REPORTED SPEECH

REPORTED SPEECH

What is it ? How do you use it?

We use it when we want to tell another person about a conversation that took place in the past (e.g telephone call, news or a story that someone told us, etc.)

Where’s Tom?

He said he was

feeling ill.

CHANGES FROM DIRECT TO REPORTED SPEECH:

Verb Tense (when the Reporting Verb is in the Past Tense – most times)

Personal Pronouns, Possessives

(In a logical way, see every sentence)

Demonstratives: This That

These Those

Time & Place Expressions

' I know quite a lot of people here.'Robert said.

Present Simple

Simple Past He said that he ...............................quite a lot of people there

'John is feeling much better ' Paul said.

Present Continuous

Past Continuous

He said that John ...........................much better

' I enjoyed my holiday in the States'David said.

Simple Past

Past Perfect He said that he ............................... his holiday in the States

'Jackie wasn´t feeling very well 'The teacher said.

Past Continuous

Past Perfect Continuous

He said that Jackie .........................very well

' They‘ve seen the Eiffel Tower 'John said.

Present Perfect

Past Perfect He said that they ............................the Eiffel Tower

' I have been waiting for ages 'My father said.

Present Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect Continuous

He said that he ............................for ages

' Nobody had warned them about the storm ' The politician said.

Past Perfect

Past Perfect

(No change)

He said that nobody .................... about the storm

' She had been reading all day 'Brenda said.

Past Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect Continuous(No change)

She said that she ........................ all day

Verb Tense Changes:

' I will be here with you.'Robert promised me.

Future Simple

Conditional Robert promised that he ...............................there with me

'John is going to study French ' Paul said.

Be going to

Was/Were going to

Paul said that John ...........................to study French

MODAL VERBS:

' We can start the lesson'David said.

Can

Could David said that we ............................... start the lesson

' They may come home 'My husband said.

May Might My husband said that they .........................come home

' You must be quiet in class 'The teacher told us.

‘ I’ll see you later!’ She said.

Must

Will/ Shall

Had to

Would

The teacher told us that we ............................be quiet in classShe said that she ………..… me later.

Changes in Time and Place expressions:

Time PlaceNow

Ago

Then

Before

here there

today that day This town/ garden...

That town/ garden ...

tomorrow the following day OR the day after

These cities/ ... Those cities/ ...

yesterday the previous day OR the day before

last week/ month/ ...

the previous week/ month ... OR the week before

Next week / month/ ...

The following week / month OR the week/ month after

Statements are Affirmative or Negative Sentences.We use a Reporting Verb + That (it can be omitted)

+ Subject + verb in Previous tense + ...- “The students are tired”- said the teacherThe teacher said (that) the students were tired.- “It’s the funniest show I’ve ever seen” -Joan told me.Joan told me (that) it was the funniest show she had ever seen.- “I’ll call you this afternoon” - Mary assuredMary assured us (that) she would call us that afternoon.

REPORTING STATEMENTS

Reporting Verbs:

ADDADMIT *ANSWERARGUEASSUREBOAST about *

COMPLAIN to .. About *DENY *EXPLAINGRUMBLE about *OBJECT to *OBSERVE

POINT OUTPROMISEPROTEST against /about *REMARKREPLY

* These verbs + ing

The most common ones:

TELL + I.O. and SAYFollowed by THAT ( Remember it can be omitted!)

A) YES / NO QUESTIONS:

Reporting Verb + If or whether + Subject + Verb +...

(Order of Reported Question: Subject + Verb - as in Statements)

“Are you working these days?” he said.He asked if/whether I was working those days. (No Question

Mark)

“Did you speak to John last night?” she askedShe wanted to know if I had spoken to J, the night before.

REPORTING QUESTIONS

B) WH- QUESTIONS:

Reporting Verb + Question Word(s) + Subject + Verb (The Word Order is again the same as in Statements)

“Where did you go last summer?”. He asked me where I had gone the previous summer.“How long were you waiting for us?”She wanted to know how long I had been waiting for them.

Introductory verbs:

ask, wonder, would like/ want to know, …

The Imperative changes into (Not) To Infinitive:He said to us: “Stay here” He told us to stay there

The Reporting Verb must indicate “order”:He said: “Don’t mention that”

He told me not to mention that.

“Say that again”, he said to me He asked me to say that again.

Reporting Verbs:

Tell,ask, beg, invite, warn, order, command, instruct,...

REPORTING COMMANDS (= ORDERS)

We normally use suggest + gerund OR suggest that + Clause

•Let’s, why don’t we, shall we, why not… are omitted:

“Let’s go to the theatre” “Why don’t we go to the theatre?”“Shall we go to the theatre?”She suggested going to the theatreShe suggested that we (should) go to the theatre

“Let’s not argue again,” he said.He suggested not arguing againHe suggested that they should not argue again.

REPORTING SUGGESTIONS:

We use these Reporting Verbs: beg, ask, demand, request + (not) to(they usually take an Indirect Object)

The word “please” is omitted.

“Can I go out tonight, mum, please?” The boy begged.The boy begged to go out that night.“John, don’t open the window, please” I saidI asked /requested/begged John not to open the window.“Can you let me use your phone, please?” I asked my neighbour.

I asked my neighbour to let me use her phone.“Can I use your phone?” I asked my neighbourI asked my neighbour if I could use her phone OR

To use her phone

REPORTING REQUESTS

Agree, refuse, offer, promise, threaten + To Infinitive:

Ann: Would you wait half an hour?Tom: All rightTom agreed to wait half an hour.Chris: Would you lend me another €50?David: No, I won´t lend you any more moneyDavid refused ...

Accuse of, admit, apologize for, deny, insist on + Gerund

You took my money! He accused her of ...I didn’t steal it! He denied ...I am sorry I’m late She apologized for ...Let me pay, please She insisted on ...

Other Verbs & Structures: