Reported Speech
Reported Speech
Direct Speech:
Alan said, “I have learned English for 10 years!”
Tense change: go one tense back.
Alan said, “I have learned English for 10 years!”
Alan said that he had learned English for 10 years.
“I used to get up at 6,” Jane said.
Jane said that she had used to get up at 6.
Jane said that she used to get up at 6.
** If the direct speech is simple past, you either go tense back or retain the same grammar.
“We are flying to London tomorrow,” Jack said.
Jack said that they were flying to London the next day.
“I will go to school,” he said.
He said that he would go to school.
“We did it yesterday”, they said.
They said that they had done it the day before.
They said that they did it the day before.
“This bag is expensive,” she said.
She said that the bag was expensive.
No tense changes.
** If the present situation is still true when we are reporting it, we don’t change the tense.
She said, “Everybody dies one day.”.
She said that everybody dies one day.
“I am a man”, he said.
He said that he is a man.
“I still live in Istanbul”, John said.
John said that he still lives in Istanbul.
** If the direct speech is in the past tense, don’t change it or go one tense back.
“I was working until midnight”, she said.
She said that she was working until midnight.
She said that she had been working until midnight.
** The future: If an event is still in the future when we are reporting it, don’t change the grammar form.
“I will fly to London”, she said. (She is in London now)
She said that she would fly to London.
“The world will end soon”, he said. (The end of the world is still coming)
He said the world will end soon.
** Say & Tell:
He said that …(Say+ No object that)
He told me that (Tell + Object that)
Reported Questions, commands, and requests.
** Yes/No question, if/whether, go one tense back, change the pronouns, and time adverbs, and change the question to affirmative sentences.
“Have I seen you before?” she asked. : I have seen you beforeShe had seen me before.
She asked me if she had seen me before.
“Are you bonkers?” He shouted. You are bonkers. You were bonkers.
He shouted whether we were bonkers.
“Did you like the food?” she asked.
She asked if I had liked the food.
She asked if I liked the food.
** Wh-questions: retain the wh-question word. Go one tense back, change the pronouns, and time adverbs, and change the question to affirmative sentences.
“What have you done?” she cried.
She asked what I had done.
“What is your name?” she asked. : your name is my name was.
She asked what my name was.
“Where do you live?” He asked. Do you live? you liveI liveI lived.
He asked where I lived.
“Where is the bank?” She asked.
She asked where the bank was.
“What can I do for you?” he offered.
He offered what he could do for me.
Reported Command and Request.
“Get out!” he shouted.
He shouted at us to get out.
“Sit down!” the teacher ordered.
The teacher ordered us to sit down.
“Put your hands up!” the police officers shouted.
The police officers shouted at the thieves to put their hands up.
“Please help us,” he ask
He asked us to help them.
“Don’t give up!” she advised.
She advised me NOT to give up.
“Don’t move!” he ordered.
He ordered me NOT to move.
My brother advised me not to give up learning English.
Someone told me that you lived in America.
Reported Verbs
*** Verb + to V1.
Agree, decide, offer, promise, propose, refuse, threaten.
“I won’t answer your question,” she refused.
She refused to answer my question.
“I will never give up!” she promised.
She promised that she would never give up. (baby English)
She promised me not to give up.
“I will not leave you behind,” he promised.
He promised not to leave me behind.
*** Verb + Object + to V1:
Advise, beg, encourage, invite, persuade, remind, warn.
“Don’t walk home alone, it is dangerous.” He warned.
He warned me not to walk home alone.
“It is a good idea to walk home with a friend,” she advised.
She advised me to walk home with a friend.
“You need to finish your homework,” he reminded.
He reminded me to finish my homework.
*** Verb + Ving/noun
Admit, deny, recommend, suggest.
“Yes, I broke the window,” he admitted.
He admitted that he broke the window.
He admitted that he had broken the window.
He admitted breaking the window.
“Let’s have a party”, he suggested.
He suggested having a party.
** Verb + (Object) + Preposition + Ving/ Noun
Accuse sb of, advise someone against, agree with someone on/about, apologies (to someone) for, complain to someone about something, congratulate someone on, insist on, warn someone against/about.
“I am sorry I am late,” he apologized.
He apologized to us for being late.
He apologized that he was late.
“I will pay for the meal!” he insisted.
He insisted on paying for the meal.
“You got married, congratulations!”, she congratulated.
She congratulated us on getting married.
** Verb + that clause:
Admit, agree, announce, boast, complain, decide, deny, explain, promise, suggest, threaten.
“We will be on time.” They promised.
They promised that they would be on time.
** Verb + Object + that clause: told
Inform, persuade, promise, remind, warn.
“Don’t forget, we have a meeting this afternoon.” She reminded.
She reminded me that we had a meeting that afternoon.
“You can wait for the Doctor to finish the operation,” the secretary informed.
The secretary informed us that we could wait for the doctor to finish the operation.
** Verb + that clause with should
Insist, propose, recommend, suggest.
“Why don’t we ask Jack to help us?” he suggested.
He suggested that we should ask Jack to help us.
They proposed us that we should accept their terms.