Reported (Indirect) Speech: Statements| English Grammar Lesson | Part 1 | C1-Advanced

Summary

This lesson on indirect or reported speech explains how to transform direct speech into indirect speech, with a focus on changes in pronouns, verb tenses, and time markers. It covers key areas like tense shifts (e.g., present to past), how to modify time expressions (e.g., 'tomorrow' to 'the next day'), and the proper use of reporting verbs like 'say,' 'tell,' and 'explain.' The lesson also includes practical exercises to reinforce learning. By the end of the lesson, learners will have a solid understanding of indirect speech and be able to apply it effectively in various contexts.

Takeaways

• 😀 Indirect speech is used to report what someone else has said without quoting them directly. It requires changes to pronouns, tenses, and time markers.
• 😀 The reporting verb 'said' is commonly used in indirect speech, but it can also be 'told' or 'explained'. With 'tell', the person being spoken to must be specified.
• 😀 When the reporting verb is in the past tense, the verb tense in the reported speech changes (e.g., 'come' becomes 'came').
• 😀 If the reporting verb is in the present tense, the verb in the reported speech remains unchanged (e.g., 'John says' remains 'he says').
• 😀 Modal verbs like 'can', 'may', 'must' change in indirect speech: 'can' becomes 'could', 'may' becomes 'might', and 'must' stays the same.
• 😀 Time markers must be adjusted when converting direct speech to indirect speech (e.g., 'tomorrow' becomes 'the next day').
• 😀 Words like 'this' and 'these' change to 'that' and 'those' in indirect speech. Similarly, 'here' changes to 'there'.
• 😀 Specific tenses have distinct rules for conversion to indirect speech. For example, present continuous becomes past continuous, and past perfect stays unchanged.
• 😀 Indirect questions follow a specific word order and tense adjustment, and will be covered in part two of the lesson.
• 😀 In indirect speech, 'would like' changes to 'want' when reporting a statement in the present (e.g., 'I'd like to' becomes 'he wanted').

Q & A

What are the main changes that occur when converting direct speech into indirect speech?

When converting direct speech into indirect speech, changes typically occur in pronouns, tenses, and time markers. Pronouns must be adjusted to reflect the person who is speaking. Tenses change to reflect the past, and time markers like 'tomorrow' and 'yesterday' are adjusted accordingly (e.g., 'tomorrow' becomes 'the next day').

How does the verb tense change in indirect speech when the reporting verb is in the past?

When the reporting verb is in the past, the verb tense in the reported speech typically shifts one step back in time. For example, present simple becomes past simple, present continuous becomes past continuous, and present perfect becomes past perfect.

What happens to modal verbs in reported speech?

Modal verbs also change in reported speech, with some staying the same and others shifting in form. For instance, 'can' changes to 'could', 'may' becomes 'might', and 'must' either stays 'must' or changes to 'had to'.

When should 'that' be used in indirect speech?

'That' is used in indirect speech to connect the reporting verb with the reported speech. For example, 'John said that he often came here.' However, 'that' can often be omitted in casual speech, such as 'John said he often came here.'

What is the rule for reporting speech in the present tense?

If the reporting verb is in the present tense, there is no change in the tense of the reported speech. For example, 'John says, 'I come here often'' would be reported as 'John says that he comes here often.'

How do time markers change in indirect speech?

Time markers like 'tomorrow', 'yesterday', and 'next week' need to be adjusted in indirect speech to reflect the correct timeframe. For example, 'tomorrow' becomes 'the next day', 'yesterday' becomes 'the day before', and 'next week' becomes 'the following week'.

What happens to 'I would like' in indirect speech?

'I would like' changes to 'want' in indirect speech. For example, 'She said, 'I'd like to be a singer'' becomes 'She said she wanted to be a singer.'

How do 'this' and 'these' change in reported speech?

'This' and 'these' change to 'that' and 'those' in indirect speech. For example, 'She said, 'This is the last bus'' becomes 'She said that was the last bus.'

What is the effect of location changes on the word 'here' in reported speech?

When the location changes, 'here' changes to 'there'. For example, 'We’ve been living here for 20 years' becomes 'They said they had been living there for 20 years.'

What is the key distinction between 'say' and 'tell' in reported speech?

'Say' and 'tell' both serve as reporting verbs, but 'tell' requires the specification of the person being addressed (e.g., 'He told her'), while 'say' can be used with or without specifying the person (e.g., 'He said' or 'He said to her').