In simple terms, the structure of reported speech is. Reported speech is also known as indirect speech and is used to tell somebody else what another person said. When mary complained that she was tired out after walking so far, peter said they could stop for a picnic. Much of the material has been revised or reorganised, and in most units there are changes in the examples, explanations and exercises. The singer lisa loeb begins the song stay with a reported verb in the present tense to show that the action is a habit. The speakers words can either be reported in a style known as reported speech, or they can be quoted directly in. We use reported speech to share information that we heard from another person or information that we got from tv, newspaper, internet etc.
This grammar exercise tests your ability to use reported speech correctly. Normal word order is used in reported questions, that is, the subject comes before the verb, and it is not necessary to use do or did. Question forms and reported speech word order normal word order is used in reported questions, that is, the subject comes before the verb, and it is not necessary to use do or did. Reported speech grammar notes how to use reported speech lesson tense changes. Keep reading to understand how to use reported speech and download this free english lesson. Reported speech is used when you want to tell someone else what a person said before. Dec 16, 2018 when the reporting verb is in the past tense, we use a past tense in the reported speech to refer to past time. We can use their exact words with quotation marks, this is known as direct speech, or we can use indirect speech. Keep quiet or ill punish you the teacher, threaten 5. Reported speech english grammar today a reference to written and spoken english grammar and usage cambridge dictionary. Imperatives in indirect speech when we report an order or instruction, we use the form ask or tell someone to do something. We use reporting verbs like say, tell, ask, and we may use the word that to introduce the reported words. The tenses, wordorder, pronouns may be different from those in the. Reported speech also called indirect speech is used to communicate what someone else said, but without using the exact words.
Oct 15, 2018 in english, to report someones words or their own words, you can use direct or indirect speech. As you watch the video, look at the examples of reported speech. The part that is inside the quotation marks, is called reported speech. English grammar in use fith edition this is a new edition of english grammar in use. Jun 08, 2017 we often make a speakers words or thoughts part of our own sentence, using conjunctions e. Reported statements mixed exercise perfect english grammar. Tense changes when using reported speech english grammar ef. Reported speech rules, examples english online grammar.
Pp2 verbs used to quote speech the most common verb used for quoting speech is say. These meaning is the same, but the grammar is different. In english, to report someones words or their own words, you can use direct or indirect speech. Reported speech the policeman told me not to park there. The tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech. Finally, do the grammar exercises to check you understand, and can use, reported speech correctly. To do that, we need to change verb tenses present, past, etc.
She asked me if i arrived had arrived before seven. Reported questions are one form of reported speech. Reported speech downloadable pdf worksheets on english grammar keywords. Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech. Identify reported speech and reported speech before you move further, you must know the parts of direct speech. Click here for a list of reported speech exercises. For this, we can use direct speech or indirect speech. For exercises, you can reveal the answers first submit worksheet and print the page to have the exercise and the answers. Reported speech is speech which tells you what someone said, but does not use the. When you report someones words you can do it in 2 ways. Change to reported speech using the person and the verb in brackets. Rs004 reported speech indirect commands intermediate. For example, in reported statements, we can use either say or tell. Reported speech we use reporting verbs like say, tell or ask to report what someone else said as a direct speech.
Narrative style and the grammar of direct and indirect speech. So, for example, if two minutes ago john said i am. In indirect speech, we change the tense and pronouns to show that some time has passed. Quoted and reported speech san jose state university. May 31, 2019 how to use reported speech in context. These may include statements, questions, orders, advice when moving from direct to indirect style, it is often necessary to change personal pronouns, demonstrative and possessive pronouns according to who says what. When we tell someone what another person said we use reported speech. English practice downloadable pdf grammar and vocabulary worksheets adjective and adverbs downloadable pdf worksheets for english language learners intermediate level b1 home b1 grammar reported speech.
Reported speech mixed exercise 2 when i used said you can also use told me 1. Change to reported speech using the introductory phrase in brackets. Sometimes someone says a sentence, for example im going to the cinema tonight. In fact, we make this into reported speech in the same way as a request.
If we want to report what other people said, thought or felt, we can use the direct or. May be freely copied for personal or classroom use. Page 1 direct and indirect speech rules pdf table of contents identify reported speech and reported speech direct and indirect speech punctuation rules use of conjunction that rules for changing pronouns in indirect speech indirect speech rules for all tenses rules for change in time and adverb in indirect speech. Indirect speech is often introduced by a reporting verb or phrase such as ones below.
This is because when we use reported speech, we are usually talking about a time in the past because obviously the person who spoke originally. This kind of structure is called indirect or reported speech. Hence, reported speech is alternatively referred to as indirect speech. Reported speech or indirect speech free english grammar lesson. Quotation marks or inverted commas are used for direct speech. Direct speech repeats the exact words the person used, or how we remember their words. For example, present simple goes back one tense to past simple. Since reported speech is often use to talk about the past, we normally change the tense of the spoken words. We dont need to change the tense, though probably we do need to change the person from i to she, for example. When we tell people what another person said or thought, we often use reported speech or indirect speech.
Question forms and reported speech english grammar ef. There are two ways to use reported speech to talk about something that someone told us. Reported speech or indirect speech free english grammar. Here you will find many reported speech exercises at all levels so you can practice and improve your knowledge of reported speech in english. In reported speech we need to use the past tense form of the verb. This english grammar is very common in english conversation. Sep 29, 2015 learn english with gill engvid 4,731,431 views 24. When the reporting verb is in the past tense, we use a past tense in the reported speech to refer to past time.
In english grammar, we use reported speech to say what another person has said. Reported speech reported commands english grammar downloadable pdf worksheets author. Direct and indirect speech in englishspeaking childrens retold. When we want to report what people say, we use reporting verbs. Lo6 use reported speech for both statements and questions using correct structure and grammar. Reported speech pdf worksheets english vocabulary and grammar.
Visit our easy english grammar section for more free resources. On friday, you will be able to use your newlyacquired knowledge to put yourself in the shoes of a seasoned reporter. These modal verbs do not change in reported speech. Successful use of reported speech requires knowledge of several verb tenses in english. Very little is known about englishspeaking childrens acquisition of the skills. The speakers words can either be reported in a style known as reported speech, or they can be quoted directly in whats called direct speech. You interview a man that saved a sevenyear old child from a burning house. We usually introduce reported questions with the verb ask. English reported speech, definition and example sentences reported speech when do we use reported speech. In indirect speech, the original speakers words are changed. As you can see, in the above sentence am changes to was when we use reported speech.
Reported speech english grammar today cambridge dictionary. Meeting reports and summaries, daily conversations and news stories. All downloads are in pdf format and consist of a worksheet and answer sheet to check your results. We are a starting a great week and we will be focusing on reported speech. Reported speech learnenglish teens british council. Test your english 18004570 tense changes when using reported speech normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech. When the reporting verb is in the present tense, we can use a present tense in the reported speech as well. Different reporting verbs have different patterns, for example.
Both quoted and reported speech are used frequently. Reported speech summary reported commands and requests in english. She said that she would have visited the hospital, if she had known i was sick. When the main idea of a speakers words is reported by another person and the exact words are not quoted, it is called indirect speech or reported speech. Reported speech worksheets, pdf exercises, handouts to print.
Reported speech in song reported speech sometimes shows up in popular songs. Home english grammar lessons indirect speech reported speech questions print exercises and lessons. Using reported speech in english can sometimes be difficult for nonnative speakers as we usually change the verbs, pronouns and specific times. Reported speech also called indirect speech is used to communicate what someone else said, think or believe, but without using the exact words. English grammar, reported speech, reported commands created date. The other one that is out of quoted marks, is called reporting speech. Reported speech definition and meaning collins english. Tense changes when using reported speech english grammar. Reported commands and requests english grammar exercises.
Ask the students where they might find reported speech. Grammar worksheets b1 this sections provides you with downloadable pdf worksheets and keys for grammar. Later, maybe we want to tell someone else what the first person said. Questions in indirect speech we use the normal order of words in reported questions, i. We often make a speakers words or thoughts part of our own sentence, using conjunctions e. Susan said that her parents were clever scientists. Here are some of the important verb changes we use when making reported speech. We use backshift when it is logical to use backshift. In reports and stories, a writer often wants to tell the reader what someone has said. The diferences between this edition and the fourth edition are. When you form the reported speech, you have to pay attention that the pronouns refer to the correct persons. When reporting what people say or think in english, we need to remember that the rules for tense forms in reported speech are exactly the same as in the rest of the language. Indirect speech sometimes called reported speech, doesnt use quotation marks to enclose what the person said and it doesnt have to be word for word.
322 841 249 1487 88 179 376 791 588 213 564 1019 1369 693 1152 989 793 1178 173 1186 339 214 468 1131 184 678 858 1182 961 892 1292 1516 389 4 561 485 1022 1307 938 566 966 768 1137 245 1199 1032