Reported speech

Reported speech (Indirect speech), или косвенная речь — это речь, передаваемая не слово в слово, а только по содержанию, в виде дополнительных придаточных предложений, без сохранения стилистики автора.
  • Direct speech: I like ice cream. прямая
  • Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream. косвенная
  • present simple
I like ice cream (прямая)
She said (that) she liked ice cream. (косвенная)
  • present continuous
I am living in London
She said (that) she was living in London.
  • past simple
I bought a car
She said (that) she had bought a car OR She said (that) she bought a car.
  • past continuous
I was walking along the street
She said (that) she had been walking along the street.
  • present perfect
I haven't seen Julie
She said (that) she hadn't seen Julie.
  • past perfect*
I had taken English lessons before
She said (that) she had taken English lessons before.
  • will
I'll see you later
She said (that) she would see me later.
  • would*
I would help, but...
She said (that) she would help but...
  • can
I can speak perfect English
She said (that) she could speak perfect English.
  • could*
I could swim when I was four
She said (that) she could swim when she was four.
  • shall
I shall come later
She said (that) she would come later.
  • should*
I should call my mother
She said (that) she should call her mother
  • might*
I might be late
She said (that) she might be late
  • must
I must study at the weekend
She said (that) she must study at the weekend OR She said she had to study at the weekend
now- then / at that time
today-yesterday / that day / Tuesday / the 27th of June
yesterday- the day before yesterday / the day before / Wednesday / the 5th of December
last night- the night before, Thursday night
last week- the week before / the previous week
tomorrow- today / the next day / the following day / Friday
here-there
  • We usually follow tell with a personal object (the person that we are speaking to). We usually use say without a personal object: She told me that she loved John. She said that she loved John.

Reported speech

Reported speech

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Reported speech
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1)  "Don't do it!"
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2) "I'm leaving tomorrow."
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3) "Please get me a cup of tea."
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4) "She got married last year."
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5) "Be quick!"
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6) "Could you explain number four, please?"
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7) "Where do you live?"
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8) "We went to the cinema and then to a Chinese restaurant."
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9) "I'll come and help you at twelve."
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10) "What are you doing tomorrow?"
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11) "Don't go!"
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12) "Do you work in London?"
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13) "Could you tell me where the post office is?"
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14) "Come here!"
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15) "I've never been to Wales."
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Great work! Well done!
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Pass a test
Reported speech questions
Take the quiz
1) Where is he?
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2) What are you doing?
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3)Why did you go out last night?
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4)Who was that beautiful woman?
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5) How is your mother?
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6) What are you going to do at the weekend?
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7) Where will you live after graduation?
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8) What were you doing when I saw you?
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9) How was the journey?
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10)How often do you go to the cinema?
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11) Do you live in London?
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12) Did he arrive on time?
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13) Have you been to Paris?"
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14) Can you help me?
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15) Are you working tonight?
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16) Will you come later?
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17) Do you like coffee?
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18) Is this the road to the station?
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19) Did you do your homework?
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20) Have you studied reported speech before?
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Great work! Well done!
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