Can you help me!

[Quachtruc]

Now i 'm doing a project . The topic is about the problem of the learners when they study reported speech. Can you help me to find out the problems.This maybe the problem that you have had when you study this kind of grammar or those of your friends. It's really important to me. Can you tell me? Thanks alot

[vivi123]

I have found that applying the correct pronouns and possessives to a sentence causes great problems to students. Either because they confuse them, eg: him and his, their, theirs and them etc.... or simply because they cannot relate to the speaker of the original sentence.
To help them "see" I tell them that all first persons in a quoted sentences relate to the SPEAKER, and all second persons relate to the "LISTENER" hence, the first thing I tell them to do when they are beginners is to underline all 1st and 2nd persons and draw arrows from those words pointing to the speakers and/or listeners... then.... substitute them being aware constantly of the gender.
Tom said to Mary, "I have your money in my coat pocket."
he her his