ENIS 3RD YEAR ENGINEERING 2017 2018

Indirect Speech (or, reported speech)

I- Shift from Direct speech to Reported Speech: We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'.
Moving from the direct speech to the indirect speech:
1- If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence:
E.g: Direct speech: I like ice cream.
Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.

N.B: If the reporting verb is in the present, we don't need to change the tense nor the time expressions, though
probably we do need to change personal pronouns, possessive adjectives, object pronouns, reflexive pronouns.

2- If the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change everything in the reported speech:
E.g: Direct speech: I like ice cream.
Reported speech: She said (that) she liked ice cream.

Tense Direct Speech Reported Speech

present simple I like ice cream She said (that) she liked ice cream.

present
I am living in London She said (that) she was living in London.
continuous

She said (that) she had bought a car OR She said (that) she bought a
past simple I bought a car
car.

I was walking along the

past continuous She said (that) she had been walking along the street.
street

present perfect I haven't seen Julie She said (that) she hadn't seen Julie.

I had taken English lessons

past perfect* She said (that) she had taken English lessons before.
before

will I'll see you later She said (that) she would see me later.

would* I would help, but. She said (that) she would help but...

can I can speak perfect English She said (that) she could speak perfect English.

I could swim when I was

could* She said (that) she could swim when she was four.
four

shall I shall come later She said (that) she would come later.

should* I should call my mother She said (that) she should call her mother

might* I might be late She said (that) she might be late

I must study at the She said (that) she must study at the weekend OR She said she had to
must
weekend study at the weekend

* doesn't change.
Occasionally, we don't need to change the present tense into the past if the information in the direct speech is
still true, but this is only for things which are general facts, and even then usually we like to change the tense):

Direct speech: The sky is blue.

Reported speech: She said (that) the sky is / was blue.
 Practice: Change the direct speech into reported speech. Use 'she said' at the beginning of each answer.

2) "We went out last night. .

3) I'm coming .

4) "I was waiting for the bus when he arrived."

5) "I'd never been there before." ..

6) "I didn't go to the party." ..

7) "Lucy will come later." ..

8) "He hasn't eaten breakfast." ..

9) "I can help you tomorrow."

10) "You should go to bed early." .

11) "I don't like ketchup." .

12) "She's living in Paris for a few months."

13) "I visited my parents at the weekend." ..

14) "I hadn't travelled by underground before I came to London." .

15) "He could read when he was three." .

II- Reporting verbs: Some of these verbs look a bit more complicated to use than 'say' and 'tell', but it's just a
question of getting to know the verb patterns (or verb structures).
1: SAY: say + (that) + clause. She said (that) she had already eaten.
2: TELL: tell + someone + (that) + clause . I told John (that) I had seen the new film.
When we are reporting orders, we can also use another pattern with 'tell'.
tell + someone + to + infinitive. She told the children to go to bed.
Tell Causative verb
3: ASK: We use 'ask' to report questions or requests.
ask + someone + if / question word + clause. I asked my boss if I could leave early. /She asked them where the
station was.
For requests we use the pattern: ask + someone + to + infinitive. I asked Lucy to pass me the salt.
Ask Causative verb
4: ADVISE: Advise + someone + to + infinitive. She advised him to see a doctor.
Advise + (that) + clause. The staff advise that you carry water at all times.
Advise + against + verb-ing. I'd advise against coming late to class.
5: AGREE : Agree + to + infinitive. We agreed to meet the following day.
Agree + (that) + clause: I agreed that the children could do their homework later.
6: APOLOGISE: Apologise + (to + someone) + for + verb-ing. They apologised to us for being late.
Apologise + for + noun. She apologised for the delay.
7: DECIDE: Decide + to + infinitive. They decided to go to the cinema.
Decide + (that) + clause. They decided that they would go to the cinema.
8: ENCOURAGE : Encourage + someone + to + infinitive. She encouraged him to take the exam again.
Encourage Causative verb
9: EXPLAIN : Explain + (that) + clause. The teacher explained that the course was finished.
Explain + noun + to + someone. She explained the grammar to the students. NOT: She explained me the
grammar.
Explain + question word + to + infinitive. They explained how to buy a train ticket on the internet.
Explain + question word + clause. We explained what the exams would cover.
10: INSIST :
Insist + on + verb-ing. He insisted on paying cash.
Insist + (that) + clause. He insisted that we sit down.
11: PROMISE : Promise + to + infinitive. He promised to come to the conference.
Promise + (someone) + (that) + clause. I promised him that I wouldn't bother him again.
12: RECOMMEND : Recommend + verb-ing. I recommend visiting the British Museum while you're in London.
Recommend + (that) + clause. I recommend that you visit the British Museum.
13: REMIND : Remind + someone + to + infinitive. She reminded him to take his keys.
Remind + someone + (that) + clause. They reminded me that there is a party tonight.
14: SUGGEST :Suggest + verb-ing. I suggest leaving soon.
Suggest + (that) + clause. I suggest that you come as soon as you can.
NOT: I suggest him to come.
15: WARN: Warn + someone + (not) + to + infinitive. I warned them not to go in the water.
Warn + someone + about + something. She warned us about cheating in exams.

N.B. Negatives: To make the verbs that we have reported negative, we need to look at the verb pattern:
* When there's a clause, we make the negative in the usual way: She said that she didn't like ice cream.

* When there's 'to + infinitive', we generally put 'not' before 'to': He promised not to do it again.

* When there's 'verb-ing', we generally put 'not' in front of it: I advise not taking the bus.

In formal English, some verbs that are followed by '(that) + clause' use the infinitive instead of a present tense verb.
Some people suggest that this is a kind of subjunctive in English. You only need to worry about this in very formal
writing. E.g: I insist that she come now. (Normally we'd expect: I insist that she comes now.)

Practice:

1 My boss told (I/do).. the reports before Friday.

2 My colleague asked (I/send).. a fax to the customer.

3 Tom wanted (I/help).him prepare his presentation.

4 I warned (he/not/drive)..too quickly because of the bad weather.

5 Please remind (I/call).Mr Jones tomorrow morning.

6 Please tell (he/not/smoke).here. It's not allowed.

7 Marta didn't feel too good but we persuaded (she/come).to the party.

8 Nobody wanted to go to the conference but our teacher forced (we/go)..to it.

9 I asked (she/not/call).so late in the evening. I go to bed early.

10 We showed (they/how/use).the new equipment.