INGLÉS INSTRUMENTAL

UNIT 9. REPORTED SPEECH

When we want to say what we or someone else has said, or thought, we can do so in two
ways. We can use direct speech or reported speech.

In direct speech we can say exactly what was said or thought, using verbs like said,
thought, shouted, etc. We use inverted commas round the speech:

Paul said, “You‟re late”.

I thought, “He doesn‟t really like me”.

When we report what someone is saying or thinking now, we use reported speech after
says, thinks, hopes, etc, with both clauses in the present tense. We often use that, but it is
not obligatory.

Gail: ”I‟m just leaving London.”

Gail says (that) she’s just leaving London.

When we want to say what someone said to us in the past, we put the different tenses used
into the past:

Keith: “I don‟t have time to chat”.

Keith said he didn’t have time to chat.

VERB TENSE CHANGES FOR REPORTING STATEMENTS IN THE PAST

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

present simple → past simple

present continuous → past continuous

past simple → past perfect

present perfect → past perfect

past perfect → past perfect

present perfect continuous → past perfect continuous

past continuous → past perfect continuous

will → would

will have → would have

shall → should

may/might → might

must → must/had to

can → could

UNIT 9. REPORTED SPEECH

 PRONOUN CHANGE

In reported speech, the pronoun often changes. We change the word we use to refer to
the person who spoke. For example:

Jack said: 'I have finished.'

Jack said that he had finished.

'I've done it, ' she said.

She said (that) she had done it.

WORDS REFERRING TO TIME AND PLACE

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

Today → That day

Yesterday → The day before

The day before yesterday → Two days before

Tomorrow → The next/following day

The day after tomorrow → In two days time/ two days later

Next week/month/year → The following week/month/year

Last week/month/year → The previous/week/month/year

Ago → Before

This (for time) → That

This/that (adjectives) → The

Here → There

REPORTING STATEMENTS

Said and told are the most common verbs used in indirect speech to report statements and
declarative sentences. However, they behave differently:

We use told with an object.

Sarah told me she felt tired.

We usually use said without an object.

Sarah said she was going to teach online.

UNIT 9. REPORTED SPEECH

 If said is used with an object we must include to.

Sarah said to me that she'd never been to China.

REPORTING QUESTIONS

We use asked to report questions.

I asked Sarah what time the lesson started.

He asked me if I was angry

1. Yes / no questions:

We report these questions using asked (or another verb like 'ask') + object + if or
whether + clause. We follow the tense-change rules. We change the question form of
the verb to the statement form. We do not use a question mark.

'Do you understand the question?' she asked us

She asked us if we understood the question.

'Has the taxi arrived?' John asked me

John asked me if the taxi had arrived.

2. Wh-questions:
We report these questions using the question word and the tense-change rules. We
change the question form of the verb to the statement form. This type of question is
reported by using asked (or another verb like 'ask') + question word + clause. We
do not use a question mark.

'What temperature is the water?' she asked.

She asked what temperature the water was.

'How much money have you got, Vicky?' Paul asked

Paul asked how much money Vicky had got.

COMMANDS IN REPORTED SPEECH

We use the following structure to report commands:

Reporting verb (tell, order, instruct, warn, ask, remind, and beg)
+ object + infinitive

UNIT 9. REPORTED SPEECH

 „Fill the jar with water.‟
My mother told me to fill the jar with water.

„Don‟t touch that wire!‟

She warned me not to touch the wire.

„Don‟t forget to lock the door.‟

She reminded him to lock the door.

We also use this structure a reporting verb (advise, invite) + object + infinitive for
reporting advice or invitation.

„If I were you, I would stop.‟

She advised me to stop.

„Would you like to come to dinner?‟

Carol invited me to come to dinner/ invited me to dinner.

We use this structure without the object a reporting verb (agree, promise and offer)
+ infinitive for reporting agreement, promise and offer.

„OK, I‟ll pay $300.‟

He agreed to pay $300.

„I‟ll bring it tomorrow.‟

She promised to bring it the next day.

„Shall I bring you some coffee?‟

He offered to bring me some coffee.

„I‟ll help you.‟

He offered to help her.

UNIT 9. REPORTED SPEECH

EXERCISES

1. Complete the sentences using reported speech.

1. ‘The hotel is full.’ The receptionist told me

2. ‘I’ll call the manager.’ The waiter said

3. ‘I’ve passed all my exams.’ Jack said

4. ‘You should get to the airport early.’ They said

5. ‘I may be late.’ Jack said

6. ‘Can you help me?’ She asked us

7. ‘Do you want to dance?’ He asked me

8. ‘Have you been here before?’ I asked her

9. ‘What music do you like?’ She asked me

10. ‘Where’s the nearest bank?’ I asked her

2. Complete the reported imperatives and requests.

1. ‘Don’t stop here.’ The traffic warden told us

2. ‘Be quiet!’ The teacher told us
3. ‘Please don’t smoke!’ I asked the taxi driver
4. ‘Open your mouth.’ The dentist told me
5. ‘Don’t tell anyone!’ Melinda told us

6. ‘Could you show me your driving license?’ The policeman asked me

7. ‘Please switch off your mobiles.’ The flight attendant told us
8. ‘Don’t eat with your mouth open!’ I told my daughter
9. ‘Can you bring me the bill, please?’ He asked the waiter
10. ‘Get off at the next stop.’ The bus driver told me
11. ‘Don’t wait.’ Our friend told us

UNIT 9. REPORTED SPEECH

 3. Read the journalist’s interview. Then complete her report with the bold verbs
in the correct tense.

JOURNALIST: Dr Makele, now you said recently in New York that big
changes are necessary if we want to avoid a global catastrophe.
What changes were you thinking of?
DR MAKELE: Well, firstly, we 1. cannot continue to use up the world’s natural
resources at the present rate. Secondly, the richer countries 2.
will have to allow developing countries to export more. And
thirdly, we 3. are going to have to devote more resources to
fighting diseases such as AIDS.
JOURNALIST: And how 4. can this be done, Dr Makele?
DR MAKELE: Well, 5. I’ve just come from a top-level meeting in Mexico City
and there we 6. agreed on a series of proposals to take to next
month’s G8 meeting in Berlin. I 7. hope the richer nations 8. will
agree to help eliminate poverty in the next 20 years. At the
same time, we 9. must promote responsible government in the
developing world.

Dr Paul Makele of the United Nations told me that we 1.

continue to use up the world’s natural resources. He said that rich countries
2. allow developing countries to export more. He added that
we 3. have to devote more resources to fighting AIDS.
When I asked him how 4. be done, he said that he
5. from a top-level meeting in Mexico City where they
6. on a series of proposals to take to next month’s G8 summit
in Berlin.
Dr Makele said that he 7. the richer nations 8.
to help eliminate poverty in the next 20 years. He said that we 9.
promote responsible government in the developing world.

UNIT 9. REPORTED SPEECH