Mihai ION Basic English Syntax

REPORTED SPEECH
1. REPORTED STATEMENTS Direct speech Verb tense changes Present I live in Manchester. Present continuous Im interviewing candidates. Present perfect I havent found anyone. Present perfect continuous Ive been reading all day. Past I chose a girl from Ohio. Past continuous I was doing the shopping. Future I will do it. Future continuous Ill be cleaning the house. Future perfect Ill have finished work by then. Future perfect continuous By July, Ill have been teaching for eight months. Modal changes will It wont work out. can I cant marry her. may I may be right. must/have to I have to make a decision. Time changes today/tonight Ill do it sometime today. this (morning) It arrived this morning. tomorrow I may be late tomorrow. yesterday I wasnt at school yesterday. last (week) They went away last week. next (week) Shes coming back next week. Reported speech Past She said (that) she lived in Manchester. Past continuous He said he was interviewing candidates. Past perfect He said he hadnt found anyone. Past perfect continuous She said she had been reading all day. Past perfect He said he had chosen a girl from Ohio. Past perfect continuous She said she had been doing the shopping. Future-in-the-past He said he would do it. Future-in-the-past continuous She said she would be cleaning the house. Future-perfect-in-the-past He said he would have finished work by then. Future-perfect-in-the-past continuous She said that by July she would have been teaching for eight months. would He said it wouldnt work out. could He said he couldnt marry her. might She said she might be right. had to He said he had to make a decision. that day/night He said hed do it sometime that day. that (morning) She said the letter had arrived that morning. the next day She said she might be late the next day. the day before He said he hadnt been at school the day before. the (week) before He said they had gone away the week before. the following (week) He said she was coming back the following week.

Mihai ION Basic English Syntax

now Im leaving now. ago I met her two days ago. Place changes here I put it here on the shelf. this I know this place well. 2. REPORTED QUESTIONS Question type Whquestions Direct speech Wheres my bike?

then She said she was leaving then. before He said hed met her two days before. there He said he had put it there on the shelf. that/the He said he knew that/the place well.

Yes/No questions

Are you hungry?

Reported speech He asked us where his bike was. wanted to know wondered didnt know inquired He wanted to know if/whether I was hungry.

3. REPORTED COMMANDS Command type + Direct speech Shut the door after you! Dont speak so loud! Reported speech She ordered me to shut the door after me. He asked me not to speak so loud.

4. REPORTED EXCLAMATIONS Direct speech How nice to meet you again! What a terrible noise! Good morning! Reported speech He exclaimed he was delighted to meet me again. He welcomed me. She complained of the noise. They wished me a good morning. They greeted me.

VERBS OF REPORTING: STRUCTURES Direct speech Im afraid I have to leave. Could you open the door? Im sorry I didnt phone. Ill buy it for you. Reported speech Verb (+ that) + clause She explained (that) she had to leave. Verb + DO + to-Inf He asked me to open the door. Verb + V-ing She apologised for not phoning. Verb + to-Inf He offered to buy it for me.