2º Bachillerato. Theory about reported speech

1. REPORTED SPEECH

2. What´s reported speech?
You want to tell someone else what other person said.
Two ways of doing this:
-You can repeat Ann´s words
(direct speech) :
Ann said “I´m feeling tired”.
-Or you can use reported speech:
Ann said ( that ) she was feeling tired.
Compare the two sentences :
• direct Ann said “ I am feeling tired “.
• reported Ann said (that) she was feeling tired.

3. STATEMENTS
A. Tense changes
Direct speech Indirect speech
• SIMPLE PRESENT SIMPLE PAST
“ I never eat meat, “ he explained He explained that he
never ate meat.
• PRESENT CONTINUOUS PAST CONTINUOUS
“ I´m waiting for Ann,” he said He said he was
wating for Ann.
• PRESENT PERFECT PAST PERFECT
“ I have found a flat, “he said He said he had
found a flat.
• SIMPLE PAST PAST PERFECT
“ I took it home with me,” he said He said he had taken it
home with him.

4. • FUTURE CONDITIONAL
He said, “ Ann will be in He said that Ann would be in Paris
Paris on Monday” on Monday
■ CAN COULD
“I can speak Portuguese” Richard declared that he could
declared Richard speak Portuguese
■ MAY MIGHT
“It may snow today” The weatherman warned that it
warned the weatherman might snow that day
■ MUST/HAVE TO HAD TO
”I must go”· said Blanca Blanca said that she had to go

5. B. Time expressions
Direct speech Indirect speech
• Today that day
• Yesterday the day before, the
previous day
• Now then
• The day before yesterday two days before
• Tomorrow the next/following
• The day after tomorrow in two days´time
• Next week The following week
• Last week/ The previous week
• A year ago a year before/
the previous year

6. C. Other changes necessary when
turning direct speech into indirect
speech.
1. THIS used in time expressions usually become THAT :
• He said, “ She is coming this week” / He said that she was coming
that week
2. PERSONAL PRONOUNS AND POSSESSIVES
“I was really proud of my brother when he won a quiz show”, said
Clare
Clare said that she had been really proud of her brother when he
had won a quiz show.
3. ADVERBS OF PLACE
“This café is awful, we can´t eat here! said Paul
Paul said that café was awful and they couldn´t eat there

7. QUESTIONS
A. YES/NO QUESTIONS
Subject + reporting vb + whether/if + subj + verb
“Is anyone there? He asked =
He asked if/whether anyone was there.

8. B. WH- QUESTIONS
Subject + reporting vb + wh-word + subj + verb
He said, “ Where is the station? “ =
He asked where the station was.
He said, “ Mary, when is the next train?”=
He asked Mary when the next train was.

9. ORDERS, REQUESTS AND
SUGGESTIONS
-Orders and requests. (imperative forms)
ask/tell + object + (not) + to + infask/tell + object + (not) + to + inf
Please, wait for me! He asked her to wait for him
Don´t touch this! He told me not to touch that
-Suggestions (let´s, why don´t we, shall we, why not)
suggest + (not) ing // suggest + (that) subejct (not) + verbsuggest + (not) ing // suggest + (that) subejct (not) + verb
Let´s go to the cinema! He suggested going to the cinema
Let´s get a taxi! He suggested that they got (should get) a
taxi

10. SUMMARY
STATEMENTS
He said (that)….
He said to Bob (that)….
She told me (that)…..
QUESTIONS
They asked me if…..
He wanted to know where…..
I wondered if…..
ORDERS AND SUGGESTIONS
He asked him to meet…..
She suggested going…
Tom suggested that he wanted to go there….

11. Infinitive and gerund constructions in indirect
speech
A) agree,refuse,offer, promise,threaten + infinitive can sometimes be used
instead of say (that)...
Paul : I´ll help you if you like.
Paul offered to help her/me or Paul said that he´d help her/me.
B) accuse+object+of, admit, deny,apologize for, insist on+gerund can
sometimes be used instead of say that :
“ You took the money!” might be reported by
He accused me of taking the money.
C) other useful verbs are : add, admit, answer, argue, assure +object,
complain, deny, explain, observe, point out, promise, remark, remind +
object, reply.
These can be used with direct or indirect speech.
“ It won´t cost more,”said Tom “ But it will take longer “, said Bill
Tom assured us that it wouldn´t cost more. But Bill objected that it
would take longer.