REPORTED SPEECH

REPORTED SPEECH

How we should report what others say to us!

Reported Statements

When do we use reported speech? Sometimes someone says a sentence, for example "I'm going to the cinema tonight". Later, maybe we want to tell someone else what the first person said.

Here's how it works:

We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'.

If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence:

Direct speech: I like ice cream.

Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.

SAY OR TELL, WHICH SHALL WE USE TO REPORT STATEMENTS?

The meaning is the same, but the grammar is different. For example:

John: "I'll be late".

Reported speech:

John said (that) he would be late.

OR

John told me (that) he was going to be late.

With 'tell' we NEED the object (e.g. 'me', 'you', 'her').

With 'say' we CAN'T use the object (e.g. 'me', 'them', 'us').

OTHER EXAMPLES

Here are some correct examples:

Julie said (that) she'd come to the party.

I said (that) I was going to bed early.

He told me (that) he loved living in London.

They told John (that) they would arrive at six.

TIP

We don't need to change the tense, though probably we do need to change the 'person' from 'I' to 'she', for example. We also may need to change words like 'my' and 'your'.

THE USAGE OF "THAT"

(As I'm sure you know, often, we can choose if we want to use 'that' or not in English. I've put it in brackets () to show that it's optional. It's exactly the same if you use 'that' or if you don't use 'that'.)

But, if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change the tenses in the reported speech:

Direct speech: I like ice cream.

Reported speech: She said (that) she liked ice cream.

TIME WORDS

• TODAY --- THAT DAY

• YESTERDAY--- THE DAY BEFORE

• TOMORROW ---THE NEXT DAY / THE FOLLOWING DAY

• LAST WEEK --- THE WEEK BEFORE

• THIS WEEK --- THAT WEEK

• NEXT WEEK --- THE NEXT WEEK

• Now - then / at that time

Reported Questions

• WE REPORT WITH THE VERB "ASK"

• Direct speech: Where do you live? Reported speech: She asked me where I lived.

• Direct speech: Where is Julie? Reported speech: She asked me where Julie was.

• IT IS DIVIDED INTO "YES-NO QUESTIONS" AND "WH-QUESTIONS".

• Do not forget the use of objects such as me, you, him, her, us, them

TIME TO PRACTICE

LET'S START REVISING WHAT WE HAVE BEEN LEARNING SO FAR

Reported Requests

• What if someone asks you to do something (in a polite way)? For example:

• Direct speech: Close the window, please Or: Could you close the window please? Or: Would you mind closing the window please?

• We simply use 'ask me + to + infinitive':

  
  

• Reported speech: She asked me to close the window.

extra examples

• Please help me --- She asked me to help her.

• Please don't smoke --- She asked me not to smoke.

• Could you bring my book tonight? --- She asked me to bring her book that night.

• Could you pass the milk, please? --- She asked me to pass the milk.

• Would you mind coming early tomorrow? --- She asked me to come early the next day.

To report a negative request, use 'not':

Direct speech: Please don't be late ------ Reported speech: She asked us not to be late.

EXERCISE

Let's practice reporting some requests.

Reported Orders

• we report with the verb "tell"

• Direct speech: Sit down! --- Reported speech: She told me to sit down.

• d: Go to bed! --- r: He told the child to go to bed.

• d: Don't worry! --- r: He told her not to worry.

• d: Be on time! --- r: He told me to be on time.

• d: Don't smoke! --- r: He told us not to smoke.