Speaking:
What Did They Say?
Grouping:
Time:
Pairs → Small groups
15 minutes
Aim
Students will convert direct speech into reported speech, adjusting verb tenses, time expressions, and modals.
Materials
• Quote cards with direct speech statements.
• Time expression chart showing shifts (now → then, today → that day, etc.).
Preparation
• Write statements using various tenses and modals (e.g., “I will call you tomorrow.”).
Activity Breakdown
1. One student reads a direct speech quote.
2. Their partner reports it back in reported speech.
3. They check each other’s grammar using the time shift chart.
4. They swap roles.
Instructions
1. Pick a quote card.
2. Read the direct speech.
3. Your partner reports it back using correct tense and modal shifts.
4. Check your answers with the time shift chart.
5. Switch roles and repeat.
Concept Checking Questions
• “What happens to ‘will’ in reported speech?” (It becomes ‘would’).
• “How does ‘yesterday’ change?” (It becomes ‘the day before’).
Examples
• Direct: “I can’t come today.”
• Reported: She said she couldn’t come that day.
Extensions/Varations
• Harder: Use more complex sentences (“I might go if I have time.” → She said she might go if she had time.).
• Easier: Provide a verb shift chart.
Error Correction
• Teacher listens for incorrect tense shifts and elicits self-correction.
Writing:
News Report
Grouping:
Time:
Individual → Peer review
20 minutes
Aim
Students will write a short news article using reported speech shifts.
Materials
• A worksheet with direct quotes from a fictional news interview.
Preparation
• Provide direct speech quotes from an imaginary news report.
Activity Breakdown
1. Students rewrite the quotes into reported speech.
2. They write a short news article using the information.
3. They swap and review a partner’s article.
Instructions
1. Read the direct speech quotes.
2. Convert them into reported speech.
3. Write a short news article.
4. Swap with a partner and give feedback.
5. Revise your article if needed.
Concept Checking Questions
• “Can we say ‘She said that she is happy’?” (Only if the situation is still true).
• “What happens to ‘will’?” (It becomes ‘would’).
Examples
• Direct: “The government will reduce taxes next year.”
• Reported: The minister announced that the government would reduce taxes the following year.
Extensions/Varations
• Harder: Students write a longer article.
• Easier: Provide sentence starters.
Error Correction
• Teacher reviews articles and provides written feedback.
Listening:
Overheard Conversations
Grouping:
Time:
Pairs → Whole class
15 minutes
Aim
Students will listen to a dialogue and report key statements using reported speech.
Materials
• An audio recording of a casual conversation.
• A gap-fill worksheet with missing reported speech transformations.
Preparation
• Choose an audio clip with a conversation featuring different tenses and modals.
Activity Breakdown
1. Students listen to the conversation and take notes.
2. They rewrite statements in reported speech.
3. They compare answers with a partner.
Instructions
1. Listen to the conversation.
2. Write down the key statements.
3. Transform them into reported speech.
4. Compare your answers with a partner.
5. Review the answers as a class.
Concept Checking Questions
• “What happens to ‘must’ in reported speech?” (It can change to ‘had to’ or stay the same).
• “Can we change ‘could’?” (No, ‘could’ stays the same).
Examples
• Direct: “You must finish by tomorrow.”
• Reported: She said I had to finish by the next day.
Extensions/Varations
• Harder: Students write their own conversation and report back.
• Easier: Provide a tense conversion table.
Error Correction
• Teacher pauses audio to review challenging transformations.
Reading:
What Did They Really Say?
Grouping:
Time:
Pairs
15 minutes
Aim
Students will identify and correct errors in reported speech in a short reading passage.
Materials
• A worksheet with a short passage that contains incorrectly reported speech.
Preparation
• Write a short text with mistakes in reported speech shifts (e.g., She said she will help tomorrow instead of She said she would help the next day).
Activity Breakdown
1. Students read the passage and underline mistakes.
2. They rewrite the sentences correctly.
3. They compare answers with a partner.
Instructions
1. Read the short passage.
2. Find the mistakes in reported speech.
3. Correct them using proper shifts.
4. Compare your corrections with your partner.
5. Share your answers with the class.
Concept Checking Questions
• “Does ‘shall’ always change in reported speech?” (Yes, usually to ‘should’ or ‘would’).
• “What happens to ‘yesterday’ in reported speech?” (It becomes ‘the day before’).
Examples
• Incorrect: She said she will be late.
• Correct: She said she would be late.
Extensions/Varations
• Harder: Students write their own paragraph and swap with a partner.
• Easier: Provide multiple-choice corrections.
Error Correction
• Teacher reviews sentences and elicits student corrections.