1. REPORTED SPEECH
IES “MONTE NARANCO” 2012/20131º
BACHILLERATO A
GERMÁN IGLESIAS
ÁLVAREZ

2. Direct and reported speech.
Introduction
 There are two ways of relating what a person
has said: direct and indirect.
 In direct speech we repeat the original
speaker’s exact words:
Example:He said: “I have lost my umbrella.”
 In indirect speech we give the exact meaning
of a remark or a speech, without necessarily
using the speaker’s exact words:
Example: He said (that) he had lost his
umbrella.

3. Can you see the difference?
 “I´m going to call the police!” said the man.
 The man said that he was going to call the
police.
 The man said he was going to call the police.
 Which are the differences between the first
and the second sentence? And between the
second and the third?

4. Reported statements: tense
changes.

5. Tense changes: examples.
 “I’m watching you”  He said that he was
watching me.
 “I have lost my keys”  He said that the had
lost his keys.
 “We will go to the cinema”  They said that
they would go to the cinema.
 “I must do my homework”  She said that had
to do her homework.

6. Reported statements: other
changes
 Pronouns usually change:
a) “I have lost my wallet” : He said that he had
lost his wallet
 Place expressions usually change:
a) “I like this picture” : He said that he liked that
picture.
 There are modal verbs that don’t change:
a) We might come: They said that they might
come.

7. Say vs. tell
TELL SOMEONE SOMETHING SAY SOMETHING

8. Reported questions.
VERB + SUBJECT (direct question)
SUBJECT + VERB (indirect question)
He asked (me) how I was.
 How are you?
He asked (me) how was I.

9. Reported questions. Wh- elements.
 Who, why, when, how, what… don’t change.
 Why are you crying?
He asked him why she was crying.
 How tall is she?
He asked me how tall she was.

10. Reported questions. If questions.
 Wh- elements don’t appear.
 We have to use if/whether when we report the
question.
 Are you guilty? He asked her.
He asked her if she was guilty.
 Do you like being here? She asked him.
She asked him if he liked being there.

11. Reported commands.
IMPERATIVE FORM (direct question)
SUBJECT + VERB + OBJECT +
INFINITIVE
He ordered them to sit down.
 Sit down!
He ordered to sit down them.

12. Reported commands.
IMPERATIVE FORM (negative)
SUBJECT + VERB + OBJECT + NOT +
INFINITIVE
He told her not to shout at him.
Don’t shout at me!
He told her to not shout at him.

13. Reported suggestions. 1º Option.
SUGGESTION (direct question)
SUBJECT + VERB + THAT +
PROPOSITION
He suggested that we went for a walk.
“Let’s go for a walk”
He suggested that we going for a walk.

14. Reported suggestions. 2º option.
SUGGESTION (direct question)
SUBJECT + VERB(rep) + VERB(-ing)
+ PROPOSITION
She suggested relaxing
Why don’t we relax?
She suggesting relaxed

15. Reporting verbs.
 We can use different reporting verbs,
depending on the sittuation.
 Different structures are required to use these
verbs.

16. Reporting verbs.
VERB + THAT…
ADMIT SAY INSIST EXPLAIN
REPLY SUGGEST RECCOMEND
“Take some extra money”.
He suggested that I took some extra money.

17. Reporting verbs.
VERB + OBJECT + INFINITIVE…
ASK TELL ORDER INVITE
REMIND ADVISE
“Please go away”
He asked her to go away.

18. Reporting verbs.
VERB + INFINITIVE…
AGREE DECIDE OFFER PROMISE
REFUSE THREATEN
“I’ll do it”
She agreed to do it.

19. Reporting verbs.
VERB + VERB (-ing)…
APOLOGIZE (FOR) RECOMMEND
SUGGEST
“I’m sorry that I did it”
She apologized for doing it.

20. Let’s practice!
 "I'm hungry," Tom said.
Tom said that he was hungry.
 "They were living in Chicago when their son was born,"
she said.
She said that they had been living in Chicago when their
son was born.
 Sarah asked, "Are you busy tonight”?
Sarah asked me if I was busy tonight.
 "I am working in a hospital," she said.
She said that she was working in a hospital.
 "We made a great dinner last night," he said.
He said that they had made a great dinner last night.

21. Let’s practice!
 "I have been to India three times," Melissa said.
Melissa said that she had been to India three times.
 "We have been waiting for the tickets for three hours,"
they said.
They said that they had been waiting for the tickets for
three hours.
 He asked, "Had you ever been to New York before?“
He asked me if I had ever been to New York before.
 "I am from Australia," Pam said.
Pam said she is from Australia.
 "You must drive slowly here," the police officer said.
The police officer said I had to drive slowly there.