REPORTED SPEECH

INTRODUCTION

• Direct speech iswhat people actuallysay

• Indirect speech (reported speech) ishow we later report the
words the speaker originally used.
• Tomake thischangesappropriately,we haVe to consider
the context in which we report: who are we speaking to,
who said what and if what was said isstill true.
• Reported speech includes reports of what was written and
thought as well as spoken.
 USE

• Direct speech isused:

• Todramatise
• Tocreate a sense ofimmediacy
• Beca use the precise wordsused were important

• Itisfound in newspaper reports,fiction and oral

narrative
 USE

• Reported speech isused:

• When we are interested not inthe words that were chosen, but inthe
information given

• Itisfound innewspaper reports,fiction,talking or writing

about conversation,reports,articlesor speeches
 USE

• Occasionally, we don't need to change the present tense

into the past ifthe information indirect speech isstilltrue (but
thisisonly forthings which are general facts,and even then
usually we like to change the tense):

Direct speech:Theskyisblue.
Reported speech:She said (that)the skyis/wasblue.
 PATTERNS OF REPORTING VERBS

• SAY:

say +(that)+clause

e.g.She said (that)she had already eaten. (Thedirect

speech forthisis"I'vealready eaten".)
 PATTERNS OF REPORTING VERBS

• TELL
tell +someone +(that)+clause
e.g.Itold John (that)Ihad seen the new film. (Thedirect
speech forthisis"I'veseen the new film".)

When we are reporting orders,we c a n also use another

pattern with 'tell':

tell +someone +to +infinitive

e.g.She told the children to go to bed.
 PATTERNS OF REPORTING VERBS

• ASK

We use 'ask'to report questionsor requests. Forquestions we use the pattern:

ask +someone +if/ question word +clause

e.g.Iasked my boss ifIcould leave early. She asked them

where the station was.

Forrequestswe use the pattern:

ask +someone +to+infinitive

e.g.Iasked Lucy to pass me the salt.
TENSE CHANGES
 TENSE CHANGES

Tense Direct Speech Reported Speech

Will I'll see you later She said (that) she would see
me later
would* I would help, b u t .. ” She said (that) she would help
but
Can I can speak perfect English She said (that) she could speak
perfect English
could* I could swim when I was four She said (that) she could swim
when she was four
Shall I shall come later She said (that) she would
come later
should* I should call my mother She said (that) she should call
her mother
might* I might be late She said (that) she might be
late
She said (that) she must study
at the weekend OR She said
Must I must study at the weekend
she had to study at the
weekend
 QUESTIONS IN REPORTED SPEECH

Word order: Theword orderina reported question isthe same

as in a statement. Thesubject comes before the verb.

Question:Are you ready? Statement:Iamready

Question in reported speech: Shewanted to know ifIwas

ready.
 PRONOUNS

The person who isreporting what someone said isusually different

from the person who made the original statement. As a result,
pronouns in reported speech often change.

Quotation
“ Ia m hungry.” “ Where will you be?”
“ Have you seen my glasses?”

Reported Speech
Ciara said she was hungry.
Anne wanted to know where Iwould be. David asked me if Ihad
seen hisglasses.
 PLACE AND TIME

Changes in the situation between direct and reported speech

can resultin changes to words indicating place and time.

Quotation
“ Idon’ t like thisbook.” “ I’ ll see you tomorrow.” (spoken on
Thursday)

Reported Speech
Jaime said he didn’ t like that book.Michiko said she would see
me yesterday.
(reported on Saturday)
 RECOMMEND AND SUGGEST

Thesubjunctive,or base, form of the verb (no tense, without to) is

used in reported speech when the
main verb isrecommend or suggest.

Quotation
“ You should arrive early.” “ Don’ t wait to apply.” “ Kathy
should ca ll me.”

Reported Speech
John recommended that we arrive early.Anna recommended
that Inot wait to apply. Iwill suggest that Kathy c a ll you.”
 INFINITIVES

Infinitives(to+the simple form of the verb) may sometimes be used instead of noun
clauses, especially in commands and in requests for action or permission.
Commands can be reported two ways:
A noun clause with a modal(usually should) An infinitive

Quotation
“ Callme when you get home.” “ Plan ahead.”

Reported Speech
Mom said we should call her when we get home. Mom said to call her when we
get home.
My father told me that Ishould plan ahead. My father told me to plan ahead.
 INFINITIVES

Requests for action or permission can be reported two ways: A noun

clause withif
An infinitive

Quotation
“ Willyou carrythe boxforme?” “ Can Imake an appointment?

Reported Speech
She asked me ifIwould c arrythe boxforher. She asked me to carrythe
boxforher.
Jimasked ifhe could make an appointment.J imasked to makean
appointment.
IDENTIFY DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH

Falla and Davies, 2012

DIRECT TO REPORTED SPEECH
DIRECT TO REPORTED SPEECH
DIRECT TO REPORTED SPEECH
DIRECT TO REPORTED SPEECH
 EXERCISES FOR STATEMENTS
CHANGETHESTATEMENTSTO REPORTED SPEECH
“ He worksina bank”
She sa id
“ We wentoutla stnight”
She told me
“ I’ m c oming!”
She sa id
“ Iwas waiting for the bus when he arrived”
She told me
“ I’ d neverbeen there before”
She sa id
“ Ididn’ t go to the party”
She told me
“ Lucy’ llc ome later”
She sa id
“ He hasn’ tea ten brea kfast”
She told me
“ Ic a n help youtomorrow”
She sa id
“ You should go to bed early”
She told me
 EXERCISES FOR STATEMENTS
CHANGETHESTATEMENTSTO REPORTED SPEECH
“ Idon’ t like chocola te”
She told me
“ Iwon’ tsee youtomorrow”
She sa id
“ She’ s living in Parisfor a few months”
She sa id
“ Ivisited my parentsa tthe weekend”
She told me
“ She ha sn’ tea tensushi before”
She sa id
“ Ihadn’ t travelled by underground before Icame to London”
She sa id
“ They would help if they could”
She sa id
“ I’ ll do the washing-up later”
She told me
“ He could rea d when he wasthree”
She sa id
“ Iwa ssleeping when Julie c a lled”
She sa id
 EXERCISES FOR QUESTIONS
CHANGETHEQUESTIO NSTO REPORTED SPEECH

“ Where ishe?”
She asked me
“ Wha ta re you doing?”
She asked me
“ Why did you go outlast night?”
She asked me
“ Who wastha tbea utifulwoman?”
She asked me
“ How isyourmother?”
She asked me
“ Wha ta re you going to do at the weekend?”
She asked me
“ Where willyoulive a ftergraduation?”
She asked me
“ Wha twere you doing when Isaw you?”
She asked me
“ How wasthe journey?” She a sked me
 EXERCISES FOR QUESTIONS
CHANGETHEQUESTIO NSTO REPORTED SPEECH

“ How oftendo you go to the cinema?”

She asked me
“ Do you live inLondon?”
She asked me
“ Did he a rrive ontime?”
She asked me
“ Ha ve youbeen to Pa ris?”
She asked me
“ C an youhelp me?”
She asked me
“ Are youworking tonight?”
She asked me
“ Will you come la ter?”
She asked me
“ Do you like c offee?”
She asked me
“ Isthisthe roa d to the sta tion?”
She asked me
“ Did you do yourhomework?”
She asked me
“ Have you studied reported speech before?”
She asked me
EXERCISES FOR REQUESTS AND ORDERS

CHANGETHESENTENCESTO REPORTED SPEECH

“ Plea se help me ca rrythis”

She asked me
“ Plea se come ea rly”
She
“ Plea se buy some milk”
She
“ Could you please open the window?”
She
“ Could you bring the booktonight?”
She
“ Can you help me with my homework,plea se?”
She
“ Would you bring me a cup of coffee, please?”
She
“ Would you mind passing the salt?”
She
“ Would you mind lending me a pencil?” She
EXERCISES FOR REQUESTS AND ORDERS

CHANGETHESENTENCESTO REPORTED SPEECH

“ Iwa swondering if you could possibly tell me the time?”

She
“ Do yourhomework!”
She told me
“ Go to bed!”
She
“ Don’ tbe la te!”
She
“ Don’ tsmoke!”
She
“ Tidy yourroom!”
She
“ Wa ithere!”
She
“ Don’ tdo tha t!”
She
“ Ea tyourdinner!”
She
“ Don’ t make a mess!”
She
“ Do the wa shing-up!”
She
 EXERCISES FUTURE SIMPLE
CHANGETHESENTENCESTO REPORTED SPEECH

“ I'llgo to the cinema la ter.”

She sa id
“ We'llmeet the childrena t six.”
She sa id
“ She’ ll be la te.”
She sa id
“ Lucy willdefinitely co me.”
She sa id
“ Iwillstop smoking on Tuesday.”
She told us
“ John won't do it.”
She sa id
“ They won'tbe a ble to a rrive ea rly.”
She sa id
“ Iwon'tc ome with you.”
She sa id
“ He won'trememberto buy milk.”
She sa id
10.“ It won'train la terI'm sure.”
She sa id
 EXERCISES FUTURE SIMPLE
CHANGETHESENTENCESTO REPORTED SPEECH

“The Conservatives will winthe next election.”

She sa id
“ That girl will never pass the exam.”
She told us
“ John willa rrive before Da vid.”
She sa id
“ It will be c old tonight.”
She sa id
“ Jennywill cookdinner.”
She sa id
“ We wa ntto getmarried nextyear.”
She sa id
“ Iwon'tbe a ble to a fford a new ca r.”
She sa id
“ She won'twa ntto a ttend the meeting.”
She sa id
“ Richard won't drinkc offee.”
She sa id
“ Iwon'tvote a tthe nextelection.”
She sa id
 EXERCISES PRESENT PERFECT
CHANGETHESENTENCESTO REPORTED SPEECH

“ I've neverbeen to Bra zil.”

She sa id
“ She ha svisited Pa risthree times.”
She sa id
“ He hasrea d ‘ Wa ra nd Pea ce ’ .”
She sa id
“ Iha ven'tseen Julie fora ges.”
She sa id
“ He hasn't been to school thisweek.”
She sa id
“ We ha ven'tseen ‘ The Lord of the Rings’ .”
She sa id
“ They've eaten in a lot of different restaurants.”
She sa id
“ I've never tried skateboarding.”
She sa id
“ Lucy ha sdrunksixcupsof coffee toda y.”
She sa id
“ Mr Bla ck ha swritten three books.”
She sa id
 EXERCISES PRESENT PERFECT
CHANGETHESENTENCESTO REPORTED SPEECH

“ It hasn't ra ined much thisyea r.”

She sa id
“ She ha sneverswum inthe sea .”
She sa id
“ He hasstudied La tin.”
She sa id
“ I've beensick all week.”
She sa id
“ Robert hasbeen to China five times.”
She sa id
“ Iha ven'tmet Richa rd before.”
She sa id
“ Julie ha sneverstudied music.”
She sa id
“ He haseaten too much chocola te.”
She sa id
“ We ha ven'tseen the new pla y.”
She sa id
“ Ihaven't tried the new restaurant yet.”
She sa id
 EXERCISES PRESENT SIMPLE
CHANGETHESENTENCESTO REPORTED SPEECH

“ Ilive in New York”

She sa id
“ He worksin a ba nk”
She told me
“ Julie doesn’ tlike going out much”
She sa id
“ Idon’ t have a c omputer”
She sa id
“ They nevera rrive ontime”
She sa id
“ We often meet friends inLondon at the weekend”
He told me
“ David doesn’ t have any children”
She sa id
“ Idon’ t go to the gym very often”
She sa id
“ Lucy ownsthree fla tsinthe city”
She sa id
“ Ineverget up ea rly on Sunda ys”
She sa id
 EXERCISES PRESENT SIMPLE
CHANGETHESENTENCESTO REPORTED SPEECH

“ She meets her boyfriend at the cinema every Friday night”

He sa id
“ We don’ t travel much”
She sa id
“ John doesn’ tlive in Japa n any more”
She sa id
“ They workin Hong Kong”
She told me
“ Ihave to work until seven or eight pm every night”
She sa id
“ Idon’ t wa nt to go to the thea tre nextweekend”
She sa id
“ We like working in Pa ris”
She sa id
“ She doesn’ tha ve enough time to do everything”
She sa id
“ Tonyha tesmushrooms”
She told me
“ They often go on holiday in July”
She sa id
 REFERENCES

• Falla, T.and Davies P.A. 2012.Solutions. 2nd. Edition. OUP.

China.
• Parrot M. 2000.Grammar forEnglish language teachers.2nd
edition.CUP.U.K.
• Perfect English G rammar.
http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/
reported-speech.html.Consultado el15/10/2017
• Reported Speech and Direct Speech. 2013.St.Louis
CommunityCollege.

Consultado el 15/10/2017