Show:
DIRECT SPEECH TO REPORTED SPEECH
TENSES
REPORTED SPEECH TO DIRECT SPEECH
TRUE / FALSE
TIME EXPRESSIONS
100
"I AM EXHAUSTED" TIM SAID.
TIM SAID THAT HE WAS EXHAUSTED.
100
IN REPORTED SPEECH, CHANGE "PRESENT TENSE" TO...
PAST TENSE
100

SHE SAID THAT THERE WERE THREE PEOPLE WAITING AT THE BUS STOP.

"THERE ARE THREE PEOPLE WAITING AT THE BUS STOP", SHE SAID.

100

WE USE DIRECT SPEECH WHEN WE WANT TO REPRODUCE WHAT SOMEBODY SAYS OR SAID.

FALSE 

(That is the Reported Speech)

100
IN REPORTED SPEECH, CHANGE "TODAY" TO...
THAT DAY
200
"I WILL BUY A HOUSE ONE DAY" SARA SAID.
SARA SAID SHE WOULD BUY A HOUSE ONE DAY.
200
IN REPORTED SPEECH, CHANGE "PRESENT PERFECT" TO...
PAST PERFECT
200
MY FRIENDS SAID THAT THEY HAD BEEN SHOPPING THAT AFTERNOON.
"WE HAVE BEEN SHOPPING THIS AFTERNOON", MY FRIENDS SAID.
200

WHEN WE REPORT WHAT SOMEBODY SAID IN THE PAST SIMPLE WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE TENSE WE USE IN REPORTED SPEECH.

TRUE

(It changes to past perfect)

200
IN REPORTED SPEECH, CHANGE "NOW" TO...
THEN
300
"I CAN GET A JOB IN LONDON" TIM TOLD ME.
TIM TOLD ME THAT HE COULD GET A JOB IN LONDON.
300

IN REPORTED SPEECH, CHANGE "PAST SIMPLE" TO...

 PAST PERFECT

300

SHE SAID THAT HER FATHER WAS TRAVELING A LOT BECAUSE HE IS A SALESMAN.

"MY FATHER IS TRAVELING A LOT BECAUSE HE'S A SALESMAN", SHE SAID.

300

THE TENSE IN REPORTED SPEECH DO NOT CHANGE IF IT'S A GENERAL TRUTH

TRUE

300
IN REPORTED SPEECH, CHANGE "YESTERDAY" TO...
THE PREVIOUS DAY, THE DAY BEFORE
400
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON SATURDAY" HE ASKED HER.
HE ASKED HER WHAT SHE WAS DOING ON SATURDAY.
400
IN REPORTED SPEECH, CHANGE "CAN" TO...
COULD
400

SUE TOLD ME THAT MARY'S BOYFRIEND LIVED IN PARIS.

"MARY'S BOYFRIEND LIVES IN PARIS", SUE TOLD ME.

400

THE MODAL "CAN" DO NOT CHANGE IN THE REPORTED SPEECH

FALSE

400
IN REPORTED SPEECH, CHANGE "TOMORROW" TO...
THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE NEXT DAY
500
"DON'T SMOKE HERE" I TOLD ANN.
I TOLD ANN NOT TO SMOKE THERE.
500

IN REPORTED SPEECH, CHANGE "will" TO...

WOULD

500
HIS TEACHER TOLD HIM TO DO HIS HOMEWORK ON TIME IF HE WANTED TO GET A GOOD GRADE.
"DO YOUR HOMEWORK ON TIME IF YOU WANT TO GET A GOOD GRADE", HIS TEACHER SAID.
500

WE USE "TELL" WHEN THERE IS NO INDIRECT OBJECT. WE USE "SAY" WHEN YOU SAY WHO RECEIVED THE MESSAGE.

FALSE

("Tell" needs an indirect object: "he told you" /"Say" doesn't need any who receives the message)

500

IN REPORTED SPEECH, CHANGE "THREE DAYS AGO" TO...

THREE DAYS BEFORE