REPORTED SPEECH

I- CHANGES IN THE TENSE OF THE REPORTED VERB

DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH

Present simple Past simple
He said: “I like to dance” .......................................................
Present continuous Past continuous
He said: “ It is raining” ........................................................
Present perfect Past perfect
She said: “I have read this book” .......................................................
Present perfect continuous Past perfect continuous
“We have been working all day”, she said ........................................................
Past simple Past perfect
He said: “They went to town” ........................................................
Past continuous Past continuous or Past perfect continuous
He said: “I was listening to the radio” .......................................................
Past perfect Past perfect (no change)
“I hadn’t seen her before that day”,he said ........................................................
Past perfect continuous Past perfect continuous (no change)
She said: “I had been waiting for ages” ........................................................
Will / Shall Would / Should
They said: “We’ll be late” ........................................................
Can Could
“I can swim” ,he said. ........................................................
May Might
“We may come”, they said .......................................................
Must Had to
She said: “ I must go” ........................................................
[ Could / might / ought to/ should ....................................................(No change) ]

II- OTHER CHANGES

a. Pronouns and adjectives

I -- he/ she My -- his /her Me -- him /her Mine -- his / hers
We -- they Us -- them Our -- their Ours -- theirs

b. Adverbs and adverbial phrases

Now -- then Tomorrow ---- the following day
This /these -- that / those the next day
Here -- there the day after
Ago -- before
Today -- that day Yesterday ---- the day before
the previous day

This week/ year -------that week/ year

Next month/ week ---the following week / month
Last year / month ---- the previous year/ week The day before yesterday --- two days before
the year / week before The day after tomorrow --- in two days time

STATEMENTS

Reporting verb : SAY ,TELL, MENTION

a- Direct speech : Mary said: “ I often go to the cinema.”

Indirect (reported) speech: Mary said (that) she often went to the cinema.

b- Direct speech: John told me: “I have finished my homework.”

Indirect speech: John told me that he had finished his homework.

QUESTIONS

Reporting verb: ASK ,WANT TO KNOW, WONDER, INQUIRE

1- Questions beginning with a question word (where,when,who,how,why, etc.)

a-Direct speech: Susan asked: “Where do you live?”

Indirect speech: Susan asked me where I lived.

b-Direct speech: He asked me : “Where are you going?”

Indirect speech: He asked me where I was going

2- If (whether ) questions : ( no question words !!!)

a- Direct speech: She asked: “does your brother study science?”

Reported speech: She asked me if / whether my brother studied science

b- Direct speech: They asked me: “Did you see the accident?”
Reported speech: They asked me if / whether I had seen the accident.

IMPERATIVES

Reporting verb: ASK ,TELL, ORDER, COMMAND

Direct speech: He told me: “Go to the library”

Indirect speech: He told me to go to the library. [infinitive structure !!!]

Direct speech: They told him: “Don’t throw papers on the floor.”
Indirect speech: They told him not to throw papers on the floor. [ negative infinitive !]
SUGGESTIONS /RECOMMENDATIONS

To report suggestions with the verbs suggest and recommend two different structures can be used :
that +subject+base form of the verb or -ing

- “You should provide prisoners with a healthy diet” , Dr Gesch recommended

Dr Gesch recommended that they provide prisoners with a healthy diet.
Dr Gesch recommended providing the prisoners with a healthy diet.

- “You should try our famous Rain fragrance” suggested the shop assistant.
The shop assistant suggested that I try their famous Rain fragrance
The shop assistant suggested trying their famous Rain fragrance.

REPORTING VERBS WITH OTHER STRUCTURES

- The verbs promise, agree, refuse take the infinitive

-“I'll come to the party”, Jason promised. → Jason promised to come to the party.
- “I'll produce a an ashtray scent”, he promised. → He promised to produce an astray scent.

- The verbs deny and admit take the -ing form

- “I didn't steal the money”, Jason said. → Jason denied stealing the money.
- “ We don't take advantage of customers”, the company said.
The company denied taking advantage of customers.

- The verbs advise, remind, warn, ask take the structure object + infinitive
-“Stop giving him chocolate” , the doctor advised Nathan's parents.
The doctor advised Nathan's parents to stop giving him chocolate.
-“You should buy some chocolate for Lily”, George advised me.
George advised me to buy some chocolate for Lily.