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Pronoun changes may affect the verb when it is in the future or conditional :
He says, 'I shall be there.' = He says that he will be there.
He said, 'I shall be there.' = He said that he would be there.
c) this and these
this used in time expressions usually becomes that:
He said, 'She is coming this week.'
= He said that she was coming that week.
Otherwise this and that used as adjectives usually change to the:
He said, 'I bought this pearl/these pearls for my mother.'
= He said that he had bought the pearl(s) for his mother.
this, these used as pronouns can become it, they/them:
He came back with two blood-stained knives and said, 'I found these beside the
king's bed.'
= He said that he had found them beside the king's bed.
He said, 'We will discuss this tomorrow.'
= He said that they would discuss it (the matter) the next day.
this, these used as either adjectives or pronouns to indicate choice or to distinguish
some things from others usually become the one near him/the one(s) that he had
chosen or some such phrase:
'Which will you have?' I asked. 'This (one)', he said.
= I asked which one he would have and he said he would have the one near him.
d) Adverbs and adverbial phrases of time change as follows:
Direct
Indirect
today
that day
yesterday
the day before
the day before yesterday
two days before
tomorrow
the next day/the following day
the day after tomorrow
in two days' time
next week/year
the following week/year
last week/year
the previous week/year
a year ago
a year before/the previous year
I saw her the day before yesterday,' he said.
= He said he'd seen her two days before.
Ill do it tomorrow,' he promised.
= He promised that he would do it the next day.
Im starting the day after tomorrow, mother,' he said.
= He told his mother that he was starting in two days' time.
But inquire, wonder, want to know cannot take an indirect object, so if we wish to
report a question where the person addressed is mentioned, we must use ask:
He said, 'Mary, when is the next train? '
= He asked Mary when the next train was (if we use inquire, wonder or want to
know we must omit 'Mary').
If the direct question begins with a question word (when, where, who, how, why ,
the question word is repeated in the indirect question:
He said, 'Why didn't you put on the brake?'
= He asked (her) why she hadn't put on the brake.
She "said, 'What do you want?'
= She asked (them) what they wanted.
If there is no question word if or whether is placed after the introductory verb:
'Is anyone there?' he asked.
= He asked if anyone was there.
Questions beginning shall I/we and will you/would you/could you
a) Questions beginning shall I/we can be of four kinds:
1. speculations, or requests for information about a future event:
'Where shall I be this time next year?'
'When shall I know the result of the test?'
These follow the ordinary rule about shall/will. Speculations are usually introduced
by wonder:
He wondered where he would be in a year's time/at that time in the following year.
She asked when she would know the result of her test.
2. requests for instructions or advice:
'What shall I do with it?' (= tell me what to do with it).
These are expressed in indirect speech by ask, inquire , with should or the be +
infinitive construction; requests for advice are normally reported by should:
"Shall we send it to your flat, sir?' he said.
= He asked the customer \if they should send it to his flat.
'What shall I say, mother?' she said.
= She asked her mother what she should say (request for advice).
3. offers:
'Shall I bring you some tea?' could be reported
He offered to bring me some tea.
4.suggestions:
'Shall we meet at the theatre?' could be reported
He suggested meeting at the theatre.
Questions beginning will you/would you/could you may be ordinary questions but
may also be requests, commands or invitations:
He said, 'Will you be there tomorrow?' (ordinary question)
He asked if she would be there the next day.
but He said, 'Will you help me, please?' (request)
= He asked me to help him
He said, "Will you have a drink/Would you like a drink?' (invitation)
= He offered me a drink or asked if I would have/would like a drink.
He said, 'Will you have lunch with me tomorrow?' (invitation)
= He invited me/asked me to lunch with him the following day.
Indirect commands
direct command: He said, 'Lie down, Tom.'
indirect command: He told Tom to lie down.
Changes necessary when we turn direct commands into indirect commands:
a) The introductory verb, say, , changes to a verb of command or request, such as
tell, order, command, ask . (see example above).
b) The introductory verb of the indirect command must be followed immediately by
the person addressed and the infinitive (i.e. the accusative + infinitive construction):
He said, 'Get your coat, Tom.'
= He told Tom to get his coat.
In direct commands the person addressed is often not mentioned: He said, 'Go away.'
But in indirect commands the person addressed must be included, so that in cases
such as the above it is necessary to add a noun or pronoun:
He told me (him, her, the children) to go away.
Similarly:
He said, Please say nothing about this.'
He asked her (us/them) to say nothing about it.
c) Negative commands are expressed by not + infinitive:
could be reported
or
obey the command is addressed directly. But when the command is expressed by the
be + infinitive construction (a above) or by say + should (b above) the recipient of
the command need not necessarily be/addressed directly. The command may be
conveyed to him by a third person.
He said that it wasn't his business and that the government should/ought to do
something about it.
Reported speech
The most important rule is to use verb forms that are natural in the situation.
'I'm happy to help you' she,said.
She told me she is happy to help us.
In the above example, the verb has not been put one stage back in the past. In the
following example, the same is true.
'I wanted to go to the cinema, but John wasn't so keen' said Sue.
Sue said that she wanted to go to the cinema, but John wasn't so keen.
Reported speech with modal auxiliaries
If the reporting verb is in a past verb form, modals change where there is a past'
equivalent.
will - would
can - could
may - might
Verbs followed
advise
forbid
ask
instruct
by person + to
invite
persuade
order
remind
tell
warn
Changes of viewpoint
Changes of time, place and person reference are assumed known at this level. In
reported speech, there is no longer a clear reference which can be understood by two
people in the same place.
I left the parcel on this chair.
In reported speech one would have to specify which chair:
He said he had left the parcel on the chair by the window.
Or the reference may be replaced by a more general one:
I love this town.
She said that she loved the town.
EXERCISES
1.Underline the errors in these sentences. Rewrite each sentence. Rewrite each
sentence in direct speech, ending.
a) Sally told that she had lost her keys.
b) Chris said me that he must leave early.
q) Maria and Tony said they shall see us tomorrow.
d) Tom said, I'm coming to your party.
e) Sue said that she had wrote a letter to Lisa.
f) Steve said us that he was arriving at 8.00.
g) 'I had bought a new bike Pam told us.'
h) 'What's the matter? Ellen told.
i) Jim says that he had needed some help.
j) Joe said that he doesn't feel well yesterday.
Match each sentence in direct speech with its summarized version in reported speech.
Complete each sentence, using say, tell or speak in an appropriate form.
Rewrite each sentence in reported speech, beginning as shown.
a) 'Look, sorry about this, but I'm afraid I'm going to be a bit late.'
b) 'Actually I've no idea at all where I am!'.....
c) 'The thing is, I know it's silly but I've missed the bus.'.....
d) 'Anyway, I'll be back in next to no time.'.....
e) T did ring, you know, earlier in the evening......
1) She said she would be back soon.
2) She said she had missed the bus.
3) She said she was going to be late.
4) She said she had already rung.
5) She said she didn't know where she was.
a) Jim .me that he was playing in the school basketball team.
b) I...................to Helen, and she...................she would phone you.
c) 'You're lucky,'...................Steve. ...................you that you would win!'
d) A translator...................the President what everyone was....................
e) 'Look/1...................her, 'why don't you...................me what you mean?'
f) I..................my teacher that I..................Chinese, but she didn't believe me,
g) 'Please don't..................anything during the test,' our teacher..................us.
h) I................my friends about my party, and they................they would come.
a) T won't be there because I'm having a party, said Helen.
Helen told us that she ...............
b) 'I've lost the map and I don't know the way,' said Jack.
Jack told me that he..............................................................................................
c) 'When I finish the book, I'm going to watch television, 'said Carol.
Carol said that when............................................................................................
d) 'I'm doing some homework but I won't be long,' said Mike.
Mike said that he.................................................................................................
e) I like swimming but I don't go very often,' said Mary.
Mary told us that she ..........................................................................................
f) T got up late and I missed the bus,' said Richard.
Richard said that he............................................................................................
g) 'I'm going to visit friends in Fiji but I'm not sure when,' said Jill.
Jill told us that she................................................................................................
h) T want to buy it, but I haven't brought any money,' said Tony.
Tony said that he..........................................................................
4. Rewrite each sentence in reported speech, beginning as shown. Use a verb from the
list.
a) What's the time?
Could you tell me .......................?
b) What does this mean?
Do you know...............................................?
c) How much does this cost?
Could you tell me...............................................?
d) What time does the museum open?
Do you know...............................................?
e) Am I in the right seat?
Could you tell me...............................................?
f) Where's Ashram Street?
Do you know...............................................?
g) Is this Trafalgar Square?
Could you tell me...............................................?
h) When does this bus leave?
Do you know.....................................;.........?
advised apologized congratulated invited,
offered promised refused suggested
a) Ill definitely be at your house before 8.00, Sue, said Mike.
Mike .... Sue that ..........:.....
b) 'Would you like to come to the cinema, Jean?' asked Chris.
Chris....................................................................................................................
c) I wouldn't eat too much if I were you, Dave,' said Patsy.
Patsy.....................................................................................................................
d) 'How about going for a walk?' said George.
George................................................................................
e)I'm terribly sorry for breaking the window,' said Carol.
Carol...................................................................................
f)'Shall I do the washing-up?' said Bill.
Bill
g)'Well done, you've passed your driving test,' said Tina's mother.
Tina's mother.....................her......................................................
'No, I won't go to the dentist's!' said Pat.
Pat ..