DIRECT SPEECH VERSUS REPORTED SPEECH

A hospital spokesperson said: The Presidents condition is not serious. We expect him to make a speedy recovery. A spokesperson for the hospital said that the Presidents condition was not serious and that his doctors expected him to make a speedy recovery.

We repeat the actual words of a speaker/writer in quotations and informal speech (e.g. telling jokes). We use reported speech to say what a speaker/writer meant when the actual words are not very important, (though we may repeat all of them).

Form changes

The above examples show some changes: no inverted commas (...) in reported speech, and no punctuation after said. that is added in formal speech/writing. tense change (e.g. present is past was) pronoun (we) replaced by noun (his doctors) to make meaning quite clear.

Pronouns and Possessive Adjectives: changes

Direct speech I we my our mine ours Reported speech he/she they his/her their his/hers theirs

Obviously, if we are reporting our own words, I, my, etc. will not change, and if the speaker was speaking to us, you/your, etc will change to me/my, etc.

Time and Place: changes

Direct speech here this/these today / this afternoon yesterday / last week tomorrow / next week ago now Reported speech there (when the listener knows which place is meant) that/those (or the if the person/object cant be seen by the listener) that day/afternoon the day/week before (or the previous day/week) the next day/week (or the following day/week) before then

I work here on Saturdays ---------She said (that) she worked there on Saturdays. Im going to London tomorrow.--She said (that) he was going to London the next day. Ive written a letter today----------She said (that) she had written a letter that day. I saw an old friend yesterday She said (that) she had seen an old friend the day before.

I had forgotten to tell you.---------She said (that) she had forgotten to tell me. Ill ring you later this week -------She said (that) she would ring us later that week. I cannot hear you.-------------------She said (that) she could not hear me. You must do your homework.----She said (that) I had to do my homework. I may join you later.----------------She said (that) she might join us later.

REPORTING VERBS:
Other verbs apart form said used in the R.S. with a that clause: explained, admitted complained, argued, promised. Ex: Ill give you a hand with your homework---My father promised me to give me a hand with my homework. When suggest is used to report advice it is followed by should. Ex:

Ask in the Post Office for directions----- He suggested that we should ask in the Post Office for directions. A)The verb tell can be used to introduce a reported statement. It is followed by a personal object and a that clause. Ex:
He told us that the film was excellent.

Other common verbs like this are: advise, warn, remind. B) The verb tell is also used to introduce commands. Ex: Go to your room------------------He told me to go to my room. Other common verbs like this: advise invite recommend forbid ask, warn, remind.

Changes in Construction
Have you felt this pain before? How long is your normal working day? Yes/no question Whquestion The doctor asked (him) if he had felt the pain before.

The doctor asked (him) how long his normal working day was. Unbutton your shirt Request/ord The doctor asked/told him er to unbutton his shirt.