Reported Speech
Today’s lesson is on Reported Speech.
Have you ever needed to tell a friend or coworker about something that someone said to you or someone else?
This is how to do it.
We also use reported speech to talk about things said in a movie, book, and other texts.
Rules:
Reported speech is formed by removing any directly spoken words (in quotation marks) and stating the message as news.
Change verbs in the simple present to the simple past.
Example:
“Can you pass the salt?” she asked him.
Reported speech: She asked him to pass the salt.
If the sentence contains “don’t” then re-write it with “not” and add “to.”
“Don’t arrive late,” the teacher told the students.
Reported speech: The teacher told the students not to arrive late.
[qsm quiz=1]
QUIZ
Change each sentence to reported speech.
1. “The class is on Fridays,” I told him.
2. “Don’t go home,” she said.
3. “What’s your name?” he asked me.
Try our quiz below.
Answers
- I told him the class was on Fridays.
- She said not to go home.
- He asked me what my name was.