Reported Speech

REPORTED SPEECH TENSE CHANGES DIRECT INDIRECT Present Simple Past Simple He said, “I write letters.” He said that he wrote letters. Present Continuous Past Continuous He said, “I am writing letters.” He said that he was writing letters. Present Perfect Simple Past Perfect Simple He said, “I have written letters.” He said that he had written letters. Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous He said, “I have been writing letters.” He said that he had been writing letters. Past Simple Past Perfect Simple He said, “I wrote letters.” He said that he had written letters. Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous He said, “I was writing letters.” He said that he had been writing letters. Future Simple Conditional Simple He said, “I will write letters.” He said that he would write letters. Future Continuous Conditional Continuous He said, “I will be writing letters.” He said that he would be writing letters. Imperative to + root of verb I said, “Write letters!” I told him to write letters.

Modals He said, “I can write letters.” He said that he could write letters. He asked, “Shall I write letters?” He asked if he should write letters. He said, “I may write letters.” He said that he might write letters. He said, “I have to / must write letters.” He said that he had to write letters.

Note: 1. The Past perfect Simple and Past Perfect Continuous do not change in reported speech. 2. The modals should, could, would, might and ought to do not change. 3. When we report questions, we also change the word order to that of a regular sentence. “Why are you late? = She asked why I was late.

Other changes in reported speech include: time expressions, demonstratives and pronouns. DIRECT INDIRECT Time expressions now then today that day yesterday the day before, the previous day tomorrow the next / following day, the day after next week / month the next / following week / month last week / month the previous week / month, the week / month before a week ago the week before Demonstratives

1 this that these those here there Pronouns The change in pronouns will depend on the person being referred to in the reported speech. “ I gave you my notebook,” Sally said to Sally told Peter that she had given him her Peter. notebook.

Reported Speech Introductory Verbs Purpose Verb Construction accusation accuse someone of doing something admission admit something that you have done something (to) having done something advice advise someone / something someone on / about something doing something someone to do something agreement agree to an idea, suggestion etc. (say “All right”) with someone / something (have the same opinion) to do something that something is a good idea etc. (plural) on a plan etc. apology apologise (to someone) for (having done) something begging beg someone to do something complaint complain (to someone) about something that something has (not) been done denial deny something that you have done something having done something exclamation exclaim that something has happened explanation explain something to someone that something has happened how, why, what … information inform someone of / about something someone that something has happened invitation invite someone to something someone to do something offer offer something to someone someone something to do something (for someone) order order someone to do something preference would rather do one thing rather than other prefer (doing) one thing to another to do one thing rather than to do another promise promise to do something (someone) that you will do something

2 refusal refuse to do something something reminder remind someone of someone / something someone to do something someone that something must be done request request someone to do something something suggestion suggest (doing) something (to someone) that someone should do something threat threaten to do something (to someone) someone with something that you will do something (to someone) warning warn someone of / against / about something someone (not) to do something someone that something may happen wonder wonder if / what / why …

EXERCISES I. Write these sentences in Reported Speech. Use as many specifying verbs as possible. 1. “If I had spoken to my father as you speak to me he’d have beaten me,” he said to me. ______2. “Will you help me, please?” she said. “I can’t lift it by myself”. ______3. Tom: I’ll pay. Ann: Oh no, you mustn’t. Tom: I insist on paying. ______4. “Will the investigation take place next week? The reporter inquired. ______5. The detective inquired, “What was the time of death?” ______6. “How can I possibly run in this tight skirt?” she inquired. ______7. She explained, “It’s very cold in here. The heater must have broken down.” ______8. “It’s seven”, he said. “She’ll be at home now. What about ringing her up?” ______

II. Fill the gaps using the verbs in the box. Use each verb only once. advise hope promise suggest beg insist remind threaten deny invite refuse warn

1. “I didn’t do it,” she said. She ______having done it. 2. “Have lunch with me,” she said. She ______me to have lunch with her. 3. “Why don’t you buy one?” said Tom.

3 Tom ______I buy one. 4. “I promise I’ll take you to Prague,” said Mary. Mary ______to take me to Prague. 5. “I hope Andy phones tonight,” said Clare. Clare ______Andy would phone that night. 6. “Please, please don’t tell any one!” he said. He ______me not to tell anyone. 7. “I won’t do it,” he said. He ______to do it. 8. You should have lessons,” she said. She ______me to have lessons. 9. “We really must go with you,” they said. They ______on going with me. 10. “Don’t forget to phone Granny,” said Mum. Mum ______me to phone Granny. 11. “If you wear my T-shirt again, I’ll pinch you very hard,” said Maggy. Maggy ______to pinch me very hard if I wore her T-shirt again. 12. “Don’t fly kites near electric overhead cables,” said my father. My father ______me not to fly kites near electric overhead cables.

III. Put the following into direct speech with the appropriate punctuation. 1. My employer hoped I would not be offended if he told me that, in his opinion, I would do better in some other kind of job. ______2. He said that two days previously an enormous load of manure had been dumped at his front gate and that since then he hadn’t been able to get his car out. ______3. They offered me some more wine and I accepted. ______4. He said that if I found the front door locked I was to go round to the back. ______5. He suggested that Tom and I should go ahead and get the tickets. ______6. He said that if I didn’t like escalators I could go up an emergency staircase. I thanked him and said that I would do that. ______7. I asked him if he had enjoyed doing his military service and he said that he hadn’t. ______8. I asked if she had looked everywhere and she said that she had. ______

4 I. Match the sentences in direct speech in column A to the appropriate incomplete reported sentences in column B. Then complete the sentences in column B, in which the specifying verb and construction have been provided.

A B 1. I’m not going to answer your a) They accused her of… questions. 2. I didn’t do anything wrong. b) He admitted that… 3. I’ll lend you the money when you need it. c) The doctor advised me not to… 4. You stole the money, didn’t you? 5. What is going to happen to us? d) She agreed to… 6. I’d rather wait until I know her opinion. e) He apologised to me for… 7. Don’t forget to ring Aunt Helen! 8. Don’t cross the railway lines! It’s f) He begged me not to… dangerous. 9. All right. I’ll come with you. g) He complained to……. about… 10. Please don’t tell my parents. 11. Stop fighting! h) He denied having done… 12. It’s true! I took the money. 13. This soup is cold, waiter! i) She explained …… to me. 14. I’m sorry I was so rude to you. 15. Would you like to spend the weekend j) They invited him to… with us? 16. If you don’t pay me the money, I’ll k) He offered to… take you to court. 17. You shouldn’t smoke so much. l) He ordered them to… 18. Why don’t you go away for the weekend? m) He said he preferred to… 19. The word has different meanings. It can mean a line of houses, or of seats n) He promised to… in a classroom. With a different pronunciation, it can mean an o) She refused to… argument. 20. Shall I take you to hospital? p) She reminded me to…

q) He suggested that I should…

r) They threatened to… if we…

s) She warned them not to… because…

t) They wondered what…

5 II. Match the purposes in A with the sentences in B and write the reported sentences. A B a) accusation 1. Would you like to go to the cinema with me this evening? b) admission 2. I’d rather have Chinese food than a hamburger. c) advice 3. If you do that again, McDonald, do you know what I’m d) agreement going to do to you? e) apology 4. Would you like me to lift it for you, Mum? f) begging / a request 5. I didn’t do it, I tell you! I didn’t kill him! g) complaint 6. You won’t forget to post the letter, will you, dear? h) denial 7. Well, in a situation like this, I always say it’s better to tell i) exclamation the truth and pay the fine. j) information 8. I’m terribly sorry I said that. k) invitation 9. I’ll wear this ring till the day I die! l) offer 10. Get out! Get out of my sight! m) order 11. Waiter! There’s a fly in my soup. n) preference 12. Why don’t you write her a letter? o) promise 13. What a horrible dress you’re wearing, dear! p) refusal 14. I’m afraid I did it. I took it. It’s my fault. q) reminder 15. The next train leaves at five o’clock, madam. r) suggestion 16. No! I don’t see why I should do your work for you. s) threat 17. Please Mum, please, can I stay up late and watch the film? t) warning 18. You did this, Burkin. You stole the money! 19. Hey! Be careful with that broken glass! 20. I had exactly the same impression as you did.