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Reported Speech

Reported Statements
I will send you the letter tomorrow, he said.
He said he would send me the letter the following day
1. Change pronouns. 2. Change verb tenses. 3. Change certain words and time expressions.

Changes in Tenses
Present Simple
I want to find a better job, he said

Past Simple
He said he wanted to find a better job.

Changes in Tenses
Present Continuous
They are playing table tennis, he said.

Past Continuous
He said they were playing table tennis.

Changes in Tenses
Present Perfect
I have ordered a new fridge, she said.

Past Perfect
She said she had ordered a new fridge.

Changes in Tenses
Past Simple
Jack left the country, he said.

Past Perfect
He said Jack had left the country.

Changes in Tenses
Future (will)
I will send you a letter, he said.

Future (would)
He said he would send me a letter.

Certain words and time expressions change as follows:


today tonight this week/month.. now yesterday last night/week.. tomorrow next week/month.. (two days) ago this these here come that day that night that week/month.. then, at that time.. the day before / the previous day the previous night/week.. the following day the next week/month.. (two days) before that those there go

Test your knowledge


My name is Edmundas. He said his name was Edmundas. I am nine years old. He said he was nine years old. I have an old mobile phone. He said he had an old mobile phone.

Test your knowledge


My father bought a new mobile phone yesterday. He said his father had bought a new mobile phone the previous day. My father gave it to me. He said his father had given it to him.

Test your knowledge


I am talking on my new phone now. He said he was talking on his new phone then. I am playing games on the phone now. He said he was playing games on the phone then.

Test your knowledge


I have downloaded some music to my phone. He said he had downloaded some music to his phone. I have called all my friends. He said he had called all his friends.

Test your knowledge


I will download some new games to my phone tomorrow. He said he would download some new games to his phone the following day. I will look for some nice melodies. He said he would look for some nice melodies. I will spend all my money. He said he would spend all his money.

When do we use it?


REPORTED SPEECH is used to tell what someone said. Yet, we do not repeat all the words exactly.
REAL WORDS (direct speech): Tom said: We are going to the cinema this afternoon. REPORTED SPEECH: Tom said that they were going to the cinema that afternoon.

Changes
Types of changes: 1. Verb Tenses 2. Time and place adverbial expressions 3. Logical change of pronouns
EXAMPLE

DIRECT: Mary said: They are seeing me tomorrow REPORTED: Mary said that they were seeing her the following day

Verb Tenses
DIRECT SPEECH PRESENT
We study We are studying

REPORTED SPEECH
PAST
She said that they studied She said that they were studying

PAST

We studied We were studying

PAST PERFECT
studying

She said that they had studied She said that they had been

FUTURE

We will study

CONDITIONAL

She said that they would study

Time and Place Adverb Change


DIRECT SPEECH Now Today Tonight Yesterday Last week A __________ ago Tomorrow Next ___________ Here This These REPORTED SPEECH Then That day That night The previous day / the day before The previous week / the week before The previous ______ / the _____ before The following day / the day after / the next day The following ________ / the _______ after There That Those

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