Reported Speech

1
Reported Speech
2

I am very happy today.
Susanna said (that) she was very happy that day.
3
We use reported speech to talk about what someone
said.
4
When we report a statement, we have to
5

• take away the quotation marks

e.g Some students are talking, said the teacher.
? The teacher said (that) some students were
talking.
6

• change the tense

simple present
? simple past
present continuous
? past continuous
e.g I am very happy today, said Susanna.
? Susanna said (that) she was very happy that day.
e.g Some students are talking, said the teacher.
? The teacher said (that) some students were
talking.
7

• change the pronouns

I/you
we/you
? they
? he/she
me/you
us/you
? him/her
? them
my/your
our/your
? his/her
? their
mine/yours
ours/yours
? his/hers
? theirs
e.g I am very happy today, said Susanna.
? Susanna said (that) she was very happy that
day.
8

• change the time words

today
? that day
yesterday
? the day before
tomorrow
? the following day
e.g. I am very happy today, said Susanna.
? Susanna said (that) she was very happy that
day.
9
How many people are there in your family?
Tony asked Ray how many people there were in his
family.
10
When we report a question, we have to

• take away the quotation marks

• change the tense

• change the pronouns

• change the time words

11
We also have to

• change the question mark to a full stop

e.g. How many people are there in your family?
Tony asked Ray.
? Tony asked Ray how many people there were in
his family.
12

• change the order of words

e.g. How many people are there in your family?
Tony asked Ray.
? Tony asked Ray how many people there were in
his family.