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reported speech

What is reported speech?

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.

Direct speech vs Reported speech:

Different types of sentences

When you use reported speech, you either report:

• Statements
• questions
• requests / commands
• other types

I. Reporting Statements

When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:

• pronouns
• tense
• place and time expression

1-Pronouns

In reported speech, you often have to change the pronoun depending on who says what.

Example:

She says, “My dad likes roast chicken.” – She says that her dad likes roast chicken.

2-Tenses

• If the sentence starts in the present, there is no backshift of tenses in Reported speech.
  
• If the sentence starts in the past, there is often backshift of tenses in Reported speech.
  

	Direct speech	Reported speech
(no backshift)	“I write poems.”	He says that he writes poems.
(backshift)	“I write poems.”	He said that he wrote poems.

No backshift

Do not change the tense if the introductory clause is in a present tense (e. g. He says). Note, however, that you might have to change the form of the present tense verb (3rd person singular).

Example:
He says, “I write poems.” – He says that he writes English.

Backshift

You must change the tense if the introductory clause is in a past tense (e. g. He said).

Example:
He said, “I am happy.” – He said that he was happy.

Examples of the main changes in tense:

The verbs could, should, would, might, must, needn't, ought to, used to do not normally change.
Example:
He said, “She might be right.” – He said that she might be right.

3-Place and time expressions

Place and time expressions change if the context of the reported statement (ie the location and/or the period of time) is different from that of the direct speech.

In the following table, you will find ways of transforming place and time expressions into reported speech.

B. Reporting Questions

When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:

• pronouns
• place and time expressions
• tenses (backshift)

Also note that you have to:

• transform the question into an indirect question
• use the question word (where, when, what, how) or if / whether

Types of questions	Direct speech	Reported speech
With question word (what, why, where, how...)	"Why" don't you speak English?”	He asked me why I didn't speak English.
Without question word (yes or no questions)	“Do you speak English?”	He asked me whether / if I spoke English.

C. Reporting requests / commands

When transforming requests and commands, check whether you have to change:

• pronouns
• place and time expressions

Example:

She said, “Sit down." - She asked me to sit down.

She said, "don't be lazy" - She asked me not to be lazy

D. Other transformations

• Expressions of advice with must, should and ought are usually reported using advise / urge.
  Example:
  “You must read this book.“
  He advised / urged me to read that book.
• The expression let's is usually reported using suggest. In this case, there are two possibilities for reported speech: gerund or statement with should.
  Example:
  “Let's go to the cinema.“=
  1. He suggested going to the cinema.
  2. He suggested that we should go to the cinema.
  

Main clauses connected with and/but

If two complete main clauses are connected with ‚'and' or ‚'but', put ‚'that' after the conjunction.

Example:
He said,“I saw her but she didn't see me.“ – He said that he had seen her but that she hadn't seen him.“

If the subject is dropped in the second main clause (the conjunction is followed by a verb), do not use ‚'that'.

Example:
She said,“I am a nurse and work in a hospital.“ – He said that she was a nurse and worked in a hospital.“

Following are a few sentences in reported speech.

1. John said, "I love this town."
   John said that he loved that town.
2. "Are you sure?" He asked me.
   He asked me if / whether I liked soccer.
3. "I can't drive a lorry," he said.
   He said that he couldn't drive a lorry.
4. "Be nice to your brother," he said.
   He asked me to be nice to my brother.
5. "Don't be nasty," he said.
   He urged me not to be nasty.
6. "Don't waste your money" she said.
   She told the boys not to waste their money.
7. "What have you decided to do?" she asked him.
   She asked him what he had decided to do.
8. "I always wake up early," he said.
   He said that he always woke up early.
9. "You should revise your lessons," he said.
   He advised the students to revise their lessons.
10. "Where were you born,"he asked me.
    He wanted to know where I was born.