Advanced reported speech

ADVANCED REPORTED SPEECH

• The sentences below are reported speech for the same direct speech:
• "I wish I hadn't taken this job!"
• The first is a more direct report. The second is less wordy and uses a different reporting verb (regret) to express the meaning of the speech.
• He said that he wished he hadn't taken the job.
• He regretted taking the job.

REPORTING MEANING

• It is important not to translate word for word. Up to now, we've seen reported speech that is mostly translated directly from direct speech, using said or told me.
• You can also use verbs to indicate the meaning of the direct speech. Instead of just saying something, is someone claiming, suggesting, advising, refusing, or arguing?
• You should visit the art museum might be reported as she suggested we visit the art museum.
• It's 250 km away, but we can get there in an hour. → This statement seems unlikely. We might describe it as a claim. Look how this could appear in reported speech: She claimed that we could get there in an hour. By using a reporting verb like claim, we show that the speaker believes their statement is true, even if we are sceptical.

REPORTED SPEECH CONSTRUCTIONS

• VERB + THAT + CLAUSE
• I'll bring you that book later → She said that she would bring me the book later
• VERB + TO + INFINITIVE
• I will make a reservation for us → He promised to make a reservation for us
• VERB + SOMEBODY + TO + INFINITIVE
• Laura, can you carry my other bag? → He asked her to carry his other bag
• VERB + SOMEBODY + THAT
• Watch out! The floor is wet → He warned me that the floor was wet
• VERB + GERUND
• I wish I had not accepted this job! → She regretted accepting this job

REPORTING VERBS

• Using different reporting words can make your reported speech more exciting and more precise.
• Some will depend on context. For example, you would only refuse when relaying information about someone being unwilling to do something: I will not drive you to the party could become he refused to dirve me to the party.
• Promise → She promised to take me shopping.
• Suggest → They suggested that we go to the cafeteria.
• Advise → My teacher advised me to edit my paper (advise against)
• Claim → The company claimed to be the best in town.
• Refuse → He refused to drive me to the party.

INTRODUCTORY VERBS I

• INTRODUCTORY VERBS
• Agree + to + inf
• “Yes, I’ll help you.”
• He agreed to help me.
• Offer
• “Shall I open the door?”
• He offered to open the door.
• Promise
• “Of course I’ll pay you.”
• He promised to pay me.
• Refuse
• “No, I won’t go with you.”
• He refused to go with us.
• Threaten
• “Stop crying or I’ll punish you.”
• He threatened to punish me if I didn’t stop crying.
• Advise + sb + to + inf
• “You should see a lawyer.”
• He advised me to see a lawyer.
• Ask
• “Could you help me?”
• He asked me to help him.
• Beg
• “Please, don’t hurt her!”
• He begged me not to hurt her.
• Command
• “Stand to attention!”
• He commanded the soldiers to stand to attention.
• Invite
• “Will you have dinner with me?”
• He invited me to (have) dinner with him.
• Order
• “Leave the cat alone!”
• She ordered me to leave the cat alone.
• Remind
• “Don’t forget to ring Ann!”
• She reminded me to ring Ann.
• Warn
• “Don’t go near the rocks!”
• He warned me not to go near the rocks.

INTRODUCTORY VERBS II

• Admit + gerund
• “Yes, I told her the secret.”
• He admitted (to) telling/having told her the secret.
• Accuse sb of
• “You took the money.”
• He accused me of taking/having taken the money.
• Apologise for
• “I’m sorry I arrived so late.”
• He apologised for arriving/having arrived so late.
• Boast of/about
• “I’m the fastest of all.”
• He boasted of/about being the fastest of all.
• Complain to sb of
• “I have a toothache.”
• He complained to me of having a toothache,
• Deny
• I didn’t take the book.”
• He denied taking/having taken the book.
• Insist on
• “Come on! You should come with us.”
• He insisted on me/my going with them.
• Say sb prefers sth
• “I’d rather do it myself”
• He said he preferred doing/to do it himself.
• Suggest
• “Let’s have a party”.
• He suggested having a party.
• Agree + that
• “Yes, it’s a big house”.
• He agreed that it was a big house.
• Complain
• “You are always lying to me”.
• He complained that I was always lying to him.
• Deny
• “I didn’t take that book”.
• He denied that he had taken the book.
• Explain
• “That’s why I didn’t take it”.
• He explained to me why/that he hadn’t taken it.
• Exclaim/remark
• “What a sunny day it is today”.
• He exclaimed/remarked that it was a sunny day.
• Promise
• “Of course I’ll help you.”
• He promised that he would help me.
• Suggest
• “You’d better see a doctor”.
• He suggested that I (should) see a doctor.

IMPERSONAL REPORT STRUCTURES

• These passive structures are used to show what people generally think or to report what people claim or believe is true.
• Like the Passive Voice, it can be used for a number of reasons:
• 1. To create an objective impression by distancing the author from the idea.
• It is known that the prisoner escaped through the tunnel.
• (The author of this sentence wanted to create a great distance between him and the written sentence.)
• 2. We are more interested in the statement than who made it.
• The economy is expected to improve next year.
• (We are interested in the economy.)
• 3: To make the sentence more formal and less personal.
• It is claimed that the government is doing a bad job.
• (It is a formal style.)
• We use these structures with such verbs as: say, think, believe, claim, report.