Scribd
Upload
2 views

Reported Speech Guide

The document explains the rules for converting direct speech into reported speech, focusing on the verbs 'say' and 'tell' and their usage patterns. It emphasizes the importance of context, backshifting tenses, and making necessary changes to pronouns and time indicators. Additionally, it provides guidelines for reporting questions, highlighting the structure to use for yes/no and wh- questions.

Uploaded by

Veronica
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
2 views

Reported Speech Guide

The document explains the rules for converting direct speech into reported speech, focusing on the verbs 'say' and 'tell' and their usage patterns. It emphasizes the importance of context, backshifting tenses, and making necessary changes to pronouns and time indicators. Additionally, it provides guidelines for reporting questions, highlighting the structure to use for yes/no and wh- questions.

Uploaded by

Veronica
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Reported Speech

Say & Tell: There are many reporting verbs (explain, ask, accuse, deny, etc.). Say and tell are the two most
basic ones. ALWAYS pay attention to the pattern that follows each word. The connector “that” is optional.

(tell) + noun/pronoun + clause


(say) + clause or (say) to + noun/pronoun + clause

“It’s a beautiful day.”

She told me (that) it was a beautiful day. J She said it was a beautiful day. J
She told to me (that) it was a beautiful day. L She said to me (that) it was a beautiful day. J
She told (that) it was a beautiful day. L She said me it’s a beautiful day. L

CONTEXT IS EVERYTHING! Backshift tenses, change time words/phrases, pronouns and possessive
adjectives if necessary.

It’s not necessary to backshift or to change time words if you’re reporting a fact or something that hasn’t
happened yet:

“The Earth is round.” (yes, that’s a fact) à Scientists say that the Earth is round, but... :-P

“Haiti was the first place in the Americas where slavery was abolished.” (another fact) à
She explained that Haiti was the first place in the Americas where slavery was abolished.
(notice the use of passive voice and relative clauses!)

“I’m leaving tomorrow.” à Judy said she’s leaving tomorrow. (it’s still the same day)

“It’s a beautiful day.” à He said (that) it’s a beautiful day. (it’s still the same day)
à He said it was a beautiful day. (maybe it’s nighttime now or he’s referring to yesterday)

Pay attention to the changes (the pairs of colors represent how the same words change from direct to
reported speech):

“You have to send me your homework by Tuesday.”


(Imagine you’re in class and your teacher said this 2 seconds ago but you weren’t paying attention, so you
asked one of your classmates what she said.)
à She told us (that) we have to send her our homework by (next) Tuesday.

“You have to send me your homework by Tuesday.”


(Imagine she said this on Thursday. Today is Tuesday of the following week
à She told us (that) we had to send her our homework by today.

“If you were here with us, you’d have so much fun!”
(Second conditional. Your friends are at a party but you decided not to go.)
à They said that if I had been there with them, I would have had so much fun.
(Now it’s a third conditional! Woohoo!)
HOW TO REPORT QUESTIONS: You’re not asking a question, you’re repeating what you or someone else asked.

Three rules to remember:


1. THINK IN ENGLISH, NOT SPANISH!
2. NEVER use the auxiliary verbs do/don’t, does/doesn’t, did/didn’t.
3. NO INVERSION! Use the structure of an affirmative or negative sentence (noun + verb),
NOT the structure of a question (verb + noun/auxiliary + noun + verb)

Basically, reported questions have the same structure as their possible answers, NOT the structure of the
original questions. PAY ATTENTION TO THE POSITION OF THE VERB!!! :)

Yes/No Questions

“Do you like pasta?” à She asked me if I like/liked pasta.


(think of the answer, “I like pasta.”)

“Did Sally watch the movie last night?” à He asked me if Sally had watched the movie the previous night.
(think of the answer, “Sally watched the movie”)

“Are you studying English?” à She asked me if I am/was studying English.


(think of the answer, “I’m studying English.”)

“Have you ever seen a UFO?” à He asked her if she had ever seen a UFO.
(think of the answer, “I have seen many UFOs. And I have been to Mars too!”

Wh-/How Questions

“What is the capital of France?” (think of the answer, “The capital of France is Paris.”)
à He asked what the capital of France is/was.

“Which shoes should I wear?” (answer: “You should wear the black ones.”)
à I asked her which shoes I should wear.

“Where were my keys?” (answer: “Your keys were under the couch.”)
àJanis asked where her keys were.

“Whose keys are these?” (answer: “They’re Janis’.”)


à Jimi asked whose keys those were.

“Who have you told my secret to?” (answer: “I’ve told your secret to everyone! Muahahaha!”)
à He asked me who I’d told his secret to.

“When did Sarah call?” (answer, “Sarah called at 5pm.”


à Ashley asked when Sarah had called.

“Why are you crying?” (answer: “We’re crying because we hate grammar!”)
àThe teacher asked the students why they were crying.

“How is the cake?” (answer: “The cake was delicious.”)


à She wanted to know how the cake was.

You might also like