B2 Upper-Intermediate

REPORTED SPEECH
MASTERY

Transforming statements and questions with precision.

BY RAQUEL'S SCHOOL

Section 01

REPORTED STATEMENTS

Learn the rules of backshifting: moving one tense into the past when reporting someone else's words.

Backshifting Rules

Direct Speech	Reported Speech
Present Simple (do)	Past Simple (did)
Present Continuous (is doing)	Past Continuous (was doing)
Past Simple (did)	Past Perfect (had done)
Present Perfect (have done)	Past Perfect (had done)
Will / Can	Would / Could

Time & Place Markers

Time

Today → That day
Now → Then
Tomorrow → The next day

Location

Here → There
This → That
These → Those

Pronouns

I / We → He / She / They
My → His / Her
Us → Them

Section 02

REPORTED QUESTIONS

Mastering the change from question word order to statement word order.

Structure of Questions

Wh- Questions

Keep the question word (Where, Why, etc.) but use Subject + Verb order.

"Where are you?" → He asked where I was.

Yes/No Questions

Use If or Whether to connect the reporting verb to the question.

"Do you know?" → She asked if I knew.

Interactive Practice: Part 1

1. "I have never seen this man before," said Julia.

2. "We are going to visit the museum tomorrow," they said.

3. "I will call you when I arrive here," he promised.

Interactive Practice: Part 2

4. "I can't find my keys anywhere," Sarah admitted.

5. "Where did you go last night?" my mother asked me.

6. "Do you like the food?" the waiter inquired.

Interactive Practice: Part 3

7. "How many languages can she speak?" I wondered.

8. "Stop talking!" the teacher told the students.

9. "Why haven't you finished the project yet?" he asked.

Quick Review Summary

Element	Transformation Key
Word Order	Subject + Verb (No aux: do/does/did)
If / Whether	Mandatory for Yes/No Questions
Pronouns	Must align with the current narrator
Past Perfect	The "Dead End" tense (no backshift)

THANK YOU!

Any Questions?

Raquel's School

www.raquelsschool.com

info@raquelsschool.com

REPORTED SPEECHMASTERY