Reported Speech Carmen Torres

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH   REPORTED SPEECH

REPORTED SPEECH

REPORTING STATEMENTS Useful introductory verbs. ADD ADMIT + ing ANSWER ARGUE ASSURE BOAST about COMPLAIN to .. about DENY + ing EXPLAIN GRUMBLE about OBJECT to + ing OBSERVE POINT OUT PROMISE PROTEST against /about REMARK REMIND someone of… REPLY SAY & TELL

agree, refuse, offer, promise, threaten + infinitive Ann: Would you wait half an hour’ Tom: All right Chris: Would you lend me another €50? David: No, I won´t lend you any more money accuse of, admit, apologize for, deny, insist on + gerund You took me the money! I stole/ didn´t steal it! I am sorry I’m late Let me pay, please, let me REPORTING STATEMENTS

YES / NO QUESTIONS There is no inversion (subject/verb) If or whether after the reporting verb “Are you working these days?” he said. He inquired if/whether I was working those days “Did you speak to John last night?” she asked She wanted to know if I had spoken to J, the night before. REPORTING QUESTIONS

WH- QUESTIONS When Who or What are subjects of the sentence we don’t change the word order “Who told you this story?” He asked me who had told that story “What happens?” He wanted to know what happened. The word order is a positive one, without inversion (subject/verb) “Where did you go last summer?”. He asked me where I had gone the previous summer. Some verbs we can use as reporting verbs: ask, enquire, wonder, would like to know, want to know REPORTING QUESTIONS

The imperative changes into infinitive He said to us: “Stay here” He told us to stay here The reporting verb must indicate “order” He said: “Be quiet” He told me to be quiet Apart from Tell other verbs can be used: ask, beg, invite, warn, order, command, instruct,... “Say that again”, he said to me He asked me to say that again REPORTING COMMANDS

The verbs used are: beg, ask, demand & request and they are situated before the requested person. The word “please” is omitted When let is used in direct speech it must appear in the reported too but omitting the modal verb. When let is not used the modal is not omitted. “John, don’t open the window, please” I said I asked /requested/begged John not to open the window. “Can you let me use your phone, please?” I asked my neighbour I asked my neighbour to let me use her phone “Can I use your phone?” I asked my neighbour I asked my neighbour if I could use her phone. REPORTING REQUESTS

We normally use suggest + gerund to report them Also suggest that + subordinate sentence The suggestions : Let’s, why don’t we, shall we, why not… are omitted “Let’s go to the theatre” she said. “Why don’t we go to the theatre?” “Shall we go to the theatre?” She suggested going to the theatre She suggested that we could go to the theatre “Let’s not argue again,” he said. He suggested not arguing again He suggested that they should not argue again. REPORTING SUGGESTIONS