Ampersand Lab

Intermediate grammar · Lesson 47 · B1

Reported speech 1 (he said that ...)

To report what somebody said, put the main verb in the past (she said, I told him) and move the rest back a tense: am becomes was, will becomes would, can becomes could. A past simple may stay as it is or become past perfect.

Start the lesson

12Steps · about 20 minutes

In this lesson

Direct and reported speechA1 screen of questions
Moving back a tenseB3 screens of questions
The past simple: keep it or make it past perfectC1 screen of questions
Put it together+2 screens of mixed questions

Point A of 3

Direct and reported speech

You saw Sean yesterday, and he said, "I'm feeling rough." You want to tell somebody what he said. There are two ways.

Direct speech repeats his words: Sean said, "I'm feeling rough." In writing, the quotation marks show the words are his.

Reported speech tells it from your side: Sean said that he was feeling rough.

  • Sean said, "I'm feeling rough."
  • Sean said that he was feeling rough.

Point A · Extra practice

Report what each person said. Use that and change the verb into the past.

  1. Sean: "I'm tired." Sean said that tired.

  2. Amy: "I want to go home." Amy said that to go home.

  3. Tom: "I can't swim." Tom said that swim.

Point B of 3

Moving back a tense

In reported speech the main verb is usually past (Sean said that ..., I told Mum that ...), and the rest of the sentence usually goes past too. You can leave out that.

Direct Reported
am, is was
are were
do, does did
have, has had
will would
can could
want, like, know, go wanted, liked, knew, went

See also Unit 48.

  • I told Mum that I didn't have any money.
  • Sean said he was feeling rough.
  • "I've lost my keys." Leanne said that she had lost her keys.
  • "I want to learn to drive." She said that she wanted to learn to drive.
  • "I can't come on Saturday." She said that she couldn't come on Saturday.
  • "My mum and dad are fine." She said that her mum and dad were fine.
  • "I'm going away for a week. I'll ring you when I get back." She said she was going away for a week and would ring me when she got back.

Point B · Exercise 47.1 · part 1 of 3

Read the conversation, then complete the report of it, made later the same day.

  1. Example

    "Are you coming to football tonight, Sean?" "No, I'm feeling rough." Sean skipped football. He said he was feeling rough.

    AnswerSean skipped football. He said he was feeling rough.

  2. "Shall we cycle to the beach?" "No, it's miles. Let's take the bus." I wanted to cycle to the beach, but Joe said far.

  3. "Are you going to the reunion?" "I've been asked, but I'm not keen." Leanne has been asked to the reunion, but she told me to go.

  4. "When are you going to Canada, Dom?" "I'll let you know next week." I asked Dom about his trip. He said next week.

  5. "Do you still hear from Kirsty?" "Not for ages." I asked Jay about Kirsty, but he told me from her for ages.

Point B · Exercise 47.1 · part 2 of 3

Read the conversation, then complete the report of it, made later the same day.

  1. "Where can I borrow a tent?" "You can borrow mine." I needed a tent, and Fern said .

  2. "How's the new job, Becky?" "I'm not enjoying it very much." I asked Becky about her job. She said very much.

  3. "Have you still got your motorbike?" "No, I sold it in the spring." I asked Marcus about his motorbike. He told me in the spring.

  4. "What was the name of that pub we went to?" "I don't know." I asked Sal the name of the pub, but she said .

Point B · Exercise 47.1 · part 3 of 3

Read the conversation, then complete the report of it, made later the same day.

  1. "How many people are there in your team, Amira?" "Twelve." I asked Amira about her work and she told me team.

Point C of 3

The past simple: keep it or make it past perfect

A past simple in direct speech can stay the same in reported speech, or change to the past perfect. Both are correct.

  • Sean said, "I woke up feeling rough, so I didn't go to work."
  • Sean said he woke up feeling rough, so he didn't go to work.
  • Sean said he had woken up feeling rough, so he hadn't gone to work.

Point C · Extra practice

Report what each person said. The past simple can stay the same or change to the past perfect.

  1. Kim: "I missed the bus." Kim said she the bus.

  2. Ali: "I lost my wallet." Ali said he his wallet.

  3. Jo: "I didn't sleep well." Jo said she well.

Put it together · Exercise 47.2 · part 1 of 2

Somebody tells you something that is not what you expected. Complete your answer with your own idea.

  1. Example

    A: It's a fair walk from the hotel to the beach. B: Is it? The woman on reception said ...

    The woman on reception said it was only five minutes away.

    Example answerIs it? The woman on reception said it was only five minutes away.

  2. A: Kerry's coming to the barbecue on Saturday. B: Is she? I saw her on Tuesday and she said ...

  3. A: Fiona gets on really well with Ben. B: Does she? Last week you said ...

  4. A: Stan is a brilliant cook. B: Funny, he told me something different. He said ...

  5. A: Dee is coming to the barbecue on Saturday. B: Are you sure? Last time we spoke, she said ...

Put it together · Exercise 47.2 · part 2 of 2

Somebody tells you something that is not what you expected. Complete your answer with your own idea.

  1. A: I'm going out tonight. B: Are you? I thought you said ...

  2. A: I speak Italian quite well. B: Do you? But earlier you said ...

  3. A: I haven't seen Tariq for ages. B: That's odd. He told me ...

Lesson 47 · Result

How you did

Next lesson: Reported speech 2Back to the course

–Right

Each point

A. Direct and reported speech–Not checkedB. Moving back a tense–Not checkedC. The past simple: keep it or make it past perfect–Not checkedPut it together–Not checked