Here’s a detailed lesson plan for teaching reported speech, designed to help students understand its use, structure, and practical application in conversations and writing.

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Lesson Plan: Reported Speech

Target Audience: Intermediate English learners

Lesson Duration: 60-90 minutes

Lesson Objective:

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify and understand the difference between direct and reported speech.
2. Transform sentences from direct to reported speech accurately.
3. Use reported speech in various contexts, such as conversations, storytelling, or formal writing.

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Lesson Outline

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1. Warm-Up Activity (5-10 minutes)

Objective: Activate students’ interest and introduce the concept of reported speech.

• Activity: Who Said It?
  1. Write famous quotes on the board (e.g., “I have a dream.” – Martin Luther King Jr.).
  2. Ask students to report them. Example:
     • Martin Luther King Jr. said that he had a dream.
  3. Discuss the difference between quoting directly and reporting what someone said.

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2. Explanation of Rules (15-20 minutes)

Objective: Teach the grammar structures and rules of reported speech.

2.1 What is Reported Speech?

• Direct Speech: Quoting someone’s exact words.
  • Example: He said, “I am tired.”
• Reported Speech: Paraphrasing what someone said.
  • Example: He said that he was tired.

2.2 Key Changes in Reported Speech

1. Pronouns: Adjust based on the speaker and listener.
   • “I am happy.” → She said that she was happy.
2. Verb Tense Shift (Backshifting):
   • Present → Past: “I like apples.” → He said that he liked apples.
   • Past → Past Perfect: “I went there.” → She said that she had gone there.
   • Future → Conditional: “I will call you.” → He said that he would call me.
3. Time Expressions:
   • Now → Then, Today → That day, Tomorrow → The next day.
4. Questions in Reported Speech:
   • Yes/No Questions: “Do you like pizza?” → He asked if I liked pizza.
   • Wh-Questions: “Where are you going?” → She asked where I was going.
5. Commands and Requests:
   • “Close the door.” → She told me to close the door.

2.3 Exceptions

• No backshifting if the reporting verb is in the present tense:
  • He says, “I like tea.” → He says that he likes tea.
• No change in universal truths:
  • “The Earth is round.” → He said that the Earth is round.

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3. Guided Practice (15-20 minutes)

Objective: Practice reported speech with teacher guidance.

1. Sentence Transformation:
   • Provide direct speech sentences. Students convert them into reported speech. Example:
     • “I am reading a book.” → She said that she was reading a book.
     • “Where is the library?” → He asked where the library was.
2. Error Correction:
   • Display incorrect sentences. Students identify and correct the errors.
     • Incorrect: She said that she will come tomorrow.
     • Correct: She said that she would come the next day.
3. Fill in the Blanks:
   • Direct: “I can swim.”
   • Reported: She said that she ______ swim. (could)

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4. Communicative Practice (20-25 minutes)

Objective: Apply reported speech in realistic scenarios.

1. Role-Playing:
   • Divide students into pairs. One student acts as a journalist, asking questions. The other reports the answers.
     • Example: Journalist: “What is your favorite hobby?”
       • Report: She said that her favorite hobby was painting.
2. Story Retelling:
   • Read a short dialogue or story aloud. Students retell it using reported speech. Example:
     • Dialogue:
       • John: “I’m going to the market.”
       • Mary: “Can you get me some oranges?”
       • Report: John said that he was going to the market. Mary asked if he could get her some oranges.
3. Class Survey:
   • Students ask their classmates a question (e.g., “What is your favorite food?”) and report their answers to the class.
     • Example: Anna said that her favorite food was pizza.

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5. Wrap-Up and Homework (5-10 minutes)

Objective: Reinforce learning and provide additional practice.

1. Quick Quiz:
   • Ask 3-5 direct speech sentences for students to convert on the spot.
2. Homework:
   • Write a short report about what 3 family members or friends said during a conversation. Example:
     • My brother said that he had finished his homework.
     • My mom asked if I could help her with cooking.

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Additional Tips for Teaching Reported Speech

• Visual Aids: Use a chart to show tense shifts and common time expression changes.
• Games: Play a “Reported Speech Relay,” where students pass sentences in reported form.
• Technology: Use apps or websites like Kahoot! for quizzes on reported speech.

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Reported Speech Quiz

Instructions: Choose the correct option for each question.

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1. What is reported speech?
A) Quoting someone’s exact words
B) Paraphrasing what someone said
C) Writing a story
D) None of the above

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2. Which of the following sentences is an example of reported speech?
A) He said, “I am happy.”
B) He said that he was happy.
C) “I will go to the park,” she said.
D) She says, “I am tired.”

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3. In reported speech, which of the following changes occurs?
A) Pronouns are kept the same
B) Verb tenses often shift back
C) Time expressions remain unchanged
D) None of the above

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4. How should the sentence “I am going to the store” be reported?
A) She said that she is going to the store.
B) She said that she will go to the store.
C) She said that she was going to the store.
D) She says that she was going to the store.

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5. What is the reported speech for the question: “Do you understand this lesson?”
A) He asked if I understood this lesson.
B) He asked if I understand this lesson.
C) He asked if I will understand this lesson.
D) He asked did I understand this lesson.

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6. Which of the following is a correct change in time expressions?
A) Yesterday → Tomorrow
B) Now → Then
C) Today → Tomorrow
D) Next week → Last week

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7. What happens in reported speech if the reporting verb is in the present tense?
A) No change occurs
B) Backshifting happens
C) Both backshifting and time change
D) Only pronouns change

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8. How would you report the command, “Close the door”?
A) She said to close the door.
B) She told me to close the door.
C) She asked to close the door.
D) She said that I close the door.

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9. What is the correct reported speech for “I will call you tomorrow”?
A) He said that he will call me tomorrow.
B) He said that he would call me tomorrow.
C) He said that he called me tomorrow.
D) He said that he would call me the next day.

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10. In reported speech, which of the following sentences remains unchanged?
A) The sun rises in the east.
B) She said, “I am a teacher.”
C) “I will see you later,” he said.
D) He said, “I can swim.”

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Answers:

1. B
2. B
3. B
4. C
5. A
6. B
7. A
8. B
9. D
10. A

Rules of Reported Speech

1. Pronouns: Adjust based on the speaker and listener.
   • Example: “I am happy.” → She said that she was happy.
2. Verb Tense Shift (Backshifting):
   • Present → Past: “I like apples.” → He said that he liked apples.
   • Past → Past Perfect: “I went there.” → She said that she had gone there.
   • Future → Conditional: “I will call you.” → He said that he would call me.
3. Time Expressions:
   • Change as follows: Now → Then, Today → That day, Tomorrow → The next day.
4. Questions in Reported Speech:
   • Yes/No Questions: “Do you like pizza?” → He asked if I liked pizza.
   • Wh-Questions: “Where are you going?” → She asked where I was going.
5. Commands and Requests:
   • “Close the door.” → She told me to close the door.
6. Exceptions:
   • No backshifting if the reporting verb is in the present tense:
     • Example: He says, “I like tea.” → He says that he likes tea.
   • No change in universal truths:
     • Example: “The Earth is round.” → He said that the Earth is round.

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