REPORTED SPEECH in English - Indirect Speech | Reported Speech | Direct Speech (+ Free PDF & Quiz)

Summary

In this episode of 'English With Lucy,' Lucy simplifies the concept of reported speech, making it accessible for students to use confidently. She introduces the process of converting direct speech into reported by adding reporting verbs, backshifting tenses, and adjusting pronouns. Lucy offers a free PDF with a quiz for practice and further examples. She also covers the nuances of tense backshifting, emphasizing that some tenses remain unchanged. The lesson concludes with a direct invitation to download the PDF for exercises and to engage with Lucy's other English learning resources.

Takeaways

• 📘 Reported speech can seem complicated, but the lesson aims to make it simple and understandable, so students can use it confidently.
• 📄 A free PDF is available with the lesson, containing all the discussed points and a quiz to test comprehension.
• 🗣️ To convert direct speech to reported speech, three rules apply: add a reporting verb, backshift tenses by one, and change the pronouns.
• 🔄 Common reporting verbs include 'say' and 'tell.' Remember to always use a reporting verb when using reported speech.
• 🕑 When backshifting tenses in reported speech, there are specific changes depending on the original tense used. Some tenses, like past perfect, do not change.
• 📊 Future tenses are simplified in reported speech: 'will' changes to 'would.'
• ✍️ Exceptions to tense changes exist, such as when the reported information is still current or ongoing.
• 🎓 Exercises for practice are included in the PDF, with additional resources for learning on Lucy's website.
• 📢 Additional learning resources include a British English pronunciation course with a discount code, and a personal channel featuring vlogs with subtitles for listening practice.
• 🌍 Students are encouraged to connect with Lucy on social media and use various resources on her website for continued learning.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the lesson in the video?

The primary focus of the lesson is on reported speech, making it easy and understandable for learners to use confidently.

What are the three rules to follow when changing direct speech to reported speech?

The three rules are: 1) Add a reporting verb, 2) Backshift the tenses by one, and 3) Change the pronouns.

Can the word 'that' be omitted in reported speech?

Yes, the word 'that' can be omitted in reported speech without changing the meaning, as in 'She said she loved the movie' instead of 'She said that she loved the movie.'

When using 'tell' in reported speech, what should be remembered?

When using 'tell,' you must include the person being reported to. For example, 'She told me that she loved the movie.'

How do the future tenses change in reported speech?

In reported speech, future tenses that use 'will' change to 'would.' For example, 'I will go' becomes 'She said that she would go.'

What tenses do not change when converting to reported speech, and why?

The past perfect and past perfect continuous tenses do not change in reported speech because it's not possible to go further back in time.

What happens to tenses in reported speech if the information is current and ongoing?

If the information is current and ongoing, like a habit, the tense does not usually change. For example, 'I love my parents' becomes 'She said that she loves her parents.'

How are the most common reporting verbs used in reported speech?

The most common reporting verbs are 'say' and 'tell,' which are conjugated to 'said' and 'told.' 'Say' can be used on its own, while 'tell' requires specifying the person being told.

What is 'backshifting' in the context of reported speech?

Backshifting refers to changing the tense of the original speech back by one tense when converting to reported speech, such as changing present tense to past tense.

What resources are provided to help learners practice reported speech in the lesson?

A free PDF is provided with the lesson, which includes a quiz to help learners test their understanding and practice reported speech. Additionally, a list of tense changes for reported speech is included.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Introduction to Reported Speech and Lesson Overview

The video starts with an upbeat greeting from Lucy, welcoming her students to a lesson on reported speech. She explains that while reported speech can seem complicated at first, her goal is to simplify it for the students to understand and use with confidence. To aid the learning process, she has created a free PDF that covers all the content discussed in the video, including a quiz. She provides instructions on how to download the PDF and join her mailing list, which offers access to future lessons, quizzes, and updates. The lesson then begins with an introduction to direct speech using the example 'I like chocolate' and transitions into the rules for converting direct speech into reported speech: adding a reporting verb, backshifting tenses, and changing pronouns. Examples are provided, such as changing 'I like chocolate' to 'She said that she liked chocolate.' Lucy emphasizes the importance of using reporting verbs like 'said' and 'told' when constructing reported speech.

05:03

📖 Backshifting Tenses and Exceptions in Reported Speech

Lucy continues the lesson by diving deeper into backshifting tenses, explaining how reported speech shifts the perspective of the sentence. She outlines the 12 basic English tenses and shows how backshifting affects them when moving from direct to reported speech. Examples of present perfect changing to past perfect ('I have finished my homework' to 'Lucy said that she had finished her homework') are provided, along with changes involving future tenses (e.g., 'I will call you later' becomes 'Lucy said that she would call you later'). Lucy then explains some exceptions, such as when the information is still current or habitual, which may not require a tense change (e.g., 'Lucy said that she loves her parents' remains in the present tense because it reflects an ongoing situation). She concludes the lesson by encouraging students to review their learning with exercises provided in the downloadable PDF and mentions her pronunciation course, social media channels, and website where students can find additional resources.

Keywords

💡Reported Speech

Reported speech refers to the way we convey what someone else has said, often in a different tense and with adjusted pronouns. It is central to the video's theme as it is the main grammar concept being taught. For instance, the script provides an example: 'She said that she liked chocolate,' where 'said' is the reporting verb, and 'liked' is the backshifted tense from 'like'.

💡Direct Speech

Direct speech is the exact words someone uses, quoted directly in speech or writing. It contrasts with reported speech and is used as a starting point for demonstrating the changes needed to convert it into reported speech. The script mentions direct speech with the example: 'The speech is, I like chocolate.'

💡Reporting Verb

A reporting verb is used to introduce the speech or thoughts of another person. In the context of the video, 'said' and 'told' are common reporting verbs. The script illustrates this with sentences like 'She said that she loved the movie' and 'They told us that they had eaten breakfast.'

💡Backshifting Tenses

Backshifting tenses is the process of adjusting the verb tense in reported speech to reflect that the action was reported in the past. The video explains that when changing from direct to reported speech, one must backshift the tense by one, such as from present simple to past simple. An example from the script is 'I want to buy a car' becoming 'Lucy said that she wanted to buy a car.'

💡Pronouns

Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns, and they change in reported speech to reflect the person being spoken about. The video script demonstrates pronoun change: 'I like chocolate' becomes 'She said that she liked chocolate,' where 'I' is changed to 'she'.

💡PDF

PDF, or Portable Document Format, is a file format used to present documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems. In the video, the instructor mentions a free PDF that accompanies the lesson, which includes a quiz for learners to test their understanding of reported speech.

💡Mailing List

A mailing list is a collection of names and addresses used for sending material to multiple recipients. In the script, the instructor invites viewers to sign up for her mailing list to receive free lesson PDFs, quizzes, and updates, illustrating a common way for educators to distribute additional learning materials.

💡Tenses

Tenses in English grammar refer to the time at which an action occurs. The video discusses the importance of adjusting tenses when converting from direct to reported speech, especially focusing on how past, present, and future tenses are affected. An example given is the change from 'I will be going to university next year' to 'Lucy said that she would be going to university next year.'

💡Exception

An exception is a deviation from a general rule. The video mentions that there are exceptions to the rule of backshifting tenses in reported speech, particularly when the information is current and ongoing, such as habits. For example, 'I love my parents' remains 'Lucy said that she loves her parents' because the action is ongoing.

💡Practice

Practice in the context of the video refers to the act of applying what one has learned through exercises and activities to reinforce understanding. The instructor provides exercises in the PDF for learners to practice converting direct speech to reported speech, which is a key part of mastering this grammar concept.

💡Pronunciation Course

A pronunciation course is a type of language learning program focused on teaching the correct pronunciation of words. The video script mentions a specific course offered by the instructor, which focuses on British English pronunciation, and viewers are given a discount code to encourage enrollment, showing a way to further develop language skills beyond grammar.

Highlights

Introduction to reported speech with the goal of making it simple and easy to use with confidence.

Free PDF available with lesson material and a quiz to reinforce learning.

Direct speech example: 'I like chocolate' transformed into reported speech: 'She said that she liked chocolate'.

Important rules for reported speech: Add a reporting verb, backshift tenses, and change pronouns.

Key reporting verbs: 'to say' and 'to tell' with examples of their usage.

Backshifting tenses: Present simple changes to past simple, present continuous to past continuous, etc.

Exceptions to tense changes when the information is still current and ongoing.

Clarification of how future tenses change from 'will' to 'would' in reported speech.

Example practice: Transform 'I want to buy a car' into 'Lucy said that she wanted to buy a car'.

Explanation of tense transformations, such as present perfect to past perfect and past simple to past perfect.

Exercise examples for learners to practice changing direct speech into reported speech.

Exception for ongoing actions or habits, such as 'I love my parents' remaining in present tense in reported speech.

Reminder to download the PDF for exercises and further practice.

Information on accessing Lucy’s British pronunciation course with a discount code.

Encouragement to follow Lucy on social media platforms and use vlogs for additional listening practice.

Transcripts

(upbeat music)

- Hello, lovely students.

And welcome back to English With Lucy.

Today, we are going to talk about reported speech.

Reported speech can seem really complicated at first,

but my goal in this lesson is to make it really easy

and understandable for you

so that you can use it with confidence.

To assist you, I've also created a free PDF

that goes with this lesson.

It covers everything we're going to discuss today,

and it has a quiz.

So you can test your understanding

and put what you've learned into practise.

One of the most important parts.

If you'd like to download the free PDF,

just click on the link in the description box,

you enter your name and your email address.

You sign up to my mailing list

and the PDF will arrive instantaneously in your inbox.

Every week after that you will automatically receive

all of my free lesson PDFs

and quizzes along with all of my news,

course offers and updates.

All right, let's get started with the lesson.

Firstly, let's take a look at direct speech.

The speech is, I like chocolate.

Then we have to follow a couple of simple rules.

Number one, we have to add a reporting verb.

Number two, and this one's really important.

We have to backshift our tenses by one.

And number three, we have to change the pronouns.

This sounds very complicated.

Let's put it into practise.

It's easier to see it.

If we want to change that into reported speech,

she said that she liked chocolate.

We've added the reporting verb, she said,

we've back shifted our tense, like, liked

and we've changed the pronouns, I has gone to she.

The most common reporting verbs are to say and to tell,

which are conjugated to said and told.

Remember to always include your reporting verbs

when using reported speech.

A couple more examples.

She said that she loved the movie.

That here is optional.

She said she loved the movie.

She said that she loved the movie.

You can use whichever you'd like.

They said they ate breakfast.

They said that they ate breakfast.

We can also use the structure to say to someone,

Robert said to his teacher that he finished the assignment.

Robert said to his teacher

that he had finished the assignment

or Alison said to her mother

that she was feeling ill.

When we use tell, we must always remember to add in

the person we're reporting to.

We use the structure tell plus who we're reporting to.

She told me that she loved the movie.

They told us that they had eaten breakfast.

So let's talk about that backshift in tenses.

When we use reported speech,

we're changing the perspective.

English has 12 basic tenses that can be broken down

into three groups, the past, the present and the future.

It might sound like a lot of changes,

but I've created a list for you.

You can download the PDF and keep that list with you.

I've also got it on screen now.

Focus now on the past perfect

and the past perfect continuous.

You will see that there are no changes.

This is because we can't really go

any further back in the past.

I had been doing my homework.

Lucy said that she had been doing her homework,

no change to the tense.

The future tenses are also really easy.

They all use will, and they simply changes to would.

I will be going to university next year.

Lucy said that she would be going to university next year.

I think those six tenses are a gift from the grammar gods.

(laughs)

You just have to focus on the first six.

I'm going to give you some examples in direct speech

and I want you to change them into reported speech.

I'm going to give you a few seconds,

but feel free to pause the video.

And let's look at the present simple to past simple.

For all of these, I'm going to say I,

and you have to change it to Lucy said that she.

So the first one, I want to buy a car.

You need to start it with Lucy said that she.

I'll give you a few seconds.

Lucy said that she wanted to buy a car,

present simple to past simple.

Let's try it present continuous to past continuous.

I am doing my homework.

I'll give you a couple of seconds.

Lucy said that she was doing her homework.

What about present perfect to past perfect?

I have finished my homework.

Lucy said that she had finished her homework,

past simple to past perfect.

I washed the dishes.

Lucy said that she had washed the dished.

Those are the hard ones.

Let's try a couple with will and would.

I will call you later.

Lucy said that she would call you later.

Now as always with English, there are some exceptions.

With reported speech, we usually don't change the tense

if the information is current and ongoing, like a habit.

I love my parents.

Lucy said that she loves her parents.

I still love my parents is ongoing.

So we might keep it in the present tense.

Right, that is it for your introduction to reported speech.

Now it's time to review everything you've learned

and put it into practise.

I have got some exercises for you on the PDF.

Just click on the link in the description box

and sign up to my mailing list.

If you're interested in taking my pronunciation course,

you can click on the link in the description box.

I teach British English pronunciation,

the modern RP accent, that is my accent.

And you can get 10% off if you use the code,

YouTube10 at checkout.

Don't forget to connect with me on all of my social media.

I've got my Instagram and I've got my personal channel

where I upload vlogs of our life here

in the English countryside.

And all of the vlogs are fully subtitled

so you can use them for listening practise

and you can use them to acquire

that much needed vocabulary in context.

I've also got my website Englishwithlucy.co.uk,

or I've got a fab pronunciation tool

and lots of my previous lessons.

I will see you soon for another lesson.

(upbeat music)