CHAPTER TEN: INDIRECT SPEECH.
10.1
TENSES IN INDIRECT SPEECH.
The principal problem with indirect speech is to put the verbs into the correct tenses.
With statements, what happens depends on the reporting (or "introducing") verb.
10.1.1 If the reporting verb is in the present, present perfect or future, there is no change of
tense in the indirect speech. (You must however be careful to make the necessary, logical
changes of person.)
"I am very sorry." - He says (that) he is very sorry.
He will tell you (that) he is very sorry.
He has just told me (that) he is very sorry.
10.1.2 If the reporting verb is in the simple past, pluperfect or conditional, then the verbs in
the reported speech will usually take "one step back" in time. Thus the following tensechanges become automatic:
simple present >>> simple past
present perfect
>>> pluperfect
simple past >>> pluperfect
future >>> conditional
future perfect >>> conditional perfect
"I have thought about it for some time, and I still believe that you are wrong."
He told us that he had thought about it for some time, and that he still believed we
were wrong.
"I was often left on my own during my childhood."
She said she had often been left on her own during her childhhood.
"I'll try to be there on time, and I can promise that we'll have finished by seven-thirty."
He said he'd try to be there on time, and could promise that we would have finished by
seven-thirty.
Actually, particularly in spoken English, a simple past will often remain unchanged in
the transition to indirect speech, as long as there is no ambiguity about the relative times of the
actions.
"Penelope bought a new car last week."
He told me Penelope bought a new car last week.
10.1.3 Naturally, if there is a progressive form in the words spoken, it will remain in the
indirect speech too, despite the tense-change.
"I'm coming to see you on Tuesday."
He said he was coming to see us on Tuesday.
"They'll be arriving soon."
She told me they'd be arriving soon.
10.1.4 Verbs in the conditional very often remain unchanged in indirect speech.
"We would love to meet your wife."
They told me they would love to meet my wife.
(Note that this also applies to the forms "could," "might," "should," "ought to," "used
to," "would rather" and "had better.")
"Could you give me a hand?"
He asked me if I could give him a hand.
"She might not be there."
We were told that she might not be there.
"You'd better watch out, young man!"
He warned me that I'd better watch out.
10.2
QUESTIONS IN INDIRECT SPEECH.
When a question is put into reported speech, the word order is that of a statement, not
of a question.
"What is your name?"
He asked me what my name was.
If the question is not introduced by a question-word (such as "what?" "why?' and so
on,) but is one of the type that can take "yes" or "no" for an answer, then we can use "if" or
"whether" as a link between the introducing verb and the reported question.
"Have you seen her anywhere?"
He asked me if (whether) I'd seen her anywhere.
10.3
IMPERATIVES.
An imperative form turns into an infinitive in indirect speech.
"Go and wash your hands!" she told me.
She told me to go and wash my hands.
Note the infinitive construction that is generally required after the following verbs,
which frequently introduce indirect commands.
to advise - to urge - to encourage - to implore - to beg - to invite - to request - to order to command - to forbid - to warn
"I think you should leave at once," he advised.
He advised us to leave at once.
"Get out of my sight!" he ordered.
He ordered us to get out of his sight.
"Please don't leave me," she begged.
She begged me not to leave her.
"Don't go into the woods alone," her mother warned.
Her mother warned her not to go into the woods alone.
10.4
OTHER CHANGES.
The logic of things often necessitates some other changes in indirect speech too, due to
the fact that we have a different perspective on matters. Here is a list of some of the changes
that are commonly necessary, (often in words expressing place and time, in fact.)
here >>> there
now >>> then
this >>> that
yesterday >>> the day before (the previous day)
tomorrow >>> the next day (the day after)
next week >>> the following week (the week after)
last week >>> the week before (the previous week)
two days ago >>> two days before (two days previously)
10.5
REMARKS CONCERNING "REPORTING VERBS."
10.5.1 The choice of your reporting verb obviously depends on the idea that the sentence
expresses. Here are some that are frequently used in statements.
to say - to tell - to state - to declare - to claim - to promise
Note that the relative pronoun "that" is quite often left out after these verbs, especially
in spoken English. (See also 19.5, and if you are in doubt, leave the relative pronoun in!)
They told us we were going to have some trouble.
She claimed she'd been attacked on the way home.
10.5.2 The following reporting verbs are frequently found with questions.
to ask - to enquire (to inquire) - to want to know - to wonder
10.5.3 The following verbs often introduce advice, commands, and requests.
to advise - to warn - to order - to recommend - to urge - to request - to beg - to implore