Reported Speech

Question 1

Reported speech is

Answer 1

نقل قول است
وقتی می خواهیم به کسی درباره چیزی که شخص دیگری گفتی بگوییم

Question 2

There are two ways of reported speech

Answer 2

Direct / Reported

Paul : I’m feeling ill.

Direct : Paul said ‘ I am feeling ill.’

• in writing we use these quotation marks to show direct speech*

Reported : Paul said that he was feeling ill.

Question 3

Reported form

Answer 3

When we use reported speech the main verb of the sentence is usually past, the rest of the sentence too.

am/ is : was are : were do/ does : did
Have/has : had will : would Can : could

Question 4

an example of reported speech

Answer 4

You met Anna. Here are some of the things she said in direct speech.

My parents are fine. I’m going to learn to drive. I want to buy a car. John has a new job. I can’t come to the party on Friday. I don’t have much free time. I’m going away for a few days. I’ll phone you when I get back.

You use reported speech:

Anna said that her parents were fine.
She said that she was going to learn to drive.
She said that she wanted to buy a new car.
John had a new job.
She said that she didn’t have much free time.
She said that she was going away for a few days and would phone me when she got back.

Question 5

Reported speech past form

Answer 5

The past simple can usually stay the same in reported speech or you can change it to the past perfect

Paul said ‘ I woke up feeling ill, so I didn’t go to work’

Reported :

Paul said that he woke up feeling ill, so he didn’t go to work

Or

Paul said that he had woken up feeling ill, so he hadn’t gone to work.

Question 6

If the situation is still the same, you don’t need to change the verb to past.

Answer 6

Direct : Paul said ‘ My new job is boring ‘
Reported : Paul said that his new job is boring.

( the situation is still the same. His job is still boring now.)

Direct : Helen said ‘ I want to go to Canada next year.’

Reported: Helen told me that she wants to go to Canada next year.

( Helen still wants to go to Canada next year)
If we use the past form in this sentence it means that Helen didn’t want to go anymore.

Question 7

But if the situation has changed or finished, you must use a past verb

Answer 7

Paul left the room suddenly. He said he had to go.

Question 8

You need to use a past form when there is a difference between what was said and what is really true.

Answer 8

You met Sonia a few days ago. She said : Joe is in hospital.

Later that day you meet Joe in the street. You say:
Hi,Joe. I didn’t expect to see you. Sonia said you were in hospital.

( not ‘ Sonia said you are in hospital’, because clearly he is not)

Question 9

Compare say and tell

Answer 9

If you say who somebody is talking to, use tell
* after tell there is somebody*

Sonia told me that you were in hospital.
What did you tell the police?

Otherwise use say:

Sonia said that you were in hospital.
What did you say?

But you can say something to somebody :

Ann said goodbye to me and left.
What did you say to the police?

Question 10

Tell / ask somebody to do something

Answer 10

We also use the infinitive ( to do, to be ) in reported speech, especially with tell and ask ( for orders and requests )

Direct : Drink plenty of water, the doctor said to me .

Reported : The doctor told me to drink plenty of water.

Direct: Don’t be late, I said to Joe.
Reported: I told Joe not to be late.

Direct: can you help me, please, Jackie said to me.
Reported: Jackie asked me to help her.

You can also say somebody said (not) to do something

Paul said not to worry about him.