In

Black, the Reported Speech In Green, the Direct Speech M= Michel; W= Woman; S=Secretary IMPORTANT: Pronouns and possessives Direct Speech I My Mine We Our Ours Tenses He/She His/Her Hers They Their Theirs Reported Speech

Direct Speech Reported Speech Present Simple Past Simple Present continuous Past Continuous Present Perfect Past Perfect Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous Past Simple Past Perfect Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Past Perfect Past Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous Will Would Can Could Yesterday The day Before 1- Michael asked if he could speak to Mr Bell. M: Can I speak to Mr Bell please? Could on the Reported Speech ------ Can on the Direct Speech The Past Simple on the Reported Speech ------ Present Simple on the Direct Speech Said/told: verb to use when reporting the speech. To say and To tell are the most common verbs used to report a conversation: She said to him, she told me. 2- The woman said she was sorry, but she had only just started working there, and she didnt know who Mr Bell was. W: Im sorry but I have only just started working here, and I dont know who Mr Bell is.

- She was sorry: Past simple on Reported Speech ----- I am sorry: Present simple on Direct speech - She had started: Past Perfect on Reported Speech ---- I have started: Present perfect on direct Speech - There on Reported Speech ----- Here on Direct Speech - She didnt know who Mr Bell was: Past simple on Reported Speech ---- I dont know who Mr Bell is: Present simple on Direct Speech 3- She asked him to ring back later, when her boss, Mr findlater, was there. W: Can you ring back later, when my boss, Mr Findlater, is here? - She asked him: Reported Speech ---- Can you: Direct Speech modal verb - Her boss in Reported Speech ----- My boss in Direct Speech because she is speaking. - Was there: Reported Speech (Past Simple)---- is here Direct Speech (Present Simple) IMPORTANT: As she asked, you will need to add a ? on the Direct Speech to mark the question. Ask introduces a question 4- Michael said he would ring back later, and asked her if Mr Findlaters name was Harry. M: Yes, I will. Is Mr Findlaters name Harry? Would in Reported Speech ------ Will in Direct Speech Asked in Reported Speech ----- question in Direct Speech 5- The woman said that it was. W: Yes it is Said introduces a statement was: past simple in Reported Speech --- is: Present Simple in Direct Speech 6- Becoming excited now, Michael asked her whether she had ever noticed a tattoo on the back of his hand. M: Have you ever noticed a tattoo on the back of his hand? She had noticed: Past Perfect in the Reported Speech ---- Have you noticed: Present Perfect in the Direct Speech 7- She told him that he had a tattoo of an owl on his hand. W: Yes I have a tattoo of an owl

 Here, she says yes I have to confirm the question of Michael Have you ever noticed 8- When Michaels secretary came back to work, he asked her who had given her his brothers number. M: Who gave you my brothers number? Here, the phrase When Michaels secretary came back from work is just an indication of context, situation, which doesnt need to be mentioned in the Direct Speech. These indications are for the listener of the Reported Speech, so that he can understand that the conversation happens at a different moment, on another day. 9- The secretary told him that it was not a phone number, it was a bank account number for Mr Bell, one of their customers. S: It is not a phone number, it is the number of a bank account for Mr Bell, one of our customers. Was, Reported Speech ------- is Direct Speech Their customers in Reported Speech------ our customers in Direct Speech 10- Thanks for this amazing coincidence; Michael had found his brother at last. --- these are additional informations, not present in the Direct Speech.