Report speech/indirect speech

El "Reported speech" se usa para narrar con nuestras propias palabras lo que otra
persona ha dicho. En espaol tambin existe y se llama "estilo indirecto". Cuando
reproducimos con palabras textuales lo que otra persona ha dicho usamos el estilo
directo (direct speech). Estas palabras siempre van entre comillas ().
Direct speech

(Direct speech is the speakers exact words)

I am visiting my grandma today. Mary

said.

Reported speech
(tell what another person said)
Mary said she was visiting her grandma
that day.

Cuando construimos una oracin en "reported speech" tenemos que realizar las
siguientes tareas:

Aadir un verbo de relato.

Cambiar tiempo verbal de la oracin
Cambiar los verbos modales
Cambiar pronombres personales
Cambiar expresiones de tiempo y los demostrativos
Cambiar adverbios de lugar.

1. Verbo de relato ( reporting verbs)

Cuando construimos oraciones en "reported speech" tenemos que usar un verbo de
relato. Los ms frecuentes son:
a.

The verbs say and tell are

common reporting verbs and follow
the structure:

(that) + subject + verb(s)

Say something (to somebody): He said (that) he
wasnt coming.
Tell somebody something: He told me (that) he
wasnt coming.
Para reportar preguntas:

2. Cambiar tiempo verbal

El tiempo verbal de una oracin cambia cuando la convertimos a estilo indirecto. Aunque no
nos hayamos dado cuenta tambin pasa en espaol .

3.

Cambiar los verbos modales

Would , could, , might,ought to , should
change

4.

no

Cambiar los pronombres personales.

Los pronombres: I, we , me , us, our cambian a un pronombre de tercera persona: . he,

she, it, they, him, his, her, them or their. EX:
Direct speech: He said, I live in New York =
lived in New York.

Indirect speech: He said that he

Direct speech: They said, we love our country= Indirect speech: They said that
they loved their country

5.

Cambiar expresiones de tiempo y los demostrativos

6. REPORTING ORDERS AND REQUESTS

Cuando queremos reportar una orden o una solicitud reportamos con el verbo tell / object pronoun(Me, him , her etc) /
la particula to.
verb + indirect object + to

EXAMPLES
Direct speech

Indirect speech

The doctor said to me, "Stop smoking!"

The doctor told me to stop smoking.

"Get out of the car!" said the policeman.

The policeman ordered him to get out of the car.

"Could you please be quiet," she said.

She asked me to be quiet.

The man with the gun said to us, "Don't move!"

The man with the gun warned us not to move.

7.

Preguntas en report speech

, se usa el verbo Ask(ed) = para preguntas. Nota: Con "ask" utilizaremos tambin "if/whether",
esto es el "si" condicional.tambien se usa: want to know or wonder
Ejemplo con "ask":
-The authorities asked if there was a health problem in the area. Las autoridades preguntaron si
haba un problema de salud en el rea.

2. Siempre se pone el sujeto antes del verbo en reported questions y nunca se usa el auxiliar
do/does/did.
Ejemplo:
What did you do yesterday?
He asked me what I had done yesterday.
3. En yes/no preguntas se usa if o whether

Exercises
A. Write the correct pronouns into the sentences in Reported
speech.
1. Jacob: "I work in an office."
Jacob told me (that) _________ worked in an office.
2. Ryan and Lucas: "We play football."
Ryan and Lucas told me (that) __________ played football.
3. Victoria: "I like my cat."
Victoria told me (that) _______ liked _______cat.
4. Henry: "Can you see me?"
Henry asked me if __________ could see _____
5. Julian: "I will have to borrow your pencil."
Julian told me (that) _____________would have to borrow _____
6. Melanie: "My father is Jamaican."
Melanie told me (that) _______ father is Jamaican.
7. Emma and Doris: "Can we use your camera?"
Emma and Doris asked me if could use _________ camera.
8. Leah: "How is your journey?"
Leah asked me how _______ journey was.
9. Isabella and Ella: "We love our pets."
Isabella and Ella told me (that)______ loved_____ pets.
10. Grandmother: "Please bring me a cup of my tea."
Grandmother told me to bring_______ a cup of _____ tea.

pencil.

B. REPORT the following as indicated below.

2. I didnt
break
this.

1. Dont
worry!
Ill talk to
your
mother.

3. You didnt
forget
my birthday.
4. I want to
speak with my
lawyer.

5. You never
take my
advice.

6. Have
lunch with
me.

8. You must
push this button
first.

7. Please,
dont fire
me.
9. Im not
going to cut
his hair.

10. I really must

see your homework,
Brian.

11. did You start

the fire?

12. I wont be
late again.

Change these direct questions into reported speech:

1. Where is he? She asked me ______________________________________________________
2. What are you doing? She asked me ______________________________________________________
3. Why did you go out last night? She asked me
______________________________________________________
4. Who was that beautiful woman? She asked me
______________________________________________________
5. How is your mother? She asked me ______________________________________________________
6. What are you going to do at the weekend? She asked me
______________________________________________
7. Where will you live after graduation? She asked me
___________________________________________________ 8. What were you doing when I saw you?
She asked me __________________________________________________ 9. How was the journey? She
asked me ______________________________________________________
10. Have you been to Paris? She asked me
______________________________________________________
11 Can you help me? She asked me ______________________________________________________
12. Are you working tonight? She asked me
______________________________________________________

13. Will you come later? She asked me

_____________________________________________________________