Reported Speech

Ø  The Definition Reported speech is when you tell somebody else what you or a person said before. Distinction must be made between direct speech and reported speech.  Ø  The Different between Direct Speech and Reported Speech There are several differences between a sentence with direct speech and a sentence with indirect speech. We no need to use quotation marks with indirect speech. We have to change the tense of the verb. We have to change the pronouns and determiners. Example: Dialogue                                    Reported form “Let’s go out for a walk,”           She suggested going out for a walk. “That mobile is mine”                          He claimed that that mobile was him. Ø  Some Important Rules to Report the Dialogue: A. Pronouns: Direct Speech Indirect Speech (ReportedSpeech) I, you he, she, it my, mine, your, yours his, her, hers, its we they our, ours their, theirs us them B. Tense: Direct Speech (speaker’s words) Indirect Speech (Reporter or Listener) Present tense Past tense am, is, are was, were make, makes made am / is / are eating was / were eating will / can / may eat would / could / might eat has, have had has / have eaten had eaten Direct Speech (speaker’s words) Indirect Speech (Reporter or Listener) Present tense Past perfect tense was / were had been ate had eaten was / were eating had been eating  C. Expressions of time and place indicating nearness are changed into one of distance: Direct Speech Indirect Speech (Reported Speech) Now then Today that day Tonight that night Yesterday the previous day / the day before Tomorrow the next / following day the day before yesterday two days before the day after tomorrow in two days last week the previous week or the week before last month the previous month or the month before last year the previous year or the year before next week / month / year the following week / month / year a week / month a week / month last night the previous night here there this / it that these those thus so ago before     I.        STATEMENTS: Kind of Sentences Reporting Verbs Conjunctions Statement   said, told, suggested, admitted, remarked   that   A.   Ordinary statements: Example: Direct Speech Rosy said, “I have a habit of reding before I go to bed”. Indirect Speech Rosy said that she had a habit of reading before she went to bed.   B.  BbbbbbbbbWhen the reporting verb is in the present or   future tense there is no change in the tense of the reported clause: Example: Direct Speech Sarah says, “I like kids”. Indirect Speech Sarah says that she likes kids. C .  When the reporting verb is in the past tense the verb of the reported clause is changed into the corresponding past tense: Example: Direct Speech Mohan said, “I have written a novel”. Indirect Speech Mohan said that he had written a novel.  D. Present Progressive used as a future form becomes would be + present participle, not Past Progressive: Example: Direct Speech She said, “I am seeing the dentist next week”. Indirect Speech She said that she would be seeing the dentist the following week.  E.  Simple Past / past Progressive in adverb clauses of time do not usually change into the corresponding past tense: Example: Direct Speech She said, “When I lived / was living in a village I faced a lot of hardships”. Indirect Speech She said that when shelived / was living in a village she faced a lot of hardships. (Don’t use had lived / had been living)  F. Unreal past tense (subjunctive mood) after wish / it is time remains unchange: Example: Direct Speech She said, “I wish I were an angel.” Indirect Speech She said that she wished she were an angel. (Don’t use had been)  G.   Would rather / would sooner / had better remains unchanged: Example: Direct Speech He said, “I would rather starve than beg.” Indirect Speech He said that he would rather starve than beg.  H.   Verbs used in clauses expressing improbable or impossible condition remain unchanged: Example: Direct Speech He said, “If won the election I would become a minister.” Indirect Speech He said that if he won the election he would become a minister.  I.    When the direct speech expresses universal truth (fundamental truths of science) saying / provers / habitual action, the tense does not change: Example: Direct Speech He said, “Habit is a second nature.” Indirect Speech He said that habit is a second nature.   II.        QUESTIONS: A.   The reporting verbs for questions are: Kind of Sentences Reporting Verbs Conjunctions Questions (1) W/H type asked, enquired, wanted to know if / whether Questions (2) Verbal asked, enquired, wanted B.    Auxiliary questions should begin with: if / whether Direct Speech My friend said, “Are they coming with us?” Indirect Speech My friend asked me whether they were coming with us. C.    Do / Does / Did Questions: When using; do, does (present tense) - the main verb converts into the past (does / do go -> went) did (past tense) - the main verb converts into past perfect. (did go -> had gone) Direct Speech “Does David study late at night?” said Sonia. Indirect Speech Sonia asked me whether David studied late at night. D.   DD.D.DThe question form will change into a statement form: “Is he here?” Whether he was there E.    W/h Questions: These questions begin with a question word (Who, What, When, Why, Where, How, How long ...). While changing such a question into reported form we do not use any conjunction. We simply invert the word order (Verb + Subject is changed into Subject + Verb). Do not use if/whether in W/h Questions. Verb + Subject She said to me, “What do you want?” Subject + Verb She asked me what I wanted. Direct Speech My neighbour said, “when did the men catch the stray dogs” Indirect Speech My neighbour asked me when the men had caught the stray dogs. F.    Verbal Questions: These are questions begining with a verb. (Are you ready? Is it true?) Here we use the conjunction ‘if’ or ‘whether’. The word order is changed as mentioned earlier. Verb + Subject She said to me, “Is Tom at home?” Subject + Verb Sh asked me if Tom was at home. III.        COMMANDS / ORDER / IMPERATIVE SENTENCES To report a command we can use a number of verbs v  Reporting Verb: Kind of Sentences Reporting Verbs Conjunctions Commands & Requests told, asked, requested, warned, advised, instructed, ordered to - not to We use the conjunction ‘to’. When the command is a negative one beginning with “Don’t” we change it to ‘not to’. e.g: Direct Speech The Captain said, “Get ready to board the ship.” Indirect Speech The Captain commanded his sailors to get ready to board the ship. v  Requests: Please - requested + whom + to + v Direct Speech The teacher said, “Please improve your knowledge.” Indirect Speech The teacher requested the student to improve his knowledge. IV.        Exclamations Exclamations can be reported with adverbs of manner. Kind of Sentences Reporting Verbs Conjunctions Exclamations exclaimed with joy / exclaimed with sorrow that a)    Reporting Verb: exclaimed with (emotion) Direct Speech Rosy said to David, “How wonderfully you sang!” Indirect Speech Rosy exclaimed with happiness that David had sung wonderfully. b)   The exclamation should be changed into a statement. Direct Speech The foreigner said, “What a man Obama is!.” Indirect Speech The foreigner exclaimed in wonder that Obama was a great man. c)    Use suitable emotions to the exclamation. Direct Speech John said, “That I should see you here!” Indirect Speech John was surprised to see me there. Alas!- exclaimed with sadness / regret / disappoinment. Direct Speech The reporter said, “Alas! Many lives have been lost due to tsunami” Indirect Speech The reporter exclaimed sadly that many lives had been lost due to tsunami. May you!- blesses / wished. Direct Speech The grandmother said, “May you meet with success wherever you go” Indirect Speech The grandmother blessed her grandson that he should meet with success wherever he goes. Don’t / never - warned or forbade. (when using forbid do not use negatives) Direct Speech Father said, “Shakshi, don’t play in dirty water!” Indirect Speech Father forbade his daughter Sakshi to play in dirty water. O God! - called upon God with regret / sadness / disappointment. Direct Speech The beggar said, “O God! I have been cheated”. Indirect Speech The beggar called upon God with regret that he had been cheated.