REPORTED SPEECH 1(BASIC RULES)
PRESENT REPORTING VERB:
only pronouns usually need to be
changed.
Example:
“I am giving you this book tomorrow,” the teacher SAYS.
The teacher says he is giving me this book tomorrow.
PAST REPORTING VERB: PRONOUNS, TENSES, TIME EXPRESSIONS AND OTHER WORDS NEED TO
BE CHANGED.
Example: “ I am giving you this book tomorrow”, the teacher said
The teacher said he was giving me that book the day after
1- CHANGES:
TENSES
TENSES GO ONE STEP BEHIND IN TIME
DIRECT SPEECH
REPORTED SPEECH
PRESENT(GO)...........................................................PAST (WENT)
PAST (WENT)...........................................................PAST PERFECT (HAD GONE)
PRESENT PERFECT (HAS GONE)...............................PAST PERFECT (HAD GONE)
PAST PERFECT (HAD GONE) ………………………………...PAST PERFECT (HAD GONE)
WILL ........................................................................WOULD
CAN..........................................................................COULD
SHOULD....................................................................SHOULD
MUST........................................................................HAD TO
MAY……………………………………………………………………….MIGHT
pg. 1
TIME EXPRESSIONS
DIRECT SPEECH
REPORTED SPEECH
NOW..............................................................................THEN
TODAY...........................................................................THAT DAY
TOMORROW..................................................................THE DAY AFTER
YESTERDAY.....................................................................THE DAY BEFORE
TONIGHT …………………………………………………………………….THAT NIGHT
THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY..........................................TWO DAYS BEFORE
THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW..........................................TWO DAYS AFTER
LAST(YEAR, MONTH...)....................................................THE LAST(YEAR, MONTH...)
NEXT(YEAR, MONTH...)...................................................THE NEXT(YEAR, MONTH..
OTHER CHANGES
HERE.....................................................................................................................................THERE
THIS.......................................................................................................................................THAT/THE
THESE.....................................................................................................................................THOSE/THE
2-CHANGES DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF SENTENCE
A- STATEMENTS (ENUNCIATIVAS)
They are usually introduced by SAY and TELL in reported speech:
Examples:
DIRECT “I saw your brother the day before yesterday”, Peter said to me.
REPORTED: Peter SAID TO me (that)he had seen my brother two days before .
OR
Peter TOLD me that he had seen my brother two days before .
pg. 2
B- QUESTIONS (INTERROGATIVAS)
QUESTIONS BECOME STATEMENTS
They are usually introduced by ASK in reported speech, but there are two types of
questions:
a) Beginning with an auxiliary verb (YES/ NO QUESTIONS)
Example:
DIRECT: “Did you see Peter yesterday?” she said to me.
REPORTED: she asked me IF / WHETHER * I HAD SEEN PETER THE DAY BEFORE.
*IMPORTANT: THEY ARE NOT QUESTIONS ANY MORE SO THE AUXILIARIES DO, DOES
AND DID DISAPPEAR AND THE SUBJECTS COME BEFORE THE VERBS.
...ASKED ... IF + SUBJECT + VERB + COMPLEMENTS.
b) Beginning with a question word : who, when, why, how, ... ( WH QUESTIONS)
Example:
DIRECT: “ Where have you been all this time?” she said to me
REPORTED: she asked me WHERE *I HAD BEEN ALL THAT TIME.
*IMPORTANT: THEY ARE NOT QUESTIONS ANY MORE SO THE AUXILIARIES DO, DOES
AND DID DISAPPEAR AND THE SUBJECTS COME BEFORE THE VERBS.
...ASKED... WH + SUBJECT + VERB + COMPLEMENTS.
pg. 3
C- ORDERS AND REQUESTS (IMPERATIVAS: ÓRDENES Y
PETICIONES)
Imperative sentences can tell/order or ask someone to do something.
a) They TELL or ORDER if the speaker doesn´t say “please”
b) They ASK if the speaker says “please”
a) ORDERS (órdenes): without please. TELL or ORDER
Example:
DIRECT: “Open the window”, he said to me.
REPORTED: he TOLD me/ ORDERED me TO open the window.
...TOLD / ORDERED SOMEBODY (not)TO DO
SOMETHING
b) REQUESTS (peticiones): with please or a question ASK
Example:
DIRECT: “Open the window, PLEASE”, he said to me.= “will you open the
window?” he said to me.
REPORTED: he ASKED me TO open the window.
...ASKED SOMEBODY (not)TO DO
SOMETHING
REPORTED SPEECH
REPORTING STATEMENTS: TELL
1. “I live in Madrid”, he said to me
_____________________________________________________________
2. “We played tennis yesterday”, he said to me.
_____________________________________________________________
3. “ My friend will play chess next week”, he said to me.
pg. 4
_____________________________________________________________
4. “I have played with my friends”, he said to me
_____________________________________________________________
5. “ They must finish their homework now”, he said to me
_____________________________________________________________
REPORTING QUESTIONS: ASK
1. “ Do you like this film?”, he said to me
_____________________________________________________________
2. “Will you come with me?” he said to me
_____________________________________________________________
3. “ Where did you go yesterday? He said to me
_____________________________________________________________
4. “What have you seen?” he said to me
_____________________________________________________________
5. “Did they send a message?” he said to me
_____________________________________________________________
REPORTING COMMANDS AND REQUESTS: TELL / ASK
1. “ Sit down”, he said to me
_____________________________________________________________
2. “Don’t move”, the police officer said to me
_____________________________________________________________
3. “Will you sit down?” he said to me
_____________________________________________________________
4. “Be quiet, please”, he said to me
_____________________________________________________________
5. “Stay with me , please”, he said to me
_____________________________________________________________
pg. 5
REPORTED SPEECH 2
LIST OF REPORTING VERBS
REPORTING VERB + VERB –ING
REPORTING VERB + TO+ INFINITIVE
Admit doing: admitir haber hecho algo
Deny doing: negar haber hecho algo
Remember doing: recordar haber hecho algo
Recommend doing: recomendar hacer algo
Propose doing: proponer hacer algo
*Suggest doing: sugerir que se haga algo incluyéndose
el hablante
Agree To do: aceptar hacer algo
Threaten To do: amenazar con hacer algo
Promise To do: prometer hacer algo
Refuse To do: negarse a hacer algo
Offer to do sth: ofrecerse a hacer algo
Remember to do: acordarse de hacer algo
REPORTING VERB +( SB.) + PREPOSITION + VERB-ING
REPORTING VERB + SB. + TO + INFINITIVE
Accuse sb. OF doing: acusar a alguien
Speak OF doing: hablar de hacer algo
Blame sb. FOR doing: culpar a alguien
Thank sb. FOR doing: agradecer alguien
Criticize sb FOR doing: criticar a alguien
Apologize FOR doing: disculparse
Praise sb FOR doing: elogiar
Insist on doing: insisitir
Congratulate sb on doing: felicitar
Discourage sb FROM doing sth: disuadir, desanimar,
desalentar
Boast ABOUT doing: presumir de hacer algo
Tell sb. To do: decir a alguien que haga algo
Ask sb. To do : pedir a alguien que haga algo
Advise sb. To do: aconsejar a alguien…
Warn sb To do: advertir a alguien…
Urge sb. To do: instar a alguien…
Beg sb. To do: rogar a alguien
Remind sb To do sth: recordar a alguien que haga
algo
Persuade sb To do sth: persuadir a alguien
Forbid sb To do sth: prohibir a alguien que haga
algo
REPORTING VERB + THAT+ SENTENCE
*Suggest that sb should do: si el hablante no se
incluye en la sugerencia.
Recomend that sb (should) do sth: recomendar que
Propose that sb (should) do sth.: proponer que
alguien haga algo.
Admit that: admitir que
Deny that: negar
Mention that: mencionar que
Protest that: protestar porque
Complain that: quejarse de que…
Realise that: darse cuenta de que
Explain that: explicar que
pg. 6
Claim that: asegurar que
REWRITE USING THE REPORTING VERB IN BOLD
1. “Sorry, I didn’t want to disturb you” , he said to Jane.
APOLOGIZED
2. “When did you write this novel?” The journalist said to the writer.
ASKED
3. “I’ll see you here next Monday at this time”, He said to his friend
AGREED
4. “Please don’t leave me alone, please!” The baby to his mother.
BEGGED
5. “You must start the exam as soon as I tell you”, he said to the students
SAID
6. “Don’t use this computer. It may not work properly”, the boss to the clerk.
WARNED
7. “If I were you, I would call a taxi”, he said to me
ADVISED
pg. 7
8. “If you don’t stop disturbing, I’ll send you out”, he said to her.
THREATENED
9. “Let’s play tennis next Saturday!” He said to us.
SUGGESTED
10. “Thank you for coming tonight to our party”, he said to me.
THANKED
11. “I don’t want to see you again!” she said to him.
REFUSED
12. “ Will you open the window?” he said to his friend.
ASKED
13. “I didn’t break the glass. John did”; he said to me.
DENIED AND BLAMED
____________________________________
14. “Please, sit down”, He said to the patient.
ASKED
15. “Pay attention and don’t write anything yet”, the teacher to the pupils.
TOLD
pg. 8