She Said She Was Tired
Reported speech — statements. Maya missed the award dinner; Ana retells every speech: Leo's gratitude, Omar's toast, and the unexpected mention of Maya as the inspiration.
📖 Reading: What Did Leo Say?
Maya had missed the café's award celebration dinner. The next day, she asked everyone what had happened.
"What did Leo say in his speech?" she asked Ana.
Ana reported: "He said that he was incredibly grateful. He told us that the café had changed his life. He explained that he had always believed in the neighbourhood."
"Did he mention Jess?" asked Maya.
"Yes! He said that without Jess, you wouldn't have come to Toronto. He claimed that you were the inspiration for the 'community' section of the café."
"Me?" Maya was surprised.
"He also mentioned that he had been thinking about opening a second location. He said the award had given him the confidence to go ahead."
"Did he cry?" asked Maya.
Ana smiled. "He admitted that he had tears in his eyes when Omar gave the toast. Omar said it was the most impressive café in the city — and the most important one."
"What did Omar actually say?"
"He said that some places weren't just businesses — they were homes. He told everyone that Café Colibri was his home away from home."
Maya was quiet for a moment. "I wish I'd been there," she said softly.
🔑 Vocabulary Box
Eight key words from this lesson.
| Word | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| grateful | Feeling thankful for something received | adj. — He said he was incredibly grateful. |
| inspiration | A person or thing that gives you creative ideas | n. — Maya was the inspiration for the community section. |
| toast | A short speech in honour of someone, with drinks raised | n. — Omar gave the toast. |
| impressive | Causing admiration through skill or achievement | adj. — He said it was the most impressive café. |
| backshift | The change of tense when converting to reported speech | n. — Tense backshift is key in reported speech. |
| claim | To state something as a fact, though others might disagree | v. — He claimed that Maya was the inspiration. |
| admit | To confess or acknowledge something openly | v. — He admitted that he had tears in his eyes. |
| mention | To refer briefly to something in conversation | v. — He mentioned a second location. |
📚 Key Verbs & Structures in This Lesson | |
say (that) | He said (that) he was grateful. / She said the café was beautiful. |
tell + person (that) | He told us that it had changed his life. |
explain (that) | She explained that she had always believed in the area. |
admit / claim / mention | He admitted he had cried. / Omar claimed it was a home. |
📚 Grammar Focus
📚 Reported Speech — Tense Backshift | |
Present Simple → | Past Simple: "I am happy." → He said he was happy. |
Present Continuous → | Past Continuous: "I am working." → She said she was working. |
Past Simple → | Past Perfect: "I worked." → He said he had worked. |
Present Perfect → | Past Perfect: "I've finished." → She said she had finished. |
Will → | Would: "I will come." → He said he would come. |
Can → | Could: "I can help." → She said she could help. |
Changes in Reported Speech
📚 Changes in Reported Speech | |
Pronouns | I/we/my → he/she/they/his/her/their |
Time words | now → then / today → that day / yesterday → the day before |
Place words | here → there / this → that |
say vs. tell | say (that)... / tell + person (that)... |
🎭 Dialogue: What Did They Say?
Maya missed the award speeches. Ana retells the highlights, switching from direct quotes to reported speech.
I missed the whole thing. What did Leo say in his speech?
He said he was incredibly grateful and that the café had changed his life.
And Jess? Did he mention her?
He said that without Jess, you wouldn't have come to Toronto.
He said that? What about the future? Did he mention his plans?
He mentioned that he'd been thinking about a second location.
What did Omar say in his toast?
He told everyone that Café Colibri was his home away from home.
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
What did Leo say about Jess and Maya?
What did Leo mention about the future?
What did Ana say Leo admitted?
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
Rewrite: '"I am incredibly grateful," said Leo.'
Rewrite: '"The café has changed my life," he told the guests.'
Rewrite: '"I will open a second location," he said.'
🎭 Now It's Your Turn — Role Play
Practice with a partner. Use the dialogue as a model and extend it.
- Student A: Tell your partner something interesting that someone said to you this week (real or invented).
- Student B: Report it back to a third person (real or imaginary), using reported speech.
- Then swap. Use at least 4 different reporting verbs: said, told, explained, admitted, claimed, mentioned.