Step 1: General Introduction: Direct speech and reported speech
For reference
Direct and Indirect Speech also known as Quoted and Reported Speech. We use direct speech to report what exactly has been said. If we write t he speech down, the words will usually appear in quotation marks. However, we often prefer to use reported speech or indirect speech to report the meaning of what has been said without using the exact words. Now let’s look at a sentence:
She said,‘I have been writing a book on the history of China.’
If you want to tell this sentence to someone else, what will you report? We can change it into: She said she had been writing a book on the history of China.
1. In the section, we will learn the definitions of direct speech and reported speech, how to use direct speech to repor t what exactly has been said, and to use reported speech or indirect speech to report the meaning of what has been said without using the exact words. For example:
T: What did you do last Sunday, S1?
S1: I stayed at home and watched TV.
T: What did S1 say, S2?
S2: S1 said he/she stayed at home and watched TV.
T: What did you do last Sunday, S3?
S3: I did…
What is the difference between each pair of the sentences? (The first answer uses direct speech to report what exactly has been said. The words appear in quotation marks when they are written down. The second answer uses reported speech to report the meaning of what has been said without using the exact words, and without quotation marks.
2. Now let’s look at the following tables, paying attention to the changes of tenses and some other forms.
Rules of changes:
a. Change direct sp eech sentence into reported sentence by changing what has been said to an object clause or an infinitive phrase.
b. Change personal pronouns
c. Change tenses
d. Change adverbials of time and place
Direct speech Reported speech Direct speech Reported speech
Simple present Simple past Simple future Future in the p ast
Present continuous Past continuous Past perfect Past perfect
Simple past Past perfect Present perfect Past perfect
Present perfect Past perfect continuous continuous

Direct speech Reported speech
today the day/yesterday/on Saturday, etc.
tomorrow the next day/the following day/ on Tuesday, etc.
yesterday the day before/the previous day/ on Tuesday, etc.
last year the year before/ the previous year, etc.
a week ago a week before/ a week earlier, etc.

Direct speech Reported speech
this that
these those
here there
come go
3. Let’s read the ad on page 9 and try to understand what‘Thrilling adventure story!’means and what the readers’ comments on the books are. Please change the ad and the readers’ comments into reported speech and complete the passage.
For reference
The advertisement suggests us to read Travel to the Misty Country. It’s the publisher’s latest publication. The book tells a thrilling adventure story written by Li Xiyang, a 17-year-old boy. It claims that w e won’t believe his unique way of thinking and rich imagination.
One of the readers said that he had read it twice this week. He would never forget the fascinating Misty Country! Another reader said that He had bought another two copies of Travel to the Misty Country this afternoon. He would give those books to his best friends. The book was so great. He was going to read it over and over again!

Answers
(1) was (2) wouldn’t (3) had read (4) that
(5) would (6) had bou ght (7) that (8) would
(9) those (10) her (11) was (12) was going to read
Step 2: Reported speech: statements, questions and imperative sentences
How to use reported speech to report statements, questions and imperative sentences?
In this part, you will practise reporting statements, yes/no-questions, wh-questions and imperative sentences by using that, whether/if, wh-words and other verbs like advise and encourage.
1. There are many reporting verbs, such as say, ask, and tell. Besides say, ask and tell, there are other reporting verbs: accept, argue, believe, claim, decide, expect, feel, imagine, learn, mention, point out, suppose, think, understand, and wonder.
2. We use noun clauses introduced by if/whether to report yes/no –questions, and we use noun clauses introduced by wh-words to wh-questions.
3. Well, but how can we report imperative sentences? We use the structure: reporting verb + object +(not) + to-infinitive. Eg:
The teacher said, ‘Don’t worry about your exam.’ (The teacher told us not to worry about our exam.)
4. Read Part A on page 11 and practise reporting questi on using whether/if or wh-words. Pay attention to word order and other changes in reported questions. We’ll check the answer together then.
Answers
A 2 Fang Hong asked in what way it was different from other English l..