GRAMMAR UNTI 2

GRAMMAR UNTI 2

1. REPORTED SPEECH

   • Reported speech is how we represent the speech of other people or what we ourselves say. There are two main types of reported speech: direct speech and indirect speech. Direct speech repeats the exact words the person used, or how we remember their words: Barbara said, “I didn’t realise it was midnight.”
     • Reported statements We use reported speech to tell someone what another person said. David said that he was tired. We use reporting verbs such as say and tell in reported speech. He said (that) he had a calculator. He told me (that) he had a calculator. When we report what someone said we change personal pronouns, possessive pronouns, possessive adjectives, etc. Paula said, I've fixed my CD player. Paula said (that) she had fixed her CD player. In reported speech, the main verb usually moves back one tense into the past. Dean said, ive seen this DVD. Dean said (tit) he had seen that DVD. Janet said. Paul will get an MP3 player Janet said (that) Paul would get an MP3 player. Time words and phrases also change in reported speech. For example: today, tonight, now → that day, that night, then I said, I'll see you tonight. I said (that) I would see her that night. Some other words also change in reported speech. For example: this, here, come → that, there, go
     • In indirect speech, the original speaker’s words are changed. Barbara said she hadn’t realised it was midnight. In this example, I becomes she and the verb tense reflects the fact that time has passed since the words were spoken: didn’t realise becomes hadn’t realised. Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words: “I’m sorry,” said Mark. (direct) Mark apologised.
     • Speech reports consist of two parts: the reporting clause and the reported clause. The reporting clause includes a verb such as say, tell, ask, reply, shout, usually in the past simple, and the reported clause includes what the original speaker said.
     • Reported questions Reported questions have the same tense and word changes as reported statements. In reported questions the verb is not in question form. It is the same as in statements. 'Is Tim here?' I asked. →I asked if Tim was there. / (Hasked-if-was-Tim-there: X) When the direct question begins with an auxiliary verb (do/does, have/has, etc.) or a modal verb (can, should, etc.), the reported question begins with if or whether. Is Ted busy?' she asked me. → She asked me if/whether Ted was busy. When the direct question begins with a question word (what, where, how much, etc.), the reported question begins with the question word. Where did they go?' Kathy asked. → Kathy asked where they had gone. We often use ask to report questions. We can use an object after ask. 'Have they left?'I asked (him).→ I asked (him) if they had left.
       • Reported commands and requests When we report commands and requests, we change the imperative to a full infinitive (to + infinitive). 'Drop it!' she said to the thief. → She told the thief to drop it. "Please leave,' I said to her. → I asked her to leave. For negative commands and requests we add not before the full infinitive (not + to + infinitive). 'Don't break that!' he said to me. → He told me not to break that. We use tell to report commands. We use an object after tell. "Sit down!' he said to me. > He told me to sit UMop • We use ask to report requests. We use an object after ask. "Please relax, he said to me. → He asked me to relax.
         • Reporting verbs We can use different reporting verbs to summarise what someone said. Different structures are used depending on the verb. verb + (object) + full infinitive "OK, I'll do it. → She agreed to do it. "You should leave.' → He advised me to leave. verb + (preposition) + gerund I didn't break your laptop. > He denied breaking my laptop. T'm sorry I lost your MP3 player, she said. → She apologised for losing his MP3 player. verb + (object) + that I didn't buy an iPad mini,' she said. → She denied that she had bought an iPad mini. "Your printer is fixed. → She informed us that our printer was fixed. Some reporting verbs can be followed by more than one structure. 'Let's buy him a DVD. > He suggested buying him a DVD. > He suggested that we buy him a DVD. > He suggested that we should buy him a DVD.

2. REFERENCES: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/es-LA/grammar/british-grammar/reported-speech_2