English Grammar: Reported Speech and Conditionals

Reported Speech Examples

Here are some examples demonstrating the transformation from direct speech to reported speech, and vice versa.

Reporting Statements, Questions, and Commands

He said that he could fix the fence if that was convenient.

They told us that they would have to take the dog to the vet if she didn’t get better.

She asked me whether I wanted to go to her party.

Mum reminded me to look after my little sister.

Transforming Direct to Reported Speech

• Direct: "I don’t know how to do my homework!" said Katie (complained)

  Reported: Katie complained about doing her homework.

• Direct: "You should speak to Alice about the party," my mum said to me (suggested)

  Reported: My mum suggested that I should speak with Alice about the party.

• Direct: "I’ve already spoken to her," I said (replied)

  Reported: I replied that I had already spoken to her.

• Direct: "He should join the gym," the coach said to him (advised)

  Reported: The coach advised him to join the gym.

• Direct: “Do you like Christmas shopping?” Peter asked me.

  Reported: Peter asked me if I liked Christmas shopping.

• Direct: “Have you decided where to go on Friday?” Lola asked her boyfriend.

  Reported: Lola asked her boyfriend if he had decided where to go on Friday.

• Direct: “How tall is your brother?” my friend asked me.

  Reported: My friend asked me how tall my brother was.

• Direct: “Who wants some chocolate?” my dad asked us.

  Reported: My dad asked us if we wanted some chocolate.

Transforming Reported to Direct Speech

• Reported: Dad told me that he was happy living on his own.

  Direct: “I am happy living on my own,” my dad told me.

• Reported: Last week, the teacher asked me when I would do my homework.

  Direct: “When will you do your homework?” the teacher asked me last week.

• Reported: I told him I couldn’t meet him that night.

  Direct: “I can’t meet you tonight,” I told him.

• Reported: Marta reminded me to meet my friend after school.

  Direct: “Remember to meet your friend after school,” Marta reminded me.

Conditional Sentence Structures

Examples illustrating different types of conditional sentences and related structures.

Conditional Type 1 (Real Conditionals)

• Granny won’t be able to tidy her garden tomorrow unless we help her.

• If the bus is cancelled, the old people won’t go to the shops today.

• If I run the marathon to raise money for charity, will you sponsor me?

• I will feel good the next day if I go to bed early.

• If we don’t act now, it will be too late.

• We will help the environment if we stop using our cars.

Conditional Type 2 (Unreal Present/Future)

• If the children collected another 100E, they would win a prize.

• Will you go to the party if I don’t go with you?

Conditional Type 3 (Unreal Past)

• Would you have been able to finish your project if I hadn’t given you my old laptop?

• Jackie wouldn’t have ridden that horse yesterday if she hadn’t known that it was safe.

• Mr Jones would have spoken at the charity event if he had had more time.

• If you had organized a sponsored walk, you would have raised a lot of money.

• I would have helped the old people if it had been necessary.

Using Unless and Provided That

• Original: I don’t help the disabled children after school because I have too much homework to do.

  Conditional: I would help the disabled children after school if I didn’t have so much homework to do.

• Original: They will take the train unless the tickets are too expensive.

  Using Provided That: They’ll take the train provided that the tickets aren’t too expensive.

• Original: They’ll join the volunteer project if someone asks them.

  Using Unless: They won’t join the volunteer project unless someone asks them.

• Original: If we don’t act now, it will be too late.

  Using As Long As: As long as we act now, it won’t be too late.