Reported Speech

Reported Speech : Reported Speech What is it? How do you use it? Yesterday, I saw my friend Pamela! She told me that she got a promotion!


Reported Speechis the grammar we use when we want to tell another person about a conversation that took place in the past. : Reported Speech is the grammar we use when we want to tell another person about a conversation that took place in the past. We often use reported speech to . . . 1. Give someone a telephone message: Example: Ellen said she couldn’t come today because… 2. Tell someone news that we heard from someone else: Example: Tom told me that he and Karen got engaged! 3. To report something that happened: Example: Sam said that the other driver wasn’t paying attention and hit his car.


How to use reported speech: : How to use reported speech: When we use reported speech, we are usually talking about the past. Therefore, verbs usually change to the past tense in reported speech.


am / is : am / is become was are becomes were have / has become had can / can’t become could couldn’t will / won’t become would wouldn’t


Reported speech typically uses the following structure: : Reported speech typically uses the following structure: Someone said (that) … Sentence, past OR Someone told me (that) … Sentence,past However, in English, you can NEVER say Someone said me . . .


Examples of reporting what someone said . . . : Examples of reporting what someone said . . . I talked to Sandra yesterday. She was telling me about her job. Her job is quite stressful. Sandra said: “I’m not happy at my job anymore. I think I’ll quit.”


Sandra said, “I’m not happy at my job anymore. I think I’ll quit. : Sandra said, “I’m not happy at my job anymore. I think I’ll quit. Now you want to tell someone else what Sandra said. In this situation, it’s natural to use reported speech: You can say: Sandra told me that she happy at her job anymore and she she quit.


When a person told you something in the past tense, you can use either the past tense or the past perfect after the “said” phrase. : When a person told you something in the past tense, you can use either the past tense or the past perfect after the “said” phrase. Example: Tim said: “I worked really hard today.” past tense past perfect tense


You will hear native speakers use both the past and past perfect in this situation; : You will hear native speakers use both the past and past perfect in this situation; However, it’s much easier to just put everything in the simple past tense when using reported speech, so . . .


Examples for practice: : Examples for practice: 1. Shawn said: “I don’t feel like going to the movies tonight.” Reported speech: Shawn said that he didn’t feel like going to the movies tonight. 2. Tina said: “My sister is coming to visit me soon.” Reported speech: Tina told me that her sister was coming to visit her soon.


. . . And more examples: : . . . And more examples: 3. The counselor said: “I’ll always be available for your students.” Reported speech: The counselor said that she would always be available for my students. 4. The students said: “We want to do oral presentations in class so we can practice speaking more. Reported speech: The students told me that they wanted to do oral presentations so they could practice speaking more.


Do you understand reported speech better NOW than you did BEFORE? : Do you understand reported speech better NOW than you did BEFORE? Keep practicing!!! And please . . . ask if you need assistance! Congratulations!