Reported Speech. (Explanation and examples)

Direct Speech Reported SpeechPresent PastPast Past PerfectCan CouldWill WouldMay MightShall ShouldHave to Had toMust (necessity) Had toWould like WantedNow ThenThis ThatThese ThoseHere ThereToday That dayTonight That evening, that nightYesterday The day before, the previous dayTomorrow The following day, the next dayThis week The same week, that weekNext week The following weekThis month That monthNext month The following monthThis year That yearNext year The following year

When we report something almost immediately, we tend to use the same tense used in the direct speech. It is only when some time has elapsed that we use the past tense as directed above.

Examples:

“I’m hungry.” (Paul – Me) Paul commented to me that he was hungry.“I can’t dance.” (Mary – Jack) Mary told Jack (that) she couldn’t dance. “I’d like to drink some soda.” (The child – her father) The child told her father (that) she wanted to drink soda.

“I’m going home.” (Melanie) Melanie said (that) she was going home.“I won’t help you anymore.” (Tony – Me) Tony told me he wouldn’t help me anymore.“I must rest for a while.” (Jenny – Me) Jenny told me she had to rest for a while.

Modals such as would, could, might, should, as well as the past perfect don’t change.

“You should listen to your friends.” (Edna – me) Edna told me that I should listen to my friends.

More on Reported Speech.

A) Commands C) Yes/No QuestionsB) Statements D) Wh-Qhestions

A) Commands.

a) You Commands (Orders) “Be quiet”b) You Commands (Requests) “Please give me a hand here.”a) We Commands (Suggestions) “Let’s paint it blue.”b) We Commands (Invitations) “Let’s go to the movies tonight.”

1) You Commands. Commands change into infinitives. 1a. Orders or Instructions. (told me (not) + Inf.)Ex.“Sit down and listen!” My mom told me to sit down and listen.“Wait for me.” My brother told me to wait for him.“Go away.” Mary told me to go away.

1b. Requests. (asked me(not) + Inf.)Ex.“Please give me a hand here.” My father asked me to give him a hand at home.“Please stay with me tonight.” My girlfriend asked me to stay with her that night.“Please tell me your name.” Matilda asked me to tell her my name.

2) We Commands. ...invited me + Inf… ...suggested (not) + V-ing…

2a. Invitations.Ex.“Let’s play BKB this afternoon.” My friends invited me to play BKB that afternoon.“Let’s go to the beach tomorrow.” Mary invited me to go to the beach the following day.“Let’s see a movie tonight.” Elba Lazo de Guerra invited me to see a movie that night.

“Let’s do exercises together.” Lucía Baratta invited me to do exercises together.

2b. Suggestions.Ex.“Let’s call it quits now.” My peers suggested calling quits for the day.“Let’s investigate it before we buy it.” My wife suggested investigating it before we buy it.“Let’s save it on the hard drive.” My friends suggested saving it on the hard drive.“Let’s repair the roof before we paint it. My father suggested repairing the roof…

B) Statements.

Ex. …told me (that) …. / …said that…1. “I’m sick.” (Mary – me)

Mary told me she was sick.

2. “I forgot my homework.” (Rox – me)Rox told me she had forgotten her homework.

3. “I was busy all day.” (Tere – the teacher)Tere told the teacher she had been busy all day.

4. “I can’t go out now.” (Betty – her boyfriend)Betty told her boyfriend she couldn’t go out at that momment.

5. “I won’t go to work today.” (My dad – my mom)My dad told my mom he wouldn’t go to work that day.

6. “I must eat something now.” (My sister – me)My sister told me she had to eat something at that momment.

7. “I’d like to see a movie now.” (Tere – me)Tere told me she wanted to see a movie then.

8. “I go to work at 6:00 AM.” (Jack – me)Jack told me he went to work at 6:00 AM.

9. “I may go shopping this afternoon.” (Sofía – me)Sofía told me she might go shopping that afternoon.

10. “I have to finish the report today.” (A partner – me)A partner told me he had to finish a report that day.

C) Yes/No Questions.

Ex. …asked me if / whether … (whether = If )1. “Are you OK?” (A woman – me)

A friend asked me if I was OK.

2. “Were you at home all day yesterday?” (My girlfriend – me)My girlfriend asked me whether I had been at home all day the day before.

3. “Do you work on Sundays?” (A friend – me)A friend asked me whether I worked on Sundays.

4. “Did you work yesterday?” (A friend – me)A friend asked me if I had worked the day before.

5. “Can you cook lasagna?” (Mary – me)Mary asked me if I could cook lasagna.

6. “Can you swim?” (Mary – me)Mary asked me if I could swim.

7. “Would you like some coffee?” (A friend – me)A friend asked me if I wanted some coffee.

8. “Will you be coming to my party tonight?” (Tanya – me)Tanya asked me if I would be going to her party that night.

9. “Shall we dance?” (Bill – Tere)Bill invited Tere to dance with him.

10. “Could you lend me your book?” (A partner – me)A partner asked me if I could lend him my book.

D) Wh- Questions.Ex. …asked me wh- subj. + verb + compl…

1. “Where do you live?” (A girl – me)A girl asked me where I lived or live.

2. “Where did you go after class yesterday?” (My mom – me)My mom asked me where I had gone after class the day before.

3. “When will you be coming back?” (A girl – me)A girl asked me when I would be coming back.

4. “Why are you sad?” (My mom – me)My mom asked me why I was sad.

5. “How many books have you read in your entire life?” (A friend – me)A friend asked me how many books I had read in my entire life.

6. “Why are you here?” (My sister – me)My sister asked me why I was there.

7. “What did you do after work yesterday?” (My girlfriend – me)My girlfriend asked me what I had done after work the day before.

8. “Who went to the movies with you yesterday?” (My girlfriend – me)My girlfriend asked me who had gone to the movies with me the day before.

9. “How well do you speak French?” (A friend – me)A friend asked me how well I spoke French.

10. “Where would you like to go tomorrow?” (My girlfriend – me)My girlfriend asked me where I wanted to go the following day.

EXERCISE I Report the following.1. “Hey come here!!” (A man – me) ____________________________________________2. “Don’t tell anybody about this.” (Mayra – me) ____________________________________________3. “Please don’t leave me alone.” (My daughter – me) ____________________________________________4. “Let’s talk about it.” (Mary) ____________________________________________5. “Relax.” (The doctor – me) ____________________________________________6. “Please go the supermarket with me.” (My mom – me) _____________________________________________7. “Let’s discuss this before the project.” (My boss) _____________________________________________8. “Let’s go home now.” (My girlfriend) _____________________________________________9. “Be quiet.” (My father – me) _____________________________________________10. “Let’s go dancing tonight.” (Tere – me) _____________________________________________

Exercise IIReport the following.

1. “I have to work tonight.” (Mr. Schurer – me)______________________________________________

2. “I had to work last night.” (The doctorcit – me)______________________________________________

3. “I’d like to take a nap now.” (Gina – Terroncito)______________________________________________

4. “I’d like to be in heavens now.” (The angelito – Miss Chelita)_______________________________________________

5. “I’m sleepy.” (Mr. Snet – Andrea)_______________________________________________

6. “I won’t work on August 5th.” (Mr. Hernández – the doctorcit)_______________________________________________

7. “I can’t find my keys.” (Miss Leiva – Andrea)_______________________________________________

8. “The doctorcit is at the hospital right now.” (Gina – me) ________________________________________________

9. “I didn’t sleep at all last night.” (Miss López – Miss Méndez)______________________________________________________

10. “The vacation will be very good.” (Isis – Miss Pérez) ______________________________________________________

Exercise IIIReport the following.

1. “Do you eat meat?” (The chef – me)_____________________________________

2. “Are you the new driver?” (The lady – me)______________________________________

3. “Will you be back someday?” (The girl – me)______________________________________

4. “Can you call me when you arrive?” (Helen – me)______________________________________

5. “Did you finish the report?” (My boss – me)______________________________________

6. “Were you at work when I called?” (The girl – me)______________________________________

7. “Do you need help to wash your car?” (The boy – me)______________________________________

8. “Is it time to go home?” (A student – me)______________________________________

9. “Is there any question about the topic?” (The teacher – me)______________________________________

10. “Did you find the book?” (A girl – Alvaro)______________________________________

Exercise IVReport the following.

1. “What time is it?” (A student – me)________________________________________________

2. “Where do you go after class?” (A girl – me)________________________________________________

3. “Why do you stay here after class?” (A girl – me)________________________________________________

4. “Where did you spend your vacation last year?” (A friend – me)_________________________________________________

5. “How often do you come here?” (A girl – me)

_________________________________________________6. “What time do you go home?” (A girl – me)

__________________________________________________7. “When will you be back?” (A friend – me)

__________________________________________________8. “What are doing here?” (My ex-girlfriend – me)

__________________________________________________9. “Who told you that?” (My boss – me)

__________________________________________________10. “What do you do for a living?” (The interviewer – me)

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