§ 2. When direct speech is converted into indirect speech the following changes are introduced:

a. The quotation marks and the comma (or colon) are omitted.

b. In reported speech we often change the actual words, e.g. “I am tired” - He is tired. Sometimes the verb changes, e.g. I want - She wanted.

If the speaker reports somebody else's words the pronouns of the 1st person are replaced by those of the 3rd person; the pro­nouns of the 2nd by those of the 1st or 3rd.

He said, "I am ready."

He said he was ready

If the speaker reports his or her own words, the pronouns are naturally not changed:

I said, "I am ready.

I said I was ready

c. When we reported statements, we often use that, but we can sometimes leave it out.

Tom said (that) he was going to give up his job.

You told him (that) you would be late.

When we leave out that, we sound less formal.

We can also report thoughts as well as speech:

Dave knew it was his last chance.

We think the meat was expensive.

d. Tell or say?

We use tell if we want to say who we are speaking to:

The boss told them they could leave early.

NOT The boss told they could …

Also : you can’t say Tom told about his trip to America.

You have to say: Tom told us (or me/them/Ann, etc.) about his trip to America.

If you don’t say who he told, you have to say:

Tom talked (or spoke) about his trip to America. (but not “said about”).

We use tell without an indirect object (e.g. them, me) only in the expressions tell a story, tell the truth and to tell a lie.

We use say when we do not mention the person we are speaking to:

The boss said they could leave early.

NOT The boss said them they could…

We sometimes use to after say, especially when the words are not reported:

The boss wanted to say something to do all of them.

What did Pamela say to you?

Exercise I. Use the verb to say or to tell.

1. "You ought to be grateful," he _ her in his light cocksure conceited manner. (Greene) 2. He _ I must talk with your friend. (Marryat) 3. "Look at me, Gretta," he _ her, patting her ^cheek with his hand. (Caldwell) 4. I _ I would write to him to-morrow. (Marryat) 5. They met some people soon after they had got inside, who _ they had been there [in the maze] for three quarters of an hour, and had had about enough of it. Harris _ them they could follow him, if they liked. -. They ___ it was very kind of him, and fell behind, and followed. (Jerome K. Jerome) 6. Нarris kept on turning to the right, but it seemed a long way, and cousin _ he supposed it was a very big maze. "Oh, one of he largest in Europe," _ Harris. (Jerome K. Jerome) 7. Harris ___he thought it was a very fine maze. (Jerome K. Jerome) 8. The man _ he would go and consult his master. (Jerome K. Jerome) 9. Fox _ me that you were here! (Wilson) 10. She _ she would _ us all about it the next time we met.

Exercise 2. Use the verb to say or to tell.

1.All the doctors ___ there’s nothing wrong with me. 2.Did you ___ Nancy how to get here? 3.Jeremy is going to ___ everyone about the meeting. 4.Why don’t you ____ what the matte is? 5. They __ they’re going to build a new Disneyland here. 6.What did Fiona _ about her holiday plans? 7.Could you __ me the way to the bus station, please? 8юЕру company should _ its employees what’s going on.

e. If the verb in the principal clause is in the past tense, de­monstrative pronouns and adverbials expressing nearness are replaced by words expressing distance:

Here is replaced by there.

This by that, these by those.

Now by then, at that time (moment), or no adverb is used at all.

Today is replaced by that day.

Yesterday by the day before or on the previous day.

Ago by before.

A year ago by a year before.

Last night by the previous night.

direct speech She said, «We have been here a week before." She said, "I met them yesterday." She said, "We can't settle anything now."

INDIRECT SPEECH She said they had been there a week before She said she had met them the day before. She said they could not settle anything at that moment (then).

If the speaker speaks in the same place and at the same time as the speaker whose words are reported, the demonstrative pro­nouns and adverbs are not changed.

"An hour ago he said he would come here to-night." I told him I wouldn't give him an answer till to-morrow. (Wilde)

f. If the verb in the principal clause is in the past tense, the tenses are changed according to the rule of the sequence of tenses.

DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH

The Present Indefinite is replaced by the Past Indefinite

She said, "We often write letters."

She said they often wrote letters.

The Present Continuous is replaced by the Past Continuous.

She said, "We are writing a letter."

She said they were writing a letter.

The Present Perfect is replaced by the Past Perfect.

She said, "We have just written a letter."

She said they had just written a letter.

The Present Perfect Continuous is replaced by the Past Perfect Continuous.

She said, "We have been writing for an hour."

She said they had been writing for an hour.

The Past Indefinite is replaced by the Past Perfect.

She said, "We wrote a letter last night."

She said they had written a letter on the previous night.

The Past Continuous generally remains unchanged, or is replaced by the Past Perfect Continuous.

She said, "I was writing at 5 o'clock."

She said she was (had been) writing at 5 o'clock.

The Past Perfect remains unchanged.

She said, "We had written the letter by 5 o'clock."

She said they had written the letter by 5 o'clock

The Past Perfect Continuous remains unchanged.

She said, "We had been writing for an hour by 5 o'clock."

She said they had been writing for an hour by 5 o'clock.

The Future Indefinite is replaced by the Future Indefinite in the Past.

She said, "We’ll write a letter to-morrow."

She said they would write a letter the next day.

The Future Continuous is replaced by the Future Continuous in the Past.

The Future Perfect is replaced by the Future Perfect in the Past.

She said, "We'll have written the letter by 5 o'clock."

She said they would have written the letter by 5 o'clock.

The Future Perfect Continuous is replaced by the Future Per­fect Continuous in the Past.

She said, "We'll have been writing for 2 hours by 5 o'clock."

She said they would have been writing for 2 hours by 5 o'clock.