Reported speech

1. Reported speech • Reported speech is speech in which you report what somebody else said. • The most common reporting verbs are say and tell.

2. Say and tell • He said *** (that) he was hungry.  • He told me (that) he was hungry.  • He said me (that) he was hungry.  • He told *** (that) he was hungry. 

3. Reporting tenses • Tenses change when you report someone else’s speech. • What usually happens is that verb tenses step back into their immediate past.

4. direct speech  reported speech present simple present continuous present perfect past simple past continuous  past perfect will can may must past simple past continuous past perfect past perfect past perfect continuous past perfect would could might had to

5. Examples • “I like pizza.” • “I’m studying now.” • “I’ve already done it.” • “I saw Jane.” • “I was reading at 9 p.m.” • “I had just had dinner.” • “I’ll call him.” • “I can’t swim.” • “I may go to the party.” • “I must clean my room” • He said he liked pizza • She said she was studying then. • She said she had already done it. • He said he had seen Jane. • She said she had been reading. • She said she had just had dinner. • She said she would call him. • He said he couldn’t swim. • He said he might go to the party. • He said he had to clean his room.

6. Attention: Some modal verbs don’t change • “I might go on vacation.” • “You should eat less fat.” • “You mustn’t smoke here.” • “I could read when I was 5.” • She said she might go on vacation. • She said I should eat less fat. • He said I mustn’t smoke there. • He said he could read when he was 5

7. Other adjustments Some words that make reference to time and place may have to be altered as well: today  that day yesterday  the previous day/day before tomorrow  the following/next day here  there this  that

8. Reporting commands “Do your homework!” He told us to do our homework “Don’t be late for the class!” He told me not to be late for the class. • Tell is the most usual verb to report commands. Order and instruct are also possible, but much less frequent.

9. Reporting requests “Can you help me?” He asked me to help him. “I’d like a refund, please.” She asked the shop assistant to give her a refund. Pay attention: not all requests are formulated as questions. • Requests are reported in the exact same way as commands, the only difference being the use of ask instead of tell.

10. Reporting questions The tense changes as described before. • Word order changes, i.e., reported questions are organized like statements (subject>verb>complements). Do/does/did disappear. In yes/no questions, you have to insert if or whether.

11. Reporting questions  “Where have you been?” He asked me where I had been. “Where do you live?” He asked me where I lived. “Are you excited about learning reported speech?” He asked me if I was excited about learning reported speech. Hell, no.

12. Reporting questions vs. reporting requests • In questions, as in requests, you should use the reporting verb ask, but the structures are different: “Can you help me?” [request] I asked her to help me. “Where do you live?” [question] He asked me where I lived.