REPORTED SPEECH A short guide

DEFINITION A speaker's words reported in subordinate clauses governed by a reporting verb, with the required changes of person and tense (e.g., he said that he would go, based on I will go ). Reporting verbs are, for example, I told you…, I said to him…, I asked him…. Those changes involve the verb tense, time expressions and pronouns. ATTENTION!! The verb tense in the subordinate clause only changes when the reporting verb appears in the past tense.

CHANGES IN VERBS Direct Reported (complete the grid) Present Simple Past Simple Present Continuous Past Continuous Past Perfect Present Perfect Simple Past Perfect Simple Past Perfect Continuous Shall, Will Should and Would Can, May Could, Might Would, Could, Might, Ought to, Should Must /Have to Had to

OTHER CHANGES CHANGES IN PRONOUNS Pronouns and possessives generally change to the third person. OTHER CHANGES Words denoting “nearness” become the corresponding words denoting remoteness:

A. REPORTED STATEMENTS We normally use SAY & TELL. 1.1. If you say who you are talking to, use TELL. (v.g. Sonia told me that you were ill) 1.2. Otherwise use SAY. (v.g. Sonia said that you were ill) 1.3. But you can also use “say something to somebody” (v.g. Sonia said goodbye to me)

B. REPORTED QUESTIONS When a direct question is turned into an indirect question: 1. The interrogative construction of the direct question is replaced by the STATEMENT CONSTRUCTION: subject + verb + complements 2. The verb that introduces the indirect question is ASKED (or some similar verb, e.g. ENQUIRED, WONDERED, WANTED TO KNOW, according to the shade of meaning to be expressed).

Reported questions “Did you see John at the party?”, she asked.  The connective joining the indirect question to the principal clause is IF or WHETHER (YES/NO QUESTIONS), except when the direct question had been one beginning with an interrogative such as WHO, WHAT, WHY, etc. (WH-QUESTIONS). In this case we use the Wh-word as the connective. For example: - YES/NO QUESTIONS “Will you help me?”, he asked. He asked if I would help him “Did you see John at the party?”, she asked.  She asked if I had seen John at the party - WH-QUESTIONS “What is her name?”, he asked He asked (me) what her name was “Where are you going?”, they wanted to know.  They wanted to know where I was going.

C. REPORTED ORDERS, REQUESTS AND OFFERS To change an order, request or offer to reported speech, we change the verb in imperative to infinitive. Before the infinitive, we use a verb in the past tense expressing an order, request or offer: “I’ll help you”  She offered to help me. Verbs such as tell, order, ask and beg are followed by an indirect object+infinitive. “Tidy your room now” My mother told me to tidy my room then. In a negative sentences, we put not before to. “Don’t wake her up, please” My father asked me not to wake her up.

REPORTED SUGGESTIONS We put the subject and the verb suggest or recommend in the past tense and add what the person said. There are two ways: Using a clause formed by that, subject and verb in the base form. “You should go to the exhibition”, Peter suggested. Peter suggested that we go to the exhibition. With a gerund, not specifying any subject, usually when the subject of the main and the subordinate clause is the same. “Let’s plant some flowers here”. He suggested planting some flowers there.

OTHER REPORTING VERBS: Statements: admit, announce, answer, complain, explain, promise. Questions: ask, equire, want/would like to know, wonder. Orders: demand, order, warn, instruct. Requests: ask, beg. Offers: offer Sugestions: advice, recommend, suggest.