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Reported Speech

The document discusses the rules for changing direct speech to reported or indirect speech. It explains how to change the tenses and pronouns when reporting statements, questions, requests and other speech based on whether the reporting verb is in the past, present or future tense. For example, "I am fine" becomes "He said that he was fine" if the reporting verb is in the past tense. It also discusses changing other elements like time expressions and maintaining the same meaning.

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Kãrã Sįvdã
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84 views

Reported Speech

The document discusses the rules for changing direct speech to reported or indirect speech. It explains how to change the tenses and pronouns when reporting statements, questions, requests and other speech based on whether the reporting verb is in the past, present or future tense. For example, "I am fine" becomes "He said that he was fine" if the reporting verb is in the past tense. It also discusses changing other elements like time expressions and maintaining the same meaning.

Uploaded by

Kãrã Sįvdã
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Reported Speech Reporting statements with the introductory verb in the present and/or future tenses.

Direct speech Indirect (reported) speech


Tom says, I am fine. The sun is shining, Jerry is saying. I will see you after the party. She tells me. He will probably say/is going to say/ has said, We have left it at home Tom says that he is fine. Jerry is saying that the sun is shining She tells me that she will see me/us after the party. He will probably say /is going to say/ has said that we/they have left it at home.

Reporting statements with the introductory verb in the past tense. Tenses Direct speech Indirect (reported) speech The present (simple cont. perf)
I am busy now, I said. Cathy said I never work on Sundays Ann is doing her homework, Mother said. We have seen your car in the garage yesterday. The policemen told me. Condolesa said, I wrote a letter to the president after my visit. You were driving too fast, they said. I told them, He had left since the year 2000. I shall fly to Paris next July, Ahmed promised. The boss announced, John will be working here this summer holidays. I will have finished the correction by two oclock. Kaddour declared. She said, I would be very happy if you.. If pupils .., they would have succeeded. Many teachers thought. Can May , might Must , has/have to should I said that I was busy then/at that time. Cathy said that She never worked on Sundays Mother said that Ann was doing her homework.. The policemen told me that they had seen my/our car in the garage the day before. Condolesa said that She had written a letter to the president after her visit. They said that we/I had been driving too fast. I told them that he had left since the year 2000.

The past (simple cont. perfect)

The future (simple. cont. perfect)

Ahmed promised that he should fly to Paris the following July. The boss announced that John would be working there that summer holidays. Kaddour declared that by two oclock, he would have finished. She said that she would be very happy if I / we . Many teachers thought that if pupils .., they would have succeeded. Could Might Had to should

Some changes (backshifts) concerning pronouns, demonstratives and time expressions should be taken into consideration. Direct speech Indirect (reported) speech.
I We My Our Me Us Here This These I / She / He We / They My / His / Her Our / Their Me / Him / Her Us / Them There That Those

The Modals conditional Pronouns

Demonstratives

Now Today Tonight Yesterday Tomorrow Hour-day-month-week-year ago Ago .. Next . Last ..

Then That day That night The day before/ the previous The following day/ the day after Hour-day-month-week-year before .before The following /The .after The previous./ .before

Reporting questions, commands and requests. Direct speech


-What have you done? He asked her. -The tourist wanted to know, Where is the bank? - What was it? The mother asked her niece. -Who colonized Algeria? The history teacher asked us. -She asked me, Do you really love me? -Did it rain heavily last summer? I asked. -Jane wanted to know Will you send me your photo in your next letter? -Have you finished? The teacher asked. -Present your essays on Monday! The teacher ordered us. -Do not talk to your mate! He added. -Go out! The boss shouted at me angrily. -He ordered her Stop smoking! -Be quiet please, the baby is taking a nap My mother said. -Can you help me, please? An old man asked me. -Would you please help me do this activity tonight? Suzies friend asked her.

Time expressions

Reported (Indirect)speech
-He asked her what she had done. -The tourist wanted to know where the bank was. -The mother asked her niece what it had been. -The history teacher asked us about/ who had colonized Algeria -She asked me if I really loved her. -I asked whether it had rained heavily the previous summer. -Jane wanted to know if I/we would send her my/our photo(s) in my /our following letter(s). -The teacher wanted to know if we/they had finished. -The teacher ordered us to present our essays on Monday. -He added not to talk to my/our mates. -The boss ordered me angrily to go out . -He ordered her to stop smoking. -My mother asked me to be quiet, the baby was taking a nap. - An old man asked me (politely) to help him. - Suzies friend asked her to help him/her do that activity.

Reporting questions with the introductory verb in the present and/or future tenses. Direct speech Indirect (reported) speech
Yes / no WH -Are you tired? They want to know. -They will ask you Will you be here tomorrow? -What have you done with the money? The father asks his son. -They have been asking each other Where are we? Are we lost? -They want to know if I / we am/are tired. -They will ask me /us whether I/we will be there the following day. -The father asks his son (about) what he has done with the money. -They have been asking each other where they are, and if they are lost.

Situations to Express Thanks, Apologies, Advice, Confessions Suggestions. Functions Direct (quoted) speech Indirect (reported) speech Expressing thanks. Expressing apologies Making suggestions. Giving advice.
-Ali told me," Thank you for your help". -" I'm very sorry. I'm late", She said. -"Hi friends! Let's go to the zoo.", Condoliza told us. -My doctor said," Why don't you eat less and practise sport?" -Ali thanked me for my help/helping him. -She apologized for being late. -Condoliza suggested going to the zoo. My doctor advised me to eat less and(to) practise sport.

questions

Polite requests

Imperative s and commands

Auxiliary questions

WH questions

Rejecting/denying. Admitting/ confessing.

-"We did not cheat in the exam.", pupils told their Maths teacher. - "Yes we did. We robbed the bank", the five thieves said.

- Pupils denied / rejected cheating in the exam - The five thieves admitted that they robbing the bank.

The tenses shift: The tense in quoted speech


- Simple present - Present continuous - Present perfect simple - Present perfect continuous - Simple past - Past continuous - Past perfect simple - Past perfect continuous - Simple future - Future continuous - Future perfect simple - Conditional

The tense in reported speech


- Simple past - Past continuous - Past perfect simple - Past perfect continuous - Past perfect simple - Past perfect continuous - Past perfect simple - Past perfect continuous - Conditional - Conditional continuous - Conditional perfect - Conditional

Remarks

No change No change

Rarely used No change

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