ZAMBEZI UNIVERSITY

Faculty of Agronomic and Forestry Engineering

Forestry Engineering Course

Edvánio Eugénio Virgílio

Reported Speech

On April 05, 2024

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UNIVERSITY ZAMBEZI

FACULTY OF AGRONOMIC AND FORESTRY ENGINEERING

Forestry Engineering Course

Edvánio Eugénio Virgílio

Reported Speech

On April 05, 2024

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Índex
CHAPTER I................................................................................................................................4

1.Introdution................................................................................................................................4

1.1.Objectives.............................................................................................................................4

1.1.1.General objective...............................................................................................................4

1.1.2. Specific objectives............................................................................................................4

1.2. Methodology........................................................................................................................4

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW...................................................................................5

2. Reported Speech.....................................................................................................................5

2.1.Imperative.............................................................................................................................5

2.2.Exclamations.........................................................................................................................5

2.3.Reported Questions...............................................................................................................5

2.4.Reported statements..............................................................................................................6

2.5.The changes of verb tenses in the indirect (reported) speech...............................................7

2.5.1.Present-Past........................................................................................................................7

2.5.2.Present perfect - past perfect..............................................................................................7

2.5.3.Past -Past Perfect................................................................................................................7

2.5.4.Will - conditional...............................................................................................................7

2.6.Time and Place......................................................................................................................7

2.7.Reported commands, requests and advice............................................................................8

CHAPTER III.............................................................................................................................9

3.Conclusion...............................................................................................................................9

4.Bibliography..........................................................................................................................10
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CHAPTER I

1.Introdution

The scientific work describes indirect discourse as a form of conjugation and narration in
formal and informal dialogues. We will also talk about the features and their examples.
Indirect speech is defined as the recording of the character's speech under the influence of the
narrator. In this type of speech, the verb tenses are modified so that there is an understanding
of the person speaking. In addition, he usually mentions the name of the person who made the
speech or makes some kind of reference. In this type of narrative discourse, the narrator
interferes with the character's speech. He tells readers what the character said, but he does it in
the 3rd person.

The character's words are not reproduced, but translated into the narrator's language. It is also
without a dash. Basically, they are just the junction of the two verb moods. The person doesn't
actually ask, it's the narrator who asks the question with the character's name. It does not
allow the characters to express themselves freely, since the character's lines are spoken by the
narrator.

1.1.Objectives

1.1.1.General objective

 Understand the contextualization and use of reported speech.

1.1.2. Specific objectives

 Identify the modalities of use of reported speech;

 Describe the verb tenses we use in the reported speech;
 Explain the forms of verbal use of indirect speech.

1.2. Methodology

To carry out the work, a bibliographic research was used, which consisted of reading books,
scientific journals that address reported speech, with the authors such as Kulaty (2007).
English Grammar Ebook. Denis (2015). Grammar Linguage. Then, the deductive method
was used to analyze the contents related to the work and, finally, to compile the contents.
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CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW

2. Reported Speech

Reported speech is commonly used in speaking and writing. It is important to note that most
verb tenses will change from direct to reported speech. The chart on the next page shows the
most common verb and modal changes. So most often, the reported speech is going to be in
the past tense, because the original statement, will now be in the past (Kulaty, 2007).

2.1.Imperative

Say: usually with the actual words spoken. It is never used with the infinitive in reported
speech. Tell: ever used in a sense of recount, with the actual words spoken. A personal object
is always present. Imperatives become infinitive phrases in reported speech preceded by a
verb such as tell, order, command, ask, with a pronoun for the person addressed (Kulaty ,
2007).

Bring me a book.

He asked her (him, us, etc.) to bring him a book.

2.2.Exclamations

Reporting an exclamation is usually best achieved by a circumlocution reflecting the spirit of

the original exclamation. Exclamations are not often reported in spoken English, so too much
time shouldn't be waisted in hunting for the best expression. The other forms of reported
speech far more important. Some exclamatory forms are really questions (rhetorical) or
imperatives (Kulaty, 2007).

"What a lovely garden!"

He remarked what a lovely garden it was

2.3.Reported Questions

According to Kulaty (2007), so now you have no problem with making reported speech from
positive and negative sentences. But how about questions?

Direct speech: Where do you live?

Reported speech: She asked me where I lived.

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How can we make the reported speech here? In fact, it's not so different from reported
statements. The tense changes are the same, and we keep the question word. The very
important thing though is that, once we tell the question to someone else, it isn't a question
any more (Kulaty, 2007). So we need to change the grammar to a normal positive sentence:

Do you see how I made it? The direct question is in the present simple tense. We make a
present simple question with 'do' or 'does' so I need to take that away. Then I need to change
the verb to the past simple. Another example:

Direct speech: Where is Julie?

Reported speech: She asked me where Julie was.

Reported Speech Tense Example

Simple Past She said that she loved me.

Past Progressive He said that he was going to the party.

Past Perfect She said that she had already eaten.

Past Perfect He said that he had arrived on time.

Conditional The Teacher said that we would have a test on

Thursday.

2.4.Reported statements

If we want to report what other people said, thought or felt, we can use the direct or indirect
(reported) speech (Denis, 2015). The direct speech: "I like it," he said. "Irene is late," he
thought. "I will pass the exam," she hoped. The indirect (reported) speech: He said he liked
it. He thought that Irene was late. She hoped would pass the exam.

The indirect (reported) speech is typically introduced by verbs such as say, tell, admit,
complain, explain, remind, reply, think, hope, offer, refuse, etc.

He said (that) he didn't want it.

She explained that she had been at the seaside.

If the reporting verb is in the past tense, we change the following:

 Verb tenses and verb forms;

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 Pronouns;
 The adverbs of time and place.

2.5.The changes of verb tenses in the indirect (reported) speech

2.5.1.Present-Past

According to Denis (2015), the present simple tense becomes the past simple tense and the
present continuous becomes the past continuous.

"We are exercising," he explained. - He explained that they were exercising.

2.5.2.Present perfect - past perfect

The present perfect simple changes into the past perfect simple and the present perfect
continuous changes into the past perfect continuous (Denis, 2015).

"I have been waiting since the morning," he complained. - He complained that he had
been waiting since the morning.

2.5.3.Past -Past Perfect

The past simple tense becomes the past perfect simple and the past continuous becomes the
past perfect continuous (Denis, 2015).

"He was thinking of buying a new car," she said. - She said he had been thinking of
buying a new car.

2.5.4.Will - conditional

Will changes into the conditional. Example: "I will come on Sunday," he reminded me. - He
reminded me that he would come on Sunday.

2.6.Time and Place

According to Denis (2015), let's suppose that we talked to our friend Mary on Friday. And she
said: "Greg came yesterday." It means that Greg came on Thursday. If we report Mary's
sentence on Sunday, we have to do the following:

Mary: "Greg came yesterday." - Mary said that Greg had come the day before.

If we say: Mary said Greg had come yesterday, it is not correct, because it means that he
came on Saturday.
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According to Denis (2015), the time expressions change as follows. Today-that day,
tomorrow-the next day/the following day, the day after tomorrow - in two days' time,
yesterday - the day before, the day before yesterday-two days before, next week/month–the
following week/month, last week/month - the previous week/month, a year ago-a year
before/the previous year:

Bill: "She will leave tomorrow." - Bill said she would leave the next day.

Julie: "He moved a year ago." - Julie said he had moved a year before.

On the other hand, if the speech is reported later than it is made, the time expressions are
different in the indirect speech. Last week Jim said: "I'm playing next week."

If we report his sentence a week later, we will say: Jim said he was playing this week. Here
usually becomes there in the indirect speech. But sometimes we make different adjustments.

At school: "I'll be here at 10 o'clock," he said. - He said he would be there at 10

o'clock.

2.7.Reported commands, requests and advice

The commands, requests and advice mostly have the same form in English: verb + object +
infinitive. The reporting verbs are advice, ask, beg, forbid, order, persuade, recommend, tell,
urge, warn, etc (Denis, 2015).

Unlike the direct speech the person addressed must be mentioned in the indirect speech.

"Please, revise for the test," he said. - He urged me to revise for the test.

Negative commands, requests and advice are reported by verb + object + not + infinitive.

"Don't hesitate," he said. - He persuaded me not to hesitate.

"Don't smoke," the doctor warned my father. - The doctor warned my father not to
smoke.

Tell can introduce statements, commands, requests or advice. The form is different, however.
Reported statements with tell

"I'm leaving," he told me. - He told me that he was leaving.

Similarly ask is used in reported questions, commands, requests or advice in different forms.
Reported questions with ask: "Will you make coffee?" he said. - He asked me if I would make
coffee (Denis, 2015).
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CHAPTER III

3.Conclusion

It is concluded that indirect discourse is the presentation of the characters' speeches in a

narrative made by the narrator's words. In this type of discourse the characters do not express
themselves freely, because it is the narrator who speaks for the characters. Indirect speech has
the following characteristics: It is the reproduction of the essence of the characters' speeches
made by the narrator's words, the narration is always done in the 3rd person. It occurs with the
intervention of the narrator as an intermediary between the characters and the reader. It is
introduced by verbs of elocution that announce the discourse (to say, to ask, to answer).
Direct speech differs from indirect speech because it translates the exact speech of the
characters, introduced by a dash. In direct speech, the voice of the characters is inserted into
the narrative, without the narrator's participation.
While free indirect speech is distinguished from indirect speech because it introduces the
character's exact lines in the middle of the narration without any hint of the change from the
narrator's voice to the character's voice.
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4.Bibliography

Kulaty, Petr. (2007). Ebook English Grammar. Spanish.

Denis, Malito. (2015). Grammar Linguage. California.

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