REPORTED SPEECH

There are two ways of relating what a person has said: direct and indirect.

In direct speech we repeat the speaker’s exact words:

He said: “I have lost my umbrella.”

In indirect speech we give the exact meaning of a sentence without

necessarily using the speaker’s exact words:

He said that he had lost his umbrella.

When turning direct speech into indirect speech we have to take into
account what kind of sentence we have:

 Statements  Wh-questions
 Questions: Yes-no  Commands, requests
questions

1. Statements:

Direct speech can be introduced by a verb in the present, but the past
tense is usually used:

Paul said: “……”

When “say” follows the statement, inversion of say and subject is possible:

“…….,” said Paul.

Verbs in the direct speech have to be changed into a corresponding past

tense in the indirect speech.

Some of the changes are shown in the following table:

1
 DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH
present simple past simple
present continuous past continuous
present perfect past perfect
Past simple Past perfect
future conditional
can could
may might
must had to

Examples:

She said: “I go to school every day:” == She said that she went to school
every day.

He said: “I’m waiting for Ann.” == He said that he was waiting for Ann.

Mary said: “I have found my keys.” == Mary said that she had found her
keys.

He said: “Ann will be in Paris on Monday.” == He said that Ann would be in

Paris on Monday.

2
Other changes:

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

I he/she
me him/her
my his/her
mine his/hers
we they
us them
our their
ours theirs
this/these that/those
here there
now then
ago before
today that day
tonight that night
tomorrow The next/

Following day
yesterday the day before

2. Questions:

 Yes/no questions:

They are introduced by the verb ASK + IF or WHETHER.

He asked: “Have they arrived?” == He asked if (whether)

they had arrived.

Notice that the word order has changed. It is not a question any more so
the structure is: Subject + verb

Whether is used when a choice has to be made:

The travel agent asked: “Do you want to go by air or by sea?” == The travel
agent asked whether he/I/she wanted to go by air or by sea.

3
He asked: “Do you want to insure your luggage or not?” == He asked
whether I/he/she wanted to insure my/his/her luggage or not.

 B. Wh-questions:

He asked: “What are they doing?” == He asked what they were doing.

Notice that the word order has also changed. There is no question mark
any more.

There is no that before the question word.

3. Commands, requests

Indirect commands, requests, are usually expressed by a verb of command

/request/+ object + infinitive.

Commands:

He said: “Stand up, Tom!” == He told Tom to stand up.

I said: “Don’t swim too far, boys.” == I told the boys not to swim too far.

Requests:

He said: “Write to me soon, please.” == He asked me/him… to write to him

soon.

4
EXERCISE

1. “I am ill”, he said.

2. “I didn’t come here yesterday”, he said.

3. “I’ll be back tomorrow”, he said.

4. “I don’t like this music”, he said.

5. “I have never been to England”, he said.

6. “Nobody loves me”, she said.

7. “I am having a shower”, he said.

8. “I like chocolate very much”, she said.

9. “Tonight I am going to see a very good film at this cinema”, she said.

10.“This is the best party I have been to”, he said.

11.“I’ll clean your flat”, she said.

12.“Tomorrow we will study together at your place”, he said to John.

13.“We are going out in a minute”, they said.

14.“Her cat understands everything she says,” he said.

15.“I have lost my bag,” she said.

16.“Where’s the bus station?” he asked.

17.“Have you finished?” she asked.

18.“Do you want tea or coffee?” he said.

19.“What am I doing here?” he said.

20.“What does my boss want?” he asked.

5
21.“Did you go out yesterday evening?” he asked.

22.“Where is my book?” he said.

23.“How much did you pay for this book?” he said.

24.“Have you ever been abroad?” he said.

25.“Look at me when I am talking to you!” he said.

26.“Open the window, please” he said to his brother.

27.“Shut up!” he said to John.

28.“Don’t move!” the bank robbers said to the customers

29.“Hurry up!” my mother said to me.

30.“Don’t cross this road,” she said to her son.

31.“Help me, please,” she said to me.

32.“Don’t forget to phone Mary!,” he said to his wife.

33.“Be quiet, children!,” she said.

34.“Buy the book for me, please,” she said.

35.“Don’t make noise, children. Your father is asleep.” she said.