Reported speech
/
Indirect speech
Statements in reported speech
Direct speech Indirect speech

Subject + reporting verb + (that) + subject + verb…

* The general reporting verbs in statements are: “say / tell”
Direct speech Indirect speech
Present simple.

Present continuous.
Have.
Will.
Can.
Must.
May.
Past simple.

Past continuous.
Had.
Would.
Could.
Had to
Might.
Direct speech Indirect speech
Past simple.

Present perfect simple.

Past perfect simple.

Past perfect continuous.


Past perfect simple.

Past perfect simple.


Past perfect simple.

Past perfect continuous.
Direct speech Indirect speech
Now.
Today.
Tomorrow.
This.
These.
Here.
I.
My.
Then.
That day.
The next / following day.
That / the.
Those / the.
There.
He / She.
His / Her.
Direct speech Indirect speech
Yesterday.

The day before yesterday.


The day after tomorrow.

Next week.

Last month.

Ten years ago.


The day before.

Two days before.

Two days later.

The following week / the week after.

The previous month / the month before.

Ten years before.
Direct speech Indirect speech
“I want to be famous,” said Alex to her friends.
Alex said (to her friends) that she wanted to be famous.

Alex told her friends that she wanted to be famous.
Direct speech Indirect speech
“Brad is studying,”his mum said.
Brad’s mum said that he was studying.
Direct speech Indirect speech
“You can see Big Ben if you go to London,” the tour guide said.
The tour guide said that I could see Big Ben if I went to London.
Direct speech Indirect speech
“You must be 18 to drive,” the police said.
The police said that I had to be 18 to drive.
Direct speech Indirect speech
“I will bring you my CD tomorrow,” Jane said.
Jane said that she would bring me her CD the next day.
Direct speech Indirect speech
“We have been here before,” he said.
He said that they had been there before.
Direct speech Indirect speech
“There was an earthquake last night,” the reporter said.
The reporter said that there had been an earthquake the night before.
Direct speech Indirect speech
“I was really proud of my brother when he won this quiz show,” said Clare.
Clare said that she had been really proud of her brother when he had won that / the quiz show.
Direct speech Indirect speech
“These people deserve better,” stated the MP.
The MP stated that those people deserved better.
Direct speech Indirect speech
“I moved to Oxford six months ago, “ said Scarlett.
Scarlett said that she had moved to Oxford six months before.
Direct speech Indirect speech
“It may snow today,” warned the weatherman.
The weatherman warned that it might snow that day.
Questions in reported speech
Direct speech Indirect speech
Questions
Wh-questions.



Yes / No questions.
Subject + reporting verb + wh-word + subject + verb…

Subject + reporting verb + whether / if + subject + verb…
*The general reporting verb in questions is: “ask”

Direct speech Indirect speech
Questions
“Are they eating now?” I asked.
I asked if/whether they were eating then.
Direct speech Indirect speech
Questions
“What is the name of the new film?” she asked.
She asked what the name of the new film was.
Direct speech Indirect speech
Questions
“Where does Ryan live?” Carol asked.
Carol asked where Ryan lived.
Direct speech Indirect speech
Questions
“Can we meet now?” Don asked.
Don asked if we could meet then.
Direct speech Indirect speech
Questions
“How is English changing?” she asked.
She asked how English was changing.
Direct speech Indirect speech
Questions
“Have you seen the news?” asked Jude.
Jude asked me if I had seen the news.
Direct speech Indirect speech
Questions
“How many people will be attending the conference?” asked the organizers.
The organizers asked how many people would be attending the conference.
Direct speech Indirect speech
Questions
“Did he know any celebrities?” wondered the magazine editor.
The magazine editor wondered whether/if he knew any celebrities.
Orders, requests and suggestions in reported speech
Direct speech Indirect speech
Affirmative orders and requests
Subject + reporting verb + indirect object + to + infinitive…

*The general reporting verbs in orders and requests are:
“ask / tell”
Direct speech Indirect speech
Affirmative orders and requests
“Can you buy some chocolate when you go to the shop?” asked Susan.
Susan asked me to buy some chocolate when I went to the shop.
Direct speech Indirect speech
Affirmative orders and requests
“Read the text,” said the teacher to the students.
The teacher told the students to read the text.
Direct speech Indirect speech
Negative orders and requests
Subject + reporting verb + indirect object + not + to + infinitive…
Direct speech Indirect speech
Negative orders and requests
“Don’t move!” the policeman ordered the criminal not to move.
The policeman ordered the criminal not to move.
Direct speech Indirect speech
Suggestions
Subject + suggest + (not) + verb +
-ing…

Subject + suggest + (that) + subject + infinitive without to…

Subject + suggest + (that) + subject + should + infinitive without to…
Direct speech Indirect speech
Suggestions
“Let’s not go to France this year,” suggested Jack.
Jack suggested not going to France that year.
Direct speech Indirect speech
Suggestions
“How about having sushi tonight?” said Chloe.
Chloe suggested that we have sushi that night.
Direct speech Indirect speech
Suggestions
“Why don’t we recycle more?” said Liam.
Liam suggested that we should recycle more.
Reporting verbs and structures
Direct speech Indirect speech
Reporting verbs
Subject + reporting verb + (not) + to + infinitive…

agree / offer / promise / refuse / threaten
Indirect speech
Reporting verbs
He refused to leave the house.
Direct speech Indirect speech
Reporting verbs
Subject + reporting verb +indirect object + (not) + to + infinitive…

advise / ask / encourage / invite / order/ persuade / recommend / remind / tell / warn
Indirect speech
Reporting verbs
The weatherman warned us to expect a storm that night.
Direct speech Indirect speech
Reporting verbs
Subject + reporting verb + (not) + verb -ing…

apologize for / deny / recommend / suggest
Indirect speech
Reporting verbs
The paparazzi apologized for harassing the actress.
Direct speech Indirect speech
Reporting verbs
Subject + reporting verb + (that) + subject + verb…

add / admit / agree / announce / claim / complain / declare / deny / explain / insist / mention / predict / promise / reply / reveal / say / state / suggest
Indirect speech
Reporting verbs
The man admitted that he had stolen the money.
Direct speech Indirect speech
Reporting verbs
Subject + reporting verb + indirect object + (that) + subject + verb…
persuade / remind / tell / warn
Indirect speech
Reporting verbs
Max reminded me that he was going out that night.
Direct speech Indirect speech
Reporting verbs
Subject + reporting verb + if / whether / wh-word + subject + verb…

ask / enquire / question / wonder / want to know
Indirect speech
Reporting verbs
The actor wondered whether he would win a prize at the awards ceremony that night.
Thanks so much