Reported Speech

Reported Speech - Exercises

These exercises focus on Reported Speech

Key Features of Reported Speech

1. No Quotation Marks
   In reported speech, you don’t use quotation marks because you’re not repeating the speaker’s exact words.

2. Changes in Pronouns
   The pronouns often change to match the perspective of the person reporting the speech.

3. Backshifting Tenses
   If the reporting verb (e.g., said, told) is in the past tense, the tense of the original statement usually shifts back one step in time.

4. Time and Place Changes
   Words like "today," "tomorrow," or "here" may need to change to match the time and place from the perspective of the reporter.

How to Form Reported Speech

1. Structure:
   Reporting Verb + That (Optional) + Reported Clause

• Example: He said (that) he was tired.

2. Common Reporting Verbs:

• Said, told, asked, explained, admitted, suggested, promised.

Examples of Tense Changes in Reported Speech

If the reporting verb is in the past tense, the tense in the reported clause usually shifts back:

Pronoun Changes in Reported Speech

Pronouns change based on the perspective of the reporter:

• Direct Speech: "I am tired."
  Reported Speech: She said she was tired.

• Direct Speech: "We will meet you tomorrow."
  Reported Speech: They said they would meet me the next day.

Time and Place Changes in Reported Speech

Certain time and place expressions need to be adjusted:

Examples:

• Direct: "I’ll see you tomorrow."
  Reported: She said she would see me the next day.

• Direct: "I’m staying here."
  Reported: He said he was staying there.

Reporting Questions

For questions, change the word order and remove the question mark:

1. Yes/No Questions: Use if or whether.

• Direct: "Do you like pizza?"
  Reported: She asked if I liked pizza.

2. Wh- Questions: Keep the question word.

• Direct: "Where are you going?"
  Reported: He asked where I was going.

Reporting Commands and Requests

Use to + base verb for commands and requests. For negative commands, use not to + base verb:

• Direct: "Close the door."
  Reported: He told me to close the door.

• Direct: "Don’t touch that."
  Reported: She told him not to touch that.

You may need to refresh your knowledge of Past Simple and Past Continuous to use them in reported speech.

Summary Table

FAQ

Do I always need to backshift the tense?

No, if the reporting verb is in the present tense (e.g., "She says"), you don’t need to backshift.

• Example: "I like coffee." → She says she likes coffee.

What happens to modal verbs in reported speech?

Some modal verbs change, while others don’t:

• Will → Would, Can → Could, May → Might.

• Must often becomes had to, but doesn’t change when expressing deductions.

• Should, Could, Might, and Would remain the same.

How do I report questions?

For yes/no questions, use if or whether. For Wh- questions, keep the question word and change the word order.

• Example: "Are you coming?" → He asked if I was coming.

Can I use "that" in all sentences?

Yes, "that" is optional in reported speech and can often be omitted.

• Example: "She said that she was tired." → "She said she was tired."

Are reported speech rules the same in American and British English?

Yes, the rules for reported speech are generally the same in both American and British English.