Emma: Im really stressed! Someone at college is being horrible to me.
Becky: Someone did the same thing to me once. I spoke to her and she stopped criticising me.
Emma: Speaking to her will make things worse!
Becky: YOU must do something. You cant ignore it.
Emma (0)...... told...... me that (1)........................... really stressed. She (2)........................... that someone at college was being horrible to (3)............................ I said that someone (4)........................... done the same thing to me once. I (5)........................... her that Id spoken to the girl and that she (6)........................... stopped critivising me. Emma said that speaking to her (7)........................... make things worse. I told (8)........................... that she (9)........................... to do something and that she (10)........................... nt ignore it.
Reported statements: other changes
Place and time references often change when we report what someone said in a different place or at an earlier time. Compare:
| Actual words | Words reported later |
| Spoken outside the cinema: Ill meet you here Katesaid. | Spoken somewhere else: Kate said shed meetus there/at the cinema. |
| Spoken on Sunday: Im going to a party tonight, Matt said. | Spoken the following Tuesday: Matt said he was going to a partyon Sunday night |
These words/phrases often change in reported speech:
| Direct speech | Reported speech |
| This/that (+noun) | the |
| this morning | that morning, on Friday morning, etc. |
| now | then |
| today, tonight | that day/night, on Friday/Friday night, etc. |
| yesterday | the day before, the previous day, on Friday, etc. |
| tomorrow | the next/following day, on Friday, etc. |
| last week, last Friday | the week/Friday before, the previous week/Friday |
| next week, next Friday | the week/Friday after, the following week/Friday |
| an hour ago | an hour before |
Complete the reported statements. Use one word in each gap.
0 I cant understand this film, she said.
She said she couldnt understand...... the...... film.
1 Im playing football this evening, I told Tom.
I told Tom I was playing football........................... evening.
2 She said, There was an accident here last year.
She said there had been an accident........................... the year............................
3 I ordered two books three weeks ago, I told the shop assistant.
I told the shop assistant Id ordered two books three weeks............................
4 On Sunday, Adam told me, Ive got an exam tomorrow.
Adam told me he had an exam on............................
5 Ill be in your group next term, she said.
She said shed be in my group the........................... term.
6 Im leaving now, she told us
She told us she was leaving............................
7 Its really cold today, Lucy told me.
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Lucy told me it was really cold........................... day.
8 I finished my exams last week, he said.
He said he had finished his exams the........................... week.
Complete the reported statements.
Nikki and Jessica met in a cafe two weeks ago. Now Nikki is reporting their conversation to a friend.
0 I love the food at this cafe, Jessica said.
Jessica said that she loved the food...... at the café.......
1 I saw Helen this afternoon, she told me.
She told me that shed seen Helen............................
2 I saw her yesterday, I said.
I said that Id seen her............................
3 My brother called two hours ago. Hes going to meet me here, I told her.
I told her that my brother had called two hours........................... and that he was going to meet me............................
4 Were going bowling tonight, I said.
I said that we were going bowling............................
5 I dont have enough money for my coffee now. Ill pay you back next week, she said.
She said that she didnt have enough money for her coffee........................... and that shed pay me back............................
She still hasnt paid me!
Reported statements with no tense change
If the reporting verb is in the present tense (e.g. soys), the tense does not change in reported speech: I ll meet you there. He says hell meet us there.
If the statement we are reporting is still true in the present, we dont have to change the tense after a past tense reporting verb: It s a good restaurant. - Helen said it s a good restaurant. (This is still true now.) I ve got a brother. He told me he s got a brother. (This is still true now.)
But if the reporting verb is in the past tense, we can change the tense: Helen said it was a good restaurant. He told me he had a brother.
Report the statements.
0 Weve got football practice.
They say...... theyve got football practice.......
1 Im exhausted.
He says............................
2 Ill be back at six.
Paul says............................
3 The film is wonderful!
Everybody says............................
4 I didnt borrow Kates earrings.
Caroline says............................
5 Weve never been to the theatre.
A lot of my friends say............................
6 Were going to be away next month.
Our neighbours say............................
