REPORTED SPEECH

To give some messages, questions or commands.

Backshift of tenses

Simple Present Simple Past

Simple Past

Past PerfectPresent Perfect

Past Perfect

will Would

Progressive forms

am/are/is was/were

was/were

had beenhas been

had been

It’s used to give or receive some messages

The secret word is

Say / Said

tell / told

that

1) John: "Mandy is at home."

2) Max: "Frank often reads a book."

3) Susan: "I'm watching TV."

4) Simon: "David was ill."

5) Peggy: "The girls helped in the house.

6) Richard: "I am going to ride a skateboard."7) Stephen and Claire: "We have cleaned the windows."8) Charles: "I didn't have time to do my homework."9) Mrs Jones: "My mother will be 50 years old."

10) Jean: "The boss must sign the letter.

Let’s see some examples He said, "I live in Paris." He said he lived in Paris. He said, "I am cooking dinner." He said he was cooking dinner. He said, "I have visited London

twice." He said he had visited London

twice. He said, "I went to New York last

week."

He said he had gone to New York the week before.

He said, "I had already eaten." He said he had already

eaten. He said, "I am going to find a

new job." He said he was going to

find a new job. He said, "I will give Jack a call." He said he would give Jack

a call.

Examples Mary "I love chocolate."Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ chocolate."a. lovedb. lovesc. loving

Mary: "I went skiing."Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ skiing."a. wentb. had gonec. have gone

Mary: "I will eat steak for dinner."Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ eat steak for dinner."a. willingb. willc. would

Mary: "I'm going to go to Long Beach."Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ going to go to Long Beach."a. isb. wasc. went

Mary: "I don't like spinach."Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ like spinach."a. doesn'tb. don'tc. didn't

Mary: "I have been to Sydney."Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ to Sydney."a. had beenb. has beenc. was being

Mary: "I have had three cars."Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ three cars.a. hasb. has hadc. had had

Mary: "I have never been to London."Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ never been to London."a. hadb. hasc. have

Mary: "I was swimming."Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ swimming.a. has beenb. had beenc. have been

Mary: "I can't swim."Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ swim."a. can'tb. couldn'tc. can not

Mary: "I won't buy a new car."Jill: "Mary said (that) she ___ by a new car."a. won'tb. willc. wouldn't

  YES / NO QUESTIONS

My friend said, "Are you coming?" My friend asked if  I was coming.

My friend asked, "Is your brother coming too?"

My friend asked if  my brother was coming too.

If

My friend asked, "Can you drive us?'My friend asked if I could drive them.

My friend asked, "Will you have enough gas?"My friend asked if I would have enough gas.

My friend asked, “Have we bought gas?"My friend asked if we had  bought gas.

WH-QUESTIONS

My friend said, "How are you?"

My friend asked how I was.

My friend asked, "Where have you been?"

My friend asked where I had been.

My friend asked, "What have you been doing?"My friend asked what I had been doing.

My friend asked, "When are you coming here?"My friend asked when I was going there.

 

PRACTICE

1.My mom told me: «I really like the spicy food»

2.They said : «My mother is very sad today»

3.She told me: «My friend was an excellent nurse».

4. He told my father: « I can speak three languages.»

5. John said: «My teacher saw a nice movie»

6. Mary said: «I hate cats»

7. She said: «I have written my first book»8. Anna told Susan: « We had bought new clothes»9. Our teacher told the students: «You have to be responsible and do your homework»10. Mike told me: «I will see you after classes»

11. My father told me: « I don’t want to see you smoking»12. A man told a woman: « You didn’t call me when I was sick»13. The mechanic told my father:»I’m sorry but your car is very old»14. She said: «I found $400 in the street».

Examples Reported Questions

1.Mary asked John: « Do you eat fast food?Mary asked John if he ate fast food

2. Mary asked John: « Did you take a taxi?Mary asked John if he has taken a taxi.3. Mary asked John: «Have you seen the movie?Mary asked John if he had seen the movie.

4.Mary asked John: «Had you drunk water?Mary asked John if he had drunk water.

5. Mary asked John: « Will you read that book?Mary asked John if he would read that book.

6.Mary asked John:»Can you swim a lot?Mary asked John if he could swim a lot.

7.Mary asked John:»Must you clean your teeth?Mary asked John if he should clean his teeth.8.Mary asked John: Are you at hospital?Mary asked John if he was at hospital

9.Mary asked John: «Were you watching TV?Mary asked John if he has been watching TV.

Wh-Questions

1. Mary asked John:»What are you doing?

Mary asked John asked what he was doing.

2.Mary asked John:»Where were you going? Mary asked John where he has been going.

3.Mary asked John:»What do you drink at lunch?Mary asked John what he drank at lunch?

3.Mary asked John:When have you gone to Ilo?Mary asked John when he had gone to Ilo.

4.Mary asked John: What will you buy here?Mary asked John what he would buy here.

1.Susan asked Mike:»Do you work in this office?2.John asked Anna:»Did you steal the money?3.Mary asked Peter:» Have you written the lesson?4. Joe asked Alexa:» Will you sing a song?5. George asked Mary: Were you sick?

6. Mike asiked Anna:» Where does your father work?7.A woman asked a man:»Why were you so sad?8.My mother asked my brother: «How much time did you play?9.My sister asked John:Who did you see there?10. Students asked the teacher:» What time does the class start?