Reported Speech

Instructor: L Th Bch Phng

Nguyn Hong Trang Nguyn Ngc Phng Dng Vn Nam L Hnh oan

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I.

DIRECT SPEECH VS. REPORTED SPEECH Direct speech is used to give the exact words used by another speaker. The words are given between quotation marks (" ") in writing. My mother told me, "You have to work harder in school, or you'll fail." While this is okay for sharing stories with friends, this is not the best way to report a conversation, either in speech or in writing. It shows a better education to use reported speech: My mother told me that I had to work harder or that I would fail. When transforming direct speech into reported speech, we have to notice these three changes: Changes in verbs. Changes in pronouns. Changes in words suggesting nearness or remoteness.

II.

STATEMENTS IN REPORTED SPEECH Changes in verbs Present tenses Direct Speech Present Simple John said, I work at Toyota. Present Continuous Lee said, I am studying English. Indirect Speech Past Simple John said he worked at Toyota. Past Continuous Lee said she was studying English. Past Perfect Simple Ammar said that he had been in the United States for 10 years. Past Perfect Continuous Ahmed said he had been living in the US since the summer.

Present Perfect Simple Ammar said, I have been in the United States for 10 years. Present Perfect Continuous Ahmed said, Ive been living in the US since the summer. Past tenses Direct Speech Past Simple Catherine said, I came from France.

Indirect Speech Past Perfect Simple Catherine said she had come from France.

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Past Continuous Adel said, I was living in Saudi before. Past Perfect Simple Aigul said, I had already been married. Past Perfect Continuous Li said, Id been studying for years. Modal verbs Direct Speech Will Al said, This week I will visit you. Can He said, I can help you. Must John said, I must pass Writing class! *Shall (Not common) He said, You shall not drive here. May The student asked, May I get a drink of water? Changes in pronouns Pronoun Personal pronouns Function Subject

Past Perfect Continuous Adel said he had been living in Saudi before. Past Perfect Simple Aigul said she had already been married. Past Perfect Continuous Li said that she had been studying for years.

Indirect Speech Would Al said that week he would visit her. Could He said he could help her. Had to John said he had to pass Writing class. Should He said she should not drive there. Might The student asked if he might get a drink of water.

Direct I We You

Reported He, she They They Him, her Them Them

Object

Me Us You

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Possessive pronouns

Attributive

My Our Your

His, her Their Their His, hers Theirs Theirs

Nominal

Mine Ours Yours

Changes in words suggesting nearness or remoteness.

this these here tomorrow that those there the following day or the next day next month the following month or the next month today tonight this afternoon yesterday that day that night that afternoon the day before or the previous day last year the year before or the previous year last night the night before or the previous night

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III.

QUESTIONS IN REPORTED SPEECH A. WH-questions: Questions starting with Who, Whom, What, Which, Where, When, Why, and How Direct: What do you want from me? Reported: I asked him what he wanted from me. Direct: Reported: Where will you go? He asked me where I would go.

B. Yes/ No questions: Questions starting with auxiliary verbs Direct: Will you wait for me? Reported: He asked her if she would wait for him. Direct: I have left my watch at home. Can you tell me the time?

Reported: He said that he had left his watch at home and asked me if I could tell him the time. If can be replaced by Whether. IV. REQUEST, COMMAND, ADVICE Indirect commands, requests, advice are usually expressed by the following formula: V + O + infinitive A. Verbs that can be used: Advice Forbid Tell Direct: Indirect: Ask Implore Urge Beg Invite Warn Command Order Encourage Recommend Entreat Request

You had better hurry, Bill!, she said. She advised Bill to hurry.

B. Negative commands, request etc. are usually reported by V + O + not + infinitive Direct: Dont swim out too far, boys I said.

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Indirect:

I warn/ told the boys not to swim out too far.

Forbid can also be used for prohibitions, but is more common in the passive than in active.

C. In case that the person addressed is often not mentioned in direct command,
requests etc. He said, Go away! When reporting such commands/requests we must add a noun or pronoun: He told me/him/her/us/them/the children to go away. V. NOTES: INFINITIVE AND GERUND CONSTRUCTIONS IN REPORTED SPEECH A. Agree/refuse/offer/promise/threaten + infinitive can sometimes be used instead of say (that): Ann: Would you wait half an hour? Tom: All right = Tom agreed to wait or Tom said that he would wait. Ann: Would you lend me another $50? Tom: No, I wont lend you any more money = Tom refused to lend her any more money Or Tom said that he wouldnt lend her any more money. Paul: Ill help you if you like, Ann = Paul offered to help her Or Paul said that he would help her. Ann: Ill pay you back next week = Ann promised to pay him back the following week Ann said that she would pay him back the following week Or

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Ann assured him that she would pay him back the following week. B. Accuseof/admit/apologize for/deny/insist on + gerund can sometimes be used instead of say (that): You took the money! He accused me of taking the money. I stole/didnt steal it I admitted/denied stealing it. Im sorry Im late He apologized for being late or He said he was sorry he was late. Bill: Let me pay for myself. Tom: Certainly not! Ill pay Tom insisted on paying. LET IN REPORTED SPEECH A. Lets Lets usually expresses a suggestion and is reported by suggest in reported speech: Direct: He said, Lets stop now and finish it later. Reported: He suggested stopping then and finishing it later. Or He suggested that they/we should stop then and finish it later. Similarly in the negative: Direct: He said. Lets not say anything about it till we hear the facts. Reported: He suggested not saying anything/saying nothing about it till they heard the facts. Or He suggested that they shouldnt say anything till they heard the facts. But lets not used alone in answer to an affirmative suggestion is often reported by some phrase such as opposed the idea/was against it/objected. Direct: Lets sell the house, said Tom. Lets not, said Ann. Reported: Tom suggested selling the house but Ann was against it.

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B.

Let there be Here the speaker could be ordering, advising, urging or begging: Direct: Let there be no reprisals. said the widow of the murdered man. Reported: The widow urged/begged that there should be no reprisals.

C.

Let is also an ordinary verb meaning allow/permit Direct: Let him come with us, mother; Ill take care of him, I said. Reported: I asked my mother to let him come with us and promised to take care of him. EXCLAMATION

A.

Exclamations beginning What. . . or How . . . can be reported 1. by exclaim/say that: Ex: He said. What a dreadful idea! Or How dreadful! He exclaimed that it was a dreadful idea/was dreadful. 2. by give an exclamation of delight/disgust/horror/relief/surprise...

3. with an exclamation of delight/disgust... + he/she + verb. Other types of exclamation, such as Good! Marvellous! Splendid! Heavens! Oh! Ugh! ... B. can be reported as in (b) or (c) above: Ex: Good! he exclaimed. He gave an exclamation of pleasure/satisfaction. Ex: Ugh! she exclaimed, and turned the programme off. With an exclamation of disgust, she turned the programme off. Note also: He said, Thank you! He thanked me. He said, Curse this fog! He cursed the fog. He said, Good luck! He wished me luck. He said, Congratulation! He congratulated me. He said, Liar! He called me a liar. He said, Damn! He swore. The notice said: WELCOME TO WALES! The notice welcome visitors to Wales.

C.

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NO CHANGE IN TENSES A. Introductory verbs in present tenses. Direct: He says The dress is expensive. Reported: He says the dress is expensive. Direct: Reported: B. He is saying, I cannot continue studying He is saying he cannot continue studying.

Describe facts or obvious events. Direct: The Earth moves around the sun. Reported: They said that the Earth moves around the sun. Describe habitual or repeated activities. Direct: I walk to school every day. Reported: She said she walks to school every day. Direct speech uses one of these following verbs: -Would: Direct: She said, I would try my best in this test. Reported: She said she would try her best in this test. -Should: Direct: Reported: -Could: Direct: Reported: -Might: Direct: Reported: -Ought to:

C.

D.

She said, I should have known better about you. She said she should have known better about him.

He said, I could protect you. He said he could protect her.

He said, I might be there. He said he might be there.

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Direct: Reported: -Used to: Direct: Reported:

He said, You ought to go now. He said I ought to go then.

He said, She used to complain much. He said she used to complain much.

-Had better: Direct: She said, I had better wait for you. Reported: She said she had better wait for him. -Must: Must used for deductions, permanent command/prohibitions and to express Intention remains unchanged. Deductions: Ex: She said, Im always running into him; he must live near here!. She said that . . . he must live in the area. Permanent command: Ex: He said, This door must be kept locked. He said that the door must be kept locked. Must used casually to express intention: Ex: He said, We must have a party to celebrate this. He said that they must have a party to celebrate it. Must used for obligation can remain unchanged. Alternatively it can be reported by would have to or had to. Would have to is used when the obligation depends on some future action, or when the fulfilment of the obligation appears remote or uncertain, i.e. when must is clearly replaceable by will have to: Ex: If the floods get worse we must (will have to) leave the house, he said. He said that if the floods got worse, they would have to leave the house.

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Had to is the usual form for obligations where times for fulfilment have been fixed, or plans made, or when the obligation is fulfilled fairly promptly, or at least by the time the speech is reported: Ex: He said, I must wash my hands. (and presumably did so) He said that he had to wash his hands. Ex: Tom said, I must be there by nine tomorrow. Tom said that he had to be there by nine the next day. -Neednt Neednt can remain unchanged. Alternatively, it can change to didnt have to/wouldnt have to just as must changes to had to/would have to: Ex: He said, You neednt wait. He said that I neednt wait. Ex: I said, If you can lend me the money, I neednt go to the bank. I said that if he could lend me the money, I neednt/wouldnt have to go the bank. Ex: He said, I neednt be in the office till ten tomorrow morning. He said that he neednt/didnt have to be in the office till ten the next morning. Need I/you/he? behaves exactly in the same ways as must I/you/he? i.e. it normally becomes had to: Ex: Need I finish my pudding?, asked the small boy. The small boy asked if he had to finish his pudding. E. Conditional sentences type 2 and type 3. Direct: He said, If I had enough money, I would buy a car. Reported: He said if he had enough money, he would buy a car.

Direct: He said, If I had heard the whole story, I would have acted differently. Reported: He said if he had heard the whole story, he would have acted differently. F. Verbs in past tenses after expressions wish, would rather, would sooner, it is time: Direct: He said, I wish you were here. Reported: He said he wished she were here.

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