Reported Speech

Introduction

When reporting what someone said, we have to pay careful attention to our verb tenses. Generally, reported speech is introduced by the verb say (Other reporting verbs include tell, mention, inform). The verb is used in the past tense, said, which indicates that something was spoken in the past. For example:

“she said”, “he said”, “they said”

The main verb in the reported speech sentence is also in the past tense. In a sentence where the main verb is already in the past tense, then the verb changes to another past tense verb as it is moving further into the past.
Usually, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech. However, often if the speaker is reporting something soon after it has been said, there is no change in the verb tense. This is also true if the reported statement is a general truth. For example:

“The capital of Canada is Ottawa.” → Byron said that the capital of Canada is Ottawa.

Remember that in reported speech, there are no quotation marks.

Quoted Speech (What the person actually said)	Reported Speech
Mark said, “I am thirsty.”	Mark said (that) he was thirsty. (Note: The use of that is optional)

Verbs usually change to the past in reported speech because we are talking about the past. For example:

Quoted Speech (What the person actually said)	Reported Speech
Am/is	was
Are	were
Have/has	had
Can	could
Do/want/know	did/wanted/knew
Will	would

In reported speech, the simple past (I did) often stays the same or it changes to the past perfect (I had done).
Examples of Verb Changes in Reported Speech

Quoted Speech (What the person actually said)	Reported Speech
Simple Present: “I love tea”, she said.	Simple Past: She said (that) she loved tea.
Present Continuous: “I am studying French”, he said.	Past Continuous: He said (that) he was studying French.
Simple Past: “Mike arrived on Sunday”, Gayle said	Past Perfect: Gayle said (that) Mike (had) arrived on Sunday.
Present Perfect: “I have been to Russia”, she said.	Past Perfect: She said (that) she had been to Russia.
Past Perfect: “I had just finished my homework”, Kendall told me.	Past Perfect: Kendall told me (that) she had just finished her homework.
Present Perfect Continuous: “We have been waiting for 3 hours.”	Past Perfect Continuous: They mentioned (that) they had been waiting for 3 hours
Past Continuous: “We were living in San Diego.”	Past Perfect Continuous: They told us (that) they had been living in San Diego.
Future with Will: She said, “We will be in Vancouver next year.”	Would: She informed me (that) they would be in Vancouver next year.
Future with Be going to: He said, “I am going to marry her next spring.”	Past Continuous: He said (that) he was going to marry her next spring.

Reported Speech 1

Choose the correct answer for each sentence.

Click on the button beside the correct answer.

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1. Chris: “Robin will be arriving on Saturday.”
   Chris said _______________.
   1.   Robin arrive on Saturday
   2.   Robin would be arriving on Saturday
   3.   Robin arriving on Saturday
   4.   Robin had arrive on Saturday
2. Byron: “I can’t swim.”
   Byron said _______________.
   1.   he can not swim
   2.   he can't to swim
   3.   he couldn't swim
   4.   he had not swim
3. Travel agent: “I think the train will be on time.”
   The travel agent said _______________.
   1.   that she thought the train would be on time
   2.   that she thinks the train would going to be on time
   3.   that she thinks the train to be on time
   4.   that she thinks will be the train on time
4. Cathy: “I have a cat.”
   Greg: Cathy just said _______________.
   1.   that she had before a cat
   2.   that she been having a cat
   3.   that she has a cat
   4.   that she have a cat
5. Byron: “I don’t know what Dan said.”
   Byron stated _______________.
   1.   that he didn't know what he say
   2.   that he didn't know what he said
   3.   that he didn't know what he did said
   4.   that he didn't know what he did say
6. Ruby: “I go to school every day.”
   Ruby said _______________.
   1.   that she go each day to school
   2.   that she goes to school every day
   3.   that she went to school next month
   4.   that she could go school every day
7. Sherri and Dan: “We enjoyed the concert.”
   Sherri and Dan told us _______________.
   1.   they can be enjoy the concert
   2.   they enjoyed the concert
   3.   that they enjoying the concert
   4.   that enjoyed the concert
8. Cameron: “I have missed the bus, but I’ll catch the next one.”
   Cameron said _______________.
   1.   he has missed the bus but was catching the next time
   2.   he has missed the bus but he catches the next one
   3.   he has missed the bus but can caught the next one
   4.   he had missed the bus, but would catch the next one
9. Peter: "The weather is warmer than usual."
   Byron: Peter said _______________.
   1.   the weather be warmer than usual
   2.   that the weather warmer than usual
   3.   the weather was warmer than usual
   4.   the weather it is warmer than usual
10. Greg: “I know what the assignment is.”
    Greg said _______________.
    1.   that he knows what was the assignment
    2.   that he knows what is the assignment
    3.   that he knew what the assignment was
    4.   that he knew what was to be the assignment

    Reported Speech 2

    Choose the correct answer for each sentence.

Click on the button beside the correct answer.

1 / 10

1. Maria:"I think I will go out to dinner tonight."
   Haru: Maria said (that) she thought she ________ go out to dinner tonight.
   1.   would
   2.   will
   3.   willing
2. Maria: "I don't like tomatoes."
   Haru: Maria said (that) she ________ tomatoes.
   1.   doesn't
   2.   don't
   3.   didn't
3. Maria: "I have never been to Montreal."
   Haru: Mary said (that) she ________ never been to Montreal.
   1.   has
   2.   have
   3.   had
4. Maria: "I have to do my homework."
   Haru: Maria said (that) she ________ to do her homework.
   1.   have
   2.   had
   3.   has
5. Maria: "I was jogging."
   Haru: Maria said (that) she ________ jogging.
   1.   have been
   2.   has been
   3.   had been
6. Maria: "I am going to Victoria."
   Haru: Maria said (that) she ________ going to Victoria.
   1.   went
   2.   is
   3.   was
7. Maria: "I have had three desserts."
   Haru: Maria said (that) she ________ three desserts.
   1.   has
   2.   had had
   3.   has had
8. Maria: "I had two dogs."
   Haru: Maria said (that) she had ________ two dogs"
   1.   had
   2.   have
   3.   has
9. Maria: "I have been to Italy."
   Haru: Maria said (that) she ________ to Italy.
   1.   has been
   2.   had been
   3.   was
10. Maria: "I won't buy a cell phone."
    Haru: Maria said (that) she ________ buy a new cell phone.
    1.   wouldn't
    2.   won't
    3.   will

    Reported Speech 3

    Write in the correct form of the verb in the reported speech sentence.

Type all of your answers in the spaces and then click on "Check answers". If you need help, click on "Show a letter".

1. "I drink coffee," she said.
   She said (that) she coffee.
2. "I am studying lingusitcs," Curt said.
   Curt said (that) he linguistics.
3. "Mike arrived on Saturday," Gayle said.
   Gayle said (that) Mike on Saturday.
4. "I have been to see the movie," she said.
   She said (that) she to the movies.
5. "I had just finished my story," Glenda told me.
   Glenda told me (that) she just her story.
6. My parents said,"We have been waiting for 5 hours."
   My parents said (that) they for 5 hours.
7. "We were living in Mexico," they said.
   They said (that) they in Mexico.
8. "We will be in France next year," she said.
   She said (that) they in France next year.
9. He said, "I am going to marry her next spring."
   He said (that) he her next spring.
10. Mark said, "I am thirsty."
    He said (that) he thirsty.
11. Greg said, "I am not feeling well."
    Greg said (that) he well.