Module 21: Indirect Speech
We can report people’s words by using direct or indirect (reported) speech.
1. In direct speech the exact words of the speaker are given.
e.g. He said, "I have just returned from a business trip".
Indirect (reported) speech is a form of untterance in which the words of the speaker are reported.
e.g.He said he had just returned from a business trip.
2. In indirect speech the adverbs expressing nearness are replaced by those expressing distance:
| Nearness
| Distance
|
| now
| then, at this time, immediately
| last week
| the week before,
the previous week
|
| today, tonight
| that day, that night
| next week
| the week after,
the following week
|
| yesterday
| the day before, the previous day
| two days ago
| two days before
|
| tomorrow
| the next day, the following day
| here
| there
|
| this week
| that week
| come
| go
|
When this/these are used in time expressions, they change to that/those.
e.g.: this week → that week; these days → those days
When this/these are not used in time expressions, they change as follows:
a) they change to the when used as adjectives, that is, when they are followed by a noun.
e.g.: “ This film is boring,” Claire told me.
Claire told me (that) the film was boring.
b) they change to it or they/them when used as pronouns, that is, when they are not followed by a noun.
e.g.: a) “ This is an unusual situation,” Dad said.
Dad said (that) it was an unusual situation.
b) He said, “ Those arethe men who helped me.”
He said (that) they were the men who had helped him.
3. If the verb in the principal clause is used in the past tense, the tenses are changed according to the rules of the sequence of tenses.
| 1. Present Indefinite →
Peter said,"My friends spend their holidays in the South every year."
| Past Indefinite
Peter said (remarked) (that) his friends spent their holidays in the South every year.
|
| 2. Present Continuous →
John said,"I am working hard at my English this term."
| Past Continuous
John assured us he was working hard at his English that term.
|
| 3. Present Perfect →
Mary said,"We have got everythingarranged for the meeting."
| Past Perfect
Mary pointed out they had goteverything arranged for the meeting.
|
| 4. Present Perfect →
Continuous
Nick said:” I have been trying to learn French for years.”
| Past Perfect Continuous
Nick confessed he had been trying to learn French for years.
|
| 5. Past Indefinite →
Kitty said:” They left a minute ago ”
| Past Perfect
Kitty said they had left a minute before.
|
| 6. Past Continuous →
Bob asked:” What were you listening to when I came to see you?”
| Past Perfect Continuous (or remains unchanged)
Bob wondered what I was (had been) listening to when he came to see me.
|
| 7. Future Indefinite →
He said:” I am sure he will come in time.”
| Future Indefinite in the Past
He was sure (said) he would come in time.
|
| 8. Future Continuous →
Bob said:” Don’t call me at 5 o’clock tomorrow, I’ll be preparing for the exam.”
| Future Continuous in the Past
Bob asked his friend not to call him at 5 o’clock the next day, as he would bepreparing for the exam.
|
| 9. Future Perfect →
Olga said:” We shall have read two of Shaw’s plays by the end of the term.”
| Future Perfect in the Past
Olga said the students would haveread two of Shaw’s plays by the end of the term.
|
| 10. Future Perfect Continuous →
My mother said:” I shall havebeen teaching at school for 20 years by the end of the year
| Future Perfect Continuous in the Past
My mother said she would have beenworking at school for 20 years by the end of the year.
|
The Past Perfect and the Past Perfect Continuous remain the same.
direct speech: “The film had finished by the time I got home,” he said.
indirect speech: He said (that) the film had finished by the time he got home.
4. We can use the verbs say and tell both in direct and reported speech.
Tell is always followed by a personal object ( told me ).
