Reported Speech

We use reported speech to tell (= report) a person what another person says or said.

There are two ways of reporting something:

* Up-to-date reporting (we report something a short time after it was said, so we use the present form of the reporting verb; there is no tense change)

* Off-date-reporting (we report something a long time after it was said, so we use the past form of the reporting verb; there is tense change) - most often

Quotation marks are not used in reported speech.

Watch this video to get the things right:

We use different structures when reporting statements, questions or commands.

In reporting statements, we use an introductory verb (e.g. say) and the word 'that,' which can be taken out. Also, personal and possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives change according to the meaning of the sentence.

quiz

sentences

Reporting questions is almost the same as reporting the statements. In fact, in reported speech, a question becomes a positive statement (subject before verb):

• Question (Wh-) words:

He said, 'Where does she live?' --->He wondered where she lived.

She said, 'How old are you?' --> She asked how old I was.

• Yes / No questions:

'Do you play tennis?' Tom asked me. --> Tom asked if I played tennis. (more usual)

'Do you want fish or chicken?' mum asked. --> Mum wanted to know whether I wanted fish or chicken. (the emphasis on the choice)

The introductory verbs are: ask, wonder, want to know, inquire, etc. 

To report orders or commands, we use ordered / told + object (somebody) + (not) to. The verbs like command, forbid, request or warn can be used as well.

He said, 'Go away!' --> He told me / him / her/ us / them / the children to go away.