English Grammar: Lesson 4-Changes in Reported Speech, with Concrete Examples

Changes in Reported Speech

This is our fourth lesson in the Reported Speech series. In today’s lesson you are going to learn how to change Adverbs, Modal Verbs and Determiners when you are reporting somebody’s words.

Have you already done this before? Sometimes it can be difficult to know what words to use but the context will help us to choose.

Let’s start with Adverbs of Time.

Past

It can be quite tricky to change these little words. The key to mastering them is to learn them by heart and use them in context.

Examples

Direct Speech: “I went to Blantyre yesterday,” she said. Indirect Speech: She said that she’d gone to Blantyre the day before.

Direct Speech: “I met her a few minutes ago,” she said. Indirect Speech: She said she’d met her a few minutes previously.

Direct Speech: “I slept well last night,” she said. Indirect Speech: She said that she’d slept well the previous night.

Present

The same process happens when we are dealing with Adverbs of Time in the present. Observe the sentences below:

Examples

Direct Speech: “I want it now,” he said. Indirect Speech: He said that he wanted it at that moment.

Direct Speech: “It is hot this afternoon,” she said. Indirect Speech: She said that it was hot that afternoon.

Direct Speech: “I am eating this tonight,” he said. Indirect Speech: He said she was going to it that night.

Future

Can we do the same thing with Adverbs of Time in the future? Yes, of course! Look at the sentences below and try to make your own as well. Here we go!

Examples

Direct Speech: “I’ll call him tomorrow,” he said. Indirect Speech: She said that she would call him the following day.

Direct Speech: “I’ll come next Monday,” he said. Indirect Speech: He said that he would come the next Monday.

Direct Speech: “I’ll go to Spain in two months’ time,” he said. Indirect Speech: He said that he would go to Spain two months later.

Modal Verbs

As you can see in the previous examples, Modal Verbs also change when we are reporting someone’s words. Study the sentences below and also think of how you can create your own.

Examples

Direct Speech: “I can drive a lorry,” she said. Indirect Speech: She said she could drive a lorry.

Direct Speech: “I may talk to her,” he said. Indirect Speech: He said that he might talk to her.

Direct Speech: “I shall do it,” she said. Indirect Speech: She said that she would do it.

Determiners, Pronouns and Adverbs of Place

Pronouns, Determiners and Adverbs of Place, Learn English With africa, May 2019

As we have seen in previous examples, changes in Reported Speech can also occur when you are dealing with Determiners, Pronouns or Adverbs of Place. Let’s look at a few sentences.

Examples

Direct Speech: “I like this book,” she said. Indirect Speech: She said that she liked that book.

Direct Speech: “I want to buy these books,” he said. Indirect Speech: He said that he wanted to buy the books.

Direct Speech: “I love my son,” he said. Indirect Speech: He said that he loved his son.

Your Turn: Can you think of other sentences to practise what you have just learnt?

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