REPORTED SPEECH

REPORTING WHAT PEOPLE SAY USING
REPORTED SPEECH
1. Reporting Questions
Questions Reported Speech
“What time is it?” He asked me what time it was
“Are you still a students?” He asked me if I was still a student
“Do you understand?” He asked me whether I understood
“What does your elder sister ask in her letter?” He asked me what my elder sister asked in her letter


2. Reporting Requests and Orders
Request Reported Speech
‘Please have a drink’ She asked me to have a drink
‘Please close the door’ She asked me to close the door
‘Come with me, please’ She asked me to come with her

Sentence Reported Speech Sentence Reported Speech
Verb I Verb 2 ‘I need some fresh air’ He said that he needed some fresh air
Verb 2 Had + Verb 3 ‘I saw you crossing the street’ He said that he had seen me crossing the street
Is / am Was ‘It is alright’ He said that it was alright
Are Were ‘They are OK’ They said that they were OK
Have / has Had ‘I have a new BMW’ He said that he had a new BMW
Don’t / doesn’t Didn’t ‘I don’t understand it’ He said that he didn’t understand it
Was/were Had been ‘I was at home’ He said that he had been at home
Can/can’t Could/couldn’t ‘I can’t say it’ He said that he couldn’t say it
May Might ‘You may stay with me’ He said that I might stay with him
Will/won’t Would/wouldn’t ‘I won’t give up’ He said that he wouldn’t give up
Ought to Ought to + Have + Verb 3 ‘She ought to be here now’ He said that she ought to have been here now
Could Could + Have + Verb 3 ‘They could go for a walk’ He said that they could have gone for a walk
Might Might + Have + Verb 3 ‘He might get sick’ He said that he might have got sick
Should Should + Have + Verb 3 ‘He should study hard’ He said that he should have studied hard
Would Would + Have + Verb 3 ‘He would come here’ He said that he would have come here


TASK 1
Change into Reported speech
1. Eat more fruit and vegetable, the doctor said.
The doctor told ………………………………………………………………
2. Read the instruction before you switch the machine
He said to me ………………………………………………………………..
He told ………………………………………………………………………
3. “Shut the door but don’t lock it”, she said to him
I told …………………………………………………………………………
4. Prabu said that he was thinking of going to live in Kuningan
Prabu said that ………………………………………………………………
5. Prabu said “My father is on the hospital”
The teacher said ……………………………………………………………..
6. The girl told him “I love you”
The girl told him …………………………………………………………….
7. “Do you love me?” Ratu asked me
Ratu asked me ……………………………………………………………….
8. The teacher said “I will explain the lesson”
The teacher said ……………………………………………………………..
9. “Will you tell me that you need me?” Prabu asked Ratu
Prabu asked Ratu ……………………………………………………………
10. “What is your name?” the stranger asked me.
The stranger asked me ……………………………………………………….
Complete the sentences in reported speech (no backshift). Note the change of pronouns and verbs

1. Helen: I want to tell you something about my holiday in London.
Gareth: What does she say?
You: She says that
2. Helen: I went to London in July.
Gareth: What does she say?
You: She says that
3. Helen: My parents went with me.
Gareth: What does she say?
You: She says that
4. Helen: We spent three days in London.
Gareth: What does she say?
You: She says that
5. Helen: London is a multicultural place.
Gareth: What does she say?
You: She says that
6. Helen: I saw people of all colours.
Gareth: What does she say?
You: She says that
7. Helen: Me and my parents visited the Tower.
Gareth: What does she say?
You: She says that
8. Helen: One evening we went to see a musical.
Gareth: What does she say?
You: She says that
9. Helen: I love London.
Gareth: What does she say?
You: She says that
10. Helen: The people are so nice there.
Gareth: What does she say?
You: She says that