3.2 Reporting what people say, think or feel

She said: home ’.

We can report people’s words by using direct speech or reported speech. Reported speech is the exact meaning of what someone said, but not the exact words.

There is “one-step-back” shift in verb tenses (present simple - past simple, etc.) except when we talk about true fact (The sun rises in the East, etc.).

Time expressions change in reported speech as follows:

Now — then, at that time, immediately Today, tonight - that day/ night This week — that week

Yesterday - the day before, the previous day Tomorrow - the next day, the following day Last week - the week before, the previous week Two days ago - two days before Here — there Come - go

Certain modal verbs change as follows:

Will - would; can - could; can - could/ would be able to; may - might; shall - should/ offer; must — must/ had to; needn *t — didn 7 need to/ didn't have to.

! Would, could, might, should, ought to, had better, used to, must, mustn *t do not change.

‘OK, I’ll do it’, he said. He agreed to do it.

‘I’ve bought a new dress’, she said.

She said that she had bought a new dress.

But: She said that Kangaroos live in Australia.

‘Go there now!’ he said.

He ordered to go there im­mediately.

He said: She can type fast He said that she could type fast.

I'd better go

In Type 2 and 3 conditionals tenses do not change.

Say and Tell are the most typical verbs that we can use in both direct and indirect speech, though with some difference in the structures following them.

They are also used in the following expres­sions:

Say. good morning/ afternoon etc, something/ nothing etc, a prayer, so, a few words, etc.

Tell: the truth, a lie/ lies, a secret, a story, a joke, the time, the difference, sb one’s name, one from another, one’s fortune, sb so, etc.

She said that she’d better go home.

She said: If I were you, I wouldn't do that'.

She said that if she were me, she wouldn't do that.

Indirect report structures with reporting verbs

Exercise 1, Fill in the gaps with say or tell in the correct tense.

A. This sugar-free chocolate is delicious”, Sandra. “I can’t

the difference between this chocolate and the one containing sugar”. “I like it,

too”, Mark. “I wish somebody had me about it sooner. I could

have lost so much weight!” ”To you the truth, I don’t think you should

lose weight”, Sandra. ”1 like you just the way you’re”, she

him.

“I saw Paul in town today”, Steve Louise. “I good afternoon to him and noticed that he had had his hair cut. I should have

something about it, but it looked awful, so I didn’t mention it”. “You did the

right thing”, Louise him. “It’s better to nothing than to a

lies”

С At Alison’s wedding reception her father stood up and the guests

that he would like to a few words. He started to a story about

whien Alison was young. Alison felt embarrassed, but she didn’t so.

Then her father the guests some jokes, which everyone found very

fuhny. Finally, he a prayer for the happy couple.

Exercise 2. To make your reported speech more exact and sophisticated you should use various reporting, or introductory, verbs. Study the follow-

ing introductory verbs, structures following them and the examples of direct speech. Complete the sentences with reported speech.

Introductory verb	Direct speech	Reported speech
+ to-inf
agree	‘Yes, I’ll lend you the money’	He agreed...
*claim	‘I saw the robbers’.	He claimed...
demand	‘Give me the money’.	He demanded...
offer	‘Would you like me to help you?’	He offered...
* promise	‘I’ll return the book to you soon’.	He promised...
refuse	‘No, I won’t call her’.	He refused...
* threaten	‘Stop shouting or I’ll pun­ish you’.	He threatened...
+ smb +to- inf
advise	‘You should eat more fruit’.	He advised...
allow	‘You can go to the party’.	He allowed...
ask	“Could you do me a fa­vour?’	He asked...
beg	‘Please, please don’t hurt me’.	He begged
command	‘Put your hands up’.	He commanded...
forbid	‘You mustn’t stay out late’.	He forbade...
invite	‘Will you come to my wed­ding?’	He invited...
order	‘Go to your room’.	He ordered...
* remind	‘Don’t forget to buy some milk’.	He reminded...
warn	‘Don’t touch the iron’.	He warned...
+ -ing form
accuse sb of	‘You committed the crime’.	He accused...
*admit (to)	‘Yes, I gave away your se­cret’.	He admitted...
apologise for	‘I’m sorry I’m late’.	He apologized...
*boast about	‘I’m the best student in my class’.	He boasted...
*complain to	‘I have noisy neighbours’.	He complained...

sb of
*deny	‘No, I didn’t use your car’.	He denied...
*insist on	‘You must finish by Fri­day’.	He insisted...
*suggest	‘Let’s go out for dinner’.	He suggested...
explain to sb + how	‘That’s how it works’.	He explained...
+ that- clause
explain	‘I don’t like him because he’s rude	He explained...
inform sb	‘The results will come out tomorrow’.	He informed...
exclaim/ re mark (give an exclamation of delight/ surprise/ relief/ disgust, etc.	‘What a glorious day!’	He exclaimed/ remarked...

*Note: The verbs marked with an asterisk can also be followed by a that-clause in reported speech.

Exercise 3. Complete each sentence with one suitable reporting verb without using say.

1. thought Jim would say something about his new job, but he didn't it.

Sony, I wasn't being insulting. I simply that you seem to have

put on rather a lot of weight lately.

The police that the crowd was under 50 000, although the or ganizers of the march put it at nearer 100 000.

The children that their parents were always checking up on them.

It has been that by the year 2050 some capital cities will be almost

uninhabitable because of the effects of air pollution.

Brown that the arresting officers had treated him roughly, and that

one of them had punched him in the eye.

An Army spokesman stressed that all troops patrolling the streets had been

to issue clear warnings before firing any shots.

Although he didn't say so directly, the Prime Minister that an

agreement between the two sides was within reach.

The witness her name and address to the court before the cross-

examination begun.

It's that the Prince is going to marry a dancer. Stark nonsense!

Exercise 4. Fill in the gaps with one of the reporting verbs from the list be low. Use past simple form.

Deny suggest boast agree

Insist accuse promise complain

Advise threaten warn remind

1. ‘I’m the fastest runner on the team’, he said.

2. T didn’t take your jacket’, he said to her.

3. ‘You should go to the doctor’s’, Mum said to me.

4. ‘I’ll call you next week’, she said to him.

5. ‘Yes, I’ll set the table for dinner’, he said to her.

6. ‘He always forgets my birthday’, she said.

7. ‘Let’s go for a walk’, she said.

8. ‘Leave, or I’ll shoot’, the man said to them.

9. ‘Don’t forget to feed the cat’, she said to him.

10. ‘You broke my CD player’, she said to him.

11. Don’t go near the edge of the cliff, Dad said to them.

12. "’You must do your homework before you go out’, she said to us.

Exercise 5. Turn the sentences into reported speech using the appropriate introductory verb.

1. ‘No, I won’t do your homework for you’, she said to me.

2. ‘You lied to me’, Dennis told Ann,

3. ‘I promise I won’t tell anyone your secret’, Tara said to Diana.

4. ‘Don’t forget to post the letters’, Mum said to me.

5. ‘I’m sorry, I ruined your shirt’, Sarah told Jack.

6. ‘No, I didn’t use Tim’s computer’, George said.

7. How about throwing a party?’, Simon said.

8. ‘I’ll punish if you behave badly’, Mum told the twins.

9. ‘It was me who broke the vase’, she said.

10. ‘Could I use your phone, please?’ Dave asked me.

11. ’I’ll help you with the washing-up’, Sandra told me.

12. ‘Please, please don’t tell anyone about this’, he said to us.

13. ‘No, you may not stay out late tonight', Dad said to Sue.

14. ‘That’s the most beautiful necklace I’ve ever seen!’ Amanda said.

15. ‘Do you have any idea if Ruth will come to the party?’ he said.

Exercise 6. Try to report most precisely what was intended to say. Make sure you are using correct report structures and not confusing verbs.