Reported Speech

reported speech.
‘I’m tired!’, Helen said.
Helen said (that) she was

tired.

Tom said that... / I told her that...) and the

rest of the sentence is usually past too.

Sequence of tenses – if the verb in the main sentence is in the past tense - the other verbs are usually in one of the past tense too.

 1. Ralph said, "We have been in the mountains this

summer."
2. "We were very happy to spend the weekend at the seaside," said Donald.
3. "We have left the school," said the children.

4. "In 1991 I entered Oxford University," said Henry.

not change.

personal direct object or someone’s name.
Harry told me (that) he

was hungry.
Harry told Sarah (that) he was cold.

SAY is immediately followed by a noun clause.

She said (that) she was hungry.
He said (that) he was feeling tired.

Nancy asked her mother, "What is the weather going to

be, rainy or sunny?"
2. The teacher asked her class, "Who will take part in the competition?".
3. Mary asked her friend, "What did you do during your winter holidays?".
4. Lucy asked her new friend, "When
were you born?"
5. The tourist asked a policeman, "How
can I get to the centre of the city?"
6. Wife asked her husband, "When
will you come home from work?"
7. The mother asked her children, "Who will help me to lay the table?"

Kate asked her little brother, "Have you washed your face

and hands, Jimmy?"

2. The mother asked her daughter, "Do you want to have tea, Dolly?"

3. The man asked a policeman, "Shall I turn
to the right or to the left to get to the
museum, officer?"
4. Robert asked his friend, "Is the wind
strong?"
5. Ann asked her grandmother,
"Will you take me to my Aunt, Granny?"

press the red button.

‘Don’t answer the phone now!’ ► He

asked me not to answer the phone then.

Mrs. Roberts said, "Look after your sister, Ann."'
2. The parents

said to their little daughter, "Don't cross the street when the light is red."
3. The teacher said, "Please, hand in your exercise-book."
4. The boy said to his friend, "Come
to see me on Sunday, will you?"
5. The mother said to her son, "Write
down a list of the things you will have
to buy."
6. The teacher said, "Go on reading, Ann."