Reported Speech

1. --Structure: reporting verb + noun/pronoun + not + to infinitive  Ex: Direct speech: The doctor said, "Don't over eat"  Reported speech: The doctor advised me not to over eat

2. !PAY ATTENTION! In addition to the tense, other changes must be made: • This → That • These → Those • Here → There • Today → Last day • Toninght → Last night • Tomorrow → The next day / The following day • A year ago → The year before

3. Present Continuous → Past Continuous Direct Speech: I am getting married Reported Speech: She said (that) was getting married

4. Presente Simple → Past Simple Direct Speech: I like dark chocolate Reported Speech: He said (that) he liked dark chocolate

5. Present Perfect → Past Perfect Direct Speech: I have done my homework Reported Speech: He said (that) he had done his homework

6. Past Simple → Past Perfect Direct Speech: We bought a car yesterday Reported Speech: They said (that) they had bought a car the day before

7. **How to report WH and Yes/No questions -When we report a Wh-question, we use a reporting verb like asked or enquired. Direct speech: Where do you live? Reported speech: He asked me where I lived. -When we report a Yes/No question, we use whether or if. Direct speech: Are you interested in this offer? Reported speech: She asked me if I was interested in that offer.

8. **Reported Speech General Truths When we report general and universal truths, personal characteristics, likes/deslikes in the present Direct Speech: The earth moves round the sun Reported Speech: He said that the earth moves round the sun

9. **Reported Speech Imperatives Reported speech imperatives differ in structure to other reported speech sentences.

10. --Structure: reporting verb  + noun/pronoun + to infinitive  Ex: Direct speech: "Please close the window", the teacher said Reported speech: The teacher asked me to close the window

11. Can → Could Direct Speech: I can go with you Reported Speech: She said (that) she could go with me

12. Will → Would Direct Speech: I will travel with my friends Reported Speech: She said (that) she would travel with her friends

13. To be used correctly, the reported speech asks for an adaptation of the verb tenses present in the sentence.

14. We use reported speech when we are going to reproduce someone else's speech, that is, when we are going to report what has already been said by someone.