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Reprted spech - Coggle Diagram
Reprted spech
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Indirect statement
Common reporting verbs
- introductory(reporting) verbs:
say, tell, add, continue, answer, reply, mention, remark + that
think, decide or imagine + that
- we can omit that in conversation
we can't omit that after: reply, continue, answer, shout
:pencil2: it is not necessary to repeat the reporting verb to introduce every new sentence.
- said + (indirect object (to us) + that
told + direct object (us)+ that
The minister replied that it was out of the question.
I told them they were barred from the club from now on.
Tom insisted that he hadn’t been there. He had worked late, and had then gone ...
He said (to us) that his mobile phone had been out of action all day.
He told us that his mobile phone had been out of action all day.
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Changes of tense
- present forms become past forms
Present Simple - Past Simple
Present Perfect - Past Perfect
- past forms become past perfect forms
Past Simple - Past Perfect
:warning: Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous do not change.
- future forms :!?:
I'm leaving in 10 minutes' - She decided she was leaving in ten minutes.
'We've been living here for years' - He revealed they'd been living there for years.
It rained really heavily today.' - Sarah mentioned that rained really heavily that day.
They'd arrived an hour early' - I said thay'd arrived an hour early.
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When to change the tense
We don't change the tense of the original words in reported speech when:
- the reporting verb is in present tense :question:
- the direct speech includes an 'unreal past'
- if we report smth in the same day it happened
- the action in the indirect speech is still happening or going to happen.
- the reported verb expresses a fact or situation that cannot or is unlikely to change.
- the verb comes after a time conjunction (when, after)
:warning: in all these 3 cases, it is also possible to change the tense
:!: we make tense change if we no longer believe the direct speech statement.
- He says that intelligent life in the universe does not exist.
- I wish I were younger' - Janice said that she wished she were younger.
- I'm going on holiday tomorrow morning' (now 27.06 tom. 28.06)
Susanna said she is going on holiday the next morning. (now 27.06 tom 28.06)
Susanna said she was going on holiday the next morning.(now 29.06 tom 30.06)
- I'm working on the details of a tentative settlement'
The negotiator said that he is working on the details of a tentative settlement.
- He explained that these animals roamed the earth millions of years ago.
- Martin replied that he had started the job immediately after he left school.
- The negotiator said that he was working on the details of a tentative settlement.
He explained that these animals had roamed the earth millions of years ago.
Martin replied that he had started the job immediately after he had left school.
- "Where's Tom this evening?"
He said that he was going to join us, but I don't think he will.
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Modal verb
- modal verbs that changes in the reported speech
will - would
may - might
have to - had to
shall - would (if it refers to the future)
shall - should (if it is a suggestion)
- modal verbs that don't change
ought to
used to
could
might
would
should
must
:warning: we can use both must and had to in reported speech.
:warning: we can use must - mustn’t / wasn’t/weren’t to in the negatve
‘The new law will be in place soon. ’ She said the new law would be in place soon.
'I shall tell them everything. ’ I decided I would tell them everything.
Shall we tell the manager?’ She suggested that they should tell the manager.
You must lose twenty kilos!' - The doctor said that I must/had to lose twenty kilos.
You mustn't think badly of me. ’ She said we mustn’t/weren’t to think badly of her.
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