REPORTED SPEECH STATEMENTS

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Leonard Solomon Moody
5 years ago
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1 REPORTED SPEECH STATEMENTS If the sentence starts in the present, there is no backshift of tenses in Reported speech. Example: Susan: "I work in an office." Susan says that she works in an office. 2) If the sentence starts in the past, there is often backshift of tenses in Reported speech. Susan: "I work in an office." Susan said that she worked in an office. Backshift of tenses Simple Present Simple Past will would Simple Past Past Perfect May might Present Perfect Past Perfect can could Past Perfect Past Perfect must Had to Progressive forms am/are/is+v-ing was+v-ing were+v-ing has been+v-ing had been+v-ing was/were+v-ing had been+v-ing There is no backshift of tenses Could Might Used to would If the sentence contains an expression of time, you must change it as well. Peter: "I worked in the garden yesterday." Peter said that he had worked in the garden the day before. this (evening) that (evening) today/this day that day these (days) now those (days) then (a week) ago (a week) before last weekend here next (week) tomorrow the weekend before / the previous weekend there the following (week) the next/following day

2 Note: In some cases the backshift of tenses is not necessary, e.g. when statements are still true. John: "My brother is at Leipzig university." John said that his brother was at Leipzig university. or John said that his brother is at Leipzig university. Personal pronouns I he/she He said, "I am late" - He said he was late. you he/she/they "Will you help me?" - She asked if he would help her. he/she/it he/she/it She said, "He hit me" - She said he had hit her. we they I said, "We are lost" - He said they were lost. they us our they them their They said, "We are hungry" - They said they were hungry. John said, "She gave us presents" - John said she had given them presents. He said, "Our jobs are at risk" - He said their jobs were at risk. his/hers/its his/hers/its She said, "It's hers" - She said that it was hers. QUESTIONS 1. Normal word order is used in reported questions, that is, the subject comes before the verb, and it is not necessary to use 'do' or 'did': "Where does Peter live?" She asked him where Peter lived. 2. Yes / no questions: This type of question is reported by using 'ask' + 'if / whether + clause: a. "Do you speak English?" He asked me if I spoke English.b. "Are you British or American?" He asked me whether I was British or American. c. "Is it raining?" She asked if it was raining. d. "Have you got a computer?" He wanted to know whether I had a computer. 3. Question words: This type of question is reported by using 'ask' (or another verb like 'ask') + question word + clause. The clause contains the question, in normal word order and with the necessary tense change. Examples: a. "What is your name?" he asked me. He asked me what my name was. b. "How old is your mother?", he asked. He asked how old her mother was.c. The mouse said to the elephant, "Where do you live?" The mouse asked the elephant where she lived.

3 ORDERS, REQUESTS, SUGGESTIONS 1. When we want to report an order or request, we can use a verb like 'tell' with a toclause. Examples: He told me to go away.other verbs used to report orders and requests in this way are: command, order, warn, ask, advise, invite, beg, teach, forbid. Examples : a. The doctor said to me, "Stop smoking!". The doctor told me to stop smoking. b. "Get out of the car!" said the policeman. The policeman ordered him to get out of the car. c. "Could you please be quiet," she said. She asked me to be quiet. d. The man with the gun said to us, "Don't move!" The man with the gun warned us not to move. 2. Requests for objects are reported using the pattern ask + for + object: Examples : a. "Can I have an apple?", she asked. She asked for an apple. b. "Can I have the newspaper, please?" He asked for the newspaper c. "May I have a glass of water?" he said. He asked for a glass of water. d. "Sugar, please." She asked for the sugar. e. "Could I have three kilos of onions?" He asked for three kilos of onions. 3. Suggestions are usually reported with a that-clause. 'That' and 'should' are optional in these clauses: She said: "Why don't you get a mechanic to look at the car?" She suggested that I should get a mechanic to look at the car. OR She suggested I get a mechanic to look at the car. Other reporting verbs used in this way are: insist, recommend, demand, request, propose. Examples: a. "It would be a good idea to see the dentist", said my mother. My mother suggested I see the dentist. b. The dentist said, "I think you should use a different toothbrush".the dentist recommended that I should use a different toothbrush. c. My manager said, "I think we should examine the budget carefully at this meeting." My manager proposed that we examine the budget carefully at the meeting. d. "Why don't you sleep overnight at my house?" she said. She suggested that I sleep overnight at her house. Notes:Suggest can also be followed by a gerund: I suggested postponing the visit to the dentist. 1.-CHOOSE THE CORRECT OPTION 1. "He will come tomorrow." She told me that he tomorrow. a) is coming b) will come c) would come 2. "I see the clouds." He told me that she the clouds. a) sees b) is seeing c) saw 3. "My mother is taking the bus to work tomorrow." He told me that his mother the bus to work tomorrow. a) is taking b) was taking c) will take 4. "I will call you." I told her that I her. a) will call b) would call c) would have called 5. "I have been there." She told me that she there. a) had been b) has been c) was 6. "I will be studying tomorrow." I told him that I tomorrow. a) will be studying b) would be studying c) will study 7. "Open the window!" He asked me the window. a) to open b) open c) opened 8."I am happy." She told me that she happy.

4 a) has been b) is c) was 9. "I have seen that movie." He told me that he that movie. a) had seen b) will have seen c) has seen 10. "I am flying to India tomorrow." He told me that he tomorrow. a) is flying b) was flying c) will fly 2.-CHOOSE THE CORRECT OPTION 1. "She will visit us next week. She told me that she next week. a) would visit us b) will visit us c) visits us 2. "I talk to my brother every day." He told me that he to his brother. a) was talking b) talked c) is talking 3. "My friend will help me study." She told me that her friend her study. a) will help b) helps c) would help 4. "Mary is living in Miami. My friend told me that Mary in Miami. a) lives b) was living c) is living 5. "I have seen that movie. She told me that she that movie. a) had seen b) has seen c) saw 6. "I will be in Paris next week." I told him that I in Paris next week. a) will be b) would be c) am 7. "Turn off the light!" He asked me the light. a) to turned off b) turn off c) to turn off 8."I am a good dancer." She told me that she a good dancer. a) is b) was c) will be 9. "I have been to that bar." He told me that he to that bar. a) had been b) will have been c) is being 10. "I am writing an to my girlfriend." He told me that he an to his girlfriend. a) is writing b) was writing c) writes 3.-CHOOSE THE CORRECT OPTION 1. "My grandfather is going to cook dinner for us." She told me that her grandfather dinner for us. a) would cook b) was cooking c) cooks 2. "I loved him very much." My sister told me that she him very much. a) was loving b) loved c) would love 3. "Marta is learning Vietnamese." He told me that Marta Vietnamese. a) will learn b) is learning c) was learning 4. "I've been to Greece." My friend told me that he to Greece. a) been b) had been c) was 5. "I'll talk to the general about this." The colonel said that he to the general about this. a) would talk b) will talk c) talked 6. "Tell me your name." She asked me her my name. a) tell b) to tell c) told 7. "I run a successful design studio." Victor told the man that he a successful design studio. a) running b) was running c) ran 8. "I am a good dancer." She told me that she a good dancer. a) is b) was c) will be 9. "I have been to that bar." He told me that he to that bar. a) had been b) will have been c) is being 10. "I am writing an to my girlfriend."

5 He told me that he an to his girlfriend. a) is writing b) was writing c) writes 5.-Complete each sentence pair by "reporting" what was said in the first sentence. Fill in any words that are missing: EX: JOHN: "Go away!" John told us to go away. 1. MRS. SMITH: "Don't play in front of my window!" Mrs. Smith told us 2. YOUR MOTHER: "Come back in one hour." Your mother told me. 3. TOM: "Call me in the evening." Tom told us. 4. YOU: "Come with us!" They told Mary. 5. HEATHER: "Don't say that!" HEATHER told you. 6. GEORGE: "Feed the cat!" GEORGE asked his girlfriend. 7. MR. STEPHENS: "Buy me some milk!" Mr. Stephens told me some milk. 8. VICTORIA: "Leave me alone!" Victoria told her friend alone. 4.-CHANGE INT REPORTED SPEECH 1) Emily: "Our teacher will go to Leipzig tomorrow." Emily said that 2) Helen: "I was writing a letter yesterday." Helen told me that 3) Robert: "My father flew to Dallas last year." Robert told me that 4) Lisa: "Tim went to the stadium an hour ago." Lisa said that 5) Patricia: "My mother will celebrate her birthday next weekend." Patricia said that 6) Michael: "I am going to read a book this week." Michael said to me that 7) Jason and Victoria: "We will do our best in the exams tomorrow." Jason and Victoria told me that 8) Andrew: "We didn't eat fish two days ago." Andrew remarked that 9) Alice: "I spent all my pocket money on Monday." Alice complained that 10) David: "John had already gone at six." David said that

DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH WITH BACKSHIFT OF TENSES

DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH WITH BACKSHIFT OF TENSES In indirect / reported speech, the tense used in the speaker s original words is usually (but not always) moved back a tense when the reporting verb