DIRECT AND
REPORTED SPEECH
XPLORE 11
Unit 3.3 Dream Jobs
Unit 4.2 Cultural dealings
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho de Sousa
The teacher asked the kids,
‘Write about what you want to
be in the future’.


WHAT
b. Personal pronouns
c. WordCHANGED?
order
a. Imperative to Infinitive
d. Present Simple – Past Simple
e. Time-phrase
f. Punctuation

REPORT
The teacher asked the
kids to write about
what they wanted to
be in the future.
a. If you report a statement with a reporting verb in the
past, you may have to change the verb tense. TRUE
b. If the reporting verb is in the present, the verb tense
and time phrase must be changed.
FALSE
c. When you report requests /commands you must
change the verb into the infinitive without to. FALSE
d. In reported speech questions are reported without
the auxiliaries do/did.
TRUE
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho de Sousa
‘When do you start work?’
‘Are you a vet?’
Reported Speech
Direct Speech
He asked me when I started work.
She asked me if I was a vet
Reported questions
• The word order in a reported question is like a
normal statement, with the subject before the verb.
• No do/ did auxiliaries are needed in reported
speech.
• When we report Yes/No questions we use if or
whether.
‘Leave my office!’
‘Please don’t talk.’
Reported Speech
Direct Speech
He told me to leave his office.
She asked us not to talk.
Reported commands or requests
• Commands are usually reported with tell and the
infinitive.
• Requests are usually reported with ask and the
infinitive.
Reporting verbs: Use ask for a polite request, instruct
or tell for a command, and order for an authoritative
command.
‘OK, I’ll give you another chance.’
‘No, I won’t work overtime.’
Reported Speech
Direct Speech
She agreed to give him another
chance.
Bill refused to work overtime.
Reporting verbs
Verb + to infinitive
offer, promise, agree, decide, refuse
Verb + object + to
infinitive
Verb + ing form
remind, ask, invite, advise
deny, suggest
Now Practise!
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho de Sousa
‘I spent a lot of time writing
my C.V. yesterday’, said Lucy.
she
had
spent
Lucy said that _____________ a lot of
the day before
time writing her C. V. _____________.
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho de Sousa
‘Why did you choose this
company, Brian?’ asked Josie.
why he
Josie asked Brian _______
had chosen _______
that company.
___________
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho de Sousa
‘Have you carried out this research? I
haven’t seen it yet, Carol !’ said Josh.
if she _____________
had carried out
Josh asked Carol ____
that
hadn’t seen
_________
research because he ___________
it yet.
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho de Sousa
‘Stay here while I sort this out!’
to stay
there
He told me ___________
________
sorted things out.
while he ________
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho de Sousa
‘If I were you, I’d settle the
matter right away!’
advised
me
to settle
He___________
________
_________
the matter right away.
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho de Sousa
‘I didn’t do it! I didn’t delete the file
from your computer, James!’
denied ____________________
deleting / having deleted
He ________
his / James’s computer.
the file from ______________
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho de Sousa
Rewrite!
1
‘How many workers are
doing this task, Gerry?’
Tim asked ...
Tim asked Gerry how many workers were doing
that task.
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho de Sousa
2
‘What is your opinion about my
leading skills, Tony?’
Mr. Stuart asked…
Mr. Stuart asked Tony what his opinion about
his leading skills was.
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho de Sousa
3
‘What do you think is the key to
success?’
She asked me…
She asked me what I thought was the key to
success.
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho de Sousa
4
Did you download this content
on human rights yesterday?
Mary asked Pete…
Mary asked Pete if he had downloaded that
content on human rights the day before.
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho de Sousa
5
‘Would you like to join me on
my business trip next week ,
Andrea?’
Andrea’s employer …
Andrea’s employer invited her to join
him on his business trip the following
week.
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho de Sousa
Further Practice!
Direct and Reported Speech Quiz 1
Direct and Reported Speech Quiz 2
Direct and Reported Speech Quiz 3
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho de Sousa