A. REPORTING STATEMENTS
We use Direct Speech to quote someones words as they were spoken. It is important
to use quotation marks.
Example: She said: Ill call you tomorrow
We use Reported or Indirect Speech to report the exact meaning of someones
words. In this case we dont use quotation marks.
Example: She said (that) she would call me the following day.
Note the different ways we use SAY and TELL discussed earlier on this blog.
Reporting Statements:
To report statements we need a reporting verb such as say / tell / explain / promise
/ advise etc followed by that which can be omitted in spoken English.
PHOTO CREDIT
When the reporting verb is in the past tense, tenses change as follows:
DIRECT SPEECH
REPORTED SPEECH
Present Simple
Past Simple
Present Continuous
My sister is learning French, he said.
Past Continuous
He said (that) his sister was learning
French.
Past Simple
I always carried an umbrella when I lived He said he always carried an umbrella when
in London, he said
he lived in London.
Future Simple
Conditional
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
When the reporting verb is in the past tense, time expressions change as
follows:
DIRECT SPEECH
REPORTED SPEECH
Today
That day
Tonight
That night
Now
Yesterday
Tomorrow
Now that
Since
EXAMPLES
Im in a good mood today, he said.
He said he was in a good mood that day.
Were having dinner out tonight, she said.
She said they were having dinner out that night.
Im going to work by bus this week, she said.
She said she was going to work by bus that week.
I met Susan five years ago, I said
I said that I met / had met Susan five years before.
Bob will have to work harder now that he has an exam to pass, the teacher said.
The teacher said (that) Bob would have to work harder since he had an exam to pass.
Were flying to Rome next week, he said.
He said they were flying to Rome the following week.
1.
Examples
(1) Direct Question : He asked, "What time is it?"
Reported Question: He asked what time it was. NOT He asked what was
the time.