Mastering Reported Speech: Rules and Practical Examples

English6 Jun 20264.13 KB

Reported Speech Examples and Exercises

Learn how to convert direct speech into reported (indirect) speech with these practical examples and exercises.

Example 1: He said, "I like this song"

Direct Speech: He said, "I like this song."

Reported Speech: He said that he liked that song.

Other reported speech transformations:

...where my sister was.
...that she didn't speak Italian.
...to say hello to Jim.
...that the film had begun at seven o'clock.
...not to play on the grass.
...where he had spent his money.
...that he never made mistakes.
...not to try that at home.

Example 2: "I was very tired"

Direct Speech: "I was very tired," she said.

Reported Speech: ...that she had been very tired.

Additional examples:

...to be careful,
...that she will get herself a drink,
...why I hadn't phoned him,
...that he could not drive them home,
...if he prefers tea or coffee,
...where I had spent my holidays the year before,
...not to go too far,
...if we had been shopping,
...not to make so much noise.

Example 3: She said, "Go upstairs."

Direct Speech: She said, "Go upstairs."

Reported Speech: She told me to go upstairs.

Additional reported commands and requests:

He told me to close the door behind me.
He advised us not to be late.
She told him to stop staring at her.
He asked her not to be angry with him.
She told me to leave her alone.
...not to drink and drive.
...to stop smoking.
...not to worry about them.
...to meet him at the cinema.

Example 4: She said, "I am reading."

Direct Speech: She said, "I am reading."

Reported Speech: She said that she was reading.

Additional reported statements:

...they were busy.
...he knew a better restaurant.
...she had woken up early.
...he would ring her.
...they had just arrived.
...he would clean the car.
...she had not said that.
...she did not know where her shoes were.
...he would not tell anyone.

Example 5: "What's the time?" he asked.

Direct Speech: "What's the time?" he asked.

Reported Speech: He wanted to know what the time was.

Additional reported questions and clauses:

...when we would meet again.
...if he was crazy.
...where they had lived.
...if she would be at the party.
...if I could meet her at the station.
...who knew the answer.
...why he didn't help her.
...if I had seen that car.
...if they had tidied up their room.

Example 6: She said, "I am reading." (Part 2)

Direct Speech: She said, "I am reading."

Reported Speech: ...that she was reading.

Additional examples:

...they were busy,
...he knew a better restaurant,
...she had woken up early,
...he would ring her,
...they had just arrived,
...he would clean the car,
...she had not said that,
...she did not know where her shoes were,
...he would not tell anyone.

Example 7: They said, "This is our book."

Direct Speech: They said, "This is our book."

Reported Speech: ...that was their book.

Additional reported speech exercises:

...that she had gone to the cinema the day before,
...that he was writing a test the next day,
...that you would do that for him,
...that she was not hungry then,
...that they had never been there before,
...that they had been in London the week before,
...that he would have finished that paper by the next day,
...that they wouldn't sleep,
...that it was very quiet there.

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