TOPIC 1: Reported Speech: Past, Present, and Future
Reported speech is speech that reports what someone else said, but it is not a direct quotation. For example:
Direct quotation: "It's afoul ball! You're out!"
Reported Speech: The umpire said that it was a foul ball and I was out.
Notice that the verb in the reported speech (was) changes tense from the direct quotation [is or are) and that the pronoun changes logically (you became /). Also notice that the reported speech is introduced by said in the case of statements, as in the example above, but asked in the case of questions or requests, or told in the case
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of commands. Let's take a look at some other examples of the past, present, and future tenses, and compare direct quotes to reported speech. Pay careful attention to the verbs.
"/ study English every day." He said (that) he studied English every day.
"I am studying English." She said (that) she was studying English.
"Thierry has left for the game." Nora said (that) Thierry had left for the game.
"I played baseball on Saturday." The student said (that) she had played baseball on Saturday.
"We will win the game." They said (that) they would win the game.
"We are going to practice tonight." They said that they were going to practice tonight.
Here are a few examples of reported questions. Use ask to report questions and add if to the beginning of the reported portion.
"Do you like basketball?" Sarah asked me if I liked basketball.
"Are you watching the game?" He asked if I was watching the game.
Ask is also used to report requests or polite commands. Notice that the requested verb is put into an infinitive form.
"Could you please turn down the TV?" He asked me to turn down the TV.
"Would you mind sitting down?" She asked me to sit down.
Use tell for commands, and again change the verb into an infinitive.
"Pass me the ball!" He told me to pass him the ball.
"Hit the ball!" The coach told the player to hit the ball.
PRACTICE EXERCISE 1: Change the following direct quotes into reported speech.
1 John: "I'm going to play hockey this weekend."
2. Sarah:"I will practice every day after school."
3. The players: "We are tired of losing!"
4. Coach Silver:"You are not trying hard enough."
5. The reporter:"lt is one of the most exciting games ever."
6. Gary: "We lost the game."
7. Betty:"I played soccer when I was a girl."
8. The woman:"Where is the stadium?"
9. Keith:"Give me the ball!"
10. Mary:"Do you prefer hockey or basketball?"
TOPIC 2: Using Modals in Reported Speech
When using the modals may, might, can, should, have to, ought to, or must in reported speech, make the following replacements in the reported portion of the sentence: may and might both become might, can becomes could, should remains should, ought to remains ought to, and have to and must both become had to.
"I may buy season tickets." He said he might buy season tickets.
"Dawn might come to the stadium." He said that Dawn might come to the stadium.
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"Gerard can play the best." She said that Gerard could, play the best.
"I should join the swim team." Doug said that he should join the
swim team.
"Johan ought to win easily." Lucia said that Johan ought to win easily.
"We must win tomorrow!" The coach said that we had to win tomorrow.
"I have to work harder." Paul said that he had to work harder.
PRACTICE EXERCISE 2: Rewrite the following direct quotes into reported speech.
1. Enrique: "I have to get some sleep for the big game tomorrow."
2. Adrian: "Each player must play as well as possible."
3. Harry:"That player may need the team doctor!"
4. Jane: "Bill ought to be at soccer practice right now."
5. The coach: "Can all of you come an hour early tomorrow?"
6. Daniel: "We might be tired after the workout."
7. Derrick: "Should we go to the game tonight?"
8. Lucy: "You must work out four or five times a week."
9. Lawrence: "We can see the whole ballpark from our seats!"
10. Reporter: "It has to be a hard decision for Coach Matthews."
TOPIC 3: Questions in Statement Form
As you heard in the Say It Clearly! section of this lesson, questions can have the same word order and form as statements. This type of question often shows surprise, disbelief, or uncertainty, but depending on the intonation used, just about any question can take this form, especially in informal or spoken English. Here are a few examples in context.
You're tired today? But you slept for ten hours last night!
It's Tuesday already? I thought it was Monday.
They lost the game? But they've been winning for weeks!
Tomorrow is the championship? I thought it wasn't for a few weeks.
PRACTICE EXERCISE 3: Rewrite each of the following questions in statement form. Practice saying them aloud with high intonation.
1. Are you a fan of the Tigers?
2. Is Mark Sommer pitching tonight?
3. Did you join the wrestling team?
4. Are you going to buy season tickets?
5. Do you agree with the umpire?
6. Is Sarah planning on quitting the team?
7. Is the game tied?
8. Has the game gone into extra innings?
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