Reported speech PART I

By Alicia Taveras Andújar

Changed, adapted, and supervised by Nur Garriga

USE To report what another person has said

Direct speech Reported speech

COMMAS “…” COMMAS “…”

COLON : COLON :

THAT (THAT)

!!!!! Said with surprise / Exclaimed

REPORTED STATEMENTS: VERB TENSE CHANGES

The tense of the main verb moves a step further into the

past.Examples:

“I can identify the men”, he said He said that he could identify the men.

She said: “I see what you mean.” She said that she saw/understood what I meant.

FURTHER INFORMATION-Most modal verbs DO NOT CHANGE.

-The past of the modal of Obligation MUST is HAD TO.

-Pronouns USUALLY CHANGE.

-Expressions of proximity, time and place NORMALLY CHANGE.

*here tonight there that night

*these those

More info in your SB p.120 & 121

Marta said:

“I saw you stealing

his wallet!”

Marta said that she had seen me stealing his wallet.

OR Marta said that she had seen me stealing Pol’s wallet.

OR Marta exclaimed that she had seen me stealing Pol’s wallet.

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

EXAMPLE

REPORTED QUESTIONS

DIFFERENT word ORDER THAN direct questions

“What’s your name?”, he asked. He asked (her) what her name was.

Do Does Did ……IF / WHETHER instead!

“Do you recognize the suspect?” They asked if she recognized the suspect.

Repeat the Question Word used in Direct Questions.

“What are you reading?” He asked (her) what she was reading.

REPORTED QUESTIONS

REPORTED COMMANDS AND REQUEST

Commands: tell + indirect object + infinitive(with to)

Request: ask + indirect object + infinitive(with to)

Example:

“Look at the thief.”, the lawyer commanded. The lawyer told the court to look at the thief.

“Please, could you explain?”, the lawyer requested. The lawyer asked the judge to explain.

Other verbs which use the SAME STRUCTURE:

advise, encourage, invite, order, persuade, remind, warn, etc.

Example:

“Drop the knife!”, he ordered. The detective ordered him to drop

the knife.

REPORTED COMMANDS AND REQUESTS

REPORTING VERBS

Verb + object + infinitive(with to)“Whatever you do, don’t touch the gun.”--He warned me not to touch

the gun.

Verb + infinitive with to“No, we won’t help you.” --They refused to help us.

Verb + (that) + object + verb in reporting tense.

“Why don’t you get a burglar alarm?” She suggested (that) we (should) get a burglar alarm. OR She suggested us getting a burglar alarm. OR She asked us why we didn’t get a burglar alarm.

Verb + for + gerund“I’m sorry I was rude.” --He apologized for being rude.

THE ENDPART I