2 Reporting Verbs
The verbs say, tell, and ask are the most
common reporting verbs. Other reporting verbs
include claim, reply, state, and wonder. We usually
use the simple past Forms oF these verbs in both
direct and indirect speech.
USAGE NOTE Say and tell have similar meanings, but
they are used di²erently. We say something but
tell someone something. Normally, tell must be
Followed by an object.
USAGE NOTEWe oFten use tell when the listener
is mentioned. Use say iF the listener is
not mentioned.
Don’t use tell when the listener is not
BE CAREFUL!
mentioned. Don’t use say immediately beFore an
object. Use say + to + object.
3 Reporting Yes/No Questions
To report indirect questions, we normally use
ask in its simple past Form.
Use statement word order, not question word
order, to report yes/no questions.
USAGE NOTEUse if or whether (or not), not that, to
introduce an indirect yes/no question. If and
whether (or not) are similar in meaning and are
oFten used interchangeably.
We oFten use whether (or not) to emphasize
alternatives or di²erent possibilities.
Indirect questions end with a period, not
BE CAREFUL!
a question mark.
Don’t use do, does, or did in an indirect
BE CAREFUL!
question. Use the simple present, simple past, or
past perFect.
Hal said, “Martha, we have to leave.”
Hal told Martha they had to leave.
Hal asked Martha if she was ready to leave.
Andy told Freda (that) she shouldn’t worry.
Andy said (that) Freda shouldn’t worry.
The chair told us to pay attention.
The chair said to pay attention.
Ms. Tanaka said (that) she was going to the meeting.
NOT Ms. Tanaka told (that) she was going to
the meeting.
Mr. Egiofor told us (that) he’d be lecturing.
Mr. Egiofor said to us (that) he’d be lecturing.
NOT Mr. Egiofor said us (that) he’d be lecturing.
The director asked, “Do you want to talk about
the issue?”
The director asked if we wanted to talk about
the issue.
I asked if we would know the answer soon.
NOT I asked would we know the answer soon.
Bob asked, “Do you think she’ll take the job?”
Bob asked if I thought she would take the job.
Bob asked whether (or not) I thought she would
take the job.
Sue asked Helen if she had talked with her boss.
NOT Sue asked Helen if she had talked with
her boss?
Ahmed asked Mandy if she got along well with
her boss.
NOT Ahmed asked Mandy did she get along well with
her boss.
358 | 35
4 Reporting Wh- Questions
Use question words to introduce indirect
wh- questions.
The predicate oF a sentence is the part that
makes a statement about the subject. Use
statement word order to report indirect
questions about a predicate.
We also use statement word order to report
indirect questions about the subject.
5 Changes in Verbs
IF the reporting verb is in the simple past, the verb in the noun clause oFten changes.
• imperative ➔ in³nitive
• simple present ➔ simple past
• present progressive ➔ past progressive
• simple past ➔ past perFect
• present perFect ➔ past perFect
6 Verbs That Don’t Change
In spoken English, we sometimes do not change
verbs in indirect speech, especially iF what we
are reporting happened a short time ago.
Even in more Formal English, we oFten do not
change verbs to past Forms iF general truths
are reported.
When the reporting verb is in the simple
present, present progressive, present perFect,
or Future, the verb in the noun clause does
not change.
The man asked, “How much is the service?”
The man asked how much the service was.
“Which entrée do you prefer?” the waiter asked.
The waiter asked which entrée I preferred.
My daughter asked, “Why didn’t he take our order?”
My daughter asked why he hadn’t taken our order.
“Who is going to do the dishes?” Mom asked.
Mom asked who was going to do the dishes.
The teacher said, “Open your books.”
The teacher told us to open our books.
Bill said, “I invest in the stock market.”
Bill said (that) he invested in the stock market.
Mary asked, “John, are you studying math?”
Mary asked John if he was studying math.
“Priscilla made a delicious meal,” Mark said.
Mark said (that) Priscilla had made a delicious meal.
“Sam, have you ever eaten at that café?” Jack asked.
Jack asked Sam if he had ever eaten at that café.
Lu just said, “Jack didn’t come to work.”
Lu just said Jack didn’t come to work.
OR
Lu just said Jack hadn’t come to work.
“Does it snow here in the winter?” Kenny asked.
Kenny asked if it snows here in the winter.
OR
Kenny asked if it snowed here in the winter.
Betty says, “I’m going to buy a new car.”
Betty says she’s going to buy a new car.