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Reported Speech

What is it? How do you use it?

Yesterday, I sawmy friend Pamela!She told me that

she got apromotion!

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Reported SpeechIt is a grammatical structure that is used when we want to

tell another person about a conversation that took place in

the past.We often use reported speech to . . .

1.Give someone a telephone message:

Example: Ellen said she couldnt come today because

2.Tell someone news that we heardfrom someone else:

Example:Tom told me that he and Karen got engaged!

3.To report something that happened:

Example:Sam said that the other driver wasntpaying attention and hit his car.

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How to use reported speech:

When we use Reported Speech, we areusuallytalking about the past.

Therefore, verbs usuallychange to thepast tense in Reported Speech.

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am / is becomes was

are becomes were

have / hasbecomes

had

can / cant becomescouldcouldnt

will / wont

becomes

wouldwouldnt

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Reported speech typicallyuses the following structure:

Someone said(that) Sentence - past

OR

Someone told me(that) Sentence- past

However, in English, you can NEVER say

Someone

said me . . .

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Examples of reporting what

someone said . . .I talked to Sandra yesterday. She wastelling me about her job. Her job is quitestressful. Sandra said:

Im not happy atmy job anymore.I think Ill quit.

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Sandra said, Im not happy at my job

anymore. I think Illquit.

Now you want to tell someone elsewhat Sandrasaid. In this situation, it is natural to use

Reported Speech: You can say:

Sandra told me that she

happy at her job anymore and sheshe quit.

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When a person told you something in the past tense,you can use either the past tenseor the past

perfect tense after the said phrase.

Example:

Tim said: I worked

really hardtoday.

past tense

past perfect tense

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You will hear native speakers use

both the past and past perfect

in this situation;

However, it is much easierto just put

everything in the simple past tensewhen using reported speech, so . . .

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Examples to practise:

1. Shawn said:

I dontfeel like going to the movies tonight.

Reported speech:

Shawn said that he didntfeel like going to the movies

that night.

2. Tina said:

My sisteris coming to visit me soon.

Reported speech:

Tina told me that her sister was coming to visit

her soon.

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. . . And more examples:

3. The counselor said:

Ill always be available for yourstudents.

Reported speech:

The counselor said that she would always be available formy students.

4. The students said:

We want to do oral presentations in class so we canpractise more speaking.

Reported speech:

The students told me that they wanted

to do oral presentations so they could practise morespeaking.

D d t d t d

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Do you understand reported

speech betterNOWthan you did

BEFORE?

Keep practising!!!

And please . . . askif you need some help!

Congratulations!