Reported Speech

Reported Speech

1. Reported Statements When do we use reported speech? We use a reporting verb like 'say' or 'tell'. If this verb is in the present tense

2. We don't need to change the tense, though probably we do need to change the ‘person' from 'I' to 'she', for example. We also may need to change words like 'my' and 'your'. On the other hand, if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change the tenses in the reported speech example: Direct speech: I like ice cream. Reported speech: She said she liked ice cream.

3. Occasionally, we don't need to change the present tense into the past if the information in direct speech is still true (but this is only for things which are general facts, and even then usually we like to change the tense): Direct speech: The sky is blue. Reported speech: She said that the sky is/was blue.

4. Reported questions Direct speech: Where do you live? The tense changes are the same, and we keep the question word. The very important thing though is that, once we tell the question to someone else, it isn't a question any more.

   • Reported speech: She asked me where I lived. We make a present simple question with 'do' or 'does' so I need to take that away. Then I need to change the verb to the past simple Direct speech: Where is Julie? Reported speech: She asked me where Julie was. But, what if you need to report a 'yes / no' question? We don't have any question words to help us. Instead, we use 'if': Direct speech: Do you like chocolate? Reported speech: She asked me if I liked chocolate.

5. Reported Requests What if someone asks you to do something (in a polite way)? Direct speech: Close the window, please. Or: Could you close the window please? All of these requests mean the same thing, We simply use 'ask me + to + infinitive': Reported speech: She asked me to close the window.

   • To report a negative request, use 'not': Direct speech: Please don't be late. Reported speech: She asked us not to be late.

6. 1.-Reported Orders An 'order', when someone tells you very directly to do something. Example Direct speech: Sit down! We make this into reported speech as a request. We just use 'tell' instead of 'ask': Reported speech: She told me to sit down.

   • 2.- Time Expressions with Reported Speech We have to change time expressions. It depends on when we heard the direct speech and when we say the reported speech. Example It's Monday. Julie says "I'm leaving today".
     • examples:• If I tell someone on Monday, I say "Julie said she was leaving today". • If I tell someone on Tuesday, I say "Julie said she was leaving yesterday". • If I tell someone a month later, I say "Julie said she was leaving that day". You really have to think about when the direct speech was said.
     • You use table of some possible conversions: Now then / at that time. Today yesterday / that day Yesterday the day before yesterday / the day before Last night the night before, Thursday night Last week the week before / the previous week Tomorrow today / the next day / the following day