Reported Speech Carmen Torres
DIRECT SPEECH  REPORTED SPEECH   REPORTED SPEECH '   I  know quite a lot of people   here .' Robert said. Present Simple  Simple Past He said that  he  ............................... quite a lot of people  there 'John is feeling much better ' Paul said. Present Continuous  Past Continuous He said that John ...........................much better '  I  enjoyed  my  holiday in the States' David said.  Simple Past  Past Perfect He said that  he  ...............................  his  holiday in the States 'Jackie wasn´t feeling very well ' The teacher said. Past Continuous  Past Perfect Continuous He said that Jackie ......................... very well ' They've seen the Eiffel Tower ' John said. Present Perfect  Past Perfect He said that they ............................ the Eiffel Tower '  I  have been waiting for ages ' My father said. Present Perfect  Continuous  Past Perfect Continuous He said that  he  ............................ for ages ' Nobody had warned them about the storm ' The politician said. Past Perfect  Past Perfect He said that nobody .................... about the storm ' She had been reading all day ' Brenda said. Past Perfect  Continuous  Past Perfect Continuous She said that she ........................ all day
REPORTED SPEECH '   I  will be   here  with you.' Robert promised me. Future Simple  Conditional Present Robert promised that  he  ............................... there   with me 'John is going to study French ' Paul said. Be going to  Was/Were going to Paul said that John ........................... to study French ' We can start the lesson' David said.  Can  Could David said that  we  ............................... start the lesson ' They may come home ' My husband said. May  Might My husband said that they  ......................... come home ' You must be quiet in class ' The teacher said. Must  Had to The teacher said that we ............................ be quiet in class
REPORTING STATEMENTS Useful introductory verbs. ADD ADMIT  + ing ANSWER ARGUE ASSURE BOAST  about COMPLAIN  to .. about DENY  + ing EXPLAIN GRUMBLE  about OBJECT  to + ing OBSERVE POINT OUT PROMISE PROTEST  against /about REMARK REMIND  someone of… REPLY SAY & TELL
agree, refuse, offer, promise, threaten  + infinitive Ann: Would you wait half an hour’  Tom: All right Chris: Would you lend me another €50? David: No, I won´t lend you any more money accuse of, admit, apologize for, deny, insist on  + gerund You took me the money! I stole/ didn´t steal it! I am sorry I’m late Let me pay, please, let me REPORTING STATEMENTS
YES / NO QUESTIONS There is no inversion (subject/verb) If  or  whether  after the reporting verb “ Are you working these days?” he said. He  inquired  if/whether I  was  working  those  days “ Did you speak to John last night?” she asked She wanted to know if I had spoken to J, the night before. REPORTING QUESTIONS
WH- QUESTIONS When Who or What are subjects of the sentence we don’t change the word order “ Who told you this story?” He asked me  who  had told that story “ What happens?” He wanted to know  what  happened. The word order is a positive one, without inversion (subject/verb) “ Where did you go last summer?”. He asked me where I had gone the previous summer. Some verbs we can use as reporting verbs:  ask, enquire, wonder, would like to know, want to know REPORTING QUESTIONS
The imperative changes into  infinitive He said to us: “Stay here”  He told us to stay here The reporting verb must indicate “order” He said: “Be quiet”  He told me to be quiet Apart from Tell other verbs can be used: ask, beg, invite, warn, order, command, instruct,... “ Say that again”, he said to me  He asked me to say that again REPORTING COMMANDS
The verbs used are : beg, ask, demand & request  and they are  situated before the requested person. The word “please” is omitted When  let  is  used  in direct speech it  must appear  in the reported too but  omitting the modal  verb. When  let  is  not  used  the  modal is  not  omitted . “ John, don’t open the window, please” I said I asked /requested/begged John not to open the window. “ Can you let me use your phone, please?” I asked my neighbour I asked my neighbour to let me use her phone “ Can I use your phone?” I asked my neighbour I asked my neighbour if I could use her phone. REPORTING REQUESTS
We normally use  suggest + gerund  to report them Also  suggest that + subordinate sentence The suggestions :  Let’s, why don’t we, shall we, why not… are omitted “ Let’s  go to the theatre” she said. “ Why don’t we  go to the theatre?” “ Shall we  go to the theatre?” She suggested going to the theatre She suggested that we could go to the theatre “ Let’s  not argue again,” he said. He suggested not arguing again He suggested that they should not argue again. REPORTING SUGGESTIONS

Reported Speech

  • 1.
  • 2.
    DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH   REPORTED SPEECH ' I know quite a lot of people here .' Robert said. Present Simple Simple Past He said that he ............................... quite a lot of people there 'John is feeling much better ' Paul said. Present Continuous Past Continuous He said that John ...........................much better ' I enjoyed my holiday in the States' David said. Simple Past Past Perfect He said that he ............................... his holiday in the States 'Jackie wasn´t feeling very well ' The teacher said. Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous He said that Jackie ......................... very well ' They've seen the Eiffel Tower ' John said. Present Perfect Past Perfect He said that they ............................ the Eiffel Tower ' I have been waiting for ages ' My father said. Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous He said that he ............................ for ages ' Nobody had warned them about the storm ' The politician said. Past Perfect Past Perfect He said that nobody .................... about the storm ' She had been reading all day ' Brenda said. Past Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous She said that she ........................ all day
  • 3.
    REPORTED SPEECH ' I will be here with you.' Robert promised me. Future Simple Conditional Present Robert promised that he ............................... there with me 'John is going to study French ' Paul said. Be going to Was/Were going to Paul said that John ........................... to study French ' We can start the lesson' David said. Can Could David said that we ............................... start the lesson ' They may come home ' My husband said. May Might My husband said that they ......................... come home ' You must be quiet in class ' The teacher said. Must Had to The teacher said that we ............................ be quiet in class
  • 4.
    REPORTING STATEMENTS Usefulintroductory verbs. ADD ADMIT + ing ANSWER ARGUE ASSURE BOAST about COMPLAIN to .. about DENY + ing EXPLAIN GRUMBLE about OBJECT to + ing OBSERVE POINT OUT PROMISE PROTEST against /about REMARK REMIND someone of… REPLY SAY & TELL
  • 5.
    agree, refuse, offer,promise, threaten + infinitive Ann: Would you wait half an hour’ Tom: All right Chris: Would you lend me another €50? David: No, I won´t lend you any more money accuse of, admit, apologize for, deny, insist on + gerund You took me the money! I stole/ didn´t steal it! I am sorry I’m late Let me pay, please, let me REPORTING STATEMENTS
  • 6.
    YES / NOQUESTIONS There is no inversion (subject/verb) If or whether after the reporting verb “ Are you working these days?” he said. He inquired if/whether I was working those days “ Did you speak to John last night?” she asked She wanted to know if I had spoken to J, the night before. REPORTING QUESTIONS
  • 7.
    WH- QUESTIONS WhenWho or What are subjects of the sentence we don’t change the word order “ Who told you this story?” He asked me who had told that story “ What happens?” He wanted to know what happened. The word order is a positive one, without inversion (subject/verb) “ Where did you go last summer?”. He asked me where I had gone the previous summer. Some verbs we can use as reporting verbs: ask, enquire, wonder, would like to know, want to know REPORTING QUESTIONS
  • 8.
    The imperative changesinto infinitive He said to us: “Stay here” He told us to stay here The reporting verb must indicate “order” He said: “Be quiet” He told me to be quiet Apart from Tell other verbs can be used: ask, beg, invite, warn, order, command, instruct,... “ Say that again”, he said to me He asked me to say that again REPORTING COMMANDS
  • 9.
    The verbs usedare : beg, ask, demand & request and they are situated before the requested person. The word “please” is omitted When let is used in direct speech it must appear in the reported too but omitting the modal verb. When let is not used the modal is not omitted . “ John, don’t open the window, please” I said I asked /requested/begged John not to open the window. “ Can you let me use your phone, please?” I asked my neighbour I asked my neighbour to let me use her phone “ Can I use your phone?” I asked my neighbour I asked my neighbour if I could use her phone. REPORTING REQUESTS
  • 10.
    We normally use suggest + gerund to report them Also suggest that + subordinate sentence The suggestions : Let’s, why don’t we, shall we, why not… are omitted “ Let’s go to the theatre” she said. “ Why don’t we go to the theatre?” “ Shall we go to the theatre?” She suggested going to the theatre She suggested that we could go to the theatre “ Let’s not argue again,” he said. He suggested not arguing again He suggested that they should not argue again. REPORTING SUGGESTIONS