Department of Liberal Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Reported Speech Worksheet

Direct Speech → I like chocolate.

• Add a reporting verb

• Backshift tenses
• Change pronouns
Reported Speech →She said that she liked chocolate.
She said (reporting verb) that (conjunction) she (pronoun change) liked (tense shift)
chocolate.

• She said she loved the book.

She said that (optional) she loved the book.
• They said they ate dinner.
They said that (optional) they ate dinner.

Rule 1: Add a reporting verb clause

1. Nisha says, ‘I love pizza.’

Nisha said that she loved pizza.

Reported speech

Reporting speech

Conjunction – optional
Reporting verb – said
Common reporting verbs -- say, tell
To say → said
To tell → told
Say + to someone

• Ronny said to his teacher that he finished his assignment.

 • Alisha said to her mother that she was feeling unwell.
Tell + who we are reporting to

• She told me that she loved the book.

• They told us that they ate their dinner.

How to distinguish which common reporting verb to use – say or tell?

1. Please __________ me what time it is.
2. He ___________ that he will be here soon.
3. She ___________ that she loves dancing.

Advanced reporting verbs

Add admit advise Agree Protest Offer Proclaim
Announce Answer Ask Claim State Order Point out
Comment Complain Confess Confirm Wonder Promise ask
Continue Cry (shout) Demand Enquire Respond Report Reply
Explain Hint Inform Insist Repeat Shout Persuade
Interrupt Maintain Note Observe Suggest Threaten Warn

Rule 2: Change the Pronouns

1. Personal pronoun (I, we, me) → Third person (he, she, they, him, her)
• “I am hungry,” she said.
She said that she was hungry.

• “Karthik helped me” she said.

She said that Karthik helped her.

2. Second pronoun (you) → Third person (he, she, they)

• “You are invited,” he said.
He said that she was invited.
• “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” said Gandhi.
Gandhi urged people to be the change that they wished to see in the world.

3. Third person (he, she, they) → usually remain the same

• “He is tall,” she said.
She said that he is tall.

• They exclaimed, “He has won the match!”

They exclaimed that he had won the match.

• Gandhi said, ‘Live as if you were to die tomorrow and learn as if you were to live
forever.’
 Gandhi said that one should live as if they were to die tomorrow and learn as if they were
to live forever.
Direct Speech Reported Speech
I He / She
We They
Me Him / her / their
You He / she / they
He / she / they He / she / they

Rule 3: Change time and place words

Direct Speech Reported Speech

Today that day
Now Then / at that moment, at that time
Tonight that night
Yesterday / last night the previous day/night
Days / weeks/months/ years ago Two days ago, six years prior
Last week (month/year) The week before, the previous week, the week prior
Tomorrow The next day / the following day
Next week/month the following week/month
This That
That The/ that
Here There
These Those
Ago Before

• Alia tells you, “I have an interview tomorrow.”

Alia told me that she had her interview the next day.

• “She is coming to my house tonight.”

He said that she was coming to his house that night.

• “We went to that restaurant yesterday” they said.

They had gone to the restaurant the day before.

• “I took a train last week,” said Chaitanya.

Chaitanya said that he took a train the previous week.

• The teacher said, “Akbar died in 1605 AD.”

The teacher said that Akbar had died in 1605 AD.
(specific point → no change)
 • “I will meet you here tomorrow.”
He said that he would meet me there the next day.

• “Can you bring this book back tomorrow?”

He asked if I could bring that book back the following day.

Rule 4: Backshift in tenses

Direct Speech Reported Speech

Present simple Past simple
Present continuous Past continuous
Present perfect Past perfect
Present perfect continuous Past perfect continuous
Past simple Past perfect
Past continuous Past perfect continuous
Past perfect No Change
Past perfect continuous No Change
Future simple Would
Future continuous Would
Future perfect Would
Future perfect continuous Would

Present simple → Past simple

• I want to buy a house.

Leena said that she wanted to buy a house.
Present continuous → Past continuous

• I am reading a book.
Leena said that she was reading a book.
Present perfect → Past perfect
• I have finished my homework.
Leena said that she had finished her homework.

• I have washed the dishes.

Leena said that she had washed the dishes.
Future simple → would

• I will call you later.

Leena said that she would call you later.
Exceptions -- Current and ongoing
• I love my parents
Leena said that she loves her parents.

Reporting questions
• “Where are you going?”
She asked me where I was going.

Closed ended questions:

- Conjunctions like “if” or “whether” are used
- Reporting verb – “wondered” or “asked”

• “Are you coming?” he asked.

He asked if she was coming.
• Are you ready for the meeting?
He asked if she was ready for the meeting.
• “Did they arrive on time?”
He wondered whether they had arrived on time.

Open ended questions:

- “what” is the conjunction

• “What are your plans for the weekend?”

She asked me what my plans were for the weekend.
• “How did they solve the problem?”
He enquired about how they had solved the problem.

Reporting commands / Imperatives:

- add to infinitive
• “Clean your room.”
She told me to clean my room.
• “Stop talking!”
He told/ordered/instructed them to stop talking.
• “Don’t forget to call me.”
She reminded me not to forget to call her.

Advice/ Instructions/ Requests / Offers / Promises:

• You should study hard and crack the exam.
She advised me to study hard and crack the exam.
• Add the ingredients and stir well.
He instructed them to add the ingredients and stir well.
• I will help you with your assignment.
He offered to help me with my assignment.
• I promise I will be there on time.
She promised that she would be there on time.

Exclamatory sentences:
 • What a beautiful sunset!
She exclaimed how beautiful the sunset was.
(Interjections are removed to change the sentence to an assertive sentence.)
• I can’t believe it!
He exclaimed that he couldn’t believe it.
(Reporting verbs -- exclaim, cry out, remark, shout)
• The cake is delicious!
He exclaimed that the cake was delicious.
• What a surprise party!
He cried out that it was surprise party.

Exercise 1: Complex Sentences

1. Direct Speech: “I have been studying for the exams, and my friend said, ‘I will also join
you tomorrow to review together.’”
Reported Speech: She said that she had been studying for the exams, and her friend
said that he would also join her the next day to review together.

2. Direct Speech: “If you had called me earlier, I could have given you the information
you needed,” she said to him. “However, now it's too late.”
Reported Speech:

3. Direct Speech: “We have been waiting here since noon, but the manager has just
informed us that the meeting is postponed until next week,” they said.
Reported Speech:

4. Direct Speech: “I will finish the project by next Friday, even though I know it is going
to be quite challenging,” he said confidently.
Reported Speech:

Exercise 2: Multiple Layers

1. Direct Speech: “When Jane said, ‘I have completed the assignment and will start
working on the presentation,’ her supervisor replied, ‘That's good to hear. Make sure you
also update the report as discussed.’”
Reported Speech: When Jane said that she had completed the assignment and would
start working on the presentation, her supervisor replied that it was good to hear and
asked her to make sure she also updated the report as discussed.

2. Direct Speech: “While the professor was explaining, ‘Students should remember that
the final paper is due next Monday and it should be at least fifteen pages long,’ one
student asked, ‘Will there be any extension if we face unforeseen circumstances?’”
Reported Speech:

3. Direct Speech: “The CEO mentioned, ‘Our goal is to increase market share by 20%
within the next fiscal year. If we achieve this, we will expand into new territories.
However, the board warned, “Ensure that all departments are aligned with this strategy
before making any moves.””
 Reported Speech:

Exercise 3: Changing Contexts

1. Direct Speech: “I told my colleague, ‘I plan to visit the new office in Paris next month.
Can you send me the latest reports on our Parisian clients by next week?’”
Reported Speech: I told my colleague that I planned to visit the new office in Paris the
following month and asked if he could send me the latest reports on our Parisian clients
by the next week.

2. Direct Speech: “She remarked, ‘The book I lent you is on the table. Also, I remember
you said you would return it last weekend, but I haven't received it yet.’”
Reported Speech:

3. Direct Speech: “He said, ‘If I had known about the meeting earlier, I would have
prepared my presentation. But since I wasn't informed until yesterday, I'll have to
improvise.’
Reported Speech:
Exercise 4: Mixed Statements
1. Direct Speech: “Are you sure you completed the report?” the manager asked. “I
remember you said, ‘I will finish it by the end of the day,’ but I still don't see it in the
system.”
Reported Speech: The manager asked if I was sure I had completed the report and
mentioned that he remembered I had said I would finish it by the end of the day, but he
still did not see it in the system.

2. Direct Speech: “I promised my sister, ‘I will help you move this weekend,’ and she
responded, ‘That would be great! Please let me know if you need any help with the
packing beforehand.’”
Reported Speech:

3. Direct Speech: “During the seminar, the speaker noted, ‘It is essential to keep up with
the latest trends in technology. How many of you are actively working on integrating new
tech into your projects?’”
Reported Speech: