs:
order, ask, tell, want and request, etc.

b. We use indirect objects after those introductory verbs.

c. The command or request in direct speech takes the infinitive form.

Examples:

Direct: He said "Exercise regularly."
Indirect: He asked me to exercise regularly.
Indirect: He wanted me to exercise regularly.
Indirect: He told me to exercise regularly.
Indirect: He requested that I exercised regularly.

Direct: "Don't turn off the lights."
Indirect: He asked not to turn off the lights.
Indirect: He ordered not to turn off the lights.

Direct: The sign says: "Don't drink and drive."
Indirect: The sign says not to drink and drive.
Indirect: The sign asks not to drink and drive.
Indirect: The sign requests not to drink and drive.
Indirect: The sign said not to drink and drive.
Indirect: The sign commands not to drink and drive.
Indirect: The sign screams at us not to drink and drive.

My Father: "Don't be late."
Indirect: My father warned us not to be late.
Indirect: My father asked us not to be late.

Indirect Speech Exclamations

Exclamations become statements in indirect speech.

Examples:

Direct: Shannon said, "What a pity!"
Indirect: Shannon said that it was a pity.

Direct: Hanna said, "Oh! It is impossible!"
Indirect: Hanna said that it was impossible.

Direct: Danny said, "What a lovely day!"
Indirect: Danny said that it was a lovely day.

"What a shot!"
Somebody said it was a (great) shot.

Y

Convert the sentences below from direct to indirect speech (reported speech statements).

1. Lena said, “I will invite you to my birthday party.”
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2. Anderson said, “I will turn twenty today.”
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3. Daniel said, “Things will get better.”
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4. The doctor said, “Your aunt doesn’t need an operation.”
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5. Wilma told me, “I will help you finish your homework.”
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6. Robert said, “I will pass the exam.”
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7. John told me, “I have seen this movie.”
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8. Helen said, “I can speak Spanish fluently.”
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9. Lucas told Lea, “I will not go swimming with you.”
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10. Josh said, “I have finished my lunch.”
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