REPORTED SPEECH

REPORTED SPEECH

If we report what another person has said, we usually do not use the speaker’s exact words (direct speech), but reported (indirect) speech. Therefore, you need to learn how to transform direct speech into reported speech. The structure is a little different depending on whether you want to transform a statement, question or request.

Statements

When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:

• pronouns
• present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
• place and time expressions
• tenses (backshift)

Type	Example
direct speech	“I speak English.”
reported speech (no backshift)	He says that he speaks English.
reported speech (backshift)	He said that he spoke English.

→ more on statements in reported speech

Questions

When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:

• pronouns
• present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
• place and time expressions
• tenses (backshift)

Also note that you have to:

• transform the question into an indirect question
• use the interrogative or if / whether

Type		Example
with interrogative	direct speech	“Why don’t you speak English?”
	reported speech	He asked me why I didn’t speak English.
without interrogative	direct speech	“Do you speak English?”
	reported speech	He asked me whether / if I spoke English.

→ more on questions in reported speech

Requests

When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:

• pronouns
• place and time expressions

Type	Example
direct speech	“Carol, speak English.“
reported speech	He told Carol to speak English.

→ more on requests in reported speech

Additional Information and Exeptions

Apart from the above mentioned basic rules, there are further aspects that you should keep in mind, for example:

• main clauses connected with and / but
• tense of the introductory clause
• reported speech for difficult tenses
• exeptions for backshift
• requests with must, should, ought to and let’s

Exercise on Reported Speech

Questions - Exercise 1

Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note the change of pronouns and tenses.

1. "Where is my umbrella?" she asked.
   → She asked
2. "How are you?" Martin asked us.
   → Martin asked us
3. He asked, "Do I have to do it?"
   → He asked
4. "Where have you been?" the mother asked her daughter.
   → The mother asked her daughter
5. "Which dress do you like best?" she asked her boyfriend.
   → She asked her boyfriend
6. "What are they doing?" she asked.
   → She wanted to know
7. "Are you going to the cinema?" he asked me.
   → He wanted to know
8. The teacher asked, "Who speaks English?"
   → The teacher wanted to know
9. "How do you know that?" she asked me.
   → She asked me
10. "Has Caron talked to Kevin?" my friend asked me.
    → My friend asked me

ANSWERS

Exercise on Reported Speech

Questions - Exercise 1

Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note the change of pronouns and tenses.

1. "Where is my umbrella?" she asked.
   → She askedwhere her umbrella was.Simple Present becomes Simple Past (3rd person singular + was)
2. "How are you?" Martin asked us.
   → Martin asked ushow we were.Simple Present becomes Simple Past (we + were)
3. He asked, "Do I have to do it?"
   → He askedif he had to do it.Simple Present becomes Simple Past
   the auxiliary verb 'do' (first position) is dropped and the main verb (have) is put into Simple Past
4. "Where have you been?" the mother asked her daughter.
   → The mother asked her daughterwhere she had been.Present Perfect becomes Past Perfect
5. "Which dress do you like best?" she asked her boyfriend.
   → She asked her boyfriendwhich dress he liked best.Simple Present becomes Simple Past
   the auxiliary verb 'do' (first position) is dropped and the main verb (like) is put into Simple Past
6. "What are they doing?" she asked.
   → She wanted to knowwhat they were doing.Present Progressive becomes Past Progressive (they/we + were)
7. "Are you going to the cinema?" he asked me.
   → He wanted to knowif I was going to the cinema.Present Progressive becomes Past Progressive (I + was)
8. The teacher asked, "Who speaks English?"
   → The teacher wanted to knowwho spoke English.Simple Present becomes Simple Past
9. "How do you know that?" she asked me.
   → She asked mehow I knew that.Simple Present becomes Simple Past
10. "Has Caron talked to Kevin?" my friend asked me.
    → My friend asked meif Caron had talked to Kevin.Present Perfect becomes Past Perfect