REPORTED

SPEECH
 REPORTED SPEECH

Direct Speech:
when somebody is actually speaking
“My name is Somchai”
Reported Speech:
when you are saying what somebody else said
He said that his name was Somchai.
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Reported Speech
We use reported speech if we want to repeat something
without using the speakers original words.
No Backshift
If the introductory sentence is in;
simple present, we use - ‘He/she says . . . ’
present perfect, we use - ‘He/she has said . . .’
future I, we use - ‘He/she will or is going to say . . .’

eg: He says, “I talk.” – He says that he talks.

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Backshift

If the introductory sentence is in;

simple past, we use ‘He/she said . . .’
past perfect, ‘He/she had said . . .’
future II, ‘He/she will have said . . .’
conditional I, ‘He/she would say . . .’
conditional II, ‘He/she would have said . . .’

eg: He said, “I have spoken.” – He said that he had spoken.

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DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

simple present simple past

simple past simple past or

past perfect
present perfect or past perfect
past perfect
1st conditional 1st conditional

2nd conditional 2nd conditional

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REMEMBER!

Using backshift means that certain place and time

expressions must also be changed.

He said, “I want to go here.”

He said that he wanted to go there.
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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 following day
here there
this that
these those
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EXERCISES - USING BACKSHIFT

Example:

She said, "I am reading."

→ She said that she was reading.
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1. They said, "We are busy."

→ They said that ____________.
2. He said, "I know a better restaurant."
→ He said that _____________.
3. She said, "I woke up early."
→ She said that ____________.
4. He said, "I will call her."
→ He said that _____________.
5. They said, "We have just arrived."
→ They said that ___________.
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7. He said, "I will clean the car."

→ He said that ___________.
8. She said, "I did not say that."
→ She said that __________.
9. She said, "I don't know where you live."
→ She said that __________.
10. He said, "I won't tell anyone."
→ He said that ___________.
11. We said, “There’s a party tonight.”
→ They said that ___________.
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EXERCISES - USING BACKSHIFT + PLACE

Imagine you want to repeat sentences that you
heard two weeks ago in another place. Rewrite
the sentences in reported speech. Remember to
change pronouns and expressions of time and
place.

Example:
They said, "This is our book."
→ They said that was their book.
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1. She said, “I’m going to the cinema next week.“
→ She said ___________________.
2. He said, "I am taking a test tomorrow."
→ He said ____________________.
3. You said, "I will do this for him."
→ I said ___________________.
4. She said, "I am not hungry now."
→ She said ___________________.
5. They said, "We have never been here before."
→ They said ____________________.
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6. She said, “My friend was in Bangkok last week.“

→ She said __________________.
7. She asked me, "Where have you been?"
→ She asked __________________.
8. He told me, "Be quiet!"
→ He told _____________________.
9. The teacher asked, “Can you be quiet please?”
→ The teacher asked __________________.
10. The boy said, ”Come with me please.”
→ The boy said ___________________.
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0

EXERCISES – WITH + WITHOUT BACKSHIFT

Rewrite the sentences in reported speech. Note

that backshift is not necessary in all
sentences.

Example:
She said: "I am here now."
→ She said that she was there then.
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1. She says, "It's a nice day today."

→ She says ____________________.
2. Last week he said, "I saw a film yesterday."
→ Last week he said ___________________.
3. They will say, "We’ll move the table ourselves."
→ They will say ______________________.
4. She told me, "Don't forget to buy milk."
→ She told me _______________________.
5. She said, “Tokyo is a city in Japan."
→ She said _________________________.
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6. He told me, "Lock the door when you are leaving."

→ He told me ______________________.
7. When we were in Japan, we met some friends and you
asked them, "What are you doing here?"
→ You asked them __________________.
8. He would say, "I don't believe it."
→ He would say ____________________.
9. Yesterday she asked him, "Where did you spend your
holiday last year?"
→ She asked him ___________________.
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THE END