REPOTED

SPEECH
S2 Grammar
Dr Benamar
 Reported Speech
(Indirect speech)

When you tell somebody else what you or another person said before,
you are reporting speech,
A reported sentence consists of two parts:
A- A reporting clause that contains the reporting/ introductory verb
(like say, tell, ask, complain …)
B- A reported clause that contains the speech of the other. We often
use « that clause » in the reported clause, so quotation marks,
question marks, and exclamation marks CANNOT be used.
 Changes with reported
speech
• When we report speech, some changes are
necessary. These changes concern tense,
time expressions, place, and pronouns.
 Changes in Tense
• Tenses in direct speech
• 1. Present simple
• 2. Present continuous
• 3. Past simple
• 4. Past continuous
• 5. Present perfect
• 6. Present perfect continuous
• 7. Future
• 8. Future continuous
• Tenses in reported
speech
• 1. Simple past
• 2. Past continuous
• 3. Past perfect
• 4. Past perfect continuous
• 5. Past perfect
• 6. Past perfect continuous
• 7. Present conditional (would +
inf. verb)
• 8. Present continuous
conditional (would be + present
 Exceptions
•When are tenses UNCHANGED in reported speech?
1.
When the reporting/ introductory verb is in the present tense, the present
perfect, or the future
« I don’t feel well », he SAYS.
He SAYS that he DOESN’T feel well.
« I’m busy », he WILL SAY.
He WILL SAY that he IS busy.
2. When the reported sentence deals with facts or general truths
« The sun rises early in the summer », he said.
He said that the sun RISES early in the summer.
« School starts in September », she said.
She said that school STARTS in September.
 Exceptions
3. When the speech describes an unchanging
situation /a permanent situation
« I’m Morrocan », she said.
She said that she IS Morrocan.
« Rabat is the capital of Morocco », he told
us.
He told us that Rabat IS the capital of
Morocco.
 Changes referring to place
• In reported speech any expression denoting nearness is
changed to denote remoteness.
• Here becomes there
• This becomes that
• These becomes those
 Changes referring to time
Direct speech Reported speech
Now Then, at that time, immediately
Today That day
Tomorrow The next/ following day
The day after tomorrow Two days later, in two days time
In an hour One hour ago
This week That week
Next week The following week, the week
after
tonight That night
yesterday The day before, the previous day
Last week The week before, the previous
week
An hour ago An hour before, an hour earlier
 Changes in Modal Verbs
• Some modals DO NOT change in reported speech. These
modals are might, could, would, ought to, should, had
better and musn’t. Others like will, may, can, shall, and
must change.
Direct modals Reported Modals
Can Could
May Might
Will Would
Shall Should
Must Had to
 Reporting Questions
• As a general rule, reported questions are NOT followed by a
question mark because once we report a question, it is not a
question any more.
• The main thing to remember is that in repoting questions,
THERE IS NO INVERSION of subject and verb.
• WH- questions are reported by using the same wh-word used
in direct speech.
• Yes/ no questions are reported by using if or whether
• Common verbs used to report questions are ask, wonder,
want to know, inquire…
 Examples of Reported Questions
Direct Questions/
interrogatives
« Who are you? », he asked me.
« How did you manage to do
it? », she asked.
« Why has she refused? », they
asked her.
« Where does he live? », they
asked.
« When did they come? », I
asked her.
« What will you do? », he asked.
Reported Questions/
interrogatives
He asked me who I was.
She asked me how I had
managed to do it.
They asked her why she had
refused.
They wanted to know where
he lived.
I asked her when they had
come.
He wanted to know what I
would do.
 Reporting Imperatives
• Imperative sentences are changed to the infinitive in reported
speech:
• «  Sit down and finish your meal! » my mother told me.
• My mother told me/ ordered me / asked me TO SIT down and finish my
meal.
• The « to- infinitive » is also used to report promises:
• « I will write whenever I get time », the girl said.
• The girl promised TO WRITE whenever she got time.
• Negative imperatives are reported by using « NOT TO »
« Don’t park here », the policeman told me.
• The policeman told me NOT TO park there.
 Reporting exclamations
• Exclamations are changed into statements in reported speech. Many
constructions are possible depending on the meaning of the exclamation
itself.
• « How kind of you to help! », he said. He thanked me for my help.
• « Oh! Sorry », she said. She apologized.
• « Merry Christmas everyone! », he said. He wished everyone a merry
Christmas.
• « Hello/ Have a good day! », he said. He greeted us/ he wished us a good
day.
• « Thank you », he said. He thanked me.
• Some exclamations are simply left out:
• « Oh dear! The program will be cancelled », said the producer.
• The producer complained/ regretted that the programme would be cancelled.
 Reporting / Introductory
verbs
The words « say » and « tell » are the most common verbs used to
report staetements, but they can be substituted with other verbs
depending on the meaning of the sentence in direct speech.
Examples are accuse, invite, offer, persuade, insist,
complain, announce, claim, threaten, refuse, warn,
admit, deny, apologize, thank, …
Direct statements
« You need to see a doctor »
« Ok, we will meet tomorrow »
« Sorry for being late »
« Don’t worry, go ahead and take
that exam  »
«  The best place to visit while you
are in London is the British
Museum ».
« Don’t forget to double lock the
door »
Reported staements
She advised him to see a doctor.
They agreed to meet the
following day.
He apologized for being late.
She encouraged me to take the
exam.
He recommended visiting the
British Museum.
Mom reminded me to double lock
the door.
Direct statements Reported statements
« Be careful! The road is He warned me that the road was
dangerous » dangerous.
« Please, please forgive me » He begged her to forgive him.
« Go to bed now! » He ordered his son to go to bed
immediately;
« If you don’t leave, I will call He threatened to call the police if I
the police » didn’t leave.