Reported (Indirect)Speech

There are two ways of reporting what a person has said: direct (quoted) speech and indirect (reported) speech. In direct speech,
we repeat the original speaker’s exact words:
.He said, “I have lost my phone.” (These words have been put into quotation marks.)
In indirect speech, we give the exact meaning of the direct speech without necessarily using the original speaker’s exact
words:
.He said (that) he had lost his phone. (No inverted commas are used here.)
I. Form
Direct (Quoted) Speech Indirect (Reported) Speech
Statement “The pen is on my desk.” She says (that) the pen is on her desk. (reported with that clause)
Yes/No “Are you staying?” He asked if I was staying. (reported with if/whether clause)
Question
Information “Where did you go?” I asked where she had gone. (reported with wh-clause)
Question
Imperatives “Press the green button.” He told me to press the green button.
“Don’t press the red He said to me to press the green button.
button.” He said not to press the red button.
He told me not to press the red button.
(reported with infinitive)

Present Tense Reporting

Direct Speech Reported Speech with the That Clause
“It is raining.” it is raining.
“It is going to rain.” He says (that) it is going to rain.
“It rained.” it rained.

Past Tense Reporting

Direct Speech Reported Speech with That Clause
“I need a vacation.” he needed a vacation.
“I am working.” he was working.
“I left early.” he had left early.
“I have finished.” he had finished.
“I will see you later.” he would see you later.
“I am going to win.” he was going to win.
“I can win.” He said he could win.
“I may leave.” (that) he might leave.
“I have to try.” he had to try.
“I must take a vacation.” he had to take a vacation.
“I should stay.” he should stay.
“I ought to stay.” he ought to stay.
“I could stay.” he could stay.

NB:The reported speech has a reporting verb in the main clause such as say, ask, tell, etc. followed by a noun clause or an
infinitive.
.It also differs from the direct speech in tense, pronouns, and adverbs.
.If the reporting verb is in the present tense, the tense in the reported speech does not change from the tense of the
direct speech.
.If the reporting verb is in the past tense, the tense in the reported speech often changes to a past form.
.The modals will, can, may, etc. change to their past formswould, could, might, etc.
.The modals should, ought to, and could do not change forms in reported speech.

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Notes on Reporting Verbs
Tell, Say, and Ask
Tell is used to report statements. It is immediately followed by a noun or pronoun and a that clause. This noun or pronoun
refers to the original listener.
. He told me that he was late.. He told Hana he would be there soon.
x .He told to me that he was late. (incorrect)
Say is also used to report statements. Unlike tell, it is not followed by a noun or pronoun.
. He said that he was late.. He said to me that he was late.
x . He said me that he was late. (incorrect)
Ask is used to report questions. It can be followed by a noun or pronoun. Say and tell are not used to report questions.
. She asked if it was time to leave. . She asked him if it was time to leave.
x . She told/said if it was time to leave. (incorrect)
Tell, say, and ask are used to report imperatives.
. He told me to go. . He said to go. /He said to me to go. .He asked me to go.
II.Meaning and Use
1. Reported (indirect) speech is used to tell what someone has said or written. It expresses the same meaning as direct speech,
but it expresses the speech from the reporter’s point of view rather than the original speaker’s point of view:
.“I am having a great time.” (direct speech from the speaker’s point of view)
. He said he was having a great time. (reported speech from the reporter’s point of view)
2.The tense in the noun clause may change to a past form if the reporting verb is in the past tense. This tense change usually
depends on whether the reporter thinks of the direct speech as part of the past:
Direct Speech Past Tense Report
Alem: How are you?Alem asked Hawi how she was.
Hawi: I am fine. Hawi said she was fine.
III.Changes Necessary in Reported Speech
We make several changes while turning direct speech into reported speech:
a. Tense Changes
If the reporting verb is in the past tense, the tense in the reported speech will often have the following changes:
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Simple present Simple past
“She works in a bank,” he said. He said (that) she worked in a bank.
Present continuous Past continuous
“I am waiting for Hana,” she said. She said (that) she was waiting for Hana.
Present perfect Past perfect
“I have bought a ball,” he said. He said (that) he had bought a ball.
Simple past Past perfect
“I took it home with me,” he said. He said he had taken it home with him.
Simple future Conditional
She said, “I will/shall be in Jimma on Monday.” She said she would be in Jimma on Monday.
Conditionals Conditional
I said: “I would/should like to see it.” I said I would/should like to see it.
NB: Past perfect in direct speech remains past perfect in reported speech.
. “I had seen the zoo,” he said. He said that he had seen the zoo.

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Keeping the Same Tense
1. There are some reasons why the reporter may not change the reported speech to a past tense. If the direct speech
just happens, the reporter often keeps the same tense because the time has not changed very much.
Direct Speech Immediate reports (with no tense change)
.“I am going out for a while.” She said she is going out for a while. (reported only a few
.What did she say? seconds after the original speaker)

2. If the direct speech is a generalization that is always true, the present tense is used:
.“We don’t accept checks.” The manager told me that they don’t accept checks.(The statement is true all
the time, not just when the manager spoke. )
3. If the event in the direct speech has not happened yet, the future is often used:
.“I am going to appoint a new judge next week.” The President announced that he is going to appoint a
new judge next week. (Future event that hasn’t happened yet.)
b. Pronoun and Possessive Adjective Changes
Pronouns and possessive adjectives usually change from first or second person to third person except when the
speaker is reporting his own words. They often change to present the reporter’s point of view, instead of the original
speaker’s point of view.
Quoted Speech Reported Speech
“I need more time.” He said he needed more time.
“Please take your book.” She told me to take my book.
“I like your hat.” Isaid Ilike his hat.
NB: The words can stay the same when the reporter is repeating his own words.
.“ I can’t find my keys. I said I couldn’t find my keys.
C. Adverb Changes
Adverbs of time and place may change depending on the time of the reported speech and the location of the reporter.
They change when the reporter’s point of view is different from the speaker’s.
Direct Speech Reported Speech
“I will call you tomorrow.” he would call me the next day.
He said he would call me on Monday.
he will call me tomorrow.
“I will be here until 6:00p.m. he would be there until 6:00p.m.
he will be here until 6:00p.m.

Adverbs and adverbial phrases of time and place change as follow:

Direct Speech Indirect Speech
today that day
yesterday the day before
the day before yesterday two days before
tomorrow the next day/the following day
the day after tomorrow in two days’ time
to night that night
this week/year, etc. that week/year, etc.
next week/year, etc. the following week/year, etc.
last week/year, etc. the previous week/year, etc.
a year, etc. ago a year, etc. before/the previous year, etc.
now then
this that
these those
here there

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NB: If the speech is madeand reported on the same day, such time changes are not necessary:
. At breakfast this morning he said: “I will be busy today.”
. At breakfast this morning he said that he would be busy today.”
.Adverbs of place here can become there but only when it is clear what place it meant:
. At the market she said, “I’ll be here again tomorrow.”
. She said that she would be there again the next day.

Reporting Exclamations
Exclamations Reported Speech
“What a beautiful place!” said the visitor. The visitor exclaimed with appreciation that it was a beautiful
place./The visitor remarked what a beautiful place it was.
“What a fool you are!” said my father to me. My father remarked angrily to me that I was a big fool.
He said, “Oh, God! I have spoiled my paper.” He exclaimed bitterly that he had spoiled his paper.
He said to me, “Thank you.” He thanked me.
I said to my friend, “Good morning.” I wished my friend good morning.
I said to her: “Congratulations!” I congratulated her.

Exclamations change to statements in reported speech. Therefore, it is advisable to change the exclamation into a simple
statement before turning it into reported speech. When the exclamation is an incomplete sentence, it should be
completed:
.What a beautiful place! (exclamation)
Stage 1: What a beautiful place it is! (complete exclamation)
Stage 2: It is a beautiful place. (exclamation turned into a statement)

NB: It is also possible to turn the exclamation at stage 1 itself into reported speech:
. He remarked what a beautiful place it was.

With the verbs say and tell,should is often used in a that clause to tell someone to do something. Remember that say and tell
can also occur with an infinitive to express the same meaning:
Doctor: Don’t eat any sweets.
Patient: The doctor said (told me/ said me) that I shouldn’t eat any sweets.
The doctor told me (said/ said to me) not to eat any sweets.
Exercise
i.Change each of these sentences into reportedspeech.
1. Theteacher said: “The sun rises in the east.”
2. She said, “We are early today.”
3. The tourist told the guide, “I have liked Lalibela very much.”
4. The doctor said: “They should let the patients sleep quietly.”
5. He said to me, “Do you like raw meat?”
6. The conductor said to the old lady, “Why have you not purchased a ticket for the child?”
7. The Prime Minister told us, “Grow more trees.”
8. The notice in the garden says, “Don’t pluck flowers.”
9. “What an interesting book!” he remarked.
10. “Oh, God! I have lost my mobile phone,” she said.
11. He said: “Let’s start our work.”
12. She said, “If he catches the train, he will be here by five.”
13. “I will do it tomorrow,” he promised.