REPORTED SPEECHOr

INDIRECT SPEECH

REPORTED SPEECH

When we want to tell someone what someone else said in the past, there are two ways of doing so:- You can repeat that person’s words (direct speech)Ann said “I am at home”

-You can use reported speech. Ann said (that ) she was at home

REPORTED SPEECH

I’m feeling ill

Tom said “I am feeling ill”

Tom said (that ) he was feeling ill

Where’s Tom? He said he was

feeling ill.

REPORTING STATEMENTS

RULES:1 We introduce reported speech with said that or told + indirect object+ that. (that can be omitted)2 Pronouns and time expressions change when necessary33 We change verbs from present to past and from past or present perfect to past perfect.We change modal verbs from will to would, from can to could and must to had to.

My favourite film is on TV tonight. I love comedies.

Reported speechReported speech

Lisa said that her favourite film was on TV that night. She said that she loved comedies.

Look at the example.

What has changed?

Pronouns: My ----- her I ------ she

Verb Tense: am ------ was Love -----

loved

Time words: tonight ------ that night

Introductory or Reporting verbsIntroductory or Reporting verbs

The most common reporting verbs are

- say (that) SAID

- tell somebody (that). TOLD

• Others such as admit, claim, explain, insist, reply, apologize, inform, advise, agree or suggest can be used.

“It’s my fault” she said.

She............ it was her fault.

“I haven’t been thinking about you” Ann told me.

Ann ............... she hadn’t been thinking about me.

“I have been very tired” She explained.

She ................... she had been very tired.

Say or Tell

IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE!!!• SAY is not followed by the indirect object: Say (that)+ reported statement

He said he was tired He said to me he was tired• TELL is always followed by an indirect object (a

person or a pronoun).

He told me that he was tired.

CHANGES IN THE VERBS

DIRECT SPEECH “I like techno music” he informed me. “The are dancing very well” she agreed. We bought tickets yesterday.” they explained “I’ve never been here before”. Tom declared. “I was listening to the music” she told us. “We will be here tomorrow,” they promised. “Young people must learn to behave” he said. “We can go to the festival” he explained. “I may visit you tomorrow” he said.

REPORTED SPEECH He informed me (that) he liked techno

music. She agreed (that) they were dancing very

well. They explained (that) they had bought

tickets the day before. Tom declared (that) he had never been

there before. She told us (that) she had been listening

to the music. They promised (that) they would be there

the next day. He said (that) young people had to learn

to behave. He explained (that) we could go to the

festival. He said he might visit me the next day.

In the Reported Speech we change the verbs to the PASTPAST.

am /is

are

has / have

see

can

Will

May

must

becomes

becomes

becomes

becomes

becomes

becomes

Changes in verb tensesdo(Present Simple) (Past Simple)

am /is doing (Present Continuous) (Past Continuous)

are doing(Present Continuous) (Past Continuous)

has / have done(Present Perfect) (Past Perfect)

becomes

becomes

becomes

becomes

PRONOUNS• Subject Pronouns (I, she, we, etc.), • Object pronouns (me, you, him. her .. • and possessives (my, your, his, etc.) may change depending who is

reporting and who they are talking to.

o “ I want to see you at my office”

Report 1: Mark to me

Mark told me that he wanted to see me at his office.

Report 2: Sara to Jim

Sara told him that she wanted to see him at her office.

EXPRESSIONS OF TIME AND PLACE

• DIRECT SPEECHHere NowThis / theseTonightTodayTomorrowYesterdayNext weekLast month

• INDIRECT SPEECHThereThenThat/ thoseThat nightThat dayThe following day/ the next dayThe day before/ the previous dayThe following week The month before/ the previou month

Changes

Time Place

now here

today this

this week these

tomorrow

yesterday

last week

Use the reportrd speech

I saw the film last week.

He ............ that he .............. the film ..................

Reporting verbs ( Exercises)

“I don’t like the bands that are playing here.” John mentioned

“Techno music has become very popular”Peter said. Peter said that techno music had become very popular. “Please, help me with this problem,” Mark begged me to help him with that problem. “I will go to the concert with you next year” Jackie said.Jackie said she would go to the concert with me the following year/Jackie offered to go to the concertwith me the following year. “I’m sorry I missed the party” Alex said.Alex apologized for missing the party. “Let’s finish early” he suggested.He suggested finishing early/ He suggested that they finish early.

John mentioned that he didn’t like the bands that were playing there

Reporting verbs ( Exercises)

“I don’t like the bands that are playing here.” John mentioned

“Techno music has become very popular”Peter said. Peter ........ that techno music ............ very popular. “Please, help me with this problem,” Mark begged me to help him with that problem. “I will go to the concert with you next year” Jackie said.Jackie said she would go to the concert with me the following year/Jackie offered to go to the concertwith me the following year. “I’m sorry I missed the party” Alex said.Alex apologized for missing the party. “Let’s finish early” he suggested.He suggested finishing early/ He suggested that they finish early.

John mentioned that he didn’t like the bands that were playing there

REPORTING QUESTIONS• The reporting verb is ASK.• In Yes/ No questions IF or Whether is used. Ex: “Have you been here long?” He asked if/ whether I had been there long• In WH- Questions the same word is used.Ex: “Where do you come from?”He asked me where I came from.• In reported questions word order changes:

subject + verb.Ex. “How are you?He asked me how I was.

REPORTING QUESTIONS (Exercises) The policeman said to us, “Where are you going?” The policeman asked us where we were going. Tom said: “ What time do the banks close?” Tom wanted to know what time the banks closed. “Have you got a driving licence?” the interviewer

asked. He enquired whether / if I had a driving licence “Do you know when Jane’s birthday is?” he asked. He wanted to know when Jane’s birthday was. “Why did you call me?” Sandra asked. Sandra asked me why I had called her.

REQUESTS & COMMANDSThe imperative is used to give orders. When we report

an imperative we use Tell somebody to do something or ask somebody to do

something. ( Do not use SAY)Other verbs can be used: order, command, invite, beg,

warn. “Hurry up, please!” he said.He asked me to hurry up. “Don’t worry!” she said.She told me not to worry. “Don’t forget that it’s our anniversary tomorrow”She asked me not to forget our anniversary the next

day.