EL ESTILO INDIRECTO – REPORTED SPEECH

El estilo indirecto se usa para contar lo que alguien ha dicho sin citar textualmente sus palabras.

Ej.: ESTILO DIRECTO Julia says: “I’m going to the cinema”.

ESTILO DIRECTO Julia said that she was going to the cinema.

EN PRESENTE

Si contamos en presente lo que alguien dice, solo necesitamos cambiar el sujeto y quitar las
comillas. Después del “reporting verb” tenemos que añadir “that” en inglés escrito.

Ej.: ESTILO DIRECTO Julia says: “I’m going to the cinema”.

ESTILO INDIRECTO Julia says (that) she is going to the cinema.

EN PASADO

Sin embargo, normalmente el estilo indirecto se usa para contar lo que alguien ha dicho en el
pasado. En este caso, es necesario cambiar, aparte del sujeto, también el tiempo verbal,
siguiendo esta tabla.

ESTILO DIRECTO ESTILO INDIRECTO

Julia said: “I often go to PRESENT SIMPLE PAST SIMPLE Julia said that she often
the cinema.” went to the cinema.
Julia said: “I’m going to PRESENT CONTINUOUS PAST CONTINUOUS Julia said that she was
the cinema.” going to the cinema.
Julia said: “I went to the PAST SIMPLE PAST PERFECT SIMPLE Julia said that she had
cinema.” gone to the cinema.
Julia said: “I was PAST CONTINUOUS PAST PERFECT Julia said that she had
watching a movie.” CONTINUOUS been watching a movie.
Julia said: “I have gone PRESENT PERFECT PAST PERFECT SIMPLE Julia said that she had
to the cinema.” SIMPLE gone to the cinema.
Julia said: “I have been PRESENT PERFECT PAST PERFECT Julia said that she had
watching a movie.” CONTINUOUS CONTINUOUS been watching a
movie.
Julia said: “I had gone PAST PERFECT SIMPLE PAST PERFECT SIMPLE Julia said that she had
to the cinema.” gone to the cinema.
Julia said: “I had been PAST PERFECT PAST PERFECT Julia said that she had
watching a movie.” CONTINUOUS CONTINUOUS been watching a movie.
Julia said: “I will go to FUTURE SIMPLE (WILL) WOULD Julia said that she
the cinema.” would go to the cinema

Julia said: “I can go to CAN COULD Julia said that she could
the cinema.” go to the cinema.
Julia said: “I may go to MAY MIGHT Julia said that she might
the cinema.” go to the cinema.
Julia said: “I must/ have MUST – HAVE TO MUST – HAD TO Julia said that she must
to go to the cinema.” / had to go to the
cinema.

EN PREGUNTAS:

* Si se trata de wh- questions (introducidas por what, who, where, when, why, whose, how, how
long), como la pregunta deja de ser tal, no hay inversión sujeto-verbo, y hay que adaptar el
tiempo verbal siguiendo la tabla anterior.

He asked: “Where does she work?” -> He asked where she worked.

* Si se trata de yes/no questions (que se pueden contestar con un “sí” o un “no”), hay que utilizar
las palabras if o whether (=si) para introducir lo que se pregunta, eliminar la inversión sujeto-
verbo, y adaptar el tiempo verbal siguiendo la tabla anterior.

He asked: “Does she work?” -> He asked whether she worked.

Verbos útiles para introducir un reported speech:

1. DECIR: tell, say

Tell siempre lleva un complemento indirecto sin la preposición to.

Ex.: Paul told us that he had finished the project.

Say puede llevar complemento indirecto o no, pero si lo lleva debe ir con la preposición to.

Ex.: Paul said that he had finished the project. or Paul said to us that he had finished the project.

2. AFIRMACIONES: admit, announce, answer, apologise, boast, claim, complain, declare, explain,
inform, insist, mention, offer, remind, reply, state.

3. PREGUNTAS: ask, enquire, want to know, wonder.

4. ÓRDENES, PETICIONES: ask, demand, order, shout, warn, beg, advise

La estructura para expresar una orden o petitición en reported speech es la siguiente:

Suj + verbo de orden+ comp. Ind. + to + infinitvo + resto de la frase

Ex.: She ordered: “Close the door” -> She ordered me to close the door.

5. SUGERENCIAS: recommend, suggest (del tipo: Let’s…)

Hay dos estructuras para expresar una sugerencia.

a. Suj + recommended / suggested + that + suj + verbo en infinitivo + resto de la frase

Ex. He suggested: “Let’s hold a party!” -> He suggested that we hold a party.

b. Suj + recommended / suggested + verbo en –ing + resto de la frase

Ex. He suggested: “Let’s hold a party!” -> He suggested holding a party.