Reported speech

1. Main points

Direct speech means the words actually spoken. We put direct speech in quotation marks (‘I’m bored’). We use it when we want to repeat the exact words.

But usually there is no need to repeat the exact words. In reported speech we only give the meaning of what was said (He said he’s bored.)

Report structures contain two clauses. The first clause is the reporting clause, which contains a reporting verb such as say, tell, ask. If we report people’s thoughts and feelings we may use verbs as think, feel, believe, etc. The second clause in a report structure is the reported clause, which contains the information that you are reporting. The reported clause can be a ‘that’- clause, a ‘to’-infinitive clause, an ‘if’-clause, or a ‘wh’-word clause.

The boy said that he didn’t do it.

The boss told me to type this letter.

Jane asked if she could take that book.

He asked where to put it.

2. Statements in reported speech 1. If you want to report a statement, you use a ‘that’-clause after certain verbs. The most useful are:

Add decide point out

Admit* deny promise

Agree explain* reassure**

Announce* grumble remark

Answer insist remind**

Argue inform** reply

Assure** mention* say*

Boast notify** suggest*

Claim object tell**

Complain* observe warn

Convince** persuade**

With starred verbs you can mention the hearer but only after the preposition to.

The little girl complained to her mother that nobody talked to her.

The verbs with two stars must have the object:

He informed us that he would be late.

2. say or tell? Indirect statements are usually introduced by say, or tell + object. Say + to + object is possible but far less usual than tell + object. We use tell without an indirect object only in the expressions tell a story, tell the truth, tell a lie, tell the time, etc. The boss said they could leave early. The boss told them they could leave early.

3. Tense changes

Indirect speech is usually introduced by a verb in the past tense. Verbs in the reported clause have to be changed into a corresponding ‘more past’ tense.

DIRECT SPEECH	REPORTED SPEECH
“I work hard,” he said.	He said (that) he worked hard.
“I am working hard,” he said.	He said (that) he was working hard.
“I have worked hard,” he said.	He said (that) he had worked hard.
“I have been working hard,” he said.	He said (that) he had been working hard.
“I worked hard,” he said.	He said (that) he had worked hard.
“I will work hard,” he said.	He said (that) he would work hard.
“I can work hadrer,” he said.	He said (that) he could work harder.
“I may work harder,” he said.	He said (that) he might work harder.
“I must work harder,” he said.	He said (that) he had to / must work harder.
“I should work harder,” he said.	He said (that) he should work harder.

4. Unchanged tenses 1. When the reporting verb is present, future, or present perfect, the tenses used are usually the same as those in the speaker’s original words. ‘I shall be there in time.’ He says he will be there in time. ‘I visited three countries.’ She will ask you if you visited three countries. ‘I don’t want to do it.’ He has already said that he doesn’t want to do it.’ 2. But sometimes, even after past reporting verbs, the tenses can remain unchanged: a) If the statement is still up to date when we report it, then we have a choice. We often leave the tense the same, but we can change it: She told me that she is (or was) only 25. Tom told me that his father owns (or owned) a shop. b) In sentences like these, we prefer present tenses if we feel that we are reporting facts; we prefer past tenses if we are not sure that they are true. She said she was only 25. (I am not sure of this fact.) That’s why, in news reports the tense is usually changes because some people may think the statement is untrue. The Prime Minister said that the government had made the right decision. c) If the statement is out of date, then we change the tense in reported speech: She told me that she was 25 last year. d) In theory the past tense changes to the past perfect, but in spoken English it is often left unchanged, provided this doesn’t cause confusion. He said, ‘I loved her’ must become He said he had loved her as otherwise there would be a change of meaning. But He said, ‘The show was splendid’ could be reported He said that the show was/had been splendid. e) The past continuous tense in theory changes to the past perfect continuous but in practice usually remains unchanged. She said, ‘When I saw him he was talking to a man. She said that when she saw him he was talking to a man. The exception is when it refers to a completed action: She said, ‘We were planning to move to a new flat but then decided not to. She said that they had been planning to move to a new flat but had decided not to. f) In written English past tenses usually do change to past perfect but there are certain exceptions: