The Reported Speech - 1st & 2nd Year Bac PDF Download - Worksheet & Exercises

Teacher Atik
24 Jul, 2025
Reported Speech - Grammar Lesson

💬 Reported Speech

Transform direct quotes into indirect speech

A

What is Reported Speech?

Reported Speech (also called Indirect Speech) is used to:

  • 📢 Report what someone said without using their exact words
  • 📰 Tell someone about a conversation that happened before
  • 📝 Write about interviews, conversations, or statements
  • 🗣️ Avoid repetition of direct quotations

Direct Speech

"I am studying English," she said.

Reported Speech

She said (that) she was studying English.

B

Reporting Verbs

Common Reporting Verbs

  • say → He said (that) he was tired.
  • tell → She told me (that) she was busy.
  • ask → I asked if he was coming.
  • explain → The teacher explained that the test was postponed.
  • mention → He mentioned that he had been to Paris.

Advanced Reporting Verbs

  • admit → She admitted (that) she had made a mistake.
  • complain → He complained that the food was cold.
  • suggest → They suggested (that) we should leave early.
  • promise → I promised (that) I would help.
  • deny → He denied that he had taken the money.
💡 Key Point: "Say" is used alone or with "that." "Tell" needs an object (tell someone). "That" is often optional in reported speech.
C

Tense Changes in Reported Speech

Direct Speech Reported Speech Example
Present Simple Past Simple "I work here" → He said he worked there.
Present Continuous Past Continuous "I am reading" → She said she was reading.
Present Perfect Past Perfect "I have finished" → He said he had finished.
Past Simple Past Perfect "I went" → She said she had gone.
Will Would "I will come" → He said he would come.
Can Could "I can swim" → She said she could swim.
May Might "I may go" → He said he might go.
Must Had to "I must leave" → She said she had to leave.
Important: These tense changes happen when the reporting verb is in the past (said, told, asked, etc.)
D

Pronoun Changes

🔄 How pronouns change:

Pronouns change based on who is speaking and who is being reported to.

Examples:

  • Direct: "I like coffee," John said.
    Reported: John said (that) he liked coffee.
  • Direct: "You are smart," she told me.
    Reported: She told me (that) I was smart.
  • Direct: "We will help you," they promised.
    Reported: They promised (that) they would help me.
E

Time & Place Changes

⏰ Time and place expressions change:

  • today → that day
  • yesterday → the day before / the previous day
  • tomorrow → the next day / the following day
  • now → then / at that time
  • here → there
  • this → that
  • these → those
  • last week → the week before
  • next month → the following month
F

Reporting Questions

🤔 Two types of reported questions:

1. Yes/No Questions (use "if" or "whether"):

"Are you coming?" he asked.

He asked if/whether I was coming.

2. Wh-Questions (use the question word):

"Where do you live?" she asked.

She asked where I lived.

⚠️ Important: In reported questions, use statement word order (not question order). No question marks or auxiliary "do/does/did".
G

Reporting Commands & Requests

Commands and Requests use "to + infinitive":

  • Positive commands:
    "Close the door," he said.
    He told me to close the door.
  • Negative commands:
    "Don't be late," she warned.
    She warned me not to be late.
  • Requests:
    "Please help me," he said.
    He asked me to help him.
    • Common reporting verbs for commands: tell, ask, order, warn, advise, remind, beg, encourage
    4

    Examples & Practice

    Statements:

    • "I am learning Arabic," Tom said.
      → Tom said (that) he was learning Arabic.
    • "We have been to Morocco," they told us.
      → They told us (that) they had been to Morocco.
    • "I will call you tomorrow," she promised.
      → She promised (that) she would call me the next day.

    Questions:

    • "Do you speak French?" he asked.
      → He asked if I spoke French.
    • "What time is it?" she wondered.
      → She wondered what time it was.
    • "How long have you lived here?" they inquired.
      → They inquired how long I had lived there.

    Commands & Requests:

    • "Turn off your phone," the teacher said.
      → The teacher told us to turn off our phones.
    • "Please don't smoke here," he requested.
      → He requested us not to smoke there.
    5

    Practice Exercises

    A. Change to reported speech:

    1. "I am studying medicine," she said. → ___________________________

    2. "We went to the beach yesterday," they told me. → ___________________________

    3. "I will finish the project tomorrow," he promised. → ___________________________

    4. "I have never been to Japan," she admitted. → ___________________________

    5. "You must wear a helmet," the instructor warned. → ___________________________

    B. Report these questions:

    1. "Are you married?" she asked. → ___________________________

    2. "Where do you work?" he inquired. → ___________________________

    3. "How long have you been waiting?" they wondered. → ___________________________

    C. Report these commands:

    1. "Open the window," she said. → ___________________________

    2. "Don't forget your passport," he reminded me. → ___________________________

    3. "Please be quiet," the librarian asked. → ___________________________

    6

    Speaking Activities

    Activity 1 - Gossip Chain: Student A whispers a sentence to Student B. Student B reports what A said to Student C.

    A: "I bought a new car yesterday."

    B to C: "A said that she had bought a new car the day before."

    Activity 2 - Interview Report: Interview your partner about their weekend, then report their answers to the class.

    "Maria told me that she had gone to the cinema. She said she had enjoyed the movie very much."

    7

    Homework

    Part A: Write a dialogue between two people (8-10 exchanges). Then rewrite the

     


    A / Put the following into indirect speech (statements)

    1. “I have something to show you” I said to her
    2. “Nothing grows in my garden. It never gets the sun” she said
    3. “ I am going away tomorrow , mother” he told her
    4. “we have moved to our new flat yesterday”

    B / Put the following into indirect speech (statements)

    1. ‎I met him last year
    1. They will be here soon
    1. ‎I have just finished
    1. ‎I must write some letters now.

    C / Put the following into indirect speech (questions)

    1.  “Where are you from? He asked Tom
    2. “Did you finish your exercise?” The teacher asked his
    3. “Who has been using my typewriter last week?” She wondered
    4. “Do you mind working on the night shifts?” The employee asked the employer



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