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REPORTED SPEECH
DIRECT AND INDIRECT (OR REPORTED) SPEECH. INTRODUCTION
There are two ways of relating what a person has said: direct and indirect.
In direct speech we repeat the original speaker’s exact words:
He said, “I have lost my umbrella.”
Remarks thus repeated are placed between inverted commas, and a comma is placed immediately before
the remark. Direct speech is found in conversations in books, in plays and in quotations.
In indirect speech we give the exact meaning of a remark or a speech, without necessarily using the
speaker’s exact words:
He said (that) he had lost his umbrella.
There is no comma after say in indirect speech. that can usually be omitted after say and tell + object. But
it should be kept after other verbs: complain, explain, object, point out, protest etc. Indirect speech is
normally used when conversation is reported verbally, though direct speech is sometimes here to give a
more dramatic effect.
When we turn direct speech into indirect, some changes are usually necessary.
“I saw her the day before yesterday”, he said. He said he’d seen her two days
before.
“I’ll do it tomorrow”, he promised. He promised that he would do it the next day.
She said, “My father died a year ago”. She said that her father had died a year
before/the previous year.
B. But if the speech is made and reported on the same day these time changes are not necessary:
At breakfast this morning he said, “I’ll be very busy today”. At breakfast this
morning he said that he would be very busy today.
C. here can become there but only when it is clear what place is meant:
At the station he said, “I’ll be here again tomorrow”. He said that he’d be there
again the next day.
Usually here has to be replaced by some phrase:
She said, “You can sit here, Tom”. She told Tom that he could sit beside her.
All those changes represent the distancing effect of the reported speech. Common sense, together
with the time aspect from the speaker’s point of view, are more important than the rules when
making the usual changes.
b. Other types of exclamation such as Good! Marvellous! Splendid! Heavens! Oh! Ugh! etc. can be
reported as in (b) or (c) above:
“Good!” he exclaimed. He gave an exclamation of pleasure/satisfaction.
“Ugh!” she exclaimed, and turned the programme off. With an exclamation of
disgust she turned the programme off.
c. Note also:
He said, “Thank you!” He thanked me.
He said, “Good luck!” He wished me luck.
He said, “Happy Christmas!” He wished me a happy Christmas.
He said, “Congratulations!” He congratulated me.
He said, “Liar!” He called me a liar.
He said, “Damn!” etc. He swore.
The notice said: WELCOME TO WALES! The notice welcomed visitors to Wales.
EXERCISES
STATEMENTS
1. These people are saying these things. Report them, using says that.
a. Paul: “Atlanta is a wonderful city.” ____________________________________________________
b. Ruth: “I go jogging every morning.” ___________________________________________________
c. Anna: “Jenny isn’t studying for her exams.” _____________________________________________
d. Andrew: “I used to be very fat.” _______________________________________________________
e. e.- Jim: “I can’t swim.” ______________________________________________________________
01069205519 5 wishes you all the best
Waleed Ahmed Abd Raboo The Elite 2020-2021
QUESTIONS
7. Report the police-officer’s questions to the shop owner.
a. What’s your name? _________________________________________________________________
b. Did you see the robbers? ____________________________________________________________
c. What were they wearing? ___________________________________________________________
d. How do you think they got in? ________________________________________________________
e. What did they take? ________________________________________________________________
11. Write the sentences in reported speech using the words given.
a. “Sit down, Mary.” (he told)
_________________________________________________________________________________
b. “Would you pass my suitcase?” (he asked)
_________________________________________________________________________________
c. “Don’t go near the sea, children.” (the children’s mother warned)
_________________________________________________________________________________
d. “Don’t be late, Tim.” (Tim’s father told)
_________________________________________________________________________________
e. “Be quiet, children.” (the librarian told)
_________________________________________________________________________________
f. “Have your tickets ready, please.” (the inspector told us)
_________________________________________________________________________________
Question tags are formed with the auxiliary or modal verb from the statement and the appropriate
subject.
When the verb in the main sentence is in the present simple we form the question tag with do /
does.
When the statement contains a word with a negative meaning, the question tag needs to
be positive
. ا ا ف ا ا ف ال اا
yes ا وا ال ف اا
No ا وا ال ف اا
. ة ن دا أن ال ا ا ل اا
. ن أن ال ا ا ا
It’s hot today, isn't it ? Yes, it is.
The manager arrived late, didn’t he ? Yes, he did.
Ahmed won’t come to the party, will he ? No, he won’t.
Salah hasn’t bought a car, has he ? No, he hasn't.
ى اا
Ex- You like nuts, don’t you? He speaks English, doesn’t he?
Your brother can’t play the guitar, can he?
, We should always eat healthy meals, shouldn’t we?
It’s a beautiful picture, isn’t it?
ﻣﻼﺣﻈــﺎﺕ ﻋــﺎﻣـﺔ
و never – rarely – hardly – seldom – nor – neither - ي ا ا
. ال ان ا أن
He never smokes, does he ? Maha hardly studies, does she?
. ال ا ا has م و ’s ءت إذا
she 's finished cooking, hasn't she?
. is م ا ا اء ا أ ء أي’ وs ءت إذا
It’s fine today, isn’t it ? He's a doctor, isn't he ? - She's reading, isn't she?
. wouldn’t I ال ان ا ر وI’d ءت إذا
I’d go alone, wouldn’t I ? he 'd rather come early, wouldn't he?
. hadn’t ال ان ا better او ’ وd ءت إذا
I’d sent the letter, hadn’t I ? - You'd better study hard, hadn't you?
. aren’t I ال ان ا I’m ءت إذا
I’m a teacher, aren’t I ?
. am I الن ا I’m not ءت إذا
I’m not a doctor, am I ?
. اح إ م shall we - shan’t we ال ان ا Let’s أت ا إذا
Let’s go swimming , shall we / shan’t we ?
. أ م . will you - won’t you ال ان ا Let us أت ا إذا
Let us go swimming, will you / won’t you ?
. it ال ا ا ن ا This or That ن ا إذا
This is my car, isn’t it ?
. they ال ا ا ن ا These or Those ن ا إذا
These are mine, aren’t they ? /Those are my socks, aren't they?
. ال ا ا ا م مThere ن ا إذا
There is a car over there, isn’t there ? There are flowers in the garden, aren't there?
. it ن ا Everything, Something, Nothing ن ا إذا
Everything is right , isn't it ? - Nothing can be done now, can it ?
. they ن ا Everyone, body - Someone, body - No one, body ن ا إذا
Everyone watched the match, didn’t they ? – No one played well , did they?
. ا did رع و ا do or does م أ v. to Have ء إذا
I have a new car, don't I ? - He has a lot of money, doesn't he ?
. will you – won' t you ال ان ا أ ام إذا
Shut the door, will you / won't you ?
. will you ال ان ا أ ام إذا
Don't open the window, will you ?
. don’t ال ان ا ت ا need ء ا إذا
We need your help badly, don’t we ?
. ال ا ا need مneedn’t ء ا إذا
They needn’t take a taxi, need they ?
. ال ا ا don’t ت م ا dare ء ا إذا
They dare to go without guns, don’t they ?