GRAMMAR 11 Reported speech Tense changes Repofted speech 1 Explanations We often tell people what other people have said. This is called reported or indirect speech. We rarely report the exact words, usually we just give a general summary. Sandra speaking to Petra: ‘Bye, Petra it’s been great seeing you again. I'll call you sometime next week when I get a chance.’ Petra reporting the conversation to Roberta: ‘I saw Sandra yesterday. She said she’d call me next week, ‘We usually change tenses (will > would in the example above) and also other references like people, places and times (you > me in the example above). Statements are usually reported with a past tense verb (like said) and an optional that. The form of the verb that follows then ‘moves back’ in time. This is sometimes called backshift. Present simple to past simple ‘I need some help.’ She said (that) she needed some help. Present continuous to “We are having our lunch.’ past continuous ‘She said that they were having their lunch. Present perfect to past perfect ‘I've lost my keys.” ‘He said (that) he had lost his keys. Past simple to past perfect ‘Twrote two letters to her’ (or stays the same) He said (that) he had written two letters to her. He said (that) he wrote two letters to her. be going to to was going to “They are going to come back.” She said (that) they were going to come back. will to would ‘will be home at 6.00." can to could ‘She said (that) she would be home at 6.00. = There is no change for must, might, could, should, would. ‘Tmust leave straightaway for Brussels.’ He said he must leave straightaway for Brussels. But in the case of must we can also use had to. He said he had to leave straightaway for Brussels. = Note that if the actual words were in the past simple, the report can change or stay the same. = Note that if we write down the actual words that someone says we use speech marks (inverted commas), But if we write down a report of the words there are no speech marks.No tense changes Speakers in reported speech People, places, times say, tell, speak GRAMMAR 11 REPORTED SPEECH 1 = If the report is about something which is always true, it is not necessary to change tenses. “like apples more than I like oranges.” ‘She said that she likes apples more than she likes oranges. But in cases like this it is still possible to change tenses if you want to. = If the report is about something that has immediate relevance, we usually do not change tenses. Jack speaking to Ted: I’m going to the cinema tonight. Do you want to come?” ‘Ted reporting the conversation to Peter: ‘Jack is on the phone. He says he’s ‘going to the cinema tonight.’ When we write down the actual words, the speaker can be mentioned at the beginning or end of the sentence, Notice the position of the comma and the final full stop in relation to the speech marks. Jack said, ‘We're going to miss the train.’ ‘We're going to miss the train,’ said Jack. But in reported speech the speaker is only mentioned at the beginning of the sentence. Jack said (that) they were going to miss the train. In reported speech references to people, places and times often change, because the point of view changes. ‘T'll see you here tomorrow,’ said Sue. Sue said (that) she would see me there the next day. ‘I bought this book yesterday,’ said Martin, ‘Martin said (that) he had bought the book the day before. ‘We usually just summarize what people say when we make reports. “Look, actually, tell him I'M give him a call or email him next week, OK?’ Reported as: She said (that) she'd get in touch next week. If we report the exact words it is called verbatim reporting. We say something and we tell somebody. Say and tell can be followed by the optional that. “It’s warm today,’ she said. She said (that) it was warm. She told me (that) it was warm. We can use to after say, but we never use fo after tell. ‘T-come fiom Slovenia’ She said to me (that) she comes from Slovenia She told me (that) she comes from Slovenia. Speak describes the act of talking. ‘Simon spoke to me in the supermarket yesterday. BINTERMEDIATE LANGUAGE PRACTICE “4 ae Underline the errors in these sentences. Rewrite each sentence. a) Sally told that she'd lost her keys. wally said that she'd lost her keys, b) Chris said me that he must leave early. ©) Maria and Tony said they shall see us tomorrow. 4) Tom said, ’m coming to your party. ©) Sue said that she had wrote a letter to Lisa. ) Steve said us that he was arriving at 8.00. ) ‘Thad bought a new bike Pam told us.’ h) ‘What's the matter? Ellen told. Rewrite each sentence in direct speech, ending as shown. a) Anna told us that she'd finished. Anna told us. ) Simon said that he would be back at 6.00. eer Simon said. 9) Beth said she was going to go shopping. Gee J" said Beth, @) Paul said that he wanted to make a phone call. {canst 1" said Paul. ©) Tina told the teacher she'd forgotten her homework, ’ Tina told the teacher ) David said he had to be back by 3.30. cours ," David said. 8) Jan told me she would let me know. snmnmnernnnre JaR told me. 1h Bill said he was going to be late. : J" Bill said,GRAMMAR 11 REPORTED SPEECH 1 ‘Match each sentence in direct speech (a-e) with its summarized version in reported speech (1-5). a) ‘Look, sorry about this, but I'm afraid I'm going to be a bit late... b) ‘Actually I’ve no idea at all where Tam!" ©) ‘The thing is, I know it’s silly but I've missed the bus. 4) ‘Anyway, I'll be back in next to no time.’ ©) ‘Idid ting, you know, earlier in the evening.’ She said she would be back soon. She said she had missed the bus, She said she was going to be late. She said she had already rung. She said she didn’t know where she was. Complete each sentence, using say tell or speak in an appropriate form, a) Daniel ..20/4..... me that he was playing in the school basketball team. DB) [cscs 10 Helen, and she she would phone you. ©) "You're luck} Steve. ‘I . you that you would win!” the President what everyone was ... d) A translator ©) ‘Look,’ I. 51 her, ‘why don’t you my teacher that | ‘me what you mean?’ Chinese, but she didn’t believe me. Rewrite each sentence in reported speech, beginning as shown. a) ‘Iwon't be there because I'm having a party’ said Lucy. Lucy told us that she .wguldwt. be. there. because, she.was. having... ) ‘I've lost the map and I don’t know the way,’ said Jack, Jack told me that he ©) ‘When I finish the book, I'm going to watch television,’ said Jessica. Jessica said that when 4d) ‘Vm doing some homework but I won't be long,’ said Mike. Mike said that he ... e) ‘I got up late and I missed the bus,’ said Richard, Richard sald that he ...