INDIRECT SPEECH

1
INDIRECT SPEECH

• Daniel Miklošovic

2
What is indirect speech?

• It is a report of what somebody has said that
  does not use their exact words.

She said she was going to have a rest then.
Im going to have a rest now.
3
Pre-test

• Are the sentences correct or incorrect?
• Bill said he is tired.
• I said I was happy now.
• Maria told she liked John.
• Joe said Peter he hated him.
• Bill asked where was the post office.
• I didnt know where did Jane live.

4
Tenses and pronouns

• Tenses and pronouns change in indirect speech if
  the time and speaker are different.

Bill said he was very tired.
Im very tired.
5
Tenses, modals and auxiliaries normally change as
follows

• Present ? Past
• Present Perfect ? Past Perfect
• Past ? Past Perfect
• will ? would
• do/does ? did
• have/has ? had
• can ? could

6
Exercise Rewrite the sentences in indirect
speech.

1. Anna My sister needs a car.
2. Bill I have to phone Andy.
3. Mary and Kate We cant swim.
4. Mike My parents are travelling.
5. Alice My radio doesnt work.
6. Jack Ive bought a new computer.

7
Check the sentences.

1. Anna My sister needs a car.
2. Bill I have to phone Andy.
3. Mary and Kate We cant swim.
4. Mike My parents are travelling.
5. Alice My radio doesnt work.
6. Jack Ive bought a new computer.

• Anna said her sister needed a car.
• Bill said he had to phone Andy.
• Mary and Kate said they couldnt swim.
• Mike said his parents were travelling.
• Alice said her radio didnt work.
• Jack said hed bought a new computer.

8
Here-and-now words

• When we use indirect speech, we may have to
  change words like here, this, today This is
  because the place and time have changed since the
  words were spoken.
• Exercise Match the direct and indirect speech
  expressions in the table.

Direct speech Indirect speech
here now this tomorrow yesterday today tonight last week next week that day that night that the day before the next week the next day there the week before then
9
Here-and-now words
Direct speech Indirect speech
here now this tomorrow yesterday today tonight last week next week there then that the next day the day before that day that night the week before the next week
10
Tell / Say

• Tell must have a personal object. We tell
  somebody something.
• John told Peter he was late.

• Say doesnt need a personal object. We say
  something (to somebody).
• Jane said she was late.

11
Indirect questions

• Indirect questions have a different word order
  from direct questions and no questions marks.

Bill asked what I wanted.
What do you want?
12
Test yourself Correct the sentences.

• Bill said he is tired.
• I said I was happy now.
• Maria told she liked John.
• Joe said Peter he hated him.
• Bill asked where was the post office.
• I didnt know where did Jane live.

13
Check the sentences.

• Bill said he is tired.
• I said I was happy now.
• Maria told she liked John.
• Joe said Peter he hated him.
• Bill asked where was the post office.
• I didnt know where did Jane live.

1. Bill said he was tired.
2. I said I was happy then.
3. Maria said she liked John.
4. Joe told Peter he hated him.
5. Bill asked where the post office was.
6. I didnt know where Jane lived.

14

• For further practice see
• John and Liz Soars New Headway
  Pre-Intermediate
• John Eastwood Oxford Practice Grammar
• Michael Swan The Good Grammar Book
• Michael Swan How English Works
• www.oup.com/elt/headway

15
Thanks for your attention.

• ? Goodbye! ?
• Daniel Miklošovic