REPORTED SPEECH
We use it when we want to tell someone what we or another person
said
indirect speech
direct speech
Repeating exact speaker’s words andusing quotation marks
Direct speech repeats the exact words the person used
In indirect speech, the original speaker’s words are changed
reporting verb
John said that he had taken the candys the day before.
common ones: say, tell, ask
click to edit
personal pronoun change
time adverbial change
backshifting
When it is optional to backshift
When never to backshift
Tenses in indirect speech usually require shifting (‘changing’), we call it backshifting. It
means to ‘go one step back in time.’
Tom said that he liked basketball.
Tom said that he likes basketball.
“I like basketball,” said Tom.
The situation referred to is still valid at the moment
of report
When the reporting verb is in any of the present tenses
“He has five cars.”
He said he had three houses. [At that time, he had 5 cars]
He said he has five cars. [I know that he still has 5 cars]
Other changes necessary when turning direct speech into indirect
Today › that day
Yesterday › the day before
The day before yesterday › two days before
Tomorrow › the next/following day
Next week/year › the following week/year
Last night › the night before/the previous night
Now › then/at that moment
Ago › before
1st person › 3rd person
2nd person › 1st or 3rd person
This (time, demonstrative), these › that, those
This, that (determiner) › the
This, these (pronoun) › it, they, them
tense change
Present simple › past simple
Present continuous › past continuous
Present perfect › past perfect
Past simple › past perfect
Am/is/are going to › was/were going to
Reporting yes-no questions and alternative questions
Reporting wh-questions
Reporting commands and advice
The waiter asked whether we wanted a table near the window or not.
If is much more common than whether, if is a formal choice
The waiter asked whether we wanted a table near the window. (yes-no question: ‘Do you
want a table near the window?)
‘whether … or not’:
The waiter asked if we wanted a table near the window or not
but never ‘if … not'
Reported yes-no questions and alternative questions are introduced by ‘whether’ or
‘if
Wh-questions are reported as wh-clauses (=sentences) – statement word order
She asked us what we were eating. (‘What are you eating?’)
The chairperson told him to sit down and to stop interrupting. (command: ‘Sit down and
stop interrupting!’)
We use the infinitive form.
Vedrana Bosanac 2.a