E8 E - Reported speech grammar detective
aiMOOCE8 E - Reported speech grammar detective
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E8 E - Reported speech grammar detective
Mini-description: Become a grammar detective. You analyse typical mistakes in tense backshift, pronouns, time expressions, reported questions and commands, explain what went wrong and improve the sentence. The cases use fictional school-media situations.
Deutsch-Hilfe bei Bedarf: Du untersuchst Fehler in der englischen indirekten Rede. Erst Kontext lesen, selbst versuchen, dann Hinweise nutzen. Keine Vollübersetzung nötig.
Einleitung
A school podcast team is checking quotes before publishing an episode. Some notes are accurate; others change the meaning. Your job is to find the grammar clue, repair the sentence and explain your choice.
Detective routine: context → try → ask → hint → German help if needed → check → transfer.
Media task: Look at the speech bubbles. Imagine that you heard the conversation yesterday. Tell a partner what one speaker said without copying the exact words.
Privacy rule: All people and profiles in this course are fictional. Recordings are optional and should stay private unless your teacher gives a safe school platform. Do not upload personal recordings or private social-media data. Do not send class material to an external AI tool without permission.
I can ...
- Report what someone said with the right point of view.
- Use tense backshift when the reporting situation requires it.
- Change pronouns so that the meaning stays clear.
- Adapt time and place expressions when the context changes.
- Report questions with statement word order.
- Report commands and requests with object + to-infinitive.
- Explain a grammar correction instead of only guessing.
- Check whether a reported quote still matches its source.
Prior knowledge / Vorwissen
You should already know the main forms of the Simple Present, Simple Past, Present Perfect, Past Progressive, personal pronouns, question words and the to-infinitive. You have also met the passive.
Quick try: Change only the speaker perspective.
Direct: “I like this podcast,” Maya says.
Reported: Maya says that she likes that podcast.
Why no backshift? The reporting verb is present: says. The focus is on changing the point of view.
Media entry: listen like a detective
Viewing mission: Work with a short 60–90 second section first. On the first viewing, listen for the reporting verbs. On the second viewing, note one tense change. Use subtitles only after your first attempt. Focus on two speakers at a time if the scene feels fast.
Try: Write one direct sentence you hear or infer and one possible reported version.
Hint 1: Find the reporting verb first.
Hint 2: Ask: Is the reporting verb in the past? Has the time, place or speaker changed?
German help: Prüfe zuerst das Einleitungsverb und die Perspektive. Dann entscheide über Zeitform, Pronomen und Zeitangabe.
Grammar detective file
Case 1: Backshift or no backshift?
When the reporting verb is in the past, English often moves the tense one step back.
| Direct speech | Typical reported form |
|---|---|
| am / is / are | was / were |
| present progressive | past progressive |
| have / has + past participle | had + past participle |
| simple past | past perfect |
| will | would |
| can | could |
| past perfect | usually stays past perfect |
Example:
Direct: Leo said, “I am checking the source.”
Reported: Leo said that he was checking the source.
No automatic backshift: If the reporting verb is present, or if the speaker clearly treats information as still true, a backshift may be unnecessary.
Direct: “The Earth moves around the Sun.”
Reported: The teacher said that the Earth moves around the Sun.
E-level receptive clue: Nora said that she had been waiting for an answer. Recognise the past perfect progressive here; you do not need to produce it as a target form.
Case 2: Pronouns follow the meaning
Direct: Aisha said to Ben, “I will send you my notes.”
Correct report from Ben's point of view: Aisha said that she would send me her notes.
Pronouns do not change by a mechanical rule. They change because the speaker, listener and owner may be different in the new situation.
Ask yourself: Who is I now? Who is you? Whose object is it?
Case 3: Time and place expressions
These changes are common when the reporting situation has moved in time or place.
| Direct expression | Possible reported expression |
|---|---|
| today | that day |
| yesterday | the day before |
| tomorrow | the next day |
| now | then |
| here | there |
| this | that |
Context matters: If you are still in the same place or on the same day, a change may not be necessary.
Case 4: Reported questions
Direct: “Do you trust this post?”
Reported: She asked me if I trusted that post.
Direct: “Where did you find the photo?”
Reported: He asked where I had found the photo.
Pattern:
- Yes/no question: asked + if/whether + statement word order.
- Wh-question: asked + question word + statement word order.
- Do not keep do/does/did inside the reported clause.
Wrong: She asked if did I trust that post.
Correct: She asked if I trusted that post.
Feedback: A reported question is grammatically inside a statement. That is why the subject comes before the verb.
Case 5: Commands and requests
Direct: “Check the source first.”
Reported: The teacher told us to check the source first.
Direct: “Please send me the link.”
Reported: The editor asked me to send her the link.
Direct: “Don’t share it yet.”
Reported: The editor told us not to share it yet.
Pattern: told/asked + object + to-infinitive; negative: not to + infinitive.
Case 6: Say, tell, ask
say usually introduces the message: She said that the post was old.
tell normally needs an object: She told us that the post was old.
ask is used for questions and requests: She asked whether we had checked it. / She asked us to check it.
E-level link: reported speech + passive
At E level, you can also use the passive productively when it helps the message.
Direct: “The clips are checked before publication.”
Reported: The editor said that the clips were checked before publication.
Direct: “Someone shared the image without context.”
Passive report: Maya explained that the image was shared without context.
Use the passive because the action or result is more important than the person who did it.
Detective lab: find, fix, justify
For every case, use three steps: spot the clue – repair the sentence – explain why.
Error file A: tense
Source: “I am editing the audio now,” Sam said.
Faulty note: Sam said that he is editing the audio now.
Try: Improve the note.
Hint 1: The reporting verb is said.
Hint 2: The original now may also need a change.
German help: Vergangenes Einleitungsverb + veränderter Zeitpunkt → prüfe Backshift und Zeitangabe.
Feedback: Sam said that he was editing the audio then. The past reporting frame motivates the backshift; then fits the changed time perspective.
Error file B: pronoun
Source: Lina said to Tom, “I can send you my draft.”
Faulty note written by Tom: Lina said that I could send her my draft.
Try: Repair the pronouns.
Feedback: Lina said that she could send me her draft. The pronouns must match who speaks, who receives and who owns the draft.
Error file C: question
Source: “Why did you crop the photo?” the editor asked Jay.
Faulty note: The editor asked Jay why did he crop the photo.
Try: Repair the word order and tense.
Feedback: The editor asked Jay why he had cropped the photo. A reported question uses statement word order; the simple past can backshift to past perfect.
Error file D: command
Source: “Don’t post the clip yet,” Noor told the team.
Faulty note: Noor told the team don’t post the clip yet.
Try: Repair the structure.
Feedback: Noor told the team not to post the clip yet. A negative reported command uses not to + infinitive.
Listening and viewing
Use this longer lesson selectively rather than watching everything at once.
- First pass: choose a short section and note two examples of reported speech.
- Second pass: classify each example as statement, question or command.
- Third pass: explain one grammar change to a partner in English.
- Challenge: pause before an answer and predict the reported form.
Media-critical question: Does a grammar explanation present a strict rule, or does it also mention context? Find one place where context matters.
Reading: The quote check
Fictional school podcast note
Mina: “I found the screenshot yesterday, but I don’t know who made it.”
Owen: “Can you send me the original link?”
Mina: “I’ll look for it tonight.”
Editor: “Don’t describe the screenshot as proof before we check the source.”
The next morning, Owen writes:
Mina said that she had found the screenshot the day before, but she did not know who had made it. Owen asked whether she could send him the original link. Mina said that she would look for it that night. The editor told them not to describe the screenshot as proof before they checked the source.
Reading task: Match each reported sentence with its direct source. Underline one backshift, one pronoun change, one time-expression change and one reported command.
Perspective task: Why does careful reporting matter when a quote may influence how an audience understands a post?
Context vocabulary
| Word / phrase | Useful meaning in this course | Example |
|---|---|---|
| source | where information comes from | Check the source. |
| quote | words reported from a speaker | The quote needs context. |
| claim | say that something is true | The post claims the photo is recent. |
| evidence | information that supports an idea | One screenshot is weak evidence. |
| context | information around a message | The clip needs context. |
| reliable | likely to be correct or trustworthy | Is the source reliable? |
| report | tell what someone said | Report the answer accurately. |
| correct | find and repair an error | Correct the sentence. |
Pronunciation and speaking
Goal: clarity before accent. You do not need to sound like a native speaker. Make the important words easy to hear.
Say these pairs aloud:
Direct: “I CAN check it NOW.”
Reported: She said she COULD check it THEN.
Direct: “WHERE did you find it?”
Reported: He asked WHERE I had found it.
Speaking tip: Stress the information words. Keep the reporting frame lighter: she said that ..., he asked if ....
Optional private recording: Record one 20–30 second answer for yourself, listen once and improve one point: tense, word order or clarity. No upload is required.
Speaking challenge
Work in pairs with fictional roles.
Student A is a podcast host. Student B is a fact-checker.
A says three short lines: one statement, one question and one command.
B reports them back after 30 seconds without reading the original.
Then switch roles.
Feedback language:
I think the meaning is clear, but check the pronoun.
Your question needs statement word order.
The backshift works because the reporting verb is in the past.
No backshift is needed here because the fact is still treated as true.
Writing challenge
Write a 90–120 word “quote check” for a fictional school news post.
Include:
- one reported statement with backshift;
- one reported question;
- one reported command or request;
- one correct pronoun change;
- one changed time expression;
- one passive sentence.
Then revise in three rounds: meaning → grammar → style.
E-level precision check: Do not add rare words just to sound advanced. Choose clear, accurate English.
Mediation mini-task
A German class note says:
Die Redaktion bittet alle, die Quelle zu prüfen und den Clip noch nicht weiterzuschicken. Mia sagt, dass sie den ursprünglichen Beitrag gestern gefunden hat.
Tell an English-speaking exchange student the key information in natural English. Do not translate word for word. Use reported speech where it helps.
Possible start: The editors asked everyone to ...
AI and feedback check
AI-generated grammar feedback can be useful, but it can also be wrong or too general.
Before accepting a correction:
- compare it with the original context;
- check the reporting verb;
- check speaker, listener, time and place;
- ask whether the suggested tense change is really needed;
- keep your own wording instead of replacing your whole text automatically.
Use AI only when your school rules allow it. Do not send private recordings, names or private messages to external systems.
Can-do check
| I can ... | Not yet | With a hint | Independently |
|---|---|---|---|
| explain when backshift is likely | □ | □ | □ |
| change pronouns from context | □ | □ | □ |
| adapt time expressions when needed | □ | □ | □ |
| report a yes/no question | □ | □ | □ |
| report a wh-question | □ | □ | □ |
| report a command or request | □ | □ | □ |
| use a passive form in a short report | □ | □ | □ |
| explain why a correction is better | □ | □ | □ |
If you tick “with a hint”, return to one detective case, correct it again and explain the clue aloud.
Interaktive Aufgaben
Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen
Which reported sentence best matches “I am checking the source,” Maya said? (Maya said that she was checking the source.) (!Maya said that I am checking the source.) (!Maya asked that she was checking the source.) (!Maya told checking the source.)
Which sentence correctly reports a yes or no question? (He asked if I trusted the post.) (!He asked did I trust the post.) (!He asked if did I trust the post.) (!He told if I trusted the post.)
Which sentence correctly reports “Where did you find it?” (She asked where I had found it.) (!She asked where did I find it.) (!She asked where had I found it.) (!She said where I did find it.)
Which sentence correctly reports the command “Check the link.”? (The editor told us to check the link.) (!The editor told us check the link.) (!The editor said us to check the link.) (!The editor asked that check the link.)
Which sentence correctly reports “Don’t share it yet.”? (She told us not to share it yet.) (!She told us do not share it yet.) (!She said us not share it yet.) (!She asked that we not to share it yet.)
Which time expression commonly replaces yesterday when the reporting time has changed? (the day before) (!the day after) (!next week) (!right now)
Which sentence uses tell correctly? (She told me that the post was old.) (!She told that the post was old.) (!She told to me that the post was old.) (!She told if the post was old.)
Which sentence can correctly keep the present tense for a fact treated as still true? (The teacher said that the Earth moves around the Sun.) (!The teacher asked that the Earth moves around the Sun.) (!The teacher told that the Earth moves around the Sun.) (!The teacher said the Earth move around the Sun.)
Which reported sentence contains a correct passive form? (The editor said that the clips were checked before publication.) (!The editor said that the clips was checked before publication.) (!The editor said that the clips were check before publication.) (!The editor said that checked the clips before publication.)
What is the best first step when correcting reported speech? (Check the reporting context and who is speaking.) (!Change every verb to past perfect.) (!Replace every question word with if.) (!Keep every pronoun exactly the same.)
Memory
| backshift | tense moves one step into the past |
| pronoun change | new speaker perspective |
| if or whether | reported yes or no question |
| statement word order | subject before verb in a reported question |
| told someone to | reported command |
| not to | negative reported command |
| the day before | common change from yesterday |
| passive voice | focus on action or result |
Drag and Drop
| Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu. | Thema |
|---|---|
| Backshift | Tense change after a past reporting verb |
| Pronoun change | Speaker or listener perspective changes |
| If or whether | Yes or no question |
| Statement word order | Reported question structure |
| To-infinitive | Reported command or request |
Kreuzworträtsel
| Backshift | What is the common tense movement after a past reporting verb called? |
| Pronouns | Which word class changes when speaker perspective changes? |
| Whether | Which word can introduce a reported yes or no question besides if? |
| Infinitive | Which verb form follows to in a reported command? |
| Context | What helps you decide whether time words and pronouns must change? |
| Statement | Which type of word order is used inside a reported question? |
LearningApps
Lückentext
Offene Aufgaben
Leicht
- Fehlerdetektiv: Find and correct five reported-speech errors in sentences created by a partner. Name the clue for each correction.
- Sprechblasen: Create four fictional speech bubbles and rewrite them as reported speech one hour later.
- Zeitangaben: Make a small before-and-after card for today, yesterday, tomorrow, now and here. Add one example sentence.
- Aussprache: Read one direct and one reported sentence aloud. Improve stress and clarity in a second private attempt.
Standard
- Interview: Write a six-line fictional interview, then report it as a short news note with at least one statement, question and command.
- Mediencheck: Compare a fictional direct quote with a shortened reported version. Explain whether the meaning stayed fair and accurate.
- Podcast: In pairs, record or perform a 45-second private classroom podcast in which one person reports what another person said.
- Mediation: Turn a short German class announcement into concise English using reported speech without translating every word.
Schwer
- Perspektivwechsel: Report the same fictional conversation from two different participants’ points of view and analyse the pronoun changes.
- Redaktionskonferenz: Create a fictional fact-check meeting. Use reported questions, commands and at least two productive passive forms.
- Regelprüfung: Collect six reported-speech examples from teacher-approved learning media and decide which rules are context-dependent.
- Überarbeitung: Write a 120-word school-news report, receive peer feedback, then submit a revised version with three explained changes.
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Lernkontrolle
- Kontextanalyse: A student reports the same quote once on the same day and once a week later. Explain which time expressions could change and why.
- Fehlerbegründung: Correct a faulty reported question and justify both the word-order change and any tense change.
- Perspektivtransfer: Rewrite a short conversation from a different participant’s perspective. Explain three pronoun choices.
- Medienethik: A short online post removes important context from a quote. Explain how accurate reported speech and source checking could improve the post.
- Sprachproduktion: Write a short report containing one statement, one question, one command and one passive form. Underline each function.
- Regelabwägung: Compare one example with backshift and one without backshift. Explain why both can be grammatically sensible in their contexts.
Lernnachweis
For a successful learning record, you should show that you can:
- understand the difference between direct and reported speech;
- use backshift when the reporting context requires it;
- recognise when no backshift is necessary;
- adapt pronouns and time expressions from context;
- form reported yes/no questions and wh-questions with statement word order;
- report positive and negative commands or requests;
- use a suitable passive form in a short E-level report;
- recognise the meaning of a past perfect progressive form without needing to produce it;
- explain corrections with grammar reasons;
- revise your own text for meaning, grammar and clarity;
- report media content accurately without inventing private data or removing important context.
OERs zum Thema
Media note: The images used above come from Wikimedia Commons. Before reusing a file outside MOOCwiki, check its file page for the exact licence and attribution information. The embedded videos are used as learning prompts; watch only the sections needed for the task.
Next step / Folgekurs
Continue with E8 E - Passive voice in media reports or a teacher-selected E8 course on combining Reported speech, Passive voice and Media literacy in longer texts.
Your next target: move from single corrected sentences to a short, accurate report in which grammar supports meaning.
Verknüpfte Lernbereiche