English Grammar and Exercises for ESL learners.

Reported (Indirect) Speech

In reported (indirect) speech, we report an idea expressed by someone, without quoting the exact words used.
Direct speech	Tom : "I like football." Mary: "What did Tom say?"
Indirect (reported) speech	Bill : "Tom said (that) he liked football."

We use verbs such as : say, tell, announce, promise, explain.

The verb tenses become more past

We can omit 'that' : Tom said (that) he liked football

Direct Speech

You talk to Mr. Smith and he tells you the following things :

I clean my car every Friday.
I'm doing a computer course this year.
I visited a museum yesterday.
I will be 30 tomorrow.

Indirect or Reported Speech

You report your conversation with Mr. Smith to your husband/wife/friend :

Mr. Smith said (that) he cleaned his car every Friday.
He said (that) he was doing a computer course this year.
He said (that) he had visited a museum yesterday.
He said (that) he would be 30 tomorrow.

Questions :
In indirect or reported questions, the word order changes.

Direct

When is your husband starting his new job?

Indirect

He asked me when my husband was starting his new job.

Orders, requests, advice and suggestions :
Orders, requests, advice and suggestions are often reported by using the infinitive.

Direct

Be careful!
Don't drive too fast.

Indirect

I told him to be careful.
I told him not to drive too fast.

DIRECT SPEECH	→	REPORTED SPEECH
Present Simple • Sophie said: "I want to go home."	→	Past Simple • Sophie said (that) she wanted to go home.
Present Continuous • He said “I am doing my homework.”	→	Past Continuous • He said (that) he was doing his homework.
Present Perfect • Eva said: “I have seen the film.”	→	Past Perfect • Eva said (that) she had seen the film.
Present Perfect Continuous • He said: "I have been waiting for you."	→	Past Perfect Continuous • He said (that) he had been waiting for me.
Past Simple • Dad said: “I mowed the garden.”	→	Past Perfect • Dad said (that) he had mowed the garden.
Past Continuous • He said: "I was talking to Bob."	→	Past Perfect Continuous • He said (that) he had been talking to Bob.
Past Perfect • Paul said: "I had read the book."	→	Past Perfect (no change) • Paul said (that) he had read the book.
Past Perfect Continuous • He said: I had been gardening."	→	Past Perfect Continuous (no change) • He said (that) he had been gardening.
Will • She said: “I will never leave you.”	→	Would • She said (that) she would never leave him.
Can • Billy said: “I can swim 500 metres.”	→	Could • Billy said (that) he could swim 500 metres.
May • She said: “It may be too expensive.”	→	Might • She said (that) it might be too expensive.
Must • He said: “Everyone must arrive early.”	→	Had to • He said (that) everyone had to arrive early.
Have to • She said: “I have to lock the door.”	→	Had to • She said (that) she had to lock the door.
Orders, advice, suggestions • She said: “Be careful!” • She said: ”Don’t drive too fast!”	→	The infinitive is used in reporting • She told him to be careful. • She told him not to drive too fast.
These modal verbs do not change in reported speech: might, could, would, should, ought to.

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