Download presentation
Presentation is loading. Please wait.
Published byArleen Kelly Modified over 9 years ago
1
Essential reading: T. Skračić, Waypoint – English Textbook for Maritime Students, Pomorski fakultet, Split 2010 T. Skračić, Waypoint – English Textbook for Maritime Students, Pomorski fakultet, Split 2010 T. Trappe & G. Tullis, Intelligent Business, Longman 2005 T. Trappe & G. Tullis, Intelligent Business, Longman 2005 Tomislav Skračić, MA Undergraduate English Course for MARITIME MANAGERS 6th Semester
2
REPORTED SPEECH There may be a number of changes when we report something: DIRECT SPEECHREPORTED SPEECH She said, "I saw Mary yesterday.“She said she had seen Mary the day before. He said: "My mother is here.“He said that his mother was there. When we report something, we may need to make changes to: ● time (now, tomorrow) ● place (here, this room) Don't confuse time with tense. "Tense" is the grammatical form of the verb that in the reported clause we sometimes shift back (backshift). "Time" refers to the actual time that something happens, such as "today" or "now" or "5 weeks ago".
3
REPORTED SPEECH 1. Time words If we report something around the same time, then we probably do not need to make any changes to time words. But if we report something at a different time, we need to change time words. Look at these example sentences: He said: "It was hot yesterday." → He said that it had been hot the day before. He said: "We are going to swim tomorrow.“ → He said they were going to swim the next day.
4
REPORTED SPEECH 1. Time words Here is a list of common time words, showing how you change them for reported speech: DIRECT SPEECHREPORTED SPEECH nowthen / at that time todaythat day yesterdaythe day before / the previous day tonightthat night last nightthe night before / the previous night tomorrowthe next / following day this weekthat week last weekthe week before / the previous week last monththe month before / the previous month
5
2. Place words If we are in the same place when we report something, then we do not need to make any changes to place words. But if we are in a different place when we report something, then we need to change the place words. Look at these example sentences: He said: "It is cold in here." → He said that it was cold in there. Here are some common place words, showing how you change them for reported speech: DIRECT SPEECHREPORTED SPEECH heretherethere thisthatthat this bookthe book / that book
6
3. Reported Questions DIRECT QUESTIONREPORTED QUESTION She said: "Are you cold?“She asked me if I was cold. He said: "Where's my pen?“He asked where his pen was. Reported questions are one form of reported speech.reported speech We usually introduce reported questions with the verb "ask": ● He asked (me) if / whether... (YES / NO questions) ● He asked (me) why / when /where /what / how... (Question Word questions) As with reported statements, we may need to change pronouns and tense (backshift) as well as time and place in reported questions.reported statements But we also need to change the word order. After we report a question, it is no longer a question (and in writing there is no question mark). The word order is like that of a normal statement (subject-verb-object).
7
a) YES / NO questions We introduce reported YES / NO questions with ask + if: She said: "Do you like coffee?“ → She asked if I liked coffee. "Do you want tea or coffee?“, the boss asked. → The boss asked whether I wanted tea or coffee. “Is the car new or second-hand?“, my friend asked. → My friend wanted to know whether the car was new or second-hand. "Can I help you?“, the receptionist asked. → The receptionist asked if she could help us / me. John shouted: "Do you feel cold?“ → John wanted to know if / whether we felt cold. Note that we sometimes use "whether" instead of "if". The meaning is the same. They asked us if we wanted lunch. = They asked us whether we wanted lunch. "Whether" is a little more formal and more usual in writing.
8
b) Question Word questions We introduce these questions with ask + question word: He said: "Where do you live? → He asked me where I lived. The chief engineer asked: "Where are you going?“ → The chief engineer asked me where I was going. My wife said: "Why didn't you say something?“ → My wife wanted to know why I hadn't said anything. He said: "When will they come?“ → He asked when they would come. He asked: "Who has seen Avatar?“ → He asked who had seen Avatar. The client asked: "How much might it cost?“ → The client asked me how much it might cost.
9
Reported Requests DIRECT REQUESTREPORTED REQUEST She said: "Could you open She asked me to open the window. the window, please?“ He said: "Please don't smoke.“He asked them not to smoke. A request is when somebody asks you to do something – usually politely. Reported requests are one form of reported speech.reported speech We usually introduce reported requests with the verb "ask". The structure is very simple: ask + (pro)noun + to + infinitive “Please wait!” they said. → They asked us to wait. We turned to the policeman: “Help us! We need help!” → We asked the policeman to help us.
10
Because we use the infinitive there is no need to worry about tense. But as with reported statements and reported questions, we may need to change pronouns as well as time words and place words in reported requests. Here are some examples: I said politely, "Please make less noise.“ → I asked them politely to make less noise. She has often said to me, "Could you stay the night?“ → She has often asked me to stay the night. They said to the architect: "We'd like you to meet us here tomorrow.“ → They asked the architect to meet them there the next day. She will certainly say to John, "Please stay for lunch.“ → She will certainly ask John to stay for lunch. She always says, "Please don't forget me.“ → She always asks me not to forget her. Notice above that we report a negative request by using not.
11
Reported Orders "Go!“ He told him to go. An order is when somebody tells you to do something and you have no choice. It is not usually polite. It is a "command". Reported orders are one form of reported speech.
12
We usually introduce reported orders with the verb "tell". The structure is very simple: tell + (pro)noun + to + infinitive The policeman told us to follow him. We told the man not to smoke. Because we use the infinitive there is no need to worry about tense. But as with reported statements and reported requests, we may need to change pronouns as well as time words and place words in reported orders. Here are some examples: She said to the boy, "Eat your food now!“ → She told the boy to eat his food right then. My roommate said, "You must make the bed before you leave!“ → My roommate told me to make the bed before I left. The officer said: "Don't smoke in here!“ → The officer told us / me not to smoke in there. Notice above that we report a negative order by using not.
13
The most common verb for reporting an order is "tell", but we can also use other verbs such as: order, command, instruct... For example: The sergeant shouted at his men, "Stand straight!" → The sergeant ordered his men to stand straight. The policeman said: "Get out of your car!“ → The policeman instructed us to get out of our car.
14
Use of 'THAT' in reported speech that In reported speech, the word that is often used. For example: He told me that he lived in Greenwich. However, that is optional. For example: He told me he lived in Greenwich. !Note - That is never used in questions, instead we often use if. For example: He asked me if I would come to the party.
15
EXERCISE – Turn the following sentences into REPORTED SPEECH. Make all necessary changes. Jim and his boss took part in these dialogues. All the dialogues took place three days ago. Example: We are making efforts to improve our performance. He said (that) they were making efforts to improve their performance. 1.Last month these problems resulted in disappointing sales figures. 2.How can we improve our customers' satisfaction? 3.I need some time to spend with my family. 4.Listen to me carefully, Jim. 5.Don't underestimate me. 6.We expect to be in a position to resume dividend payments next week. 7.Will we have to innovate in new areas of business? 8.This was our turning point.
16
EXERCISE – Turn the following sentences into REPORTED SPEECH. Make all necessary changes. Jim and his boss took part in these dialogues. All the dialogues took place three days ago. 9.Take it easy, Jim. 10.We have already started to work on improvements. 11.We can then re-establish our company as market leader next year. 12.Why do you think this is true? 13.Have a drink, Jim. 14.Don't leave it for tomorrow. 15.You are meeting the people who will decide the future of the organisation.
Similar presentations
© 2025 SlidePlayer.com. Inc.
All rights reserved.