Gram m ar re fe re n ce

Causatives 'The teachers are incompetent.'

He said that the teachers were incompetent.
have/get + o b je ct + Past p a r t icip le
'I'm planning to study Chinese.'
He said he was planning to study Chinese.
W e u s e c a u s a t i ve s :
'I've written about it in my book.'
• w h e n w e a r r a n ge fo r s o m e b o d y e lse t o d o
s o m e t h in g fo r u s:
He said he had written about it in his book.

We've got to get/have the car fixed.
m w h e n s o m e t h in g u n p le a s a n t h a s h a p p e n e d :
I had my wallet stolen on the bus.
get + p e r s o n + in fin it ive
• w e u s e get + p e r s o n + in fin it ive t o m e a n 't o
m a k e / p e r s u a d e s o m e o n e t o d o so m e t h in g' .
Singer Roma Ritz is getting a ghost writer to write
her biography.
'We've been working here all day!'
They said they had been working there all day.
'My father was the mayor of this town.'
He claimed (that) his father had been the mayor of
the/that town.
7 was queuing at the Post Office.'
He told me he had been queuing at the Post Office.
I'd already seen that film,' Jill said.
Jill said she'd already seen that film.
'The Smiths had been living there for ages,' the
neighbours reported.

The neighbours reported that the Smiths had been

Unit 7 living there for ages.
Reported statements 'It's going to snow!'
W h e n w e w a n t t o r e p o r t w h a t s o m e b o d y e lse h a s The kids said it was going to snow.
s a id , w e c a n u s e r e p o r t e d s p e e c h :
'I'll be flying to London this time tomorrow.'
7 suffered terribly.'
He told me he'd be flying to London that time the
He said (that) he had suffered terribly. following day.'

'Sit down!'
T h e t e n s e of t h e ve r b in t h e d ir ect st a t e m e n t u s u a l l y
m o ve s ' b a c k o n e t e n s e ' in t h e r e p o r t e d st a t e m e n t : The teacher told us to sit down.
Di rect st at ement Repor t ed st at ement Don't panic!'
Present simple Past simple The firemen told us not to panic.
Present continuous Past continuous
7 can't swim!'
Present perfect Past perfect He told me he couldn't swim.
'You may kiss the bride.'
Present perfect continuous Past perfect continuous
The registrar told me I might kiss the bride.
Past simple Past perfect
'I'll be there in a minute,' he assured me.
Past continuous Past perfect continuous He assured me he would be here in a minute.
Past perfect simple Past perfect simple
'You must finish your lunch,' Jim's mother said.
Past perfect continuous Past perfect continuous Jim's mother said he had to finish his lunch.
Future with be going to Future in the past with was/
'We might move to a warmer country.'
were going to
They said they might move to a warmer country.
Future continuous (will be + would be + -ing
-ing) W h e n r e p o r t in g scie n t ific fa ct s or w h e n s o m e t h in g is
Imperative Infinitive st ill t r u e at t h e t im e of s p e a k i n g , w e d o n ot n e e d t o
m a k e c h a n g e s t o t h e t e n se :
can could
'Nowadays all children have to go to school', said
may might Thomas.
will would Thomas said nowadays all children have to go to
school.
must had to or no change

would, might, could, ought to,no change

should, needn't
 Gram m ar re fe re n ce »
Pronoun changes 'Corporal punishment is common.'
He said (that) corporal punishment was common.
W h e n w e r ep o r t s o m e b o d y' s w o r d s , c h a n g e s in t h e
p r o n o u n s a r e a lso n e c e s s a r y. He said to us (that) punishment was common.
He told me (that) corporal punishment was common.
Di rect st at ement Repor t ed st at ement

1 he/she

his/her
Reported questions
my
In r e p o r t e d q u e s t io n s t h e w o r d o r d e r is t h e s a m e a s
this/that + noun that or the
in s t a t e m e n t s. W e d o n o t u s e t h e q u e s t io n fo r m or
this/that + verb that q u e s t io n m a r k s .
these/those + noun those or the 'Where are you from?'

these/those + verb they I asked him where he was from.

I asked him where was he from?
verb + these them

W e o m it do in r e p o r t e d q u e s t io n s .
I'm going to London tomorrow to visit my uncle.'
'Where did you go to school?'
He said he was going to London the next day to visit
She asked me where I went to school.
his uncle.
She asked me where did I go to school.

Time and place changes W h e n w e report q u est io n s t h at ca n b e a n s we r e d

W e a lso h a ve t o c h a n g e w o r d s w h i c h r e fe r t o t im e w it h yes/no, w e u s e if o r whether a ft e r t h e r e p o r t in g
a n d p la c e in t h e d ir ect st a t e m e n t s. ve r b .
'Do you like studying?
Di rect st at ement Repor t ed st at ement
He asked me if/whether I liked studying.
here there

now/at the moment then/at that moment

Reporting verbs
today that day
A r e p o r t in g ve r b c a n fo llo w d iffe r e n t p a t t e r n s:
tomorrow the following/next day
ver b + sb + ver b + ver b + -ing ver b (+ sb/ +
tonight that night i o-i nf i rt i t i ve to-inf initive t o sb) +
pr ep. + -ing
next week/month... the following w e e k / m o n t h . ..
tell refuse admit accuse of
yesterday the day before or the previous
advise agree deny apologise for
day
warn offer suggest congratulate on
last week/month... the previous week/month.. . invite promise regret
ago beg
before
persuade
remind
'Come here!'
She told me to go there.
'Please, can you help me with my homework?'

7 met Luke yesterday.' I begged her to help me with my homework.

She said she had met Luke the day before. 'OK. I'll do it!
He agreed to do it.
'My father graduated from this college 45 years ago.'
He explained that his father had graduated from that 'Let's go to the party!
college 45 years before. He suggested going to the party.

W e c a n u s e t h e ve r b to say t o r e p o r t s o m e o n e ' s 'I'm sorry, I'm late!'

w o r d s a n d to tell t o s a y w h o s o m e o n e is t a lk in g
She apologised for being late.
t o. Re m e m b e r t h at say is n ot u s u a lly fo l l o w e d b y a
p e r s o n a l d ir ect o b je ct (if w e w a n t t o a d d t h e p e r s o n ,
w e u s e t h e p r e p o sit io n to). In s t e a d , tell m u s t b e
a l w a ys fo llo w e d b y p e r s o n a l d ir ect o b je ct a n d d o e s
n ot r e q u ir e t h e p r e p o sit io n to.

122