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Reporting the Past
Reporting the Past
• You use a report structure to report what
  people say or think.
• A report structure consists of two parts. One
  part is the reporting clause, which contains
  the reporting verb.

  I told him nothing was going to happen to
  me.
  I agreed that she should do it.
Reporting the Past
• The other part is the reported clause.

  He felt that he had to do something.
  Henry said that he wanted to go home.
Reporting the Past
• For the verb in the reporting clause, you use a
  tense that is appropriate at the time you are
  speaking.
• Because reports are usually about something
  that was said or believed in the past, both the
  reporting verb and the verb in the reported
  clause are often in the past tense.

  At the time we thought that he was mad.
Reporting the Past
• Although you normally use past tenses in
  reports about the past, you can use the
  present tense in the reported clause if what
  you are saying is important in the present.
Reporting the Past
• Example 1:
  You want to emphasize that
  something is still true

  Did you tell him that this young woman is
  looking for a job?
Reporting the Past
• Example 2:
  You want to give advice or a warning, or
  make a suggestion for the present or future.

  I told you they have this class on Friday
  afternoon so you should have come a bit
  earlier.
Reporting the Past
• You use a present tense for the reporting verb
  when you are reporting:

  What someone says or thinks at the time you
  are speaking
  She says she wants to see you this afternoon.
  I think there is something wrong.

  (Note: It may be your own thoughts that you are reporting.)
Reporting the Past
What someone often says
He says that no one understands him.

What someone has said in the past, if what
they said is still true
My doctor says it’s nothing to worry about.
Reporting the Past
• If you are predicting what people will say or
  think, you use a future tense for the reporting
  verb.


  No doubt he will claim that his car broke
  down.
  They will think we are making a fuss.
Reporting the Past
• You very rarely try to report the exact words
  of a statement. You usually give a summary of
  what was said. For example, John might say:


  ‘I tried to phone you about six times
  yesterday. I let the phone ring for ages but
  there was no answer. I couldn’t get through at
  all so I finally gave up.’
Reporting the Past
You would probably report this as:


John said he tried to phone several times
yesterday, but he couldn’t get through.
Reporting the Past
• When you are telling a story of your own or
  one that you have heard from someone else,
  direct speech simply becomes part of the
  narrative. In the following extract a taxi driver
  picks up a passenger:
Reporting the Past
‘What part of London are you headed for?’ I
asked him. ‘I’m going to Epsom for the races.
It’s Derby day today.’ ‘So it is,’ I said. ‘I wish I
were going with you. I love betting on
horses.’
Reporting the Past
You might report this as part of the narrative
without reporting verbs:

My passenger was going to Epsom to see the
Derby and I wanted to go with him.

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Reporting Structure for Past Events

  • 2. Reporting the Past • You use a report structure to report what people say or think. • A report structure consists of two parts. One part is the reporting clause, which contains the reporting verb. I told him nothing was going to happen to me. I agreed that she should do it.
  • 3. Reporting the Past • The other part is the reported clause. He felt that he had to do something. Henry said that he wanted to go home.
  • 4. Reporting the Past • For the verb in the reporting clause, you use a tense that is appropriate at the time you are speaking. • Because reports are usually about something that was said or believed in the past, both the reporting verb and the verb in the reported clause are often in the past tense. At the time we thought that he was mad.
  • 5. Reporting the Past • Although you normally use past tenses in reports about the past, you can use the present tense in the reported clause if what you are saying is important in the present.
  • 6. Reporting the Past • Example 1: You want to emphasize that something is still true Did you tell him that this young woman is looking for a job?
  • 7. Reporting the Past • Example 2: You want to give advice or a warning, or make a suggestion for the present or future. I told you they have this class on Friday afternoon so you should have come a bit earlier.
  • 8. Reporting the Past • You use a present tense for the reporting verb when you are reporting: What someone says or thinks at the time you are speaking She says she wants to see you this afternoon. I think there is something wrong. (Note: It may be your own thoughts that you are reporting.)
  • 9. Reporting the Past What someone often says He says that no one understands him. What someone has said in the past, if what they said is still true My doctor says it’s nothing to worry about.
  • 10. Reporting the Past • If you are predicting what people will say or think, you use a future tense for the reporting verb. No doubt he will claim that his car broke down. They will think we are making a fuss.
  • 11. Reporting the Past • You very rarely try to report the exact words of a statement. You usually give a summary of what was said. For example, John might say: ‘I tried to phone you about six times yesterday. I let the phone ring for ages but there was no answer. I couldn’t get through at all so I finally gave up.’
  • 12. Reporting the Past You would probably report this as: John said he tried to phone several times yesterday, but he couldn’t get through.
  • 13. Reporting the Past • When you are telling a story of your own or one that you have heard from someone else, direct speech simply becomes part of the narrative. In the following extract a taxi driver picks up a passenger:
  • 14. Reporting the Past ‘What part of London are you headed for?’ I asked him. ‘I’m going to Epsom for the races. It’s Derby day today.’ ‘So it is,’ I said. ‘I wish I were going with you. I love betting on horses.’
  • 15. Reporting the Past You might report this as part of the narrative without reporting verbs: My passenger was going to Epsom to see the Derby and I wanted to go with him.