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E9 E - Reported speech editing challenge

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E9 E - Reported speech editing challenge

Mini-Beschreibung: Improve a short text with typical mistakes in backshift, pronouns, time/place references, reported questions and commands. Explain selected changes and reuse the structures in a new situation.

Level: Klasse 9, E-Niveau, Englisch als erste Fremdsprache, Baden-Württemberg.

Learning loop: English first → understand → respond → ask → hint → improve → use again.

Einleitung

In this challenge, you work like an editor. You do not only change grammar: you check whether the reported version still expresses the speaker's original meaning.

Important: Reported speech is not a mechanical tense-changing game. Context matters. A time or place word changes only when the new reporting situation makes a change necessary.

I-can-Ziele

After this aiMOOC, you can ...

I can spot typical reported-speech errors in a longer text.
I can edit backshift, pronouns and time/place references according to context.
I can report questions with statement word order and commands with an infinitive structure.
I can explain selected changes using short grammatical reasons.
I can revise my own text and use the structures again in a new context.

Vorwissen aktivieren

Quick check. Say the direct sentence first. Then report it.

“I am tired.” → He said ...
“Do you know the answer?” → She asked ...
“Please close the door.” → He asked me ...
“I will finish it tomorrow.” → She said ...

Think before you change: Who is speaking? When is the report made? Where is the reporter now? Is the information still true?

Media warm-up

Viewing task: Watch a short part first without taking notes. Then watch again and collect three changes you notice when direct speech becomes reported speech. Compare your list with a partner.

Source check: Treat every grammar video as support, not as automatic truth. Check examples against your course rules and the context.

Reading: The editing challenge

Context: Maya and Leo are fictional Year 9 students preparing a private school podcast draft. No real profile, account or social-media data is used.

Direct conversation on Monday:

Maya: “I will send you the audio tomorrow.” Maya: “Do you have time today?” Leo: “I am free here after school.” Maya: “Don’t share the draft.” Maya: “Where did you save the file?” Leo: “I saved it on my laptop yesterday.”

Leo’s report on Wednesday contains several mistakes:

Maya said me that she will send me the audio tomorrow. She asked did I have time today. I said that I am free here after school. Then she told that don’t share the draft. She asked where did I save the file. I told her that I saved it on my laptop yesterday.

Your job: Find at least six points to edit. For four of them, add a reason such as backshift, pronoun reference, time reference, question word order or command structure.

Understand before editing

Answer in English.

What is Leo reporting?
When did the original conversation happen?
When is Leo writing the report?
Which words depend on time or place?
Which sentences are questions or commands?

Functional grammar toolbox

Backshift: use it with meaning

When the reporting verb is in the past, a past viewpoint is often shown by backshift.

Direct speech	Common reported form
am / is	was
are	were
will	would
have / has	had
did / past simple	had done / past perfect, when the earlier time relation needs to be clear

But: Do not backshift blindly. If a fact is still true or the speaker deliberately keeps it current, the original tense may remain possible.

Pronouns: follow the speaker and listener

“I will send you the file” can become “She said that she would send me the file” when Leo is reporting Maya’s words to himself as listener.

Ask: Who does each pronoun refer to now?

Time and place references

Possible changes include:

today → that day
tomorrow → the next day
yesterday → the day before
here → there

These changes depend on the new reporting situation. If the reporter is still in the same place or still speaking on the same day, a change may be unnecessary.

Reported questions

A reported question normally uses statement word order.

Direct: “Where did you save the file?” Reported: She asked where I had saved the file.

For yes/no questions, use if or whether.

Direct: “Do you have time?” Reported: She asked if I had time.

No question-mark structure is needed inside the reported clause: no did I, no was he, no do you.

Reported commands and requests

A common pattern is:

tell / ask + object + to-infinitive

Direct: “Close the door.” Reported: She told me to close the door.

Negative command:

Direct: “Don’t share the draft.” Reported: She told me not to share the draft.

Hint ladder

Use only as much help as you need.

Hint 1 – Spot the category: Check reporting verb, tense, pronoun, time/place word, question structure and command structure.

Hint 2 – Check the frames: said that ... / told + person + that ... asked if/whether ... / asked + question word + statement order told/asked + person + not to ...

Hint 3 – Check the timeline: Monday = original speech. Wednesday = report. Decide whether today, tomorrow, yesterday still point to the same time.

Possible improved version

One strong revision is:

Maya told me that she would send me the audio the next day. She asked if I had time that day. I said that I was free there after school. Then she told me not to share the draft. She asked where I had saved the file. I told her that I had saved it on my laptop the day before.

Editor note: Some context-sensitive alternatives can also be correct. For example, here may stay here if Leo is still reporting from the same place. A good explanation is more important than changing every reference automatically.

Error analysis

Problem	Better choice	Why?
said me	told me / said to me	tell normally takes a person directly; say normally does not
will send	would send	past reporting viewpoint
asked did I have	asked if I had	yes/no reported question + statement order
told that don’t share	told me not to share	reported negative command
asked where did I save	asked where I had saved	wh-question + statement order

Listening / Viewing

Choose one of the videos above.

First viewing: Listen for meaning. Do not stop after every sentence.

Second viewing: Pause after three examples. Say the direct version aloud, then the reported version.

Third viewing: Check whether the speaker changes tense, pronoun, time/place reference, or word order. Explain why.

Recordings are optional. Keep them private unless you actively choose otherwise. Do not upload recordings or personal data without permission.

Kontextwortschatz

Word or phrase	Use it for
report	giving somebody else’s words or ideas
mention	adding a point briefly
promise	reporting a commitment
warn	reporting a danger or strong caution
remind	reporting something someone should remember
admit	reporting that someone accepts something is true
deny	reporting that someone says something is not true
reference	a word linked to person, time or place
context	the situation that decides what a sentence means
revise	improving a text after checking it

Use again: Write two short reported-speech sentences with two different reporting verbs.

Aussprache und Fluency

Aim for clear meaning, not accent imitation.

Practise in chunks:

Maya told me / that she would send the audio / the next day.

Stress important content words. Keep the reporting clause smooth and do not pause after every word.

Fluency challenge: Report three lines from the original conversation without reading your written answer. Your partner may ask one spontaneous follow-up question.

Speaking

Work with a partner.

Student A reads one direct-speech line. Student B reports it. Then swap roles.

After each report, ask one follow-up:

“Why did you change that tense?”
“Does this time word still fit?”
“Who does this pronoun refer to?”
“Could another version also be correct?”

E-level extension: Give two possible versions when context allows variation, and explain the difference in meaning or viewpoint.

Writing

Editing task: Write a 120–160 word report of a fictional school-project conversation. Include:

one statement that needs backshift
one pronoun change
one time or place reference
one reported yes/no or wh-question
one reported command or request
two different reporting verbs

Then revise your own text in two passes:

Pass 1: Meaning – Is the original message still accurate? Pass 2: Form – Check tense, reference, word order and verb pattern.

Keep your own draft and show changes clearly. If you use digital or AI-supported feedback, check every suggestion yourself and keep your original wording available.

Mediation

A German-speaking classmate asks what happened in the fictional podcast meeting. Give the key information in English for that person’s purpose. Do not translate every sentence. Select what matters and use reported speech where useful.

Feedback

Use this short feedback frame:

Meaning: “Your report keeps / changes the original meaning because ...”

Grammar: “Check the structure after asked / told / said ...”

Context: “This time or place word depends on ...”

Next step: “Revise one sentence and use the same pattern in a new example.”

Can-do-Check

Rate yourself: secure / nearly there / need a hint.

I can distinguish said and told in common structures.
I can backshift when the reporting viewpoint requires it.
I can change pronouns without losing the reference.
I can adapt time/place words to context.
I can form reported questions with statement word order.
I can form positive and negative reported commands.
I can explain at least four edits.
I can transfer the grammar to my own coherent text.

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

Which sentence correctly reports “I will call you tomorrow” from a later day? (She said that she would call me the next day.) (!She said that she will call me tomorrow.) (!She said me that she would call me the next day.) (!She said that would she call me the next day.)

Which structure is correct after a past reporting verb in a yes-no reported question? (She asked if I had time.) (!She asked did I have time.) (!She asked if did I have time.) (!She asked that I had time?)

Which sentence correctly reports “Don’t open the file”? (He told me not to open the file.) (!He told that I do not open the file.) (!He said me not open the file.) (!He asked did not open the file.)

Which sentence uses statement word order in a reported wh-question? (She asked where I had saved it.) (!She asked where had I saved it.) (!She asked where did I save it.) (!She asked where I did save it.)

Which verb pattern is normally correct? (He told me that the meeting was over.) (!He told that the meeting was over.) (!He said me that the meeting was over.) (!He asked me that the meeting was over.)

Which change may be needed when a report is made two days later? (today can become that day) (!today must always stay today) (!today becomes here) (!today becomes whether)

What should guide pronoun changes in reported speech? (the people each pronoun refers to) (!the number of words in the sentence) (!the spelling of the reporting verb) (!the punctuation at the end)

Which statement about backshift is most accurate? (It often follows a past reporting viewpoint, but context can matter.) (!It is required after every reporting verb.) (!It never changes present forms.) (!It only changes pronouns.)

Which sentence can report “Where is my phone?” (He asked where his phone was.) (!He asked where was his phone.) (!He asked where is his phone?) (!He told where his phone was.)

What is the best editing principle for time and place words? (Check whether the new reporting context changes the reference.) (!Replace every time word automatically.) (!Never change place words.) (!Remove all time and place words.)

Memory

backshift	past reporting viewpoint
pronoun reference	who a pronoun points to
if or whether	reported yes-no question
statement word order	reported question structure
not to-infinitive	negative reported command
the next day	possible change from tomorrow

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Thema
would	backshift of will
if	yes-no reported question
statement word order	reported wh-question
not to share	negative command
the day before	possible change from yesterday

Kreuzworträtsel

Backshift	Wie heißt die häufige Zeitverschiebung bei Vergangenheitsbezug?
Pronoun	Welches englische Wort bezeichnet ein Fürwort?
Whether	Welches Wort kann neben if eine indirekte Ja-Nein-Frage einleiten?
Infinitive	Welche Verbform steht häufig nach tell plus Objekt?
Context	Was entscheidet mit darüber, ob Zeit- und Ortsangaben geändert werden?
Revision	Wie heißt die gezielte Überarbeitung eines Textes auf Englisch?

LearningApps

Lückentext

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

Reported speech spotting: Mark five changes in the model revision and name their categories.
Timeline check: Draw a Monday-to-Wednesday timeline for the challenge and place today, tomorrow and yesterday on it.
Question repair: Create four direct questions and turn them into reported questions.
Command repair: Create four classroom-safe commands or requests and report them with ask or tell.

Standard

Editing conference: Exchange a fictional 100-word report with a partner and give feedback on meaning, grammar and context.
Pronoun detective: Write a three-person dialogue and report it so that every pronoun reference remains clear.
Media check: Choose one example from a learning video, verify its structure using your notes and explain whether context could allow an alternative.
Fluency retell: Give a one-minute spoken report of a fictional school event and answer two spontaneous questions.

Schwer

Context contrast: Write two correct reported versions of the same direct sentence from two different times or places and explain the difference.
Source-based report: Use two short, teacher-approved English sources on the same school-relevant topic and report selected statements while clearly separating source claims from your own view.
Editor commentary: Revise a 150-word fictional report and add five concise margin-style explanations for your most important changes.
Transfer scene: Design a short role-play with statements, questions and commands, perform it, then produce a coherent written report from another character’s perspective.

Lernkontrolle

Meaning before form: Explain why changing every tense automatically can produce a poor report. Give one context-based example.
Timeline transfer: A conversation happens on Friday and is reported on Monday from another place. Decide which tense, time and place references may change and justify your choices.
Question transformation: Transform a mixed set of yes-no and wh-questions and explain how the word order changes.
Command transformation: Compare a request and a strong command. Report both with suitable reporting verbs and explain the effect.
Revision task: Improve a short error-filled report, then identify which change most affects meaning and which change mainly affects grammatical form.
Perspective task: Report the same fictional conversation from two different speakers’ perspectives and compare the pronoun choices.

Lernnachweis

For a successful learning record, show that you can:

produce a coherent reported-speech text, not only isolated transformations
keep the original meaning while changing perspective
use backshift selectively and justify exceptions
manage pronouns and time/place references clearly
form reported questions and commands accurately
explain selected edits with grammatical vocabulary
revise your own draft after feedback
respond to at least one spontaneous follow-up question
use media and sources critically rather than copying them
protect private data and keep optional recordings private unless you choose otherwise

OERs zum Thema

Folgekurs

Next step: Reported speech in interviews and source-based writing. There you can compare perspectives, report source statements and integrate them into a coherent argument without confusing a source’s view with your own.

Verknüpfte Lernbereiche

Reported Speech

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