„There will be a party on Saturday.“

„Sorry?“

„ I said that there would be a party on Saturday! Would you like to come with me?“

„Pardon?“

„Are you deaf? I asked you to come with me.“

Reported speech

What is reported speech?

training

What else does change?

What is the time shift?

How do I form sentences in reported speech?

What is reported speech?If you want to tell someone what somebody said, you must

use reported speech.

Charles: „I am living in London now.“

>>>> Charles said that he was living in London now.

Charles: „My father isn‘t very well.“

>>>> Charles said his father wasn‘t very well.

Charles: „Tiffany has had a baby.“

>>>> Charles remarked that Tiffany had had a baby.

How do you form sentences in reported speech?

Charles: „I speak English.“

Charles says he speaks English. Charles said he spoke English.

If the reporting verb is in the present, the verb in the

reported sentence doesn‘t change.

If the reporting verb is in the past, the verb in the reported

sentence does change.

But how??

Backshift!Direct speech Reported speech

Simple Present Simple Past

Present Progressive Past Progressive

Simple Past Past Perfect

Present Perfect Past Perfect

Past Perfect Past Perfect

Past Progressive Past Perfect Progressive

Present Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Progressive

Past Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Progressive

Future I (going to) Was/were going to

Future I (will) would

would would

Examples – Reported speech with backshift

Charles: „English is my favourite subject.“>> Tense: Simple Present>> Rule: Simple Present >> Simple PastCharles said (that) English was his favourite subject.

Charlette: „My bike was stolen a few weeks ago.“>> Tense: Simple Past>> Rule: Simple Past >> Past PerfectCharlette told me (that) her bike had been stolen a few weeks ago.

Charles: „Roger will go to France.“>> Tense: Future (will)>> Rule: will >> wouldCharles said Roger would go to France.“

Expressions of time and placeCharles: „I am going to Spain today.“Two weeks later.Al: „Hi, Charles, you are here! But didn‘t you say you were going to Spain today?“Charles: „This is what I said two weeks ago. I came back yesterday.“

Direct speech Reported speech

today that day

now then

yesterday the day before

... days ago ... days before

last week the week before

next year the following year

tomorrow the next day/the following day

here there

this that

these those

TrainingMake sentences. Use reported speech! Be careful with the

pronouns and with the expressions of time and place!

This is what Charles said:

1. „I‘m living in London now.“

2. „My father isn‘t very well today.“

3. „Sharon and Paul are getting married next month.

4. „Margaret has had a baby yesterday.“

5. „I don‘t know what Fred is doing.“

6. „I saw Helen at a party in June and she seemed fine.“

7. „I haven‘t seen Diane last week.“

8. „I‘m not enjoying my job very much today.“

9. „You can come and stay at my flat if you are ever in London.“

10. „My car was stolen a few weeks ago.“

11. „I want to go on holiday next week but I can‘t afford it.“

12. „I‘ll tell Ann I saw you.“

... he was living in London now.

... his father wasn‘t very well that day.

... Sharon and Paul were getting married the following month.

... Margeret hat had a baby the day before.

... he didn‘t know what Fred was doing.

... he had seen Helen at a party in June and she had seemed fine.

... he hadn‘t seen Diane the week before.

... he was not enjoying his job very much that day.

... I could come and stay at his flat if I ever was in London.

... his car had been stolen a few weeks before.

... he wanted to go on holiday the following week but he could not afford it.

... he would tell Ann he had seen me.

Verbs to report statementsCharles: „You are late.“

Charles told me I was late.

Charles said I was late.

Charles remarked that I was late. (to remark: bemerken)

Charles pointed out that I was late. (to point out: darstellen, auf etwas hinweisen)

Charles answered that I was late. (to answer: antworten)

Charles replied that I was late. (to reply: antworten)

Charles admitted that I was late. (to admit: zugeben)

Charles added that I was late. (to add: hinzufügen)

Charles complained that I was late. (to complain: sich beschweren)

Charles shouted that I was late.

Charles murmured that I was late. (to murmur: murmeln)