REPORTED SPEECH STATEMENTS QUESTIONS AND COMMANDS STATEMENTS When

REPORTED SPEECH STATEMENTS, QUESTIONS AND COMMANDS

STATEMENTS • When we report sentences or speeches words have already been spoken, being this the reason why the REPORTING VERB is usually used in the past tense: • TELL = TOLD and SAY = SAID. Remember: Tell must be followed by an object pronoun but not Say. E. g. : He told her he played football the day before. // She said (that) she liked shopping. * As you can see That is optional in both cases.

Quoted Speech • Tenses within the indirect sentence will also change. See the following chart: • Must changes to had to but musn’t stays the same. Reported Speech Jordan said, "I cook rice every day. " Jordan said that she cooked rice every day. Jordan said, "I am cooking rice. " Jordan said that she was cooking rice. Jordan said, "I cooked rice. " Jordan said that she had cooked rice. Jordan said, "I have cooked rice. " Jordan said that she had cooked rice. Jordan said, "I had cooked rice. " Jordan said that she had cooked rice. Jordan said, "I will cook rice. " Jordan said that she would cook rice. Jordan said, "I am going to cook rice. " Jordan said that she was going to cook rice. Jordan said, "I can cook rice. " Jordan said that she could cook rice. Jordan said, "I may cook rice. " Jordan said that she might cook rice. Jordan said, "I must cook rice. " Jordan said that she had to cook rice. Jordan said, "I have to cook rice. " Jordan said that she had to cook rice.

• Next modal verbs do not change when used in reported speech: Jordan said, "I should cook rice. " Jordan said that she should cook rice. Jordan said, "I ought to cook rice. " Jordan said that she ought to cook rice. Jordan said, "I might cook rice. " Jordan said that she might cook rice.

• When direct speech changes to indirect speech, it causes changes in personal pronouns too. Note for example that when changing from direct speech to indirect (reported) speech all pronouns are in the third person. Pronouns as subject Direct Speech Indirect Speech I he or she You (singular) he or she She/he he or she We they You (plural) they They they Example • "I don't like the new boss. " Becomes: Alice said she did not like the new boss.

Pronouns as objects Direct Speech Indirect Speech • Me him of her • You (singular) him or her • Him or her him or her • Us them • You (plural) them • Them them • Example • "Bring it to me" becomes: He asked her to take it to him Singular My, mine Plural our, ours his or hers their, theirs Your, yours your, yours

• The third change to consider is that which takes place when adverbs are used in indirect speech. Adverbs of proximity both in space and time change into adverbs of remoteness when direct speech is changed to indirect speech. • Here are some examples. Treat these examples as convenient equivalents, not as rules. • They should be used with common sense. Direct Speech Indirect Speech Here Now This Yesterday there then that the day before or the previous day Ago before Next week the following week Tomorrow the next day or the day after Today that day

QUESTIONS • When you report a question, the tenses change as in reported statements. • When a question begins with a verb (not a question word), add if (or whether) Examples: She asked him if he was married He asked me whether sahe had phone I asked him what his name was • You don’t have to use the usual order in a question. E. g. : Where do you live? They asked me where I lived

COMMANDS • To report an imperative or request, use told or asked + person + the infnitive with to. E. g. : She told him to go away • To report a negative imperative, use a negative infinitive. The doctor told me not to worry. • You can’t use said in this sentences