Reported Speech Transformations: Direct to Indirect

Reported Speech Transformations

Uncle's Office Statements

Original: My uncle works in this office...

Reported: He said that his uncle worked in that office.

Original: There are many trees in this park...

Reported: He said that there were many trees in that park.

Personal Actions and Events

Original: I left my keys in your house last night...

Reported: She said to him that she had left her keys in his house the previous night.

Original: The students have already read these books...

Reported: She said that the students had already read those books.

Original: We are watching TV...

Reported: She said that they were watching TV.

Questions Transformed

Original: Can I help you?...

Reported: She asked me if she could help me.

Original: Do you study in this high school?...

Reported: She asked us if we studied in that high school.

Past Actions and Future Intentions

Original: They saw my mother this afternoon...

Reported: They said that they had seen my mother that afternoon.

Original: I will go with you...

Reported: She said she would go with me.

Original: I can play five instruments...

Reported: He said he could play five instruments.

Original: I’m confused...

Reported: He said that he was confused.

Original: I’m tired...

Reported: She said she was very tired.

Original: Dave loves Anastacia...

Reported: He said that Dave loved Anastacia.

Original: My phone isn’t made of plastic...

Reported: She said she wasn't made of plastic. (Note: This transformation seems contextually odd, but follows direct reported speech rules for the verb 'to be' if the original statement was about the speaker's composition.)

Further Holiday and Location Reports

Original: I will spend my holidays in London this summer...

Reported: She said she would spend her holidays in London that summer.

Original: There are many of this pictures in this museum...

Reported: He said there were many of his pictures in that museum.

Original: I put my books on your desk yesterday morning...

Reported: She told him she had put her books on his desk the morning before.

Conditional Statements

Original: I would do it...

Reported: He said he would have done it. (Note: Standard reported speech for 'would' is often 'would', but context suggests a past unreal conditional might be implied here.)

Original: We would like to go to Paris...

Reported: They said they would have liked to go to Paris. (Note: Similar to above, context suggests a past desire.)

Passive Voice Conversions

Literary and Historical Facts

• Original: Cervantes wrote Don Quijote...
• Reported: Don Quijote was written by Cervantes.

• Original: JJ. Abrams won’t direct SW8...
• Reported: SW8 won’t be directed by JJ. Abrams.

• Original: Christopher C. discovered America in 1492...
• Reported: America was discovered by Christopher C. in 1492.

Modern Manufacturing and Usage

• Original: The Hyundai cars are made in South Korea.
• Reported: The Hyundai cars are made in South Korea. (Already passive)

• Original: The computers are used by the students every day.
• Reported: The computers are used by the students every day. (Already passive)

Future and Past Events in Passive

• Original: Peter will be sent to prison (by them).
• Reported: Peter will be sent to prison (by them). (Already passive)

• Original: A party won’t be given this NYE by Tom.
• Reported: A party won’t be given this NYE by Tom. (Already passive)

• Original: The fugitive has been caught in France (by them).
• Reported: The fugitive has been caught in France (by them). (Already passive)

• Original: Were you frightened by the noise?
• Reported: Were you frightened by the noise? (Already passive)

• Original: This dress must be ironed for tonight (by you).
• Reported: This dress must be ironed for tonight (by you). (Already passive)

• Original: Has that chair been mended (by someone) yet?
• Reported: Has that chair been mended (by someone) yet? (Already passive)

• Original: Many valuable paintings were destroyed by the fire.
• Reported: Many valuable paintings were destroyed by the fire. (Already passive)

• Original: Avatar & Titanic were directed by James Cameron.
• Reported: Avatar & Titanic were directed by James Cameron. (Already passive)

More Passive Examples

• Original: This song is played on the radio every day (by them).
• Reported: This song is played on the radio every day (by them). (Already passive)

• Original: The parcel will be sent tomorrow (by me).
• Reported: The parcel will be sent tomorrow (by me). (Already passive)

• Original: This NY meal won’t be cooked by Roger.
• Reported: This NY meal won’t be cooked by Roger. (Already passive)

• Original: CR has been seen in Cc (by them).
• Reported: CR has been seen in Cc (by them). (Already passive)

• Original: "Hamlet" & "Macbeth" was written by Shakespeare.
• Reported: "Hamlet" & "Macbeth" were written by Shakespeare. (Correction: Plural subject requires plural verb.)

• Original: Many people are killed by smoking every year.
• Reported: Many people are killed by smoking every year. (Already passive)

• Original: The Oscar For The Best Picture was won by Moonlight.
• Reported: The Oscar For The Best Picture was won by Moonlight. (Already passive)

• Original: The house was finished painting by 10 o´clock (by them).
• Reported: The house was finished being painted by 10 o'clock (by them). (Correction for clarity: 'was finished painting' is awkward; assuming 'was finished being painted' or 'had been painted' was intended.)

Impersonal Reporting Structures

• Original: Happiness is brought by money people generally assume.
• Reported: People generally assume happiness is brought by money.

• Original: People are said to live longer nowadays.
• Reported: People are said to live longer nowadays. (Already passive structure)

• Original: A war is said to be
  
• Reported: A war is said to be... (Incomplete sentence)