1
REPORTED SPEECH
1. Introduction
2. Statements in indirect speech: Changes
2.1. Changes in the tense of the reported verb. (exceptions)
2.2. Changes in pronouns
2.3. Changes in adverbs and adverbial phrases.
2.4. Some other changes
3. Questions in indirect speech
3.1. Yes/No questions
3.2. Information questions
4. Commands in indirect speech.
5. Suggestions, offers and requests in indirect speech.
6. Exclamations in indirect speech.
7. “Yes” and “No” in indirect speech.
8. The modal auxiliaries in indirect speech.
9. Introductory verbs.
10. Mixed exercises on indirect speech.
1. Introduction:
When one wishes to report what someone says, or has said, two ways are open to one, either to give the exact words: DIRECT SPEECH , or to adapt the words according to the circumstances in which they are quoted:
INDIRECT SPEECH .
In direct speech we repeat the original speaker’s exact words
E.g. “I have lost my umbrella”, he said.
The message is placed between inverted commas. The reporting clause
(he said), in direct speech may occur before, within, or after the speech itself.
In the case of indirect speech, the words of the speaker are subordinated, in the form of a “that-clause”, and incorporated into the structure of the main sentence. As in indirect speech you are generally informing someone else of what happened, often in a different place and usually on a different day, all pronouns change, almost all verb tenses except conditional and past perfect change and all words referring to a particular time or place change. There are also in some circumstances changes in word order (interrogative sentences), and even semantical changes in the reported verb (go – come).
All this on condition that the introductory verb is in the past tense (or in the
`past perfect tense), but when the introductory verb is in the present, present perfect or future, direct statements can be reported without any changes of tense.
E.g. He says: “The train will be late”. – He says that the train will be late
He said: “The train will be late”. – He said the the train would be late.

Excepciones: a.
Verdades universales: No debe haber cambios en los tiempos verbales cuando una frase expresa un hecho supuestamente universal y no aplicable solamente al tiempo en la que se dijo.
Socrates said, “Virtue is knowledge” Socrates said that virtue is knowledge b.
Acciones habituales: Una acción habitual es algo que normalmente no cambia
He said,”I get up at seven everyday” He said he gets up at seven everyday c.
Frases condicionales: Las frases condicionales que implican una condicion improbable (Tipo II) o imposibles (Tipo III) tampoco cambian en estilo indirecto.
He said, “ If he came I would be surprised”
He said that if he came he would be surprised
Cambios en los pronombres
Los pronombres personales y los adjetivos y pronombres posesivos cambian de primera o segunda persona a tercera.
They said, “ We’ve brought our books; the books on the desk are ours”
They said that they had brought thair books and they said that the book on the desk were theirs.
Además, observa como cambian también this y these que cambian a that y those respectivamente
He said, “These are my books” He said that those were his book
2

Cambios en los adverbios y frases adverbiales:
Estilo Directo Estilo indirecto
Today that day
Yesterday
Tomorrow
Next week/year the day before/the previous day the day after/the next day/the following day the following week/year
Last week/year
Here the previous week/year there
Now Then
He said, “I’ll see you tomorrow”
He said he would see him the following day
Otros cambios
Estilo Directo
Ago
Estilo indirecto before
Come go
Bring take
He said, ”I saw him four days ago”
He said he had seen him four days before
Exclamaciones
Las exclamaciones tienen el mismo tratamiento que las aseveraciones
E.g. “What a dreadful thing!” o “How dreadful!” He said that it was a dreadful thing/that it was dreadful
“Yes” y “No” en Estilo indirecto
Yes y No se expresan en estilo indirecto mediante la fórmula Sujeto + verbo auxiliar apropiado: He said, “Can you swim?” and I said, “No”
He asked (me) if I could swim and I answered that I couldn’t
He said, “Will you have time to do it?” and I said, “yes”
He asked if I would have time to do it and I answered that I would
3

A. Say and tell:
Say and Tell with Direct Speech:
1. Say can introduce a statement or follow it:
Tom said, “I’ve just heard the news” , or
“I’ve just heard the news”, Tom said
Inversion of say and noun subject is possible when say follows the statement:
“I’ve just heard the news”, said Tom say + to + person addressed is possible, but this phrase must follow the direct statement; it cannot introduce it:
“I’m leaving at once”, Tom said to me - Inversion is not possible here –
2 . tell requires the person adressed: tell me he told us I’ll tell Tom except with tell lies/stories/the truth , when the person adressed need not be mentioned: He told (me) lies tell used with direct speech must be placed after the direct statement:
“I’m leaving at once”, Tom told me - Inversion is not possible with tell –
Say and Tell with Indirect Speech
Indirect statements are normally introduced by say or tell + object.
Say + to + object is possible but much less usual than tell + object
He said he’d just heard the news.
He told me he’d just heard the news
4

B.
Other useful verbs which can be used either with direct or indirect speech are: add*, admit*, assure + object , answer*, argue*, boast*, complain*, deny*, explain*, grumble*, observe*, point out, promise, remark*, remind + object , reply.
With direct speech they follow direct statements
“It won’t cost more”, Tom assured us.
Starred verbs (*) can be inverted, provided the subject is a noun:
“But it will take longer”, Bill objectet/objected Bill
They can all introduce indirect statements, that should be placed after the verb:
Tom assured us that it wouldn’t cost more. But Bill objected/pointed out that it would take longer.
C.
murmur, mutter, shout, stammer, whisper can precede or follow direct statements or questions. Noun subjects can also be inverted and when introducing indirect statements that is usually necessary.
“You are late”, whispered Tom/Tom whispered.
Tom whispered that we were late
There are, of course, a lot of other verbs describing the voice or the tone of voice, e.g
. bark,growl, snarl,sneer,roar, scream,shriek, yell . But these are more common with direct than indirect speech.
5

D. Infinitive and gerund constructions in Indirect Speech
Agree, refuse, offer, promise, threaten + infinitive can sometimes be used instead of say (that).
E.g. ANN: “ Would you wait half an hour?
”
TOM: “ All right ”
Tom agreed to wait or Tom said he would wait.
Accuse + object + of, admit, deny, apologize for, insist on + gerund can sometimes be used instead of say that.
E.g. TOM: “I’ll pay for both of us.
BILL: “Let’s each pay our own share”
TOM: “No, I’ll pay”.
“No, I’ll pay” could be reported as Tom insisted on paying
E. Introductory verbs in questions
In questions, the introductory verb say must be changed to a verb of inquiry, e.g. ask, inquire, wonder, want to know
He said: “Where’s the station?” He asked where the station was.
Ask, inquire, wonder , can also be used in direct speech (placed at the end of the sentence) “Where’s the station?”, He inquired.
Ask can be followed by the person adressed (Indirect object), but inquire, wonder, want to know cannot take an indirect object, so if we wish to report a question where the person adressed is mentioned, we must use ask.
6

F. Other introductory verbs
1. For commands : tell, command, order, encourage, entreat, forbid, remind, urge , etc...
He said, “Go away” H e told/ordered/commanded... me to go away
2. For requests : ask, request, implore, beg , etc...
“Could I see her again?” He asked/implored/begged...to see her again
3. For offers and invitations : offer, invite
“Shall I bring you some tea?” He offered to bring me some tea
4. For speculations : wonder
“Shall I ever see them again?” he wondered He wondered if he would ever see them again
5. For advice: tell, advise, warn, recommend ...
“Don’t swim too far, boys,” I said I told/warned the boys not to swim too far.
6. For suggestions : suggest
“Let’s stop now” He suggested stopping then
He suggested that they should stop
7. For exclamatory sentences :
He said, “Thank you”
He said, “Curse the wind”
He said, “Welcome”
He said, “Happy Christmas”
He said, “Congratulations”
He said, “Liar”
He said, “Damn it”
He thanked me
He cursed the wind
He welcomed me
He wished me a happy Christmas
He congratulated me
He called me a liar.
He swore.
7