REPORTED SPEECH

The incredible process of BACKSHIFTING

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REPORTED SPEECH Introduction Reporting verbs I: SAY, TELL & ASK Statements Questions Orders Reportin verbs II

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INTRODUCTION

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SPEECH

DIRECT REPORTEDThe exact words that

someone else says in

inverted commas

The message that someone else has said without using the speaker’s original words

but a reporting

clause followed by a

reported clause

THE REPORTING CLAUSE

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It is the main clause and introduces the other person’s words. It includes the REPORTING VERB, which is the

main verb of the sentence. The most frequently verbs are

TELL

SAY

To say somethingHe said it was raining

To say to someone something

He said to me (that) it was raining

To tell someone somethingHe told me the truth

To tell someone to do something

He told me to say the truth

To ask if /QW somethingHe asked me if I was OK /

where I was

To ask someone to do something

He asked me to go

ASK

REPORTING A STATEMENT

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We have to consider whether the reporting verb is in the present or in the past. If it is in the present, we have to bear in mind that the moment when the words are reported is the same, so fewer changes will be required. However, if the reporting verb is in the past, everything will change because our reference of time has been modified. This process is called

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DIRECT REPORTEDPresent Simple Past Simple

Present Continuous Past ContinuousPast Simple Past Perfect Simple

Past continuous Past Perfect ContinuousPresent Perfect Simple Past Perfect Simple

Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect ContinuousPast Perfect Simple Past Perfect Simple

Past Perfect Continuous Past Perfect ContinuousFuture Simple Conditional Simple

Future Continuous Conditional ContinuousFuture Perfect Conditional Perfect

Can CouldWill / Shall Would / Should

May MightHave to / Must Had to

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DIRECT REPORTED1st / 2nd person

3rd person

This ThatThese ThoseThat That

Those ThoseHere ThereThere ThereNow Then

Today That dayTomorrow The next day / The following day / The

day afterYesterday The day before / The previous day

Last (month)

The (month) before / The previous (month)

A (week) ago

The (week) before

Next (week) The following (week) / The (week) after

Sometimes, the

time and place

references also

change when we

report someone

else’s words

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I will create a

lot of jobs in my

country!He said that he would

create a lot of jobs in his country

I will create a lot of jobs in my country

He said that he would create

in his country

Questions

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There are two types of QuestionsYES / NO Qs Wh- Qs

They begin with the AUXILIARY VERB

Did you travel?

They begin with a Wh- WORDWhere did you travel?

He asked me…

IF WHERE

I had travelled• BACKSHIFTING: Past simple > Past Perfect

•Personal pronouns change – 1st person > 3rd person

•Statement order

Orders

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When we want to reproduce an order, we use the reporting verb ASK followed by a to infinitive. If the original sentence is negative, ASK will be followed by NOT to infinitive. Don’t forget personal changes.

Listen to me! Don’t talk to me!

He asked me…

to listen to him not to talk to him

Other reporting verbs

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Apart from TELL, SAY and ASK, there are many other verbs that may function as a reporting verb. They also introduce a particular intention. We should be careful with the structure they require.

GENERAL ADMIT He admitted that he broke the window / having broken ANNOUNCE ANSWER REPLY DECLARE EXPLAIN STATE MENTION

THATINFORM That / about APOLOGISE He apologised for interruptingBOAST He boasted of having won the competitionCLAIM He claimed to have found the cureCOMPLAIN They complained about the weatherINSIST He insisted on inviting meOFFER She offered to pay for the drinksREMIND He reminded me to water the plants

QUESTIONS ENQUIRE REQUEST WONDER WANT TO KNOWORDERS ASK He asked me to go

DEMAND She demanded to know the reasonORDER He ordered me to goSHOUT She shouted to her to come backWARN He warned me not to take that way

PLEAS BEG He begged me to help himSUGGESTIONS ADVISE He advised starting

INVITE He invited me to go to the museumRECOMMEND We recommended going to the parkSUGGEST We suggested going to the cinema