Report what we heard

We can report what another person says in two ways:

1. Quoting people. By using the exact words of the speaker.
We repeat the exact words used by the speaker and keep the exact words within quotation marks.

Example:

He told me, “I'm an architect”

"I love him", she said.

"I'm working", he said to me.

2. Reporting. By using our own words to repeat what the speaker said.
Here we do not use the quotation marks.

Example:


Direct: He told me, “I'm an architect” Reporting: He told me he was an architect.
Direct: I love him", she said. Reporting: She said that she loved him.
Direct: "I'm working", he said to me. Reporting: he said to me that he was working.





When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:

• Tenses (backshift): "Marco lives in the South", she told me. = She told me (that) Marco lived in the South.
• Pronouns. "I love you", she said. = SHE said she loved me.
• Place and time expressions: "We will wait for you here, tomorrow", they said. = They said they would wait for me there, the following day.
  

More info about reported statements:
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/reported-speech/statements



Exercises:
http://a4esl.org/q/h/9901/tm-reported1.html
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/reported-speech/exercises?03
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/reported-speech/exercises?04
http://esl.about.com/library/quiz/blgrquiz_reported1.htm
http://wwwedu.ge.ch/cptic/prospective/projets/anglais/exercises/reported1.htm
http://www.english-zone.com/verbs/indirect1.html