Indirect (Reported) Speech in Daily Reports & Summaries

QC Team

July 3, 2013

What is a Reported Speech?

There are 2 ways to tell someone what someone else

has said:

1. Repeat the actual words. In this case, we use

“quotation marks”.

2. Explain what someone has said in our own

words. We use reporting clauses with reporting

verbs .

Indirect Speech or

Reported Speech

Reported Speech Main parts of a reported speech

“I was assigned to write daily and weekly reports this month,” Andrea explained.

Andrea explained that she was assigned to write daily and weekly reports this month.

Repeating the actual words by

enclosing in quotation

marks

Reported Speech

Reporting verb

Reporting clause

IN REPORTING WHAT PEOPLE SAY (STATEMENTS) OR THINK (THOUGHTS), WE USE:

• Reporting clauses with ‘that’

Examples:

The Associate Research Manager said that the findings in my report were useful to the client. (formal)

The Associate Research Manager said the findings in my report were useful to the client. (informal)

Reported Speech General Guidelines

IN REPORTING WHAT PEOPLE SAY (STATEMENTS) OR THINK (THOUGHTS), WE USE:

• Wh- and if- clauses

Examples:

The netizen inquired which banks had the “best” customer service.

The netizens wanted to know if Samsung Galaxy S4 had “impressive” features.

Reported Speech General Guidelines

IN REPORTING WHAT PEOPLE SAY (STATEMENTS) OR THINK (THOUGHTS), WE USE:

• to-infinitives

We often use the to-infinitive after verbs of thinking and feeling to report or summarize actions (decide, hope, intend):

Examples:

“I think I will start all over again.” He decided to start all over again.

“I am going to write to the newspaper about it.” She intended to write to the newspaper about it.

… and verbs of saying (agree, promise, refuse):

The netizens agreed to attend the National Day Rally on Aug 18.

The CRE promised to deliver actionable insights to clients.

Reported Speech General Guidelines

WE VERY RARELY REPORT EXACTLY WHAT SOMEONE HAS SAID. WE USUALLY GIVE A SUMMARY:

Example: Mary: Oh dear, we’ve been walking for hours. I am exhausted. I don’t think I can go any further. I really need to stop for a rest. Peter: Don’t worry. I’m not surprised that you’re tired. I’m tired too. I’ll tell you what. I’ll see if I can find a place to sit down, and then we can stop and have our picnic.

Reported Speech General Guidelines

When Mary complained that she was tired out after walking so far, Peter said they could stop for a picnic.

Reported Speech

WE NEED TO CHOOSE THE MOST APPROPRIATE VERB TENSE WHEN REPORTING:

The choices:

Past vs Present

Reported Speech General Guidelines

“My name is Julie,” she said.

She said her name was Julie. She said her name is Julie.

WE NEED TO CHOOSE THE MOST APPROPRIATE VERB TENSE WHEN REPORTING:

Reported Speech General Guidelines

Past: General Rule • Since reported speech is most commonly used to report something that was said or thought in the past, the reporting verb is usually in the past tense.

If the main verb is in the past tense, we need to backshift to maintain consistency

and clarity in verb tense. Examples: The netizens expected the government to issue a Stop-Work Order (SWO) when PSI levels had soared to a record high of 400. The Dean of the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore , K Ranga Krishnan, emphasized that emotions were as important as education.

WE NEED TO CHOOSE THE MOST APPROPRIATE VERB TENSE WHEN REPORTING:

Reported Speech General Guidelines

• If we are talking about the past but mention something that is still true, we could use a present tense form to show that we agree that it is true. Example: Mary said she enjoyed the film because Robert de Niro is her favourite actor. “I feel hungry.” ‘Tom said he feels hungry, so let’s go and eat.’

• If we are talking about something that everybody knows is true we normally use present tense. Example: Michael said he had always wanted to climb Everest because it is the highest mountain in the world.

When is it all right to use Present Tense?

WE NEED TO CHOOSE THE MOST APPROPRIATE VERB TENSE WHEN REPORTING:

Reported Speech General Guidelines

• We use present reporting verbs when we are uncertain as to whether the information we are reporting is true. Example: Meg tells me you have decided to resign.

• We use present reporting verbs when we want to make a general report about what many people say. Example: Everyone says that she has made the wrong decision.

Present

WE NEED TO CHOOSE THE MOST APPROPRIATE VERB TENSE WHEN REPORTING:

Reported Speech General Guidelines

Past: Basic rules from direct to reported speech

1 . Present tense in direct speech usually becomes past tense in the reported clause. Examples: “I feel sick.” Kate said she felt sick. “We’re moving house.” She told me they were moving house. “It’s David’s fault.” He claimed that it was David’s fault.

WE NEED TO CHOOSE THE MOST APPROPRIATE VERB TENSE WHEN REPORTING:

Reported Speech General Guidelines

Past: Basic rules from direct to reported speech

2. Present perfect in direct speech usually becomes past perfect in reported clause: Examples: ““I’ve finished.” She said she had finished. “Have you been crying? I asked her if she had been crying.

WE NEED TO CHOOSE THE MOST APPROPRIATE VERB TENSE WHEN REPORTING:

Reported Speech General Guidelines

Past: Basic rules from direct to reported speech

3. Past tense in direct speech often becomes past perfect in the reported clause: Examples: “I was sleeping.” She said that she had been sleeping. “She had already seen the film.” He told me that she had already seen the film. Note that a simple past tense in direct speech

can also remain unchanged in the reported clause, especially when it refers to a completed action.

Reported Speech General Guidelines

Can could May might Will would

Must must; had to

• Would, could, should, might, ought to and used to do not change in reported speech Examples: “I will be late,” Andrea said. Andrea told me that she would be late. “It may be better to wait.” He thought it might be better to wait.

MODAL VERBS AND REPORTED SPEECH

Reported Speech General Guidelines

If someone makes a suggestion about what they or someone else could do, this can be reported with verbs such as advise, propose, recommend and suggest, followed by an -ing clause (gerund) Examples: “You should eat in the hotel restaurant.” He suggested eating in the hotel restaurant. “It would be useful to read the last chapter.” The teacher recommended reading the last chapter.

REPORTING SUGGESTIONS

Reported Speech General Guidelines

Suggestions could also be introduced with that- clause Examples: The dentist said, "I think you should use a different toothbrush.” The dentist said that I should use a different toothbrush. My manager said, "I think we should examine the budget carefully at this meeting." My manager proposed that we examine the budget carefully at the meeting. “You should eat in the hotel restaurant.” He suggested that I eat in the hotel restaurant. (subjunctive mood)

REPORTING SUGGESTIONS

Reported Speech General Guidelines

Subjunctive Mood: Example: Teacher to Andrea: “It would be useful to read the last chapter.” The teacher recommended that Andrea read the last chapter (subjunctive mood).

REPORTING SUGGESTIONS

Non-subjunctive Subjunctive

Is (e.g. “…is allowed…” Be (e.g. “…be allowed…”)

Was (e.g. “…if I was ordered…”)

Were (e.g. “…if I were ordered…”)

Verb ending in –s (e.g. “…that he writes…”)

No –s (e.g. “… that he write…”)

Thank you!

Next:

Exercises

EXERCISES

“My dad was a teacher.” She told me that her dad a teacher.

1

“We’ve been waiting for hours.” He said that waiting for hours. 2

“I didn’t go to the party because I was too tired.” He said that he to the party because he too tired.

3 4

EXERCISES

“I work for a bank.” She told me that she for a bank.

5

6

“We are meeting Tony at 8 o’clock.” She said that meeting Tony at 8 o’clock.

Answers:

source

REPORTED SPEECH ON DAILY REPORTS

REPORTED SPEECH ON DAILY REPORTS

A netizen who “disliked” the user interface of Citi’s online banking platform suggested that Citi simplify it to avoid “bad” user experience.

Subjunctive mood Present tense (original) to past tense (reported)

Edited version:

Executive Summary “Sean Lee” posted a comment on the Facebook Fan Page of Citi Australia to say that its online banking service was not “user friendly”. He mentioned that e-Statements are were sent via e-mail instead of keeping it on the portal, the system has had “too much” unnecessary security, and snail mail notifications are were sent when adding new account addresses. He requested Citi to simplify the interface and processes because the user experience was “so bad”. No comments were observed in the past 24 hours.

REPORTED SPEECH ON DAILY REPORTS

REPORTED SPEECH ON DAILY REPORTS

Executive Summary On Citi Australia Facebook Fan Page, “Sean Lee” suggested that to improve user experience, Citi should simplify its processes and online banking platform’s user interface which was said to be “not user-friendly”. He noted issues on e-statements sent to users, instead of being kept in the portal, unnecessary security measures implemented, e.g. OTPs shown on several screens, and snail mail notification sent when adding new account address.

Final edits:

REFERENCES

Direct and Indirect Speech (July 2013). Learn English Free. Retrieved from http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/reportedspeech.htm Maxwell, Kerry G & Clandfield, Lindsay (2000-2013). Reported Speech 1. Onestopenglish by MacMillan English Campus. Retrieved from http://www.onestopenglish.com/grammar/grammar-reference/verbs-and-tenses/reported-speech-1-article/152841.article Maxwell, Kerry G & Clandfield, Lindsay (2000-2013). Reported Speech 2. Onestopenglish by MacMillan English Campus. Retrieved from http://www.onestopenglish.com/grammar/grammar-reference/verbs-and-tenses/reported-speech-2-article/152842.article Maxwell, Kerry G & Clandfield, Lindsay (2000-2013). Reported Speech: Tips and Activities. Onestopenglish by MacMillan English Campus. Retrieved from http://www.onestopenglish.com/grammar/grammar-reference/verbs-and-tenses/reported-speech-tips-and-activities/152843.article Reported Speech 1. British Council. Retrieved from http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/grammar-reference/reported-speech-1 Reported Speech 2. British Council. Retrieved from http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/grammar-reference/reported-speech-2

REFERENCES

Reporting: Reports and Summaries. British Council. Retrieved from http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-grammar/clause-phrase-and-sentence/verb-patterns/reporting-reports-and-summaries Tense Consistency Exercises (1995-2013). Purdue University Online Writing Lab. Retrieved from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/2/22 Verb Tense Consistency. Purdue University Online Writing Lab. Retrieved from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/601/04/

Thank you!