Reported Speech

REPORTED SPEECH

What is reported speech?

We use reported speech when we want to tell someone what someone said. We usually use a reporting verb (e.g. say, tell, ask, etc.) and then change the tense of what was actually said in direct speech.

The original speaker’s words are changed. They said they’d phone later and let me know. (Direct speech: 'We’ll phone later and let you know.')

HOW TO USE REPORTED SPEECH

If you have a sentence in Direct Speech, try to follow this 5 steps to put the sentence into Reported Speech.. -Define the type of the sentence (statement, questions, command) -What tense is used in the introductory sentence? -Do you have to change the person (pronoun)? -Do you have to backshift the tenses? -Do you have to change expressions of time and place?

Tenses

BACKSHIFT

TIME CONVERSIONS

Pronouns

Place

Say & Tell

Say & Tell

Tell *Emphasis on who received the information. Susan TOLD ME (that)* Mary worked in an office. Say *Emphasis on the information. Susan SAID (that)* Mary worked in an office.

Say & Tell

STATEMENTS

STATEMENTS

PRACTICE

Thanks!teacher zu