19 reported speech

Instituto de Estudios Superiores Belén PROFESORADO EN INGLÉS

Gramática Inglesa II

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REPORTED SPEECH

47 REPORTED STATEMENTS In Reported Speech (also known as Indirect Speech), the tense used in the

speaker's original words is usually (but not always) moved back a tense when the reporting

verb (said, told, etc.) is in the past. The tense does not change if the reporting verb is in the

present, present perfect or future.

TENSE CHANGES

Speaker's Words

Present Simple

Present Continuous

Present Perfect Simple

Present Perfect Continuous

Past Simple

Past Continuous

Past Perfect

Going To Future

Shall/Will

Shall in Offers and Suggestions

Must

Can

Reported Speech

Past Simple

Past Continuous

Past Perfect Simple

Past Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect Simple

Past Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect

Was Going To

Would

Should

Had To

Could



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EXAMPLE:

Note: It is possible to omit THAT.

WHEN THE TENSE DOESN'T CHANGE The past simple and continuous often remain unchanged in reported speech, in both

written and spoken English, if this can be done without causing any confusion about the

time of the actions.

It is also possible for other tenses to remain unchanged in reported speech in spoken

English.

Past Continuous

The Past Continuous usually remains unchanged in reported speech:

Where the Past Continuous is used to refer to an activity that was completed

before an event in the past simple or present perfect, we are more likely to

change the past continuous to the past perfect continuous:

• A representative said (that) sales had dropped dramatically in the last (or previous) year.

“Sales have dropped dramatically in the last year.”

• He said that when they arrived, he was still cooking the dinner.

'When they arrived, I was still cooking the dinner.'

• She said that she was working until ten o'clock last night/the previous night.

'I was working until ten o'clock last night.'



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Past Simple When the Past Simple is used in a time clause, it does not generally change.

When there is a time clause, the verb in the main clause can remain in the

past simple or change to the past perfect:

When the past simple is used to refer to a situation that still exists in the

present, it does not generally change:

In other circumstances it is better to change the past simple to the past perfect

in written reporting. However, in oral reporting, it is becoming increasingly

common to leave the past simple unchanged:

• 'She said that they had been planning to go out but then Joe started/had started feeling sick.

'We were planning to go out but then Joe started feeling sick.'

• She said that when she got there, the place was/had been almost empty.

'When I got there the place was almost empty.'

• She said that they hadn't stayed in the hotel because it was too expensive.

'We didn't stay in the hotel because it was too expensive.' (And presumably the hotel is still expensive now.)



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Present Tenses In oral reporting, it is becoming increasingly common not to change the

present tenses if the activity is still going on or the situation still exists at the

time of reporting:

However, if the party is now finished and he is no longer doing his homework, then

we change the tense in reported speech:

'I enjoyed myself last

night.'

Oral reporting:

Clare said that she enjoyed

(had enjoyed) herself last

night/on Saturday night.

Written reporting:

Clare said that

she had enjoyed herself

last night/the previous night/on

Saturday night.

• Jo told me that Alison is living (was living) with her parents now.

'Alison's living with her parents now.'

• He said that he can't (couldn't) come to the party because he was doing his homework.

'I can't come to the party because I'm doing my homework.'

• He said that he couldn't come to the party because he was doing his homework.

'I can't come to the party because I'm doing my homework.'



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Assuming that this situation still exists, the verb can stay in the present simple or

change to the past simple in oral reporting:

The Future

In oral reporting, the future tenses can remain unchanged if the event is still in the

future:

'The school takes on new students every month.'

The receptionist told me that the school takes on / took on new students every month.

• Sheila said that she is meeting/was meeting John tonight.

(Tonight is still in the future.)

• Sheila said that she was meeting John last night.

(Tonight is now in the past.)

'I'm meeting John tonight.'

• The police said that they are going to/were going to launch a thorough investigation.

'We're going to launch a thorough investigation.'



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TIME AND PLACE CHANGES It is often necessary to change time, place and other references in reported speech,

depending on when and where the reporting takes place in relation to the actual words.

Some common changes:

• The Prime Minister said that there will/would be no increase in taxes.

“There will be no increase in taxes.”

• They announced that the plane will/would be leaving in thirty-five minutes.

“The plane will be leaving in thirty-five minutes.”

now

tonight

yesteday

tomorrow

this morning

last week

next...

ago

here

then

that night

the day before / on...

the following day / the next day / on...

that morning

the previous week

the following...

before

there



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PRACTICE

Note: In the following exercises, you should make the tense changes as for written

reporting

47 IN YOUR NOTEBOOK, REWRITE THE SENTENCES IN REPORTED SPEECH.

1. “I'll come and see you on Friday if that's all right.” (She said)

She said (that) she would come and see us on Friday if that was all right.

2. “It's pouring with rain down here.” (She told me)

___________________________________________________________________

3. “The shop's closing in half an hour.”(She explained)

___________________________________________________________________

4. “It will be a very difficult time for all of us.” (He agreed)

___________________________________________________________________

5. “He's planning to set up his own business.” (Gareth tells me)

___________________________________________________________________

6. “The club lost quite a lot of money last month.” (The treasurer told the meeting)

___________________________________________________________________

7. “You work too hard. You should take more time off.” (He told me)

___________________________________________________________________

8. “We're going to have to make quite a few cutbacks.” (The managing director said)

___________________________________________________________________

9. “My new computer has made a lot of difference to me.” (She says)

___________________________________________________________________

10. “I'll have finished writing the report by the time you get here.” (She promised me)

___________________________________________________________________



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11. “When the project first started, there was a lot of interest in it.” (She explained)

___________________________________________________________________

12. “The police have been investigating new allegations of fraud.” (A spokesperson

said)

___________________________________________________________________

13. “When we were setting up the organisation, we had very little money.” (They told

me)

___________________________________________________________________

14. “The 8.45 train from Waterloo will be arriving in approximately five minutes.” (The

station announcer has just said)

___________________________________________________________________

15. “The conference will be spending a considerable time discussing the world debt

crisis.' (The statement said)

___________________________________________________________________

48 REPORTED QUESTIONS The rules about tense changes apply to questions in the same way as they apply to

statements.

Wh Questions

The subject and verb are NOT inverted in reported speech:

“Why didn't you tell me the truth?”

• Inversion

She asked me why I hadn't told her the truth.

• subject + verb



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Yes/no Questions

Put if or whether before the subject + verb:

To-Infinitive in Reported Speech In reported requests, advice, commands, etc., use to-infinitive:

When reporting shall/should questions, we can use to-infinitive after the

question word:

• She asked me if she had seen me before.

'Have I seen you before?'

• She asked me to help her write her speech.

'Can you help me write my speech?'

• She told me not to stay out too late.

'Don't stay out too late.'

• He wanted to know how much to give them.

'How much should we give them?'

• She asked me what to buy for Peter.

'What should I buy for Peter?'

• He wanted to know whether to tell her what had happened.

'Should I tell her what happened?'



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Note: We do not use the to-infinitive after why or if.

PRACTICE 48 Write the following in reported speech.

1. 'Where do you think we should advertise? (He asked me)

He asked me where I thought we should advertise.

2. 'Are you going to audition for the play?' (Emma asked me)

___________________________________________________________________

3. 'Give me a ring if you need any help: (She told me)

___________________________________________________________________

4. 'How is Laura getting on?' (She often asks me ... you ... )

___________________________________________________________________

5. 'Shall I ask her out for a meal?' (He's been wondering)

___________________________________________________________________

6. 'Why did Matthew look so embarrassed when he saw Carole?' (He asked)

___________________________________________________________________

7. 'Must we stay here all evening?' (He asked)

___________________________________________________________________

8. 'What are they doing about publicity for the event?' (She wondered)

___________________________________________________________________

9. 'Will you send me the report when it's finished?' (He asked me)

___________________________________________________________________

10. 'What have you done with the student records?' (She asked me)

___________________________________________________________________



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11. 'Do you think you could keep your voices down a bit?' (She asked us)

___________________________________________________________________

12. 'Where did you buy that hat?' (He wanted to know)

___________________________________________________________________

13. 'Have you been eating properly?' (The doctor asked me)

___________________________________________________________________

14. 'Were you still teaching music when you met Oliver?' (Mike asked me)

___________________________________________________________________

15. 'Don't make any noise during the performance: (They asked us)

___________________________________________________________________

SOURCE Elanie WALKER & Steve ELSWORTH: Grammar Practice for Upper-Intermediate

Students – with Key. Pearson Education Limited, England - 2000. pp. 128 - 133

19 reported speech

Technology