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REPORTED SPEECH. STATEMENTS, QUESTIONS AND COMMANDS. STATEMENTS. When we report sentences or speeches words have already been spoken, being this the reason why the REPORTING VERB is usually used in the past tense:
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REPORTED SPEECH STATEMENTS, QUESTIONS AND COMMANDS
STATEMENTS • When we report sentences or speeches words have already been spoken, being this the reason why the REPORTING VERB is usually used in the past tense: • TELL = TOLD and SAY = SAID. Remember: Tell must be followed by an object pronoun but not Say. E.g.: He told her he played football the day before.// She said (that) she liked shopping. * As you can see That is optional in both cases.
Tenses within the indirect sentence will also change. See the following chart: Must changes to had to but musn’t stays the same.
Next modal verbs do not change when used in reported speech:
When direct speech changes to indirect speech, it causes changes in personal pronouns too. Note for example that when changing from direct speech to indirect (reported) speech all pronouns are in the third person. Pronouns as subject Direct Speech Indirect Speech I he or she You (singular) he or she She/he he or she We they You (plural) they They they Example "I don't like the new boss." Becomes: Alice said she did not like the new boss.
Pronouns as objects Direct Speech Indirect Speech Me him of her You (singular) him or her Him or her him or her Us them You (plural) them Them them Example "Bring it to me" becomes: He asked her to take it to him Singular Plural My, mine our, ours his or hers their, theirs Your, yours your, yours
The third change to consider is that which takes place when adverbs are used in indirect speech. Adverbs of proximity both in space and time change into adverbs of remoteness when direct speech is changed to indirect speech. Here are some examples. Treat these examples as convenient equivalents, not as rules. They should be used with common sense. Direct Speech Indirect Speech Here there Now then This that Yesterday the day before or the previous day Ago before Next week the following week Tomorrow the next day or the day after Today that day
QUESTIONS • When you report a question, the tenses change as in reported statements. • When a question begins with a verb (not a question word), add if (or whether) Examples: She asked him if he was married He asked me whether sahe had phone I asked him what his name was • You don’t have to use the usual order in a question.E.g.: Where do you live? They asked me where I lived
COMMANDS • To report an imperative or request, use told or asked + person + the infnitive with to. E.g.: She told him to go away • To report a negative imperative, use a negative infinitive. The doctor told me not to worry. • You can’t use said in this sentences