REPORTED SPEECH

S T AT E M E N T S

QUESTIONS
YES/NO QUEST.

C O M M AN D S
E X C L AM AT I O N S
SUGGESTIONS
REQUES TS

A r e y o u t h e p e r s o n wh o w o n t h e p r i z e ?
- T h e y a s k e d m e i f / w h e t h e r I wa s t h e p e r s o n w h o
h a d wo n t h e p r i z e .
W hat time does the train for Fleet leave?
He asked the porter what time the train for Fleet left.
W h a t a n i c e f e l l o w!
He exclaimed what a nice fellow he was.
CHANGES (1)
Verb+object+infinitive
(advise, remind, ask,
t e l l , p e r s u a d e , wa r n )

Verb+ two objects

(introduce, offer)

(1) CHANGES

Verb+infinitive
(agree, refuse, promise)

Verb+ that+ clause

(say, suggest, explain)

Verb+ing form
(suggest)
Verb +preposition + ing
(apologise)

Verb + object
( accept, refuse )

G e t o u t o f t h e w a y!
- T h e wa r d e n a s k e d m e t o g e t o u t o f t h e w a y .
Dont sm oke in this com partm ent.
- The inspector asked me not to smoke in that
com partm ent.
I f I we r e y o u , I d l e a v e a t o n c e H e a d v i s e d m e t o
leave at once.
Dont stay here. This place is dangerous. He
warned me not to stay.
John, this is my husband, Robert. She introduced
her husband to me.
W ould you like a cup of coffee?. He offered me a
cup of coffee.
A l l r i g h t , we l l c o m e . T h e y a g r e e d t o c o m e .
Im not going to have my hair cut. He refused to
cut his hair.
Lets have lunch before the match.
Shall we have lunch before the lunch?
He said/suggested that they might have
lunch before the match.*
W h y d o n t we m e e t a t t h e s t a t i o n ? H e s u g g e s t e d
meeting at the station.*
I m s o r r y I wa s v e r y r u d e . H e a p o l o g i s e d f o r b e i n g
rude.
OK ill go with you! . She accepted the invitati on.

Tense changes
Direct Speech

go
went/have gone/had gone
am/is/are going
was going/have been going/ had
been going

will/shall be going/should be going

will/shall go/should go

can go

may go/might go

must go/have to go

neednt go/dont need to go

didnt need to go

ought to go/ should go /

used to go/ could/ would/might

Other changes

now

today

yesterday

tomorrow

last week

a we e k a g o

this

these

here
REPORTING W ORDS

Indirect Speech

went
had gone
was going
had been going

would be going
would go
could go
might go
had to go
didnt need to go
hadnt needed to go
They dont change
They dont change

then
that day
the day before
t h e n e x t / f o l l o wi n g d a y
t h e p r e v i o u s we e k
t h e we e k b e f o r e
that
those
there

Statements: say, tell, insist, shout, agree, mutter, exclaim, admit, protest, object,
a n s we r , b o a s t , d e c l a r e , c l a i m , r e p l y , w h i s p e r ,
Q u e s t i o n s : a s k , wo n d e r , w a n t t o k n o w , b e c u r i o u s t o
Commands: order, command, request, beg, implore, urge, scream at, shout to, call
out to, advise, warn, invite
E xc l a m a t i o n s : e xc l a i m , r e p r o v e , s we a r , r e m a r k

Yolanda Gimnez Ballesteros / January 2012

INFORMATION QUESTIONS

I spent all my money last week

- H e s a y s h e s p e n t a l l h i s m o n e y l a s t we e k .
- He told me (that) he had spent all his money the week
before.
CHANGES (1)