Reported speech t (He said that...

)
Study this example situarion:

You want to tcll someb<>dy what Paul said.

There are two ways of doing this:
You can repeat Paul's ',vor:ds (direct speecb):
Paul said, 'I'm feeling ill.'

],AU L
Or you can use reported speech:
Paul said that hc was fccling ill.
Compare: ::
direct Paul said,' I am feelir-rg ill.' In writing we use these quotation
marl<s to show direct speech,
reported Paul said that he *u, feering i1l.

\flhen we use reported speech, the main verb of the sentence is usually past (Paul said that ... /
I told ber that ... etc.). The rest of the sentence is usually past too:
- Paul said that he was feeling ill.
- I told Lisa that I didn't have any money.
You can leave out that. So yolr can say:
Paul said that he was feeling ill. or Paul said he was feeling iil.
In general, present form in direct speech changes to the p4sl form in reported speech:
th.e
am/rs - was do/does - did will - would
are - were have/has -- had can - could
u'ant/like/know/go etc. + wanted/liked/knew/went etc.
Compare direct speech and reported speech:

You met Jenny. Here are some of the Later you tell somebody what Jenny said.
tl-rings she said in direct speech: You use reported speech:
'M,v parents are verl' 117sll.' Jenny said that her parents were very
well.
'l'm going to learn to drive.' ' She said that she was going to learn
to drive.
'I want to buy a car.' - She said that she wanted to buy a car-.
'John has a new job.' . She said that John had a nerv job.
'I can't come to the partit on /TNNY She said that she couldn't come to the
Friday.' party on F'riday.
'I dont have much free time.' She said she didn't have rnuch free time.
'I'm going away for a few . She said that she was going awal' for ir
days. I'll phone you when I few days and would phone me when she
get back.' got back.

The past simple (did/saw/knew etc.) can usually stay the same in r:eported speech, or you can
change it to the past perfect (had done / had seen / had known etc.):
. direct Paul said: 'I woke up feelir-rg ill, so I didnt go to work.'
reported Paul said (that) he woke u;-r feeling ill, so he didnt go to rvork. or
Paul said (that) he had woken up feeling ill, so he hadn't gone to work.

g4 Reported speech 2 - ., Reported questions -

Exercises Unit 47
47.1 Yesterday you met a friend of yours, Steve. You hadn't seen him for a long time. Here are some
of the thinqs Steve said to Vou:
1 I'm living in London. | haven't seen Diane recently.

2 My father isn't very well. .-- I'm not enjoying my job very much.
-
3 Rachel and Mark are getting
- You can come and stay at my place
married next month. if you're ever in London.

4 Mysisterhashad aO^Oy.- Mycarwasstolenatewdaysago.

5 | don't know what / | want to go on holiday, but I

Frank is doing. ,,' \ can't afford it

lsaw Helen at a party in / -'- 12 l'll tell Chris rsaw you.

June and she seemed fine.

Later that day you tell another friend what Steve said. Use reported speech.
r . .S-kyg- 2g:,4, .UaL- hp. W.*.A..!+.y..W.9 r,rn _l.qnd.qn, . . . .

2 He said that
3 He...... ...
4
5
6
7 ....
8
9.
l0
ll
l2

47.2 Somebody says something to you which is the opposite of what they said earlier. Complete
the answers.
I n: That restauranr is expensive.
e: Is it? I thought you said ... .k W.*.s.. cfu4"p........
2 a: Sue is coming to the party tonight.
e: ls she? I rhought you said she . .

3 .c: Sarah likes Paul.

B: Does she? Last week you said . .
4 e: I know lots of people.
s: Do you? I thought you said
5 e: Jane will be here next week.
e: \X/ill she? But didn't you say ....... ................... ?

6 e: I'm going out this evening.

s: Are you? But you said
7 n: I can speak a little French.
s: Can you? But earlier you said ......
8 .c.: I haven't been to the cinema for ages.
B: Haven't you? I thought you said

- Additional exercise 25 (page 316) 95

 Reported speech 2
It is not always necessary to change the verb in reportecl speech. If you report something and
the situation hasn't changed,yort do not neeLl rr) ch.rnge rhe vcrh to the past:
. direct Paul said, 'My new job is len- inreresting.'
reported Paul said that hrs ner,v job is r-erv llterestrng.
(The situation hasn't changed. His job is still interesting.)

,.' direct Helen said, 'I want to go to Ner,v York nel<t year.'
reported Helen told rne that she wants to go to New York next year.
(Helen still wants to go to New York nert year.)

You can also change the verb to the past:

Paul said that his new job was very interestrng.
Helen told me that she wanted to go to Nerv York next year.
Br-rt if you are reporting a finished situation, yoLt nTust use a past verb:
. Paul left the room suddenly. He said he had to go. (not has to go)

You need to use a past form when there is a difference Have you heard?
between what u'as said and what is really true. For example: Joe is in hospital.

. Yor-r met Sonia a few days ago.

'soN/A
She said: 'Joe is in hospital.' (direct speech)
Sonia said
Later that day you meet Joe in the street. You say:
you were
'I didn't expect to see you, Joe. Sonia said you were in hospital.' in hospital.
(ror'Sonia said you are in hospital', because clearly he is not)

.: Say and tell

If you say ubo somebody is talking to, use tell: TELL SOME,BODY
Sonia told me that you were in hospital. (n o/ Sonia said me)
What did you tell the police? (nctt say the police)
Otherwise use say: SAY SOME,BODY
Sonia said that 1'ou'uvere in hospital. (nof Sonia told that...)
\flhat did you say?
But you can 'say something to somebody':
' Anr-r said goodbye to me and left. (not Ann said me goodbye)
- What did you say to the police?
Tell/ask somebody to do something
We also use the infinitive (to do / to stay etc.) in reported speech, especiaily r,vith tell and ask
(for orders and requests):
direct 'Stay in bed for a few days,' the doctor said to me.
reported The doctor told me to stay in bed for a few days.
. direct 'Don't shout,' I said to Jim.
reported I told Jim not to shout.
. direct 'Please don't tell an1'body what happened,'Jackie said to me.
reported Jackie asked me not to tell anybody what (had) happened.
You can also say 'Somebody said (r-rot) to do something':
Jackie said not to tell anyone. (but not Jackie said me)

96 Reported speech - Reported questions -

r
LXCTCESCS Unit 4ffi
48.1 Hert are some thinqs that Sarah saici i',-r v oLr

I don't have anv brothers or sisters.

But later Saralr :;ys sornething diffrr*;l to you. vv-*at do you:ay?

Sar*h You

Dave works very hard. Buf ucL,i sauL ne. wa-s Lazrt.
Let's have fish for dinner. But...
I'm going to buy a car.
Jane is always short of money.
My sister lives in Paris.
I think New York is a great place.
Let's go out tomorrow evening.
I've never spoken to Jane.

+8.2 Conipiete tlre srr.iienccs ra,,iti': say or tell {in the cori'lrt fornr). Usr only onr word each iinre.
1 Ann . 2g+4-. . goodbye to me and left.
2.. us about your holiday. Did you have a nice time?
3 Don't just stand there! ... ....... something!
4 I wonder where Sue is. She . ............ she would be here at 8 o'clock.
5 Dan ........... me that he was bored with his job.

6 The doctor that I should rest for at least a week.

7 Don't . ......... anybody what I .......................... .. . It's a secret just between us.

8 'Did she ................................. you what happened?' 'No, she didn't ............ . anything to me.'
9 Gary couldn't help me. He .,.. me to ask Caroline.
10 Gary couldn't help me. He ................... . . . . to ask Caroline.
48.3 The foilowing sentences are direct speecii:

Now choose one of these tc complete eaclr of thr srntences'+tlow. Use reported sperch.
1 Bill was taking a long time to get readn so I ...fe.rd,....hltftt...k iiv!.rru....sF.....
2 Sarah was driving too fast, so I asked

4 I couldn't move the piano alone, so I .....

5 The customs officer looked at me suspiciously and

7 The man started asking me personal questions, so I ..................

8 John was very much in love with Mary, so he . ...
9 I didn't want to delav Helen. so I

- Additional exe rcise 25 (page 316) 97