Reported speech

There are two ways of reporting what a person says:

Direct speech
He said, 'I'm going home.'
'I'm going home,' he said.
Indirect speech
He says he's going home.
He said he was going home.

DIRECT SPEECH
75

Writing direct speech

She said, 'My name's Stella.
'My name's Stella,' she said.

Direct speech reports the exact words the speaker says. Put quotation marks
('...') before and after the speaker's statement.

Notes
The speaker's statement always starts with a capital letter.
she said can go heforc or after the statement, but is separated from it by a comma (J.
Commas and full stops after the statement go inside the quotation marks.
Question marks go inside the quotation marks.
Question marks are not followed by a comma:
are you?' she said.

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Reported speech

Practice
75a Put the sentences below into direct speech, using the words given.

the bus driver

The bus driver said, 'We're late.'

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the little boy

Jane

the policeman

the old man

Reported speech

6 the teacher

7 she

8 he

9 the guard

10 the receptionist

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Reported speech

75b Write the sentences below using direct speech. Write each sentence twice,
putting she said, he said, etc. before and after the statement.
1
Don't be late home.

I'd like to go
out tonight.

My parents said. 'Don't be late home.

'Don't be late home,' my parents said.

He said, I'd like to go out tonight.

I'd like to go out tonight,' he said.

Read this book

before next week.

The teacher

Go home and
stay in bed.

The doctor

We're coming to
visit you on Sunday.

Ruth

The courses cost

100 per week.

The receptionist

We had a lovely time.

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1 want to come
with you.

They

Danny

Reported speech

You're on the
wrong train.

10

76

Can you answer

the door?

The ticket inspector ...

My grandmother

say, tell
CONTRAST

tell has a personal direct object (e.g. me, hint, her, etc. >- Exercise 79)
She told me she was going to be late.
'It's too late,' she told me.
{We cannot say: Ha told the weather was nice.)
tell is not used before questions. {We cannot say: He told me, 'Have wo
met before?')
say never has a personal direct object:
She said she was going to he late.
'It's too late,' she said.
The indirect object {to me, to her, to us, etc.

Exercise 79} is used instead.

7 don't like them veiy much,' she said to me quietly.

Why did he say that to you?
There are a few special phrases in which tell does not have to take a
personal direct object:
tell the truth
tell a lie
tell lies

tell the time

tell a story

Practice
76a Use the correct form of say or tell in these sentences.
1

She ..told.. me she didn't agree.

'1 think I've met you before,' he ..said...

3 I

them I wasn't happy with their work.

4 She
5 He

me a story about her parents.

, 'Are you feeling OK?'

6 She smiled, and

to me, 'I'm very pleased to meet you.'

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Reported speech

7 I didn't hear: what did she

8 Could you
9 They

me the time, please?

me they were going to a meeting.

10 T

the policeman my address.

11 I

I wanted to buy a magazine.

12 He

he wasn't interested in politics.

13 Could you

me your name again, please?

14 Do you think he's

15 Would you
16 If he
17 1
18 Did you
19

the truth?
them to come early tomorrow?

that again, there'll be trouble.

them it was dangerous to swim there.
anything to him about your problems at work?
me what happened.

20 1 think he's

lies.

76b Circle the correct verb, say or tell, in each sentence.

1

They [say/tell) that they're going to London to see Frank.

Mark (said/told) us all about his holiday in Jamaica.

3 Did you (say/tell) Sally is coming with us?

4 The teacher [said/told] the class a funny story.
5

'Don't [say/tell) lies!' [said/told) James angrily.

How old were you when you learned to [say/tell) the time?

7 1 can't understand what they're {saying/telling) to each other.

8 I hate speaking in public. I never know what to [say/tell).
9 Jane always [says/tells] me her secrets.
10 'Do you think anyone saw us?' she [said/told] nervously.

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Reported speech

INDIRECT SPEECH
77

Reported statements with no change of tense

When the reporting verb is present, present perfect, or future, there
is no change of tense in the reported statement:
= He says he isn't going.
= He'll say he isn't going.
= He's said he isn't going.
Note: that can be used after the main verb. The use of that is optional:
He says that he isn't going,
He says he isn't going.

Practice
Write these sentences in indirect speech, using the words given. Remember to
change the pronouns where necessary.
1

'I haven't done my homework.' (she says)

She eays she hasn't done her homework.

'I haven't got any money.' (He'll tell you)

He'll tell you he hasn't got any money.

'I've seen the film before." (she says)

4 'I want to go home.' (he's already told you)

5

'T haven't seen my mother for years.' (he says)

'I don't know how much it costs.' (she says)

7 '1 don't like going to parties.' (she's told me)

8

'We've never been to Berlin.' (they say)

'I need the money to visit my parents.' (he'll say)

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Reported speech

10 We can't come on Tuesday.' (they've told me)

11 'I'm going to visit Europe this year' (the President will announce that)

12 'I can't stand classical music' (Gemma tells me)

13 'The plane will land in half and hour.' (the pilot has just announced that)

14 'There are no tickets left for tonight's performance.' (the booking office
says that)

15 'We haven't had anything to eat.' (the children say)

16 'I've already seen the play.' (he's told me)

17 'I'll come again next year.' (I've told them)
18 'I'm not feeling very well.' (Simon says)
19 'I've never been to Japan.' (Jason has just said)

20 'I'm meeting the students for lunch next week.' (she'll tell you)

21 'You'll never drive a better car.' (the advertisement claims that)

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Reported speech

78

Reported statements with a change of tense

When the main verb of the sentence is in the past tense, the tense in the
reported statement is changed:
= He said he wasn't going.
He said that he wasn't going.
-= She said her name was Stella.
She said that her name was Stella.

FORM
Speaker's words
present simple
present continaous

Reported statement
* past simple
> past continuous

Practice
Write these sentences in indirect speech, using the words given. Change the
pronouns where necessary.
1

'My name's Ian.' (he said)

He said hie name was Ian.

'I'm writing a letter.' (she said)

She said she was writing a letter.

'I'm waiting for Jessie.1 (she said)

'I don't like the idea.' (he said)

5 'The car isn't at my house.1 (she said)

6

'The washing machine's broken.' (he said)

'I'm working.' (he said)

'We're worried about Peter.' (they said)

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Reported speech

9 'I don't smoke.1 [Megan said)

10 'I'm waiting for my exam results.' (John said)
11 'I work for an American company.' [Mrs Johnson said)

12 'I feel ill: (the little boy said)

13 'I'm watching television.' (Fiona said)
14 'I like the new house.' (Sam said)
15 'I'm washing the car." (Chloe saidj

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