Practice Dialogues - Reported Speech | Anglais Seconde France
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Apprendre les structures de phrases et les fonctions en anglais - Niveau Seconde - France
Introduction to Reported Speech
What is Reported Speech?
Reported Speech (Discours rapporté) est une structure grammaticale utilisée pour rapporter les paroles de quelqu'un sans les citer mot pour mot.
Elle permet de transmettre des informations, des pensées ou des sentiments exprimés par une autre personne.
He said, "I am going to the store."
He said that he was going to the store.
Basic Rules of Reported Speech
Fundamental Rules
When converting direct speech to reported speech, tenses usually move back one step:
- Present → Past (am/is/are → was/were)
- Present Perfect → Past Perfect (have/has done → had done)
- Past → Past Perfect (did → had done)
- Will → Would (will do → would do)
Pronouns change according to the subject of the reported speech:
- I → he/she
- You → I/he/she/they
- We → they
- This → that
- These → those
- Now → then
- Today → that day
- Yesterday → the day before
- Tomorrow → the next day
- Here → there
Examples of Tense Changes
Tense Transformation Examples
She says, "I like apples."
She said that she liked apples.
He says, "I am reading a book."
He said that he was reading a book.
They say, "We have finished our homework."
They said that they had finished their homework.
She says, "I will call you later."
She said that she would call me later.
Reporting Verbs
Common Reporting Verbs
- Say - Used for general statements
- Tell - Used when specifying who receives the message
- State - More formal way to report
- Announce - For public declarations
- Claim - Sometimes suggests doubt
"I am tired," she said.
She said that she was tired.
"Close the door," he told me.
He told me to close the door.
Reporting Questions
Reported Questions
Yes/No questions become indirect questions using "if" or "whether":
"Are you coming?" he asked.
He asked if I was coming.
Wh-questions keep the wh-word but change the word order:
"Where do you live?" she asked.
She asked where I lived.
- No auxiliary verb needed in reported questions
- Question mark removed
- Normal word order (subject + verb)
- Same tense changes apply
Reporting Commands and Requests
Imperatives in Reported Speech
Commands become "to + infinitive" or "not to + infinitive":
"Sit down!" he ordered.
He ordered me to sit down.
"Don't touch that!" she warned.
She warned me not to touch that.
Requests often use "asked + object + to + infinitive":
"Please help me," he begged.
He begged me to help him.
Practice Dialogue Example 1
Complete Dialogue Transformation
Tom: "Hello, Mary! How are you?"
Mary: "I'm fine, thank you. And you?"
Tom: "I'm great! Did you finish your project?"
Mary: "Yes, I finished it yesterday. Where are you going?"
Tom: "I'm going to the library. Will you come with me?"
Mary: "Sure, I'll come with you. Let's go!"
Narrator: Tom greeted Mary and asked her how she was. Mary replied that she was fine and asked him how he was. Tom said that he was great and asked if she had finished her project. Mary said that yes, she had finished it the day before and asked him where he was going. Tom replied that he was going to the library and asked if she would come with him. Mary agreed and said that she would come with him. Then they went together.
- Greetings become reported actions ("greeted")
- Questions become reported using "asked if/what/where"
- Answers use "replied that" or "said that"
- Tenses move back (am/is → was, did → had done)
- Pronouns change (you → he/she/they)
Practice Exercise 1
Convert to Reported Speech
Alice: "What time does the train leave?"
Bob: "It leaves at 3 o'clock. Can you wait for me?"
Alice: "Yes, I can wait. Will you bring my book?"
Bob: "Of course, I will bring it."
Solution to Exercise 1
Correct Answer
Alice: "What time does the train leave?"
Bob: "It leaves at 3 o'clock. Can you wait for me?"
Alice: "Yes, I can wait. Will you bring my book?"
Bob: "Of course, I will bring it."
Alice asked Bob what time the train left. Bob replied that it left at 3 o'clock and asked if Alice could wait for him. Alice said yes, she could wait, and asked Bob if he would bring her book. Bob replied that of course, he would bring it.
- What time does the train leave? → asked... what time the train left (question format + tense change)
- Can you wait? → asked if Alice could wait (can → could, you → Alice)
- Will you bring my book? → asked if he would bring her book (will → would, my → her)
Practice Dialogue Example 2
Complex Dialogue Example
Teacher: "Students, have you completed your assignments?"
John: "Yes, sir, I have finished mine. But I couldn't solve the last problem."
Teacher: "Don't worry about it. Please hand in what you have done."
John: "Okay, sir. When will we get the results?"
Teacher: "We'll discuss them tomorrow morning. Don't forget to review for the test next week."
John: "I won't forget, sir. Thank you for your patience."
The teacher asked the students if they had completed their assignments. John replied that yes, he had finished his but he couldn't solve the last problem. The teacher told him not to worry about it and asked him to hand in what he had done. John agreed and asked when they would get the results. The teacher replied that they would discuss them the next morning and reminded them not to forget to review for the test the following week. John promised that he wouldn't forget and thanked the teacher for his patience.
- Yes/No question: "Have you...?" → "if they had..."
- Command: "Don't worry" → "told him not to worry"
- Question: "When will...?" → "when they would..."
- Time changes: "tomorrow" → "the next day", "next week" → "the following week"
Practice Exercise 2
Advanced Dialogue Conversion
Manager: "Good morning, Sarah. Are you ready for the presentation?"
Sarah: "Yes, I am. I've prepared everything. Could you give me some feedback on my slides?"
Manager: "Certainly. They look good, but try to simplify them. What time will the meeting start?"
Sarah: "It starts at 10 AM. Should I invite the marketing team?"
Manager: "Yes, please do. Don't forget to send the agenda by email."
Sarah: "I will, don't worry."
Solution to Exercise 2
Correct Answer
Manager: "Good morning, Sarah. Are you ready for the presentation?"
Sarah: "Yes, I am. I've prepared everything. Could you give me some feedback on my slides?"
Manager: "Certainly. They look good, but try to simplify them. What time will the meeting start?"
Sarah: "It starts at 10 AM. Should I invite the marketing team?"
Manager: "Yes, please do. Don't forget to send the agenda by email."
Sarah: "I will, don't worry."
The manager greeted Sarah and asked her if she was ready for the presentation. Sarah replied that yes, she was and that she had prepared everything. She asked the manager if he could give her some feedback on her slides. The manager replied certainly that they looked good but told her to try to simplify them. He asked what time the meeting would start. Sarah replied that it started at 10 AM and asked if she should invite the marketing team. The manager said yes and asked her to do so, reminding her not to forget to send the agenda by email. Sarah promised that she would and told him not to worry.
- Greeting: "Good morning" → "greeted"
- Question: "Are you ready?" → "if she was ready" (present → past)
- Modal change: "Could you give me?" → "if he could give her" (could stays the same)
- Future: "Will the meeting start?" → "would the meeting start" (will → would)
- Should: "Should I invite?" → "if she should invite" (should stays the same)
- Commands: "Don't forget" → "reminding her not to forget"
Practice Exercise 3
Classroom Dialogue Exercise
Student: "Excuse me, teacher. When will we have the exam?"
Teacher: "It will be next Friday. Have you reviewed all the chapters?"
Student: "Yes, I have. But I still have some questions about reported speech."
Teacher: "Come to my office hours after school. We can discuss them then."
Student: "Thank you, teacher. Can I bring my notes?"
Teacher: "Of course. Bring whatever helps you learn better."
Solution to Exercise 3
Correct Answer
Student: "Excuse me, teacher. When will we have the exam?"
Teacher: "It will be next Friday. Have you reviewed all the chapters?"
Student: "Yes, I have. But I still have some questions about reported speech."
Teacher: "Come to my office hours after school. We can discuss them then."
Student: "Thank you, teacher. Can I bring my notes?"
Teacher: "Of course. Bring whatever helps you learn better."
A student interrupted the teacher and asked when they would have the exam. The teacher replied that it would be the following Friday and asked if the student had reviewed all the chapters. The student said yes and that he had, but that he still had some questions about reported speech. The teacher instructed him to come to her office hours after school and said that they could discuss them then. The student thanked the teacher and asked if he could bring his notes. The teacher replied of course and told him to bring whatever helped him learn better.
- When will we have? → when they would have (will → would, we → they)
- Next Friday → the following Friday (time reference change)
- Have you reviewed? → if the student had reviewed (present perfect → past perfect)
- Come to my office → instructed him to come to her office (command transformation)
- Can I bring? → if he could bring (can → could, I → he, my → his)
Summary and Key Points
Essential Rules Review
- Present Simple → Past Simple: I am → I was
- Present Continuous → Past Continuous: I am doing → I was doing
- Present Perfect → Past Perfect: I have done → I had done
- Past Simple → Past Perfect: I did → I had done
- Will → Would: I will do → I would do
- Can → Could: I can do → I could do
- May → Might: I may do → I might do
- Pronouns: I → he/she, you → I/he/she/they
- Time References: now → then, today → that day, tomorrow → the next day
- Place References: here → there, this → that, these → those
- Reporting Verbs: say/tell, ask, order/instruct, warn, etc.
- Use reporting verbs to introduce each speaker
- Transform each part of the conversation separately
- Maintain the flow of the conversation in reported form
- Connect ideas logically using conjunctions
Conclusion
Congratulations!
Continue practicing to reinforce your skills in reported speech