UNIT 11
Indirect Speech
present time
When we report things happening now, or general facts, or give messages, or report something we are reading, we use a present tense reporting verb, and do not backshift tenses into the past. Note that for written texts we report what the text 'says'.
'I'm going to wait for you.' He says he's going to wait for us.
'Fifty people were injured.' It says here that fifty people were injured
past time with tense changes
When reporting what people said, we use a past tense reporting verb and we backshift the tenses following into the past.
'We're thinking it over.' She said they were thinking it over.
I had an accident.'He told me he'd had an accident.
'We 'II let you know.' They said they would let me know.
Note that both past simple and present perfect become past perfect.
'I've had an idea.'She said she'd had an idea.
Past tenses are changed to past perfect tenses after past reporting verbs, but only if this is necessary in order to make the time relations clear. Compare:
I saw Penny a couple of days ago. Dinosaurs were around for 250 million years
In his letter, he said he'd seen Penny a couple of days before.
This guy on TV said dinosaurs were around for 250 million years.
facts and states
When we use a past tense reporting verb, a continuing state is not back-shifted, though if we use back-shift this is not wrong.
'Reindeer can swim really well.' He told us that reindeer can swim really well.
He told us that reindeer could swim really well.
If we do use back-shift, it may be necessary to use a time phrase to make the timereference clear.
She said she was unhappy in her job at that time. ( = unhappy in the past)
She said she was unhappy in her job at the moment ( = unhappy now)
modals and conditionals
•Can, will I shall (future) and may change to could, would and might.
'I'll be back on Friday.' He said he would be back on Friday.
Imay be late.'She said she might be late.
•Shall in requests etc changes to should. See also wh-questions below. 'What shall we do?' They wanted to know what they should do '
•Would, should, ought to, could, might, used to remain unchanged. Must is often changed to had to, but can remain unchanged, or be changed to would have to if there is future reference.
'You must be more careful in future.'
She told me I must be I had to be I would have to be more careful in future.
•First conditional sentences are usually changed, but not second or third conditional.
If you're late, they won't let you in.' (first conditional)
He said that if I was late, they wouldn't let me in.
If you'd brought a map, we wouldn't have got lost' (third conditional)
She said that if I had brought a map, we wouldn't have got lost'
changes of viewpoint
References to time, place and specific reference usually change.
'Bring this ticket with you tomorrow.'
He told me to bring the ticket with me the next day 'Give that to me ' He told me to give it to him 'I'll see you here in the morning.' He said he would see me there the next morning
reported yes /no questions
Yes/no questions are reported using /for whether. There is no inversion or auxiliary do I did. If the auxiliary have is used in the question it becomes had. The same backshift rules apply as for statements. There is no question mark.
'Do you like Japanese food?' She asked me if/ whether I liked Japanese food.
'Have you finished?' They asked me if/ whether I had finished.
We prefer whether before or, especially in a formal style. I enquired whether she was coming by road or by air.
reported wh-questions
•We form reported wh-questions without inversion or auxiliary do/ did. Auxiliary have becomes had.
'What's the time?' He asked me what the time was.
'Where have you been? She asked me where I had been.
•Polite requests beginning could/ would are not back shifted into the past after a past tense reporting
verb.
'Could you help me?' she asked.
She asked me if I could help her/ to help her.
It may be possible to report the request rather than the actual words of the request. 'Couldyou tell me where the station is?' He asked me for directions to / the way to the station.
reporting imperatives: tell and ask
We use tell (order, command, forbid) to report orders and ask (beg, urge)to report requests. 'Stop what you are doing!' She told me to stop what I was doing. 'Please don 'tgo.' He asked me to stay
reporting verbs and their patterns.
A large number of reporting verbs indicate the function of the original speech.
‘You should stop smoking.’ He advised her to stop smoking. (advice) ‘If you do that again, I’ll call the police.’He threatened to call the police. (warning)
There are several different patterns used after reporting verbs:
Verb only‘I’m really sorry.’ → She apologized. / Agree, apologise, refuse
Verb + (that) clause
‘I hacked into the company’s accounts system.’ → He admitted (that) he had hacked into the company’s accounts system. / Accept, acknowledge, add, admit, advise, agree, announce, answer*, argue, assert, assume, believe, boast, comment, complain, concede, conclude, confess, continue*, decide, declare, deny, doubt, exclaim, expect, explain, foresee, imagine, imply, insist, know, mention, notice, observe, point out, predict, promise, protest, recommend, remark, repeat, reply*, report, respond, reveal, say, shout*, state, suggest, vow, whisper
(* = that is obligatory)
Verb + object + that clause
‘Don’t worry. You’ll arrive on time.’ → She reassured me that I would arrive on time. / Advise, (re)assure, inform, remind, tell, warn
Verb + to infinitive
‘We’ll pick up the children, if you like.’ → They offered to pick up the children. / Agree, demand, guarantee, offer, propose, refuse, swear, threaten, volunteer, vow
Verb (+ optional object) + to infinitive
‘Please, can I use the car?’ → She asked (me) to use the car. / Ask, beg, expect, promise
Verb + object + to infinitive
‘You shouldn’t say anything.’ → I advised him not to say anything. / Advise, allow, challenge, command, compel, encourage, expect, forbid, force, implore, instruct, invite, order, permit, persuade, remind, request, tell, urge, warn
Verb + object + to infinitive + complement
‘Mohammed Ali was the greatest boxer ever.’ → She considers Mohammed Ali to have been the greatest boxer ever. / Acknowledge, assume, believe, claim, consider, declare, expect, feel, find, presume, suppose, think, understand
Verb + -ing form
‘I didn’t do it.’ → He denied doing it. / Admit, apologise for, decide on, deny, mention, recommend, regret, report, suggest
Verb + object + preposition + -ing form
‘You forged the cheques, didn’t you?’ → They accused me of forging the cheques. / Accuse sb of, blame sb for, congratulate sb on, thank sb for
verbatimreporting and summary
Speakers do not always report exactly every word spoken, especially if this would make a lengthy and repetitive report. Speakers summarize and often use words that describe what was said.
'What did you think?' I asked him for his opinion.
think and don't think
When we use opinion words like think and believe, the opinion verb is negative in negative statements. This isn't very tasty. I don't think this is very tasty.
1. Match the direct and indirect speech expressions. Example:
here –there
DIRECT SPEECH
Here last week next week now this this morning today tomorrow tonight yesterday
INDIRECT SPEECH
That day that morning that night that/the/last the day before the next day the next week/ the week after the week before then/that day/ right away there
2. Imagine these sentences were reported in another place a month
later. Put in the 'here' and 'now' words.
1'I'll see you tomorrow.' She said she'd see me the next day.
2'I'll phone you this evening.' He said he'd phone
3'Do you like it here?' She asked if I liked it
4'My uncle died last week.' He told me his uncle had died
5'This meat tastes funny.' She saidmeat tasted funny.
6'I'm leaving now.' He told us he was leaving
7'I overslept this morning.' She told him she'd overslept
8'The train leaves at 11.00 tonight.' I was told the train left at 11.00
9'Pete phoned me yesterday.' He said Pete had phoned him
10'My brother's arriving here today.' She said her brother was arriving
3. Rewrite the sentence as reported speech, beginning as shown, and backshifting tenses.
1. ‘I wouldn't lend my car to just anyone,' Andy said.
Andy said that......
2. 'I'm not very satisfied with my job,' said Peter.
Peter said......
3. 'I'm not going to worry about the money until I hear from the bank,' said Elaine.
Elaine said......
4. ‘I don't know where Bill is living at the moment,' said Nicky.
Nicky said......
5. 'Emma hasn't had her operation yet,' her brother told me.
Emma's brother......
6. 'If you eat too much, you'll feel ill' my mother told me.
My mother told me......
7. 'We'll be writing to you later this week,' they told Maria.
They told Maria......
8. 'The prices won't rise before the end of the year,' Mrs Devlin said.
Mrs Devlin said......
9. 'If the police had noticed Jack's car, they would have arrested him,' explained the lawyer.
The lawyer explained that if......
10. 'I'll let you know if I have any more problems,' Carol told me.
Carol told me......
4. Put the following statements into indirect speech.
1'I'm going out now, but I'll be in by nine,' he said. (Omit now.)
2'I'm working in a restaurant, and don't much care for it,' she said.
3'I can't live on my basic salary,' said Peter. 'I'll have to offer to do overtime.'
4'My young brother wants to be a tax inspector,' said Mary. 'I can't think why. None of my family has ever been a tax inspector.'
5'We're waiting for the school bus,' said the children. 'It's late again.'
6'I've made a terrible mistake!' said Peter.
'You're always making terrible mistakes,' I said. 'You should be used to it by now.'
7'We make £450 a week,' said one of the men, 'and send most of it home to our wives.'
8'It's lonely being away from our families,' said another, 'but we earn three times as much in this factory as we would in our own country.'
9'We've been here for two and a half years,' said the man who had spoken first, 'and we're going to stay another six months.'
10 'I've got a job on an oil-rig,' said Paul. 'That'll be very hard work,' I said.
'I know it'll be hard,' he replied, 'but I don't mind hard work, and it'll be a good experience.'
11'The ice will soon be hard enough to skate on,' said Tom. 'I'll look for my skates when I get home,' Ann said.
12'I'm living with my parents at present,' she said, 'but I hope to have a flat of my own soon.'
13'I'm leaving tomorrow,' she said, 'by the 4.30 from Victoria.' 'We'll come and see you off,' we said.
14'I've just bought a car,' said Peter, 'but it's not insured yet so I can't take you for a drive.'
15'I'd like to speak to Susan,' said Mary, 'but I'm bathing the babies and they will drown if I leave them alone in the bath while I go to the phone.'
16Mary has just received a postcard from Ann, beginning, 'I'm coming up to London next week. I hope you and Jack will meet me for lunch one day.' (Imagine that Mary is reading this card to Jack. Begin: Ann says . . .)
17'Nothing ever happens in the village,' she said. 'It's like a dead village. All the young people have drifted away to the towns.'
18'I've missed my train,' said Bill. 'Now I'll be late for work and my boss will be furious.'
19'We'll wait for you if you're late,' they said.
20'They are supposed to be landing at London airport,' I said. 'But if the fog gets any thicker the plane may be diverted.'
21'If you lend me the chainsaw,' said Mary, 'I'll bring it back the day after tomorrow.'
22'I hate getting up on dark mornings,' grumbled Peter.
'It is horrible,' agreed his wife, 'but the mornings will be lighter soon and then it won't be quite so bad.'
23'The sales are starting tomorrow,' said the typist. 'As soon as we
finish work the whole typing pool is going to make a dash for the
shops.'
'I hope you'll all get what you want,' I said.
24'I wish I had something to eat,' said Peter.
'You've only just had lunch,' said his sister. 'I don't know how you can be hungry again so soon.'
25'If you're short of money I can lend you £50,' said my aunt, 'and you can take your time about paying it back.'
26'I usually take my dog out for a walk when I come home from work,' he said.
27'I have a message for your brother,' I said.
'He isn't at home,' said Ann. 'He left two days ago.'
28'I bought this bag in Milan,' I said.
'You shouldn't have bought that colour,' said Peter. 'It doesn't go with your coat.'
29'I must hurry. My father is always furious if any of us are late for meals,' she said.
30'If you want to smoke you'll have to go upstairs,' said the bus conductor.
5. John had a row with his girlfriend, Julie. His friend Mark tried to help them get back together and talked to Julie for John.
MARK: Julie, John's asked me to talk to you.
JULIE: I don't want to speak to him.
MARK: Look Julie, John's really upset.
JULIE: I'm upset too.
MARK: Will you just let me tell you his side of the story?
JULIE: I'm not interested. He promised to meet me at the restaurant,
but he didn't turn up. I don't want to see him again. MARK: But Julie, his car had broken down.
JULIE: So? I had my mobile with me.
MARK: But that's the point. He tried to phone, but he couldn't get through.
JULIE: I don't believe he tried.
MARK: Yes, he did. His mobile wasn't working, so he came to my flat and tried on my phone. Do you believe me?
JULIE: OK, I'll talk to him. Listen, I'm going to be late for work. I'll meet him at six o'clock in the square.
MARK: Thanks, Julie. He'll be really happy. And I promise he'll be there.
Complete the conversation Mark had later with John.
JOHN: What did Julie say?
MARK: She said she (1)…
JOHN: Well, what did she say when you told her I was really upset?
MARK: She said she (2) … too, so I asked her to let me tell her your side of the story. She said she (3)…You (4) … to meet her at the restaurant, but you (5) … She said she (6) … again.
JOHN: Did you explain about the car?
MARK: Yes, and she said she (7) … her mobile with her. So I explained you couldn't get through, but she said she (8) …you (9) … Then I told her you (10) … to my flat and(11) … on my phone. I asked her(12) … me. I think she did. Anyway, she saidshe (13) … to you. Then she saidshe (14) … late for work, so we had to finish. You haveto meet her in the square at six o'clock.
JOHN: Thanks, Mark. I really appreciate what you've done for me.
MARK: That's all right. Just don't be late this evening.
6. Put in the right tenses.
I had a really funny evening yesterday, Mary. I got talking to this boy in the pub, very nice-looking he was, and I could see he (1 fancy) me. He said he (2 never meet) anybody like me before, and he felt I (3 have) a very unusual kind of beauty. Oh, yes? I said. Then he asked me if I (4 want) a lift home, so I said no, I (5 be) hungry, so we went out for a curry.
I asked him what he (6 do) for a living, and he said he (7 do) some undercover work for the CIA at the moment. He said he (8 can not) give me his address because he (9 move) around all the time. So I asked him why he (10 think) I (11 want) his address. Then he asked if he (12 can) have my phone number. He said he (13 call) me today to fix for me to go to America with him. So I asked him why he (14 want) to take me to America, and he said he (15 think) he (16 fall) in love with me. I knew he (17 lie) , but it was kind of fun. Anyway, I told him I (18 have) got a boyfriend already, but he said that (19 not matter) . We (20 be) meant for each other, he said, and nobody (21 go) to stand in our way, because our lives (22 be) written in the stars.
Then he borrowed £20 from me to pay the bill because he said he (23 leave) his wallet at home, and he went off to the toilet, and I never saw him again.
7. Reporting facts and states. Imagine these sentences were reported soon after they were said: change them to indirect speech in two different ways.
1What day is it? I asked what day it is. I asked what day it was.
2What's the dark-haired child's name? (I asked)
3I'm utterly fed up! (Are you deaf? I said)
4It's raining. (I told you)
5You'll get your money. (I said)
6The weather is changing. (This article I was reading said)
7The repairs will cost £5,000. (Al told me)
8Is Jane coming to see us? (I asked)