Reported Speech Presentation

What reported speech is and to how to use it

reported speech

teacher Nuria

Reported speech is used to report what someone else has said, thought, or written (without using the extact words). It can be used in a variety of contexts, ranging from everyday conversation to news reports.

They have confirmed that...

They have confirmed that...

Direct speech (exact words)

Reported speech(indirect speech)

In news reports journalists often use reported speech to quote what someone said in an interview or press conference.

They said that they were going to...

"We are going to..."

teacher Nuria

To report a statement we need to consider the following:

3. We need to change pronouns

1. We need an introductory clause with a reporting verb

Subject pronouns (I, you, he, she...), object pronouns (me, her, him...) and possessive adjectives (my, your, her...) may be different when reporting a statement

The most common verbs we use in reported speech are say and tell. However, there are many more reporting verbs.

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4. We need to change time & place adverbs

2. We need to change the verb tense

If times (today, yesterday, tomorrow, early...) or places (here, there...), referred to in the original sentence, have changed, they will changed when reported.

In indirect or reported speech, we often use a tense which is 'further back' in the past than the tense originally used. This is called 'backshift'.

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teacher Nuria

The verb form usually goes one tense back

Backshift of tenses

06

Present perfect continuous

-> Past perfect continuous

01

-> past simple

Present simple

07

02

-> Past continuous

Present continuous

Will

-> would

08

03

Present perfect simple

-> Past perfect simple

No backshift

past perfect, would, could, should,

04

Past simple

-> Past perfect simple

05

Past continuous

-> Past perfect continuous

teacher Nuria

PAST SIMPLE

PRESENT SIMPLE

She said (that) she worked in a restaurant.

I work in a restaurant.

Indirect/ reported speech

Direct speech

teacher Nuria

PRESENT continuous

PAST continuous

She said (that) she was working in a restaurant.

I am working in a restaurant.

Indirect/ reported speech

Direct speech

teacher Nuria

PRESENT PERFECT

PAST PERFECT

She said (that) she had never been to Rome.

I I have never been to Rome.

Indirect/ reported speech

Direct speech

teacher Nuria

PAST PERFECT

PAST SIMPLE

She said (that) she had worked in a restaurant.

I worked in a restaurant.

Indirect/ reported speech

Direct speech

teacher Nuria

PAST PERFECT continuous

PAST continuous

She said (that) they had been winning until half-time.

We were winning the match until half-time.

Indirect/ reported speech

Direct speech

teacher Nuria

PAST PERFECT continuous

Present perfect continuous

She said (that) she had been listening to the news.

I have been listening to the news.

Indirect/ reported speech

Direct speech

teacher Nuria

WILL

WOULD

She said (that) she would finish the report on time.

I will finish the report on time.

Indirect/ reported speech

Direct speech

teacher Nuria

Occasionally, we don't need to change the verb tense

• These tenses do not change: Past perfect, would, could, should & might

• We don't need to change the present tense into the past if the information in direct speech is still true.

Fishing is the most popular sport in Britain. The article says that fishing is the most popular sport in Britain.

teacher Nuria

Other changes

01

you, them, hers...

Personal and possessive pronouns

02

Yesterday, tomorrow...

Time expressions

03

Demonstrative adjectives

This, that, those, these

04

Reporting QUESTIONS

05

Reporting verbs + -to or -ing

teacher Nuria

Reporting verbs

You must pay attention to the difference between SAY and TELL.- TELL + SB + STH They told me (that) they would help me. SAY + STH + to SB They said that to me.

Some other (more specific) reporting verbs are:

• ADMIT
• APOLOGISE
• ADVISE
• CLAIM
• CONFESS
• SUGGEST

• INSIST ON
• INVITE
• OFFER
• REFUSE
• WARN
• CONFESS

Quizlet game

ADVERBS OF PLACE'We like it here.' She told me they like it here. [You are currently in the place they like] She told me they like it there. [You are not in the place they like] ADVERBS OF TIME 'I'm planning to do it today.' She told me she's planning to do it today. [It is currently still the same day] She told me she was planning to do it that day. [It is not the same day]