Reported speech

  • B1 · Intermediate
  • Grammar lesson
  • 60 min

Reported speech: how the tense moves back (She said she was worried), how pronouns and time words change, say or tell, and instructions with tell someone (not) to. From a phone call with Mom to passing on phone messages.

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saidtold mehad been

What's in the lesson

  1. 1Warm-up
  2. 2Listen: a call from MomDialogue
  3. 3Reading: Alex reports the callReading
  4. 4What she said, and how Alex reports itGrammar exercise
  5. 5What does it mean?Grammar exercise
  6. 6How reported speech worksGrammar rule
  7. 7say or tell?Grammar exercise
  8. 8Report itGrammar exercise
  9. 9What did they say?Grammar exercise
  10. 10Questions for your teacherGrammar exercise
  11. 11Say it naturallySpeaking practice
  12. 12Phone messagesSpeaking practice
  13. 13About youGrammar exercise
  14. 14Wrap-up

Homework

  1. 1Homework: what they saidGrammar exercise
  2. 2Homework: said or told?Grammar exercise
  3. 3Homework: a conversationDiscussion

Two slides from the lesson

Warm-up

A few questions about you before we start.

  1. What is the best piece of advice anyone has ever given you? Who gave it to you?
  2. How often do you talk to your parents or grandparents? What do they usually tell you?
  3. Have you ever heard a rumor that turned out to be false?

Grammar rule

How reported speech works

The tense usually moves back

They saidWe report
"I am worried."She said (that) she was worried.
"You work too much."She said I worked too much.
"I've been busy."I told her I had been busy.
"I will come."I said I would come.
"I can help."He said he could help.
"I found a job."She said she had found a job. (or: she found a job)

Pronouns and time words change too

"I'll call you tomorrow." → She said she'd call me the next day. · "next week" → the next week · "here" → there. Change time and place words only when the time or place is different now; on the same day: She said she'd call me tomorrow.

say or tell?

  • say (that) + clause: She said (that) she was tired.
  • tell + person + (that) + clause: She told me (that) she was tired. (not She said me)
  • say + to + person: She said to me (that) she was tired.
  • tell a story / the truth / a lie / a joke (no person needed)

Instructions: tell + person + (not) to + verb

"Eat more vegetables." → She told me to eat more vegetables. · "Don't forget!" → She told me not to forget.

If something is still true, or you pass it on right away, you don't have to change the tense: He said that he lives in Chicago. (He still does.) · "Your package is at my house." → She said your package is at her house.

Teach it live with video and a whiteboard, or print it: the PDF has every slide, the homework and the answers.

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← Unit 11Spotting false stories