Reported Speech
May 21, 2015
ReportedSpeech
DIRECT SPEECH
When you want to say what another person said before, you can use that person's own words: ✓Tom: "It'’s cold now".✓Tom said: "It'’s cold now".
INDIRECT SPEECH
Or you can use indirect speech "reporting" what the other person said: ✓Tom: "It's cold now".✓Tom said that it was cold.
TELL OR SAY?
We use tell if we want to mention the hearer, and this verb always needs an Indirect Object. He told her that he couldn't go.
TELL OR SAY?
We use say when we do not mention the hearer: He said he wouldn't go. We can mention the hearer adding "to": He said to her that...
TELL OR SAY?
We don't have to add "that" after "tell" or "say" if we don't want to.
• In formal texts it's better to keep it.
OTHER REPORTING VERBS
We can use a clause with that with:admit, advise, agree, insist, promise, remind, suggest and warn. They are used like say and tell.
CHANGES
When we report someone's words, some changes take place: Person Time/place Verbs tenses
CHANGES of PERSON
I he/she➪my his/her➪we they➪ours theirs➪
CHANGES of PLACE
here there➪
CHANGES of TIME
now then➪today that day➪yesterday the day before➪ the previous day tomorrow the next day➪ the following day
CHANGES of TIME
this week that week➪last week the previous week➪a year ago the year before➪
TENSE CHANGES
present simple past simple➪He is tired ➪ He was tired Present perfect Past perfect➪He has eaten He had eaten➪
TENSE CHANGES
present continuous past continuous➪He is playing ➪ He was playing Future simple Conditional➪He will go ➪ He would go
TENSE CHANGES
can could➪he can play ➪ He could play must had to➪He must go ➪ He had to go
TENSE CHANGES
past simple past perfect➪ ➪ past simple He went ➪ he went ➪ he had gone
TENSE CHANGES
These modal verbs do not change:
•could•should•might•ought to•would
TENSE CHANGES
We don't have to change the tense if the sentence refers to something general or that is still true:
I love playing cards; She said that she loves playing cards.
REPORTED QUESTIONS
We do not use auxiliaries in reported questions:
He wanted to know if I was coming with them.
REPORTED QUESTIONS
We do not use auxiliaries in reported questions:
He wanted to know if I was coming with them.
REPORTED QUESTIONS
WORD ORDER:
The word order in reported questions is the same as in a positive sentence:
He asked me if I had some money.
WH- QUESTIONS
We can report questions with verbs like ask, wonder or want to know. What's the time?
He wanted to know ➪He asked ➪ what the time was.He wondered ➪
YES/NO QUESTIONS
They are introduced by if or whether. Are you happy?She wanted to know if/whether I was happy.
ASKING FOR INFORMATION
To ask politely for information we can use a phrase like: • Could you tell me...?• Do you know...?• Have you any idea...?
REQUESTS AND ORDERS We can use the structure tell/ask someone to do something. Go inside: She asked me to go inside. She told me to go inside.Don't go inside: She asked me not to go inside.
She told me not to go inside.
OFFERS, SUGGESTIONS AND MORE
We can use agree, offer, promise, refuse and threaten with a to-infinitive:
I'll open the windows. He offered to open the windows.
OFFERS, SUGGESTIONS AND MORE
We can also use an object + to-infinitive after advise, invite, remind and warn. Don't forget to bring the toys.He reminded me to bring the toys.
OFFERS, SUGGESTIONS AND MORE
We can use admit, apologize for, insist on and suggest followed by an -ing form.
You should play cards with us.He insisted on playing cards.