Reporting statements

Daisy Zoe

I want to be a photographer.

• ‘I want to be a photographer,’ Daisy told Zoe.

• Daisy told Zoe that she wanted to be a photographer.

What are the differences between the following sentences?

• ‘I want to be a photographer,’ Daisy told Zoe.

• Daisy told Zoe (that) she wanted to be a photographer.

‘ ’

she

want

wanted

I

We use reported speech when we are telling someone what another person said or thought.

When we report statements in simple present tense, follow these rules:1. We DO NOT use quotation marks.

‘I want to be a photographer,’ Daisy told Zoe.

Daisy told Zoe that she wanted to be a photographer.

2. We use a reporting verb, e.g. said, told, added, explained, etc.

There’s a huge exhibition in the City Hall.

Zoe said (that) there was a huge exhibition in the City Hall.

The word that after the reporting verb can be omitted.

Your turn….• ‘I like watching films,’ Rachel said.• Rachel (that) she liked watching

films.

• ‘I love ballet,’ said Bella. ‘I want to be a ballet dancer,’ she added.

• Bella (that) she loved ballet. She (that) she wanted to be a ballet dancer.

said

said

added

3. We change the verb tense from the simple present to the simple past.

I have two tickets of the exhibition.

Zoe told Daisy that she had two tickets of the exhibition.

Your turn….

• ‘You have my ticket,’ said Jenny.• Jenny said that I her ticket.

• ‘I plan to take you to a painting exhibition next week,’ our Art teacher told us.

• Our Art teacher us that she to take us to a painting exhibition.

had

told planned

4. We change pronouns and possessive adjectives, e.g. I he/she, your my/our.

I want to join the art club.

Daisy told Zoe (that) she wanted to join the art club.

Personal pronouns changes

I / you he / she

we / you they

me / you him / her

us / you them

Possessive adjectives changes

My / your his / her

Our / your their

Mine / yours his / hers

Ours / yours theirs

Your turn….• ‘I finish my drawing,’ Candy told Michelle.• Candy Michelle (that)

finished drawing.

• ‘My brother is the chairperson of the school Drama Club,’ Luke told Eric.

• Luke Eric (that) brother the chairperson of the school Drama Club.

told sheher

told hiswas

5. We change the time words, e.g. now then, tomorrow the next day.

The exhibition opens today.

Daisy said that the exhibition opened that day.

Change the time wordsnow then

today that day

this afternoon that afternoon

this evening that evening

tonight that night

tomorrow the following/next day

yesterday the day before

Your turn….• ‘The art festival opens next month,’ said the

manager.• The manager said the art festival

.

• ‘I plan to take some of you to a painting exhibition this weekend,’ our Art teacher told us.

• Our Art teacher us to take some of to a painting

exhibition .

openedthe following month

told she planned

usthat weekend

Changes in tenses

The changes in tenses are as follows.