Reported Speech

Reported speech
by Victoria Chechevytsia
What is reported speech
Reported speech is used to retell what someone told us earlier. Un-

like when using direct speech, we do not quote the original words.
Compare:
“I don’t go looking for trouble, trouble usually finds me.” Said

Harry. (direct speech)
Harry said that he didn’t go looking for trouble, it usually found
him. (reported speech)
Reporting verbs
There are common verbs used to report statements. They are often
followed by that:
say, tell, add, answer, reply, mention, remark, shout
Mostly we can omit that, but prefer not to after reply, respond, answer and
shout:
I shouted that they were barred from the club.
I said they were barred from the club.
We can also report our thoughts using think, decide, dream, imagine:
Jane never imagined that she would become a doctor one day.
There are also many ‘functional’ verbs(advise, threaten) which indicate the
purpose of speech:
‘You should stop smoking’ – She advised him to stop smoking.
‘Say’ and ‘tell’ - common mistakes
Reported statements
We usually introduce reported statements with reporting verbs such as ‘say’ and ‘tell’:
She told me that she wanted coffee.

She said she wanted coffee.
When using reported speech, we change:
 pronouns;
 expressions of time and place;
 tense(backshift of tenses).
Shifting of expressions of time
Backshift of tenses - no backshift
We do not change the tense when:
 the reporting verb is in a present tense:

She says that this plant does not survive in cold climate.
 the reported verb is in the past perfect:
‘He’d arrived an hour late.’ - I said he’d arrived an hour late.
 the direct speech includes an ‘unreal’ past:
‘I wish I was taller.’ - ‘Tom said he wished he was taller.’
Backshift of tenses – obligatory backshift
Always change the tense if the direct speech statement is no longer true:
Mike just called. He said he’s going on holiday with his parents. (still true)
Mike said he was going on holiday, but he can’t get time off work. (no longer true)
Backshift of times – optional backshift
The tense isn’t usually changed when:

 The reported action is still happening or going to happen:
‘I am working on a tentative settlement.’ – The negotiator
said he’s working on a tentative settlement.
(still working on it)
 The reported verb expresses a fact or situation that cannot/unlikely to change:
She told us counselling is not the answer for everyone.
 The verb comes after a time conjunction(when, after etc.):
He said he started working immediately after he left school.
Reporting with nouns
We can use a noun + that to report someone’s words with

added information:
You should try the new Italian restaurant. It’s excellent.

What did you think of Terry’s recommendation that we try the new Italian
restaurant?
Some other nouns: admission, advice, announcement, answer, argument,

claim, complaint, denial, point, remark etc.
Reported questions
Word order in reported questions is the same as in statements and is fixed:
If/whether/wh-word + subject + verb(+ object/complement)
He asked if we were hungry.
We do not use auxiliary do/does/did in reported questions:

I asked the driver where did the bus stop.
Alternatives are presented with whether/if…or not:

Michelle asked whether or not there was a swimming pool in the
hotel.
Michelle asked whether/if there was a swimming pool in the hotel or not.
Reported commands and requests
For indirect commands – reporting verbs(tell, order, command, forbid) + to +

infinitive:
She forbade us to eat many sweets.
For reporting requests – ask(if urgent – beg, urge):

The secretary asked them to come back later.
For negative command/request – put ‘not to’ before the verb:

She asked not to bring flowers.
TEST
1. ‘He works in a bank.’ - She said he works/worked in a bank.
2. ‘I was waiting for the bus when my friend arrived.’ - Jake said he had been waiting/was
waiting for the bus when his friend arrived.
3. ‘I’d never been here before.’ – Nita said she had never been here/there before.
4. ‘She hasn’t eaten breakfast.’ – They said she hadn’t/hasn’t eaten breakfast.
5. ‘I can help you tomorrow.’ – Lara said she would/could help me tomorrow.
6. ‘I hadn't travelled by underground before I came to London.’ – Mark said he hasn’t/hadn’t
travelled by underground before he came to London.
7. ‘I'll do the washing-up later.’ – Mary said she will/would do the washing-up later.
8. ‘He could read when he was three.’ – Diana said her son would/could read when he was three.
9. ‘She hasn't eaten sushi before.’ – Harry said her sister hasn’t/hadn’t eaten sushi before.
10. ‘I visited my parents at the weekend.’ – Tom said that he had visited/visited his parents at the
weekend.
Thanks !

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Reported speech

Reported speech is used to retell what someone told us earlier. Un-

“I don’t go looking for trouble, trouble usually finds me.” Said

She told me that she wanted coffee.

When using reported speech, we change:

We do not change the tense when:

 the reporting verb is in a present tense:

The tense isn’t usually changed when:

We can use a noun + that to report someone’s words with

You should try the new Italian restaurant. It’s excellent.

Some other nouns: admission, advice, announcement, answer, argument,

We do not use auxiliary do/does/did in reported questions:

Alternatives are presented with whether/if…or not:

For indirect commands – reporting verbs(tell, order, command, forbid) + to +

For reporting requests – ask(if urgent – beg, urge):

For negative command/request – put ‘not to’ before the verb:

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