INDIRECT (REPORTED) SPEECH

There are two ways to narrate what a person has said: Direct speech: Reproducing exactly the same words in the speakers original speech Reported speech: Reproducing the exact meaning of the speech not using the speakers exact words. Examples: He said, Ive lost my umbrella (direct speech) He said (that) he had lost his umbrella. (Reported speech) In direct speech, we use a coma after the introductory verb and inverted comes to include the speakers words. In reported speech, the speech is introduced by THAT, though this can sometimes be omitted. CHANGES DIRECT SPEECH-REPORTED SPEECH The most important is that called back shift, which occurs to verbs. It means that to change a sentence into reported speech there is a step backwards into the past .This does not happen when the sentence is introduced by a verb in the present tense, when verbs dont change. Example: Peter: Im going to the cinema John: What does he say? Paul: He says that he is going to the cinema A reported speech sentence is introduced by a verb in present in the following cases: When a conversation is going on Reading what a letter says Reading instructions With sentences which people often say

But reported speech sentences are often followed by a verb in the past tense, and it is then when this BACK SHIFT is produced. In this case all the verbs have to go back to the past: DIRECT present See the change produced in tenses in the chart below DIRECT Simple present Present continuous Present perfect Simple past Future Future continuous INDIRECT Past

INDIRECT Simple past Past continuous Past perfect Past perfect Conditional Conditional continuous

Past perfect Past continuous

Past perfect Past continuous

Modals (would, should, ought to, used to, could) dont usually change with the exception of can that would change into could and must into had to (or the right tense of have to) Examples Present/past I never eat meat, he He explained that he never explained ate meat Present continuous/past Im waiting for Ann, he said He said that he was waiting continuous for Ann Present perfect/past perfect Ive found a flat, he said He said that he had found a flat Simple past/past perfeect I took it home with me, he He said that he had taken it said home with him Future/Conditional Ann will be in Paris this He said that Ann would be in morning Paris that morning. Future contin./Conditional Ill be using the car myself He said that he would be continuous on the 24th using the car himself on Past continuous/Past When we were living in He said that when they were continuous Paris living in Paris Modals I should like to take some Mr. Pitt said that he should photos, said Mr. Pitt like to take some photos.

MORE CHANGES PRODUCED WHEN REPORTING SPEECH 1. Possessive pronouns and adjectives 1st and 2nd person pronouns change into 3rd person, except when the speaking is retelling his /her own words. Possessive adjectives are used the same way He said, Ive forgotten the combination of my safe He said that he had forgotten the combination of his safe. I said, I like my new house I said that I liked my new house (the speaker is repeating his own words) Sometimes a noun must be used to make the sentence clearer: Tom said, He came in through the window. Tom said that a burglar had come in through the window. 2. This/These Meaning time, this and these change into that and those He said, She is coming this week

He said that she was coming that week. When they function as adjectives they change into the He said, I bought this pearl for my mother He said that he had bought the pearl for his mother When they function as pronouns, this changes into it and these change into they or them. He said, We will discuss this tomorrow He said that he would discuss it the next day. 3. Here changes into there 4. Adverbs and time phrases

DIRECT Today Yesterday tonight The day before yesterday Tomorrow The day after tomorrow Next week/next year Last week/last year A year ago Now

INDIRECT That day The day before That night Two days before The next day/the following day In two days time The following week/the following year The previous week/year A year before/the previous year Then

When the introductory verb is in present, these changes dont take place. 5. Introductory verbs (statements and questions) The verbs which usually introduce direct speech are SAY and TELL. To say introduces affirmative sentences and an inversion subject-verb can happen, i.e., we can either say Tom said or said Tom. When the subject is a pronoun, this inversion is not possible. If we want to include the person something was said to, the preposition to must follow the verb say. When using the verb to tell the person the sentence is addressed to is always required and, in this case, the pronoun comes just after the verb: He told me. Some other useful introductory verbs are: admit, add, complain, explain, promise, remark, point out, answer, reply (for statements); ask, want to, know, enquire, wonder (for questions)

QUESTIONS
He said, Where is she going? He asked where she was going.

1. Changes a) Tenses, pronouns, possessive adjectives, time and place adverbs change the same way as in statements b) The question form of the verb becomes affirmative c) The question mark disappears He said, Where does she live? He asked where she lived. d) If the introductory verb is say it must be changed (in reported speech) by a question verb like ask, enquire, wonder He inquired where the station was 2. Questions types There are two types of questions in English: a) Yes/no questions. In reported speech they are introduced by if or whether Is anyone there?, he asked. He asked if anyone was there b) Wh- questions. (Those introduced by a question word like when where, who, how, why). Reported wh-questions are introduced by this question word. When are you going to the cinema?, he asked He asked when I was going to the cinema.

COMMANDS
He said, Lie down, Tom He told Tom to lie down

SUBJECT + COMMAND VERB + OBJECT + TO + INFINITIVE

Introductory verbs: advise, ask, command, forbid, order, tell, warn, urge. Say would change to one of these verbs in reported speech. He said, Get your coat, Tom The pattern for negative sentences is as follows He told Tom to get his coat

SUBJECT + COMMAND VERB + OBJECT + NOT + TO + INFINITIVE

Dont swim out t too far, boys, I said. I warned the boys not to swim out too far

The person the message is addressed to is not always necessary. He said, Go away He told him/me/us/the children to go away

In reported speech a noun or pronoun must be added in order to clarify who the message is addressed to.