Reported Speech

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 4

Reported speech

Talking about what other people have said

What is reported speech?

Sometimes someone says a sentence, for example: "I'm going to the cinema tonight".  Perhaps later, we want to tell someone else what that person said. In that case we report what was said. 

We will look at how to do this.

• The exact words someone says.
• Often in written text with quotation marks "..."/'...'

• Mike: “I am very angry with you”. 

• The report of what somebody else said.
• No quotation marks in written text.

• He said (that) he was very angry with me. 

Direct speech

Indirect speech

• So. what changes when you use the reported speech? 

• Pronouns
  

• Tense
  

• time / place 

• Mike: “I am very angry with you at the moment”. 

• He said he was very angry with me at that moment.

What changes?

Tenses

Time words

Place words

Choose the right reported speech:
"I am so happy"

1. She said she was so happy
2. She said she is so happy

Choose the right reported speech:
"We are listening to the radio"

1. They said they had listened to the radio
2. They said they were listening to the radio

Choose the right reported speech:
"She went out with friends"

1. She said she had gone out with with her friends
2. She said she is going out with her friends

What is the correct back shifting for this:
"tonight"

1. that night
2. tonight

What is the correct back shifting for this:
"yesterday"

1. the day before
2. the next day

No tense change 

When something that is reported is a general truth, there is often no tense change. 

• “Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius."
• "The Moon orbits the earth once every month."

No backshifting ! 

• The teacher said that water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
  
• He said that the Moon orbits the earth once every month. 

There are different reporting verbs, which can take the following structures:

Say + (that) 

The fireman: “The fire started in the bakery". He said that the fire had started in the bakery.

Explain + (that) 

The mechanic: “There aren’t any problems anymore”

The mechanic explained (that) there weren’t any problems anymore. 

Tell+to+infinitive

Dad: "Throw out the trash"

Dad told me to throw out the trash.

Asked+ if / whether

Student: "Miss, can you explain this again?"

She asked the teacher if she could explain that again.

Claim + (that)

Jane: “He is a coward” → Jane claimed that he was a coward. 

Promise + (that) / promise+ to + infinitive

Dad: “I will pick you up”

Dad promised (that) he would pick me up. / Dad promised to pick me up. 

Suggest + (that) / suggest + -ing

“Let’s drive more slowly." 

The man suggested (that) we drove more slowly. / The man suggested driving more slowly.

Urge + to + infinitive

Hugh: “Don’t worry.”

Hugh urged them not to worry.

Apologise + for + -ing

Mike: “I am sorry that I am late”

He apologised for being late  

Warn + (that) / warn = to + infinitive

Mum: “Santa will not come if you are naughty.”

Mum warned us that Santa wouldn’t come if we were naughty. / Mum warned us not to be naughty or Santa wouldn’t come.

Passive: is said + to + infinitive

- “The book contains several flashbacks"

- The book is said to contain several flashback.  

Turn into reported speech

1. John: “She has a dentist’s appointment tomorrow”. 
2. Mr X: “You should finish the job this week”. 
3. Emma: “I have never been so embarrassed”. 
4. Tom: “When are you going to interview the suspect?” 
5. Mum: "My children were at home” 
6. Me: "I cannot do my homework”. 
7. Teacher: “Will you be here tomorrow?”  
8. Guy: “ I loved visiting America”    
   

Answers

1. John said that she had a dentist’s appointment the following day/the next day. 
2. Mr X said that I/we should have finished/ should finish the job that week. 
3. Emma said that she had never been so embarrassed. 
4. Tom asked  me when I was going to interview the suspect. 
5. Mum said that her children had been at home. 
6. I said that I couldn’t do my homework. 
7. The teacher asked us if we would be there the next day.   
8. Guy said that he had loved visiting America.  

Reported speech

Still having some problems with understanding how this works? Have a look at the videos!