English IV Lecture (1) Reported Speech By Munira M. Ismail

Reported Speech “Medical English” Ramon Ribes Pablo R. Ros Objectives: By the end of this lecture Students should be able to: Report sentences. Report Questions.

Reported Speech Sentences we say are in “Direct Speech”. If we want to report what someone says to someone else, this is called the “ Indirect Speech OR Reported speech” Imagine that you want to tell someone else what the patient said. You can either repeat the patient's words/ use Reported Speech.

Reported Speech “I have a headache”. (Direct Speech) The patient says (that) he has a headache. (Indirect Speech / Reported Speech) “I study Medicine”. says Nawras (Direct Speech) Nawras says (that) she studies Medicine. (Indirect Speech / Reported Speech)

Reported Speech We can use (said) instead of (says). The reporting verb (said) can come before or after the Reported Clause. “Dr. Ahmad is operating on the new patient”. said Dr. Adam. Dr. Adam said (that) Dr. Ahmad was operating on the new patient.

Reported Speech “The nurse has taken the blood pressure.” He said (that) the nurse had taken the blood pressure. “I’m going to London next month.” He said (that) he was going to London the following month.

Reported Speech Reporting in the Present: When the Reporting Verb is in the Present tense, it isn't necessary to change the tense of the verb: "I'll help you guys to operate on this knee", Dr. Hassan says. Dr. Hassan says (that) he will help us to operate on this knee.

Reported Speech Reporting in the Past: When the Reporting Verb is in the Past tense, the Verb in Direct Speech usually Changes in the following ways: Simple Present → Simple Past. “The nurse helps the patient to walk.” He said that the nurse helped the patient to walk.

Reported Speech Present Continuous → Past Continuous. “Amna is doing her homework.” He said that Amna was doing her homework. Simple Past → Past Perfect. “The ambulance took the injured man to the hospital.” He said that the ambulance had taken the injured man to the hospital.

Reported Speech Past Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous. “The patient was waiting in the corridor.” The nurse said that the patient had been waiting in the corridor.

Reported Speech Present Perfect → Past Perfect. “Dr. Khalid has arrived at the hospital.” He said that Dr. Khalid had arrived at the hospital.

Reported Speech Present Perfect Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous. “I have been studying MR imaging for three months." ( said Dr. Salim) Dr. Salim said that he had been studying MR imaging for three months.

Reported Speech Past Perfect stays the Same. “I had worked as a doctor all my life.” She said that she had worked as a doctor all her life. “She had learned Spanish in Spain.” (Mother said) Mother said that she had learned Spanish in Spain.

Reported Speech Future → Conditional. “I will attend the international conference.” He said that he would attend the international conference.

Reported Speech Future Continuous → Conditional Continuous. “I will be operating on the patient we talked about.” ( said Dr. Fatima) Dr. Fatima said that she would be operating on the patient we talked about.

Reported Speech Future Perfect → Conditional Perfect. “The liver will have already arrived by the time we begin the transplantation.” The Doctor said that the liver would have already arrived by the time we begin the transplantation.

Reported Speech Conditional stays the same. “I would try to contact the hospital again.” He said that he would try to contact the hospital again.

Reported Speech Pronouns, and Adverbs also Change: First Person Singular → Third Person Singular. “I was on call yesterday.” He said that he had been on call the day before.

Reported Speech Second Person Singular → First Person “You ought to be here on time.” He said that I ought to be there on time. First Person Plural → Third Person Plural. “We enjoyed our holiday.” They said that they had enjoyed their holiday.

Reported Speech Second Person Plural → First Person Plural. “You were residents last year.” The doctors said that we had been residents the year before.

Reported Speech Now → then. Today → that day. Tomorrow → the day after “I’m on call tomorrow.” She said that she was on call the day after. Yesterday → the day before. This → that. Here → there. Ago → before.

Reported Speech It is not always necessary to change the verb when you use Reported Speech. If you are reporting something and you feel that it is still true, you do not need to change the tense of the verb, but if you want you can do it:

Reported Speech “The treatment of choice of HZV infections is acyclovir.” He said (that) the treatment of choice of HZV infections is acyclovir. He said (that) the treatment of choice of HZV infections was acyclovir.

Reported Speech Reporting Questions: (1) Yes and No Questions We use whether or if: “Do you smoke?” The doctor asked if I smoked .

Reported Speech “Have you had any diarrhea?” The doctor asked me whether I had had any diarrhea or not. “Are you taking any pills or medicines at the moment?” The doctor asked me if I was taking any pills or medicines then.

Reported Speech (2) Wh . . . Questions: We use the same question word as in the Wh... question: “How often do you have headaches?” The doctor asked how often I had headaches.

Reported Speech “What kind of antibiotics are you taking?” The doctor asked me what kind of antibiotics I was taking. Reported Questions have the following Characteristics:

Reported Speech The Word Order is Different from the Original question. The verb follows the subject as in an Ordinary Statement. The auxiliary verb do is not used. There is no question mark. The verb changes in the same way as in Direct Speech.

Reported Speech “How old are you?” The doctor asked me how old I was. “Do you play tennis?” The doctor asked me if I played tennis.

Reported Speech Reporting Orders and Requests Subject + told + (pronoun) + to + infinitive + object (indirect): “Take the pills before meals.” The doctor told me to take the pills before meals.

Reported Speech “You mustn't smoke.” The doctor told me not to smoke. Reporting Suggestions and Advice Suggestions and advice are reported in the following forms:

Reported Speech (1) Suggestions : “Why don't we operate on that patient this evening?” The surgeon suggested operating on that patient that evening. (2) Advice: “You had better stay in bed.” The doctor advised me to stay in bed.