reported speech jessica don't play football in the garden

Reported commands, negations – Exercise 2

Task no. 2329.

Finish the sentences using Reported speech. Always change the tense, although it is sometimes not necessary.

Peter, "Don't clean the black shoes!" Peter told me  

Peter told me not to clean the black shoes .

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Reported commands and requests in English

• Karen, "Don't play football in the garden!" Karen told me .
• Teacher, "Don't forget your homework!" The teacher reminded me .
• Mike, "Don't shout at Peter!" Mike told me .
• Yvonne, "Don't talk to your neighbour!" Yvonne told me .
• Denise, "Don't open the door!" Denise told me .
• Marcel, "Don't sing that song!" Marcel reminded me .
• Jane, "Don't watch the new film!" Jane advised me .
• Walter, "Don't ring Romy on Sunday!" Walter told me .
• Lisa, "Don't fly via Paris!" Lisa advised me .
• Jamie, "Don't eat so much junk food!" Jamie reminded me .
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Reported Speech

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Reported Statements

Here's how it works:

We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. ( Click here for more about using 'say' and 'tell' .) If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence:

• Direct speech: I like ice cream.
• Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.

We don't need to change the tense, though probably we do need to change the 'person' from 'I' to 'she', for example. We also may need to change words like 'my' and 'your'. (As I'm sure you know, often, we can choose if we want to use 'that' or not in English. I've put it in brackets () to show that it's optional. It's exactly the same if you use 'that' or if you don't use 'that'.)

But , if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change the tenses in the reported speech:

• Reported speech: She said (that) she liked ice cream.

* doesn't change.

• Direct speech: The sky is blue.
• Reported speech: She said (that) the sky is/was blue.

Click here for a mixed tense exercise about practise reported statements. Click here for a list of all the reported speech exercises.

Reported Questions

So now you have no problem with making reported speech from positive and negative sentences. But how about questions?

• Direct speech: Where do you live?
• Reported speech: She asked me where I lived.
• Direct speech: Where is Julie?
• Reported speech: She asked me where Julie was.

• Direct speech: Do you like chocolate?
• Reported speech: She asked me if I liked chocolate.

Click here to practise reported 'wh' questions. Click here to practise reported 'yes / no' questions. Reported Requests

There's more! What if someone asks you to do something (in a polite way)? For example:

• Direct speech: Close the window, please
• Or: Could you close the window please?
• Or: Would you mind closing the window please?
• Reported speech: She asked me to close the window.

• Direct speech: Please don't be late.
• Reported speech: She asked us not to be late.

Reported Orders

• Direct speech: Sit down!
• Reported speech: She told me to sit down.

• Click here for an exercise to practise reported requests and orders.

• Click here for an exercise about using 'say' and 'tell'.
• Click here for a list of all the reported speech exercises.

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Reported speech: indirect speech

Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words. In indirect speech , the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command.

Indirect speech: reporting statements

Indirect reports of statements consist of a reporting clause and a that -clause. We often omit that , especially in informal situations:

The pilot commented that the weather had been extremely bad as the plane came in to land. (The pilot’s words were: ‘The weather was extremely bad as the plane came in to land.’ )

I told my wife I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday. ( that -clause without that ) (or I told my wife that I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday .)

Indirect speech: reporting questions

Reporting yes-no questions and alternative questions.

Indirect reports of yes-no questions and questions with or consist of a reporting clause and a reported clause introduced by if or whether . If is more common than whether . The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:

She asked if [S] [V] I was Scottish. (original yes-no question: ‘Are you Scottish?’ )

The waiter asked whether [S] we [V] wanted a table near the window. (original yes-no question: ‘Do you want a table near the window? )

He asked me if [S] [V] I had come by train or by bus. (original alternative question: ‘Did you come by train or by bus?’ )

Questions: yes-no questions ( Are you feeling cold? )

Reporting wh -questions

Indirect reports of wh -questions consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a wh -word ( who, what, when, where, why, how ). We don’t use a question mark:

He asked me what I wanted.

Not: He asked me what I wanted?

The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:

She wanted to know who [S] we [V] had invited to the party.

Not: … who had we invited …

Who , whom and what

In indirect questions with who, whom and what , the wh- word may be the subject or the object of the reported clause:

I asked them who came to meet them at the airport. ( who is the subject of came ; original question: ‘Who came to meet you at the airport?’ )

He wondered what the repairs would cost. ( what is the object of cost ; original question: ‘What will the repairs cost?’ )

She asked us what [S] we [V] were doing . (original question: ‘What are you doing?’ )

Not: She asked us what were we doing?

When , where , why and how

We also use statement word order (subject + verb) with when , where, why and how :

I asked her when [S] it [V] had happened (original question: ‘When did it happen?’ ).

Not: I asked her when had it happened?

I asked her where [S] the bus station [V] was . (original question: ‘Where is the bus station?’ )

Not: I asked her where was the bus station?

The teacher asked them how [S] they [V] wanted to do the activity . (original question: ‘How do you want to do the activity?’ )

Not: The teacher asked them how did they want to do the activity?

Questions: wh- questions

Indirect speech: reporting commands

Indirect reports of commands consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a to -infinitive:

The General ordered the troops to advance . (original command: ‘Advance!’ )

The chairperson told him to sit down and to stop interrupting . (original command: ‘Sit down and stop interrupting!’ )

We also use a to -infinitive clause in indirect reports with other verbs that mean wanting or getting people to do something, for example, advise, encourage, warn :

They advised me to wait till the following day. (original statement: ‘You should wait till the following day.’ )

The guard warned us not to enter the area. (original statement: ‘You must not enter the area.’ )

Verbs followed by a to -infinitive

Indirect speech: present simple reporting verb

We can use the reporting verb in the present simple in indirect speech if the original words are still true or relevant at the time of reporting, or if the report is of something someone often says or repeats:

Sheila says they’re closing the motorway tomorrow for repairs.

Henry tells me he’s thinking of getting married next year.

Rupert says dogs shouldn’t be allowed on the beach. (Rupert probably often repeats this statement.)

Newspaper headlines

We often use the present simple in newspaper headlines. It makes the reported speech more dramatic:

JUDGE TELLS REPORTER TO LEAVE COURTROOM

PRIME MINISTER SAYS FAMILIES ARE TOP PRIORITY IN TAX REFORM

Present simple ( I work )

Reported speech

Reported speech: direct speech

Indirect speech: past continuous reporting verb

In indirect speech, we can use the past continuous form of the reporting verb (usually say or tell ). This happens mostly in conversation, when the speaker wants to focus on the content of the report, usually because it is interesting news or important information, or because it is a new topic in the conversation:

Rory was telling me the big cinema in James Street is going to close down. Is that true?

Alex was saying that book sales have gone up a lot this year thanks to the Internet.

‘Backshift’ refers to the changes we make to the original verbs in indirect speech because time has passed between the moment of speaking and the time of the report.

In these examples, the present ( am ) has become the past ( was ), the future ( will ) has become the future-in-the-past ( would ) and the past ( happened ) has become the past perfect ( had happened ). The tenses have ‘shifted’ or ‘moved back’ in time.

The past perfect does not shift back; it stays the same:

Modal verbs

Some, but not all, modal verbs ‘shift back’ in time and change in indirect speech.

We can use a perfect form with have + - ed form after modal verbs, especially where the report looks back to a hypothetical event in the past:

He said the noise might have been the postman delivering letters. (original statement: ‘The noise might be the postman delivering letters.’ )

He said he would have helped us if we’d needed a volunteer. (original statement: ‘I’ll help you if you need a volunteer’ or ‘I’d help you if you needed a volunteer.’ )

Used to and ought to do not change in indirect speech:

She said she used to live in Oxford. (original statement: ‘I used to live in Oxford.’ )

The guard warned us that we ought to leave immediately. (original statement: ‘You ought to leave immediately.’ )

No backshift

We don’t need to change the tense in indirect speech if what a person said is still true or relevant or has not happened yet. This often happens when someone talks about the future, or when someone uses the present simple, present continuous or present perfect in their original words:

He told me his brother works for an Italian company. (It is still true that his brother works for an Italian company.)

She said she ’s getting married next year. (For the speakers, the time at the moment of speaking is ‘this year’.)

He said he ’s finished painting the door. (He probably said it just a short time ago.)

She promised she ’ll help us. (The promise applies to the future.)

Indirect speech: changes to pronouns

Changes to personal pronouns in indirect reports depend on whether the person reporting the speech and the person(s) who said the original words are the same or different.

Indirect speech: changes to adverbs and demonstratives

We often change demonstratives ( this, that ) and adverbs of time and place ( now, here, today , etc.) because indirect speech happens at a later time than the original speech, and perhaps in a different place.

Typical changes to demonstratives, adverbs and adverbial expressions

Indirect speech: typical errors

The word order in indirect reports of wh- questions is the same as statement word order (subject + verb), not question word order:

She always asks me where [S] [V] I am going .

Not: She always asks me where am I going .

We don’t use a question mark when reporting wh- questions:

I asked him what he was doing.

Not: I asked him what he was doing?

Word of the Day

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a day that you spend somewhere that is not your home or usual place of work

It’s not really my thing (How to say you don’t like something)

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Reported Speech

5th - 12th grade.

15 questions

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Jessica: "Don't play football in the garden."

Jessica told me to not play football in the garden

Jessica told me not to play football in the garden

Jessica told me not to played football in the garden

She: "Don't sing that song."

She told me not to sung that song

She told me to not sing that song

She told me not to sing that song

Teacher: "Do your homework."

The teacher told me to do my homework

The teacher told me to did my homework

The teacher told me to done my homework

Linda: "Did Peter fly to Paris two weeks ago?"

Linda asked me whether Peter flew to Paris two weeks ago

Linda asked me whether Peter flies to Paris two weeks ago

Linda asked me whether Peter had flown to Paris two weeks ago

Helen: "I was writing a letter yesterday."

Helen told me that she had been writing yesterday

Helen told me that she was writing the day before

Helen told me that she had been writing the day before

Helen told me that she was writing yesterday

Robert: "My father flew to Dallas last year."

Robert said that his father flew to Dallas last year

Robert said that his father flew to Dallas the previous year

Robert said that his father had flown to Dallas last year

Robert said that his father had flown to Dallas the previous year

Jim: "I'll do my best in the exams next week."

Jim told me that he will do his best in the exams next week

Jim told me that he would do his best in the exams next week

Jim told me that he would have done his best in the exams next week

Jim told me that he did his best in the exams next week

Alice: "I spent all my pocket money last week."

Alice complained that she had spent all her pocket money last week

Alice complained that she spent all her pocket money last week

Alice complained that she had spent all her pocket money the week before

Alice complained that she spent all her pocket money the week before

David: "John already finished work at five.”

David said that John had already finished work at five

David said that John already finished work at five

David said that John would have already finished work at five

Betty: "When did you come?"

Betty asked me when I had come

Betty asked me when I came

Betty asked me when I did come

Betty asked me when I would come

Ronald: "Where does Maria park her car?"

Ronald asked me where Maria parked her car

Ronald asked me where Maria would park her car

Ronald asked me where Maria has parked her car

Ronald asked me where Maria had parked her car

Mandy: "Can I help you?"

Mandy asked me if she could help

Mandy asked me if she can help

Mandy asked me if she could be helping me

Mandy asked me if she can be helping me

Tom: "Would you like to dance with me?"

Tom asked me if I would have liked to dance with him

Tom asked me if I had liked to dance with him

Tom asked me if I would like to dance with him

Tom asked me if I liked to dance with him

Ross: "Are you leaving next week?"

Ross asked me if I am leaving the following week

Ross asked me if I was leaving the following week

Ross asked me if I would be leaving the following week

Amy: "Where is Aidan now?"

Amy asked me where Aidan is at that time

Amy asked me where was Aidan at that time

Amy asked me where Aidan was at that time

Amy asked me where is Aidan at that time

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Reported Speech Exercises

Reported speech - unit 9, hi guys although the situation nowadays is a bit complicated, we have to keep going. for that reason, i will be uploading materials for you to work. .

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Reported Speech

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REPORTED SPEECH - EXERCISE A

Reported speech explanation

Turn the following sentences into reported speech:

1. "The boss must sign the letter", Jean said. Jean said (that) .

2."Our teacher will go to Madrid tomorrow",  Emily said.

Emily said (that) to Madrid  the day before the following day .

3. "I was writing a letter yesterday", Helen told me.

 Helen told me (that) a letter  that day the following day the previous day .

4. "Tim went to the Stadium yesterday", Peter said.

Peter said (that) to the Stadium  the day before tomorrow . 

5. "My mother will celebrate her birthday next week", Paul told me.

Paul told me (that) .

6. "John had already gone at six", David said.

David said (that) .

7. "Are the boys reading a book?" Mandy asked me.

Mandy asked me .

8. "Where are you playing football today?", Jennifer asked.

Jennifer asked .

9. "Did Max fly to London two weeks ago?", Paul asked.

Paul asked if Max . 

10. Where are my glasses? My grandmother asked me.

My grandmother asked me .

11. "Clean the blue bike", Andrew told me.

Andrew told me .

12. "Write a text message", Jessica told me.

Jessica told me .

13. "Don't play football in the garden!", Karen told me.

Karen told me .

14. "Don't forget to do your work!", the teacher told me.

The teacher told me .

Reported speech (simple)

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• Andrew: "Clean the blue bike!". Andrew _________ Andrew told me to clean the blue bike.
• Jessica: "Write a text message!" Jessica ______ Jessica told me to write a text message
• Nelly: "Help Peter's sister!" Nelly _________ Nelly told me to help Peter's sister.
• Fred: "Wash your hands!" Fred _________ Fred told me to wash my hands.
• Anna: "Open the window!" Anna________ Anna told me to open the window.
• Christopher: "Do you want to dance?" Christopher asked me_______ Christopher asked me if I wanted to dance.
• Betty: "When did you come?" Betty wanted to know________ Betty wanted to know when I had come.
• Mark: "Has John arrived?" Mark asked me_______ Mark asked me if John had arrived.
• Ronald: "Where does Maria park her car?" Ronald asked me___________ Ronald asked me where Maria parked her car.
• Elisabeth: "Did you watch the latest film?" Elisabeth asked me______ Elisabeth asked me if I had watched the latest film.
• Karen: "Don't play football in the garden!" Karen told me _________ Karen told me not to play football in the garden.
• Teacher: "Don't forget your homework!" The teacher reminded ______ The teacher reminded me not to forget my homework.
• Mike: "Don't shout at Peter!" Mike told me_______ Mike told me not to shout at Peter.
• Yvonne: "Don't talk to your neighbour!" Yvonne told me__________ Yvonne told me not to talk to my neighbour.
• Denise: "Don't open the door!" Denise told me __________ Denise told me not to open the door.
• Marcel: "Don't sing that song!" Marcel reminded me __________ Marcel reminded me not to sing that song.

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