Reported speech

REPORTED SPEECH

I. Definition:
_ Reported speech is used to report what other people have said.
Ex1: Tom said, “I’m very tired.”
( RS: Tom said (that) he was very tired.
Ex2: Teacher said, “Close the window, please”
( RS: Teacher told us to close the window.
_ Reporting verbs are: say, tell, ask, advise, wonder…

II. Changes in reported speech:
1. Pronoun changes:
_ Subject pronouns (I, she, they…)
_ Object pronouns (me, her, them…)
_ Possessive pronouns (my, her, ours, yours…)
_ Demonstrative pronouns:
+ This ( that
+ These ( those
2. Adverbs of time:
Now ( then
Today ( that day
Tonight ( that night
Ago ( before
Yesterday ( the day before / the previous day
Tomorrow ( the day after / the following day
Next year ( the year after / the following year
3. Adverbs of place:
Here ( there
4. Tense changes:
Simple present ( Simple past ( Past perfect
Present perfect (
Present continuous ( Past cont. ( Past perfect cont.
Present perfect cont.(
Simple future ( Future in the past
Modal verbs:
Must ( had to / would have to
Must not ( was / were not to
Can ( could / be able to
Will / shall ( would / should / be going to.

III. Types of reported speech:
1. Statements:



Said to s.b
Told s.b
2. Imperatives:
a. Affirmative:



b. Negative:



Ex: “Don’t play in the class”, the teacher said
( The teacher asked us not to play in the class.
3. Questions:
a. Wh- Questions:




Ex: My parents asked me, “Where do you go?”
( My parents asked me where I went.
b. Yes / No questions:





Ex: Peter asked, “Do you like playing football, Jack?”
( Peter asked Jack if he liked playing football.
4. Reported speech with To- infinitive:
a. To report orders, requests, warnings, advice and invitation:





Ex1: “You should go”, she said.
( She advised me to go.
Ex2: “Would you like to have dinner with us?”, they said.
( They invited me to have dinner with them.
b. To report offers, promises, threats, refusal and agreement:





Ex1: “Can I help you?”
( She offered to help me.
Ex2: “Ok, I’ll give you a lift”, he said.
( He agreed to give me a lift.
Ex3: “I’ll surely be home by 9”, she said.
( She promised to be home by 9.
Ex4: “I can’t help you do the exercises”, he said.
( He refused to help me do the exercises.
Ex5: “I will hit you.”
( She threatened to hit me.
5. Reported speech with gerund:
a.



V: admitted, denied, suggested
Ex: “Let’s go to Vung Tau beach”, said Peter.
( Peter suggested going to Vtau beach.
b.



V: apologized for, complained about, insisted on, objected to, confessed to, dreamed of, thought of.
Ex: “I’m sorry, I’m late”, said Mary.
( Marry apologized for being late.
c.



V: accused…of, warned… against/about, congratulated…on, prevented…from, blamed…for, criticized…for, praised…for, thanked…for.
Ex: “It was nice of you to help me. Thank you very much”, Tom said to me.


EXERCISES OF REPORTED SPEECH
I. Complete the following sentences without changing their meanings:
1. The doctor said to me, “You should lose weight.”
The doctor advised me .
2. Mary said, “Let’s go to a movie.”
Mary suggested .
3. “I didn’t break the windows”, Bill said.
Bill denied .
4. “You told a lie, Tom”, she said.
She accused Tom .
5. “I can’t go to your birthday party next Saturday evening, Jack”, said Mary.
Mary apologized for .
6. “I won’t help you with your homework. Never ! ” Jane