REPORTED SPEECH

REPORTED STATEMENTS We use reported speech to report what someone said earlier. After a past tense reporting verb (e.g. said, told), the original verb forms usually move tense into the past, and the pronouns and possessive adjectives change: e.g. “I LIKE PIZZA”, Tim said Tim said (that) he liked pizza

TO SAY and TO TELL are the most common reporting verbs for statements TO SAY and TO TELL are the most common reporting verbs for statements. Notice how they are used: e.g. HE SAID (TO ME) (THAT) HE WAS TIRED. e.g HE TOLD ME (THAT) HE WAS TIRED.

PRACTICE: Report the statements “I’ve got an awful headache”. Kim said that she had an awful headache. “I haven’t been feeling well all day”. She.................................................................... “I’ve found some great trainers.” Tom................................................................. “I wasn’t looking for them.” He..................................................................

In the transformation of direct speech to indirect, you must change tenses:

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH PRESENT SIMPLE Brenda said: “I walk to school every day” PAST SIMPLE Brenda told me she walked to school every day. PRESENT CONTINUOUS “I’m going to a party tomorrow” PAST CONTINUOUS She said she was going to a party the following day. PAST SIMPLE/ PRESENT PERFECT/ PAST PERFECT “I haven’t been to Hyde Park yet” PAST PERFECT She told me she hadn’t been to Hyde Park yet. AM/IS/ARE GOING TO “I’m going to visit the new Tate Gallery next week”. WAS/WERE GOING TO She said she was going to visit the new Tate Gallery the following week. WILL/WOULD “My teacher will be thirty tomorrow.” WOULD She said her teacher would be thirty the following week. WOULD HAVE “I would have liked to have you all here with me at Christmas.” She said she would have liked to have us all there with her at Christmas.

In the transition from direct to the indirect speech the following are also trasformed:

PERSONAL PRONOUNS I HE/SHE YOU I, WE WE THEY ME HIM/HER YOU ME, US US THEM

POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES AND PRONOUNS MY HIS/HER YOUR MY, OUR OUR THEIR MINE HIS/HERS YOURS MINE, OURS OURS THEIRS

ADVERBS AND EXPRESSIONS OF TIME NOW THEN TODAY THAT DAY TONIGHT THAT NIGHT YESTERDAY THE DAY BEFORE TOMORROW THE FOLLOWING LAST SUNDAY THE PREVIOUS SUNDAY NEXT WEEK THE FOLLOWING WEEK

PRACTICE: Complete the reported statements Diane: “I will go there tomorrow.” Diane said that she would go there the next day. Roger: “Paul and I can’t come to the party.” Roger said that Paul and ........ couldn’t go to the party. Bill: “ Thanks, Rob. You are a great help!” Bill thanked me and told me that ...... was a great help.

Reported statements with no tense change If the reporting verb is in the present tense (e.g. says), the tense does not change in reported speech: e.g. “I’ll meet you there” He says he’ll meet us there

If the statement we are reporting is still true in the present, we don’t have to change the tense after a past tense reporting verb. e.g. “It’s a good restaurant.” Helen said it’s a good restaurant.

But if the reporting verb is in the past tense, we can change the tense: e.g. “It’s a good restaurant” Helen said it was a good restaurant.

Reported commands and requests We form reported commands and requests with VERB + PERSON + TO infinitive We use ask to report commands: e.g. “Sit down” She told me to sit down. For negative requests and commands, we use NOT before the TO + infinitive e.g. “Please don’t make a noise” He asked us not to make a noise

PRACTICE: Report the commands and requests “Could you get the tickets, please?” He asked me to get the tickets. “Can you save a seat for me, please?” Rachel asked me .................................... “Bring you essays on Monday” The tutor told us .................................... “Stay at home for the rest of the week.” The doctor told me .................................

REPORTING QUESTIONS SUBJECT + VERB THE INTERROGATIVE PROPOSITIONS HAVE THE SAME CONSTRUCTION OF INDIRECT AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES SUBJECT + VERB ATTENTION: DO NOT USE THE AUXILIARIES DO, DOES, DID e.g. She asked me if I had liked the present.

We can now see two videos that give a further explanation of this structure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkBCBWR8QLc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iYO4c5tGnI