REPORTED SPEECH
A form of speech used to express what another person has said, often involving a
change of tenses, pronouns etc
Indirect speech is a grammatical utterance from one’s mouth.
Example
Direct speech: I like films
Indirect/Reported speech: Maria said that, she liked films.
We are going to study the following kinds of utterances namely statements, questions,
request and commands and special reporting verbs. To facilitate the understanding of this
course, The word that must be brought in to connect the reporting verb and the reporting
expression and the verb tense changes in the reporting statement to avoid confusion. When we
tell someone what another person said, we often uses the verb say, tell or ask. These are
known as reporting verbs. Aside the main reporting verbs are other that used only when given:
A) REPORTED SPEECH: Statement for positive and negative sentences. The following changes
on this are necessary in the reporting statement so far.
IN THE VERB TENSE
DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH
Present simple Past simple
He studies hard to be a teacher. He said that he studied hard to be a teacher.
Present continuous Past continuous
He is studying hard to be a teacher He said that he was studying heard
Past simple Past perfect
He studied hard to be a teacher. He said that he had studied hard to be a
teacher.
Past continuous Past perfect continuous
He was studying heard to be a teacher He said that he had been studying heard to be
pilot
Present perfect Past perfect
He has studied heard to be a teacher He said he had studied heard to be a teacher
Present perfect progressive Past perfect progressive
He has been studying heard to be teacher He said he had been studying heard
Future simple Conditional simple
He will study heard to be a teacher He said he would study heard to be a teacher
Future progressive Conditional continuous
He will be studying heard to be a teacher He said he would be studying heard
Future perfect Conditional perfect
He will have studied heard to be a teacher He said he would have studied heard
Future progressive Conditional simple
He is going to study heard to be a teacher He said he was going to study heard
IN THE MODALS
Can: I can work Could: He said he could work
May: I may work Might: He said he could work
Must: you must work Had to: He said he could work
Have to: she has to work Had to: He said he could work
Will: I will work Would: He said he could work
IN EXPRESSING PLACES
Here there
there Over there
IN THE DEMONSTRATIVE
This That
These Those
IN THE EXPRESSION OF TIME
The day before yesterday Two days before
yesterday The day before
Last night The night before, the previous night
Ago before
Now At that moment, at that time
Today That day
Tonight That night
tomorrow The next day, The following day
The day after tomorrow In two days time, two days later
Next week The following week, the week after
pronouns
I: I told her, I love you. He/she: I told her that he(she) love her
you She/they/her
we they
my His/her
our their
yours His/hers/theirs
your
Your: I want to see your father His/her: He/she told me that he wanted to
see/meet his/her father
me Him/her
us them
you Him/her/them
mine His/hers
ours theirs
Notes: If the verb for D.S is in the past form of a modal verb, then the R.S/I.S remains
unchanged
Examples
D.S: She said she must learn Japanese or she said, I might be busy
R.S: She said that she must learn Japanese or she said that she might be busy.
D.S: John is making tea to drink.
R.S: He said that John was making tea to drink.
Reporting Statements exercises and answers
1)"He works in a bank."
[ She said that he worked in a bank. ]
2)"We went out last night."
[ She said that they had gone out last night. ]
3)"I'm coming!"
[ She said that she was coming. ]
4) "I was waiting for the bus when he arrived."
[ She said that she had been waiting for the bus when he
arrived. ]
5) "I'd never been there before."
[ She said that she had never been there before. ]
6) "I didn't go to the party."
[ She said that she hadn't gone to the party. ]
7) "Lucy will come later.
[ She said that Lucy would come later. ]
8) "He hasn't eaten breakfast."
[ She said that he hadn't eaten breakfast. ]
9) "I can help you tomorrow."
[ She said that she could help me tomorrow. ]
10) "You should go to bed early."
[ She said that I should go to bed early. ]
11) "I don't like chocolate."
[ She said that she didn't like chocolate. ]
12) "I won't see you tomorrow."
[ She said that she wouldn't see me tomorrow. ]
13) "She's living in Paris for a few months."
[ She said that she was living in Paris for a few months. ]
14) "I visited my parents at the weekend."
[ She said that she had visited her parents at the weekend. ]
15) "She hasn't eaten sushi before
[ She said that she hadn't eaten sushi before. ]
16 "I hadn't travelled by underground before I came to London."
[ She said that she hadn't travelled by underground before she
came to London. ]
17) "They would help if they could."
[ She said that they would help if they could. ]
18) "I'll do the washing-up later."
[ She said that she would do the washing-up later. ]
19) "He could read when he was three."
[ She said that he could read when he was three. ]
20) "I was sleeping when Julie called."
[ She said that she had been sleeping when Julie called. ]
‘.
B) REPORTED SPEECH FOR QUESTIONS: Reporting verb (ask)
Verb tenses in reported questions undergo the same changes as in statements.
When asking a question, you may do it in two (2) different ways
a) With wh-questions: When are you going to come?
b) With Yes/No question: Do you play gulf on Sundays?
Conditions
1) We report yes/no questions with if or whether.
Reporting verb+ object+ if + Subject + verb + complement
Direct speech: Do you want me to come?
Reported speech: I asked him if he wanted me to come.
2) When there are 2 option yes and No, we use the structure
Reporting verb+ object+ whether + Subject + verb + complement
Direct speech: Have you fed the dog or not?
Reported speech: She asked me whether I had fed the dog.
3) When we report questions with who, what, which, why etc the structure
(Reporting verb+ object+ wh + Subject + verb + complement) can be used. The verb be can
come before or after the object.
Direct speech: “Who is the champion?”
Reported speech: She asked me who the champion was.
She asked me who was the champion.
Direct speech: “What is your favorite color?”
Reported speech: She asked me what my favorite color was
She asked me what was my favorite color.
4) When we report questions, the subject comes before the verb.
Direct speech: “Where are you going?”
Reported speech: He asked me where I was going.
Direct speech: “Why is he shouting?”
Reported speech: He asked me why he was shouting.
Direct speech: “What do you want?”
Reported speech: She asked me what I wanted.
5) When reporting questions, we don’t use the auxiliary verb do, except in negative and
questions.
Direct speech: “Who doesn’t like cheese?”
Reported speech: She asked me who didn’t like cheese.
C) REPORTED SPEECH FOR REQUEST AND COMMAND
When you order or ask someone to execute something, we use.
Reporting verb + object + infinitive + complement
COMMAND: D.S: Go to your seat.
R.S: The teacher told me to go to my seat.
REQUEST: D.S: Can you do me a favor, please?
I.S: She asked me to do her a favor.
Another structure to make request
Reporting verb + object + if + subject + complement
D.S: Can you buy me a couple of bottles of wine, please?
R.S: She asked if I could buy him a couple of bottles of wine. Exercises P.92
D) REPORTED SPEECH: REPORTING VERBS
When we tell someone what another person said, we often uses the verb say, tell or ask. These
are known as reporting verbs. Other reporting verbs that exist are classified as:
1) Reporting verb + infinitive + complement
[Link]: agree, refuse, request, threaten, offer, promise, enquire, demand, decide etc Examples
D.S: Threaten: Stop making noise else I will punish you.
R.S: The teacher threatens to punish me if I didn’t stop making noise.
D.S: demand/request: I want to see the Boss.
R.S: He requested to see the Boss.
2) Reporting verb + object + infinitive + complement
She warned me to close the door from inside
[Link]: Advices, ask, beg, command, convince, encourage, invite, order, persuade, remind,
D.S: warn: Be careful with the dogs.
R.S: She warned me to be careful with the dogs
D.S: command: stand up!
R.S: The policeman commanded the thieves to stand up.
3) Reporting verb + gerund + complement
[Link]: admit, accuse someone of, apologize for, blame someone for, boast of/about,
compliment on, congratulation on, console for, deny, discourage from, dissuade from, insist on,
insult, say what one prefers, propose, recommend, scold for, suggest.
D.S: apologize for: I’m sorry I disturbed you
R.S: he apologized for disturbing me
D.S: insult: you …damned fool.
R.S: he insulted her calling her fool
4) Reporting verb + that clause+ complement
[Link]: admit, agree, answer, assure, complain, confess, decide, deny, explain, exclaim/remark,
insist, mention, promise, recommend, remind, suggest.
D.S: deny: I didn’t touch it.
R.S: he denied that he had touched it
D.S: remind: don’t forget to carry it.
R.S: he reminded her that he had to carry it.