Worksheet: Reported Speech

Student: ___________________________________

The two most common reporting verbs are “say” and “tell”.

We use say + that + clause.

 He said that he was going out with Jane that night.

We use tell + object pronoun + that + clause.

 He told me that he was going out with Jane that night.

1) If the sentence starts in the present, there is no backshift of tenses in reported speech.
Example:
Susan: "I work in an office."
Reported: Susan says that she works in an office.

2) If the sentence starts in the past, there is often a backshift of tenses in reported speech. (See:
Note)
Example:
Susan: "I work in an office."
Reported: Susan said that she worked in an office.

Backshift of tenses
From To
Simple Present Simple Past
Simple Past
Present Perfect Past Perfect
Past Perfect
“I will buy a house one day” …she would buy a house one
Would “I can get a job in London” day.
will could, also could/would “He’ll be able to come next week” …She could get a job in
can be able to (for future “When shall I give you a call?” London.
can/will be able to ref.) “That man may help you” …he’d be able to come the
shall should (for “I must feed my dog first” week after.
may advice/offers) “Tim must be hungry” …She should she give me a
must might “you could have visit me first” call.
must must/had to (obligation) …that man might help me..
must (logical …She must/had to feed her
modal perfect tenses
assumption) dog first.
remain the same …Tim must be hungry.
…I could have visit her first.

Progressive forms
am/are/is was/were
was/were
has been had been
had been
 Examples of Backshift of tenses
From To
Peter: "I work in the garden." Peter said that he worked in the garden.
Peter: "I worked in the garden."
Peter: "I have worked in the garden." Peter said that he had worked in the garden.
Peter: "I had worked in the garden."
Peter: "I will work in the garden." Peter said that he would work in the garden.
Peter: "I can work in the garden." Peter said that he could work in the garden.
Peter: "I may work in the garden." Peter said that he might work in the garden.
Peter: "I would work in the garden." Peter: "I would work in the garden."
(could, might, should, ought to) (could, might, should, ought to)
Progressive forms
Peter: "I'm working in the garden." Peter said that he was working in the garden.
Peter: "I was working in the garden."
Peter said that he had been working in the
Peter: "I have been working in the garden."
garden.
Peter: "I had been working in the garden."

3) If the sentence contains an expression of time, you must change it as well.

Example:
Peter: "I worked in the garden yesterday."
Peter said that he had worked in the garden the day before.

Shifting of expressions of time

From To
this (evening) that (evening)
today/this day that day
these (days) those (days)
now then
(a week) ago (the week) before
last weekend the weekend before / the previous weekend
here there
next (week) the following (week)
tomorrow the next/following day

Note:

In some cases the backshift of tenses is not necessary, for instance, when statements are still true.

John: "My brother is at Leipzig University."

 John said that his brother was at Leipzig University.

 John said that his brother is at Leipzig University.

Mandy: "The sun rises in the East."

  Mandy said that the sun rose in the East.

 Mandy said that the sun rises in the East.

Reported questions
We use ask, want to know or wondered to report questions. We change the interrogative form
to the affirmative form, and we put the subject before the verb.
‘Where are you?’ – He wanted to know where I was.
A “yes/no” question is introduced by if or whether.
‘Can I borrow your bike?’ – She wondered if/whether she could borrow my bike.

Reported commands
We use told/asked + object + (not) to + infinitive.
‘Please help me’. – He asked her to help him.
‘Don’t shout at me.’ – She told him not to shout at her.

Exercises
1) Rewrite the questions in reported speech.
1 „Will the flight be delayed?‟
Jill wanted to know _________________________________________________.
2 „Where have you been all night?‟
My parents wanted to know _________________________________________________.
3 „Will I pass my exam?‟
Mark wondered _________________________________________________.
4 „Did you remember the invitations?‟
Sue asked me _________________________________________________.
5 „How long have you been learning German?‟
Karl wondered _________________________________________________.

2) Rewrite the commands in reported speech.

Example: ‘Keep to the left.’
The police officer told the cyclist to keep to the left.

1 „Please don‟t smoke in this area.‟

The waitress asked them _________________________________________________.
2 „Sit down and be quiet.‟
The teacher told the class _________________________________________________.
3 „Don‟t forget to post the letter.‟
Jane told her boyfriend _________________________________________________.
4 „Don‟t talk during the exam.‟
The examiner told us _________________________________________________.
5 „Please switch off your mobile phone.‟
The air hostess asked him _________________________________________________.
3) Rewrite the sentences in reported speech. Use the correct form of the verbs from the box.

Example: ‘Put down your gun, Paul.’

The police officer ordered Paul to put down his gun.

1 „I think you should have a holiday, Kate.‟

He _________________________________________________.
2 „Don‟t touch that electric wire, John.
 It‟s dangerous!‟
She _________________________________________________.
3 „Would you like me to help you, Brad?‟
She _________________________________________________.
4 „Jamie, don‟t forget that it‟s Julie‟s birthday on Friday.‟
She _________________________________________________.
4) Rewrite the sentences in reported speech.

1 „She goes out with her friends every night.‟

Sue‟s father said that _________________________________________________.
2 „I bought the tickets yesterday.‟
She said that _________________________________________________.
3 „They‟re going to Florida next week.‟
Tim told me that _________________________________________________.
4 „He won‟t be in the office tomorrow.‟
The secretary said that _________________________________________________.
5 „Jenny has passed her driving test.‟
Jenny‟s brother told me that _________________________________________________.
6 „Carl might come to the football match
this afternoon.‟
He told me that _________________________________________________.

5) Read the interview. Then complete the summary.

Interviewer : I hear you have a very unusual job.

Mr Fogarty: That‟s right.
Interviewer: So what do you do?
Mr Fogarty: Well, I‟m investigating the Loch Ness monster. Every day I go to Loch Ness and wait
for the monster to appear.
Interviewer: And have you ever seen the monster?
Mr Fogarty: Yes, I have. It was very foggy and I tried to take a photograph, but unfortunately my
camera didn‟t work.
Interviewer: Do you think you‟ll see it again?
Mr Fogarty: I might see it again if I‟m lucky.
Interviewer: And what do people think about your job?
Mr Fogarty: Many people think it‟s a strange job to have. They don‟t believe in the Loch Ness
monster, but I know it‟s out there somewhere.

The interviewer asked Mr Fogarty what he did. He explained that he was investigating the Loch
Ness Monster. He said that every day he 1……………… to Loch Ness and 2……………… for
the monster to appear. He claimed that he 3……………… the monster. He said that it
4……………… very foggy and he 5……………… to take a photograph, but unfortunately his
camera 6……………… . He said that he 7……………… it again if he 8……………… lucky. He
admitted that many people 9……………… his job was strange. He said that they
10……………… in the Loch Ness monster, but he 11……………… it was out there somewhere.
Is the interview
finished?
Yes, it is!

Sorry, I’m busy

tonight and forever! Would you
like to go out
with me?