Reported Speech Grammar and Reporting Verbs

WHAT IS REPORTED SPEECH?
In direct speech we repeat exactly what someone said:

He said 'I don't like football'
In reported speech, however, we tell what someone said without repeating his exact words.
He said (that) he didn't like football.
TENSES IN REPORTED SPEECH
Tenses in reported speech are "more past" (because we're not talking at the same time as the
speaker was).
DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH
Present simple Past simple

'I like peaches.' He said he liked peaches.
Present progressive Past progressive
'Is it raining?' He asked if it was raining.
Past simple Past perfect
'I didn't recognize you.' She explained that she hadn't recognized me.
Present perfect Past perfect
'You've annoyed the dog.' I told her she'd annoyed the dog.
Past progressive Past progressive or past perfect progressive
'I was joking about the price.' He said he was joking (or: had been joking) about the price.
Past perfect Past perfect
'I hadn't seen her before ' You said you hadn't seen her that day.' before that day.'
Shall/will Should/would
'We'll be late.' 'I was afraid we'd be late'
Can, may Could, might
'I can swim.' She thought she could swim.
'It may rain.' They said it might rain.
Would, could, might, ought NO CHANGE
'You could be right.' I felt he could be right
'That should be interesting.' She said it should be interesting.
Must Must or Had to
'I must go.' He said he must go. (or: ...or had to go)
OTHER CHANGES IN REPORTED SPEECH
-this = that, the ‘I found this watch on a train’

-these = those, the He said that he had found that/the watch on a train.
-Pronouns and possessive adjectives change from first or second person to third person,
except when the speaker is reporting his own words.
He said, ’I've forgotten the combination of my safe’

He said that he had forgotten the combination of his safe.
but I said, ‘I like my new house’ = I said that I liked my new house
- Adverbs and adverbial phrases of time change as follows:
DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

today that day
yesterday the day before
the day before yesterday two days before
tomorrow in two days' time
next week/year etc. the following week/year etc.
last month/year etc. the previous month, year, etc.
a year etc. ago a year before/ the previous year
- Here normally becomes there (however, when it isn't clear from the context what place is
meant, it should be explained).
We met at the bridge and he said, 'I'll be here again tomorrow'

We met at the bridge and he said that he would be there again the following day.
but She said, 'You can sit here, Tom'
She told Tom that he could sit beside her on the rug etc.
STATEMENTS
- With reported statements we normally use the conjunction that, which can be omitted.
He said, 'I'm going home' = He said (that) he was going home.
- We also normally use say and tell as reporting verbs. Remember that tell must be followed
by the person addressed or a personal pronoun in object form.
'I have forgotten my keys at home', he said.
He said (to me) that he had forgotten his keys at home.
or He told me that he had forgotten his keys at home.
QUESTIONS
- They don't have the same word-order (auxiliary verb before subject) as direct questions have.
Do is not used. Questions marks are not used either.
The nurse asked how I felt.

I wondered why my mother was driving so fast.
Mary asked if I needed another blanket.
He wanted to know if he would be in Edinburgh in time for the Festival.
- Say can introduce a direct question, but not a reported question.

She said, 'Do you want me to help you?'
She asked if I wanted her to help me.
When we have no interrogative words (in questions which should be answered yes or no) if or
whether are used to introduce reported questions.
The bus driver asked if/whether I wanted the town centre.
Whether is more formal. It is also used when there's a choice.

He asked me whether I wanted to stay or leave.
COMMANDS, REQUESTS, ADVICE, ETC.
They're all often reported by reporting verb + object pronoun + infinitive.
Commands: 'Be back before ten', my mother said.

My mother told (or ordered) me to be back before ten.
Requests: He said, 'Can you open the window, please?' = He asked me to open the window.
Remember that if we ask for an object we don't need infinitives.
'Can you lend me a pen?' he said.
He asked me for a pen.
Offers: 'Shall I bring you some tea?'
He offered to bring me some tea.
Invitations: 'Would you like to sit down?'
My hostess invited me to sit down.
Advice: My friend said, 'if you travel abroad you should take traveller cheques with you'
My friend advised me to take traveller cheques with me if I travelled abroad.
Warnings: 'Be careful of pickpockets', the policeman said to us.
The policeman warned us to be careful of pickpockets.
Pleas: 'Please, please don't take any risks,' said his wife.
His wife begged/implored him not to take any risks.
Encouragement: 'Go on, apply for the job,' said Jack.
Jack urged/encouraged me to apply for the job.
Reminders: 'Don't forget to order the wine,' said Mrs Pitt
Mrs Pitt reminded her husband to order the wine.

Reported Speech Grammar and Reporting Verbs

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Reported Speech Grammar and Reporting Verbs

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Reported Speech Grammar and Reporting Verbs

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

WHAT IS REPORTED SPEECH?

In direct speech we repeat exactly what someone said:

TENSES IN REPORTED SPEECH

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

Present simple Past simple

OTHER CHANGES IN REPORTED SPEECH

-this = that, the ‘I found this watch on a train’

He said, ’I've forgotten the combination of my safe’

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

We met at the bridge and he said, 'I'll be here again tomorrow'

The nurse asked how I felt.

- Say can introduce a direct question, but not a reported question.

Whether is more formal. It is also used when there's a choice.

They're all often reported by reporting verb + object pronoun + infinitive.

Commands: 'Be back before ten', my mother said.

You might also like