REPORTED (INDIRECT) SPEECH

Direct speech refers to statements that are made without an intermediary. Quoted statements, for example, are a type of direct speech.

Reported (indirect) speech refers to statements that are made through an intermediary. In reported speech, the sequence of tenses rule is usually employed (EXCEPT when the application of the rule would result in an ambiguous or unclear sentence).

The sequence of tenses rule: If the verb in the main clause of a sentence is in a past tense, subordinate clause verbs must also be in their respective past forms.

Examples:

DIRECT SPEECH	REPORTED (INDIRECT) SPEECH
1. "I have two sisters."	He says (that) he has two sisters.
2. "We live on Maple Street."	She said (that) they lived on Maple Street.
3. "It is too windy to play tennis."	He said (that) it was too windy to play tennis.
4. "They have 3 children."	He said (that) they had 3 children.
5. "I saw her stealing the gloves."	He said (that) he had seen her stealing the gloves.
6. "We have eaten dinner."	They said (that) they had eaten dinner.
7. "It is raining outside."	She said (that) it was raining outside.
8. "I will meet you here at 8:00."	He said (that) he would meet me there at 8:00.
9. "I can finish my homework quickly."	She said (that) she could finish her homework quickly.

Notes:

-that is usually omitted before the subordinate clause

-if the main clause verb is in the present tense (see ex. 1 above), the subordinate clause verb is not changed

-the past of the past is past perfect (see ex. 5 above)

-the past of the present perfect is also past perfect (see ex. 6 above)

-the past forms of the modal verbs are as follows:

can -> could will -> would shall -> should may -> might

must -> had to

-sometimes pronouns, possessives, and time/place references must be changed (see examples 2, 8, and 9)

EXERCISE Change the following direct statements to reported speech:

"I play inline-skate hockey for the national team."	He says .
"I want to play professionally in the future."	He said .
"I took some medicine for my cold."	He said .
"I have never taken anabolic steroids."	He said .
"I must go now."	He said .
"The pharmacy is closing in 10 minutes."	He said .

SAY is just one of many verbs that can be used in the main clause of a reported statement. Here are some other commonly used verbs:

announce answer complain declare deny explain

insist mention predict promise remark reply

state tell

Examples: (as an exercise, form the direct statements that served as the basis for the following reported statements)

Make the direct (quoted) statement:	REPORTED (INDIRECT) SPEECH
	The weatherman announced that it would rain.
	The President insisted that he hadn't had sex with Ms. Lewinski.
	The accused stated that he was innocent.
	My teacher told me that I had to study more or I would fail.
	The boss told us that we could leave early.

Note:

-the verb TELL requires an indirect object (see examples 4 and 5). The verb SAY, on the other hand, takes no indirect object.

REPORTED QUESTIONS

Reported questions usually employ the verb ASK in the main clause (also possible are the verbs INQUIRE, WONDER, or WANT TO KNOW).

When reporting verb questions (yes/no questions), the subordinating conjunction IF (or WHETHER) is used to introduce the subordinate clause. For information questions, the appropriate interrogative pronoun is used (as a relative pronoun) to introduce the subordinate clause.

Examples:

DIRECT SPEECH	REPORTED (INDIRECT) SPEECH
"Is the bank open?"	He asked (me) if the bank was open.
"Where is the nearest post office?"	She asked (me) where the nearest post office was.
"Where did you put my glasses?"	He asked (me) where I had put his glasses.
"When will this noise stop?"	They asked (us) when the noise would stop.
"How many cats do you have?"	She asked (me) how many cats I had.

Note: Reported questions are technically NOT questions themselves, so they are not followed by question marks, and THERE IS NO INVERSION OF THE VERB AND THE SUBJECT.

REPORTED COMMANDS

Commands (imperative sentences) are reported using the verb TELL followed by an infinitive phrase.

Examples:

DIRECT SPEECH	REPORTED (INDIRECT) SPEECH
"Give me all of your money!"	The robber told me to give him all of my money.
"Stop talking!"	The teacher told us to stop talking.
"Eat your scrambled eggs."	She told him boy to eat his scrambled eggs.

REVIEW EXERCISE - REPORTED SPEECH

Form reported speech statements from the following direct speech quotes:

DIRECT SPEECH	REPORTED (INDIRECT) SPEECH
1. "It is not my problem," said John.	He said .
2. "There are too many people," said Helen.	She said .
3. "Can I have another piece?" asked the little boy.	He asked .
4. "Do you buy the Montreal Gazette?" asked the telemarketer.	He asked .
5. "Did you go to high school in Laval?" asked the teacher.	.
6. "Where is the library?" asked the new student.	.
7. "How long is break?" asked all the students.	.
8. "It is ten minutes like always," said the teacher.	.
9. "Have you seen the magnificent Rockies?" asked Mr. Gratton.	.
10."Go west, young man," said Horace Greely.	.
11."Fuck off!" said the punk.	.
12."The Prime Minister will lose the election," the journalist predicted.	.
13."When are you going to fix the sink?" asked his wife.	.
14."We are considering all possible options," said the politician.	.
15."Come out with your hands in the air!" said the policeman.	.
16."Is this all just a dream?" wondered the philosopher.	.
17."Who was the first man on the moon?" asked the historian.	.
18."Where did you find my wallet?" asked Steven.	.