Indirect Reported Speech

What is indirect reported speech? My teacher told me that this grammar form is very important in writing, but my friends all ask me if this is necessary to learn.

The answer is yes, it is important.

Unfortunately, it is also a little bit complicated.

But that is what makes it so much fun! (right?)

What are the rules?

Click here for a link to a great explanation and some practice. (You must write your answers on a piece of paper, but then you can check them, as the correct answers are also provided)

There are a few things to remember when using reported speech:

1) Verb forms change. We often call this “backshift.”

• EXAMPLE: “I have seen that movie,” she said. (quoted speech)
• She said she HAD SEEN that movie. (indirect reported speech)
• Click here to see how this works.

2) Pronouns will generally change

• EXAMPLE: ” I gave you the money,” he said. (quoted)
• He said HE had given ME the money. (reported)
• CLICK HERE TO PRACTICE with pronoun changes (*the verbs do not change here)

3) Many time words and expressions will change

• EXAMPLE: “I will call you next week,” she said. (quoted)
• She said she would call me THE FOLLOWING WEEK. (reported)

4) Many place references will change

• EXAMPLE: “She’s driving  here tonight,” me sister told me on the phone. (quoted)
• She said she was driving THERE tonight. (reported)
• CLICK HERE TO PRACTICE with pronoun and place changes (*the verbs do not change here)

5) Of course, punctuation changes, too.

• EXAMPLE: “Have you ever eaten peanut butter?” I asked them.
• I asked them if they had ever eaten peanut butter. (notice: no quotation marks OR question mark here)

And there are 4 basic ways to form indirect reported speech:

1) For commands, requests and invitations:

• Watch a simple clear video about reported commands
• Practice 1: commands
• Practice 2: requests
• Practice 3: negative requests
• Practice 4: requests

2) For general affirmative and negative statements

• Watch a video that explains these first two types of reported speech
• Practice 1: statements
• Practice 2: more statements
• Practice 3: statements with time expressions
• Practice 4: statements with change in time and place

3) For questions with QUESTION WORDS

4) For YES/NO questions

• Watch a video that explains these reported speech questions
• Practice 1
• Practice 2
• Practice 3
• Practice 4: questions with time expressions

 Are you ready to practice with all of these types of reported speech?

• General Practice 1
• General Practice 2
• General Practice 3 (there are 8 exercises here)