Types of introductory sentences

The word say in introductory sentences can be substituted with other words, e.g.

• add

• decide

• know

• mention

• remark

• tell (vs say)*

• think

For example:

Mike: ‘Leila is my best friend’.

Mike mentioned that Leila was/is his best friend.

*Say-Tell

• say + no personal object – Joe said he was an actor.

• say + to + personal object – Joe said to us he was an actor.

• tell + personal object – Joe told us he was an actor.

Expressions used with say, tell and ask.

Say	hello, good morning/afternoon etc., something/nothing, so, a prayer, a few words, no more, for certain/sure,etc
Tell	the truth, a lie, a story, a secret, a joke, the time, the difference, one from another, somebody one’s name, somebody the way, somebody so, someone’s fortune, etc
Ask	a question, a favour, the price, after somebody, the time, around, for something/somebody,etc

1-B.Changing of the person

In reported speech, personal/possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives change according to the meaning of the sentence.

Phoebe said: ‘I’m going to sing my latest hit song.’

Phoebe said (that) she was going to sing her latest hit song.

1-C. Shifting of expressions of time/place

Certain words and time expressions change according to the meaning as follows:

now	→ then, immediately
today	→ that day
yesterday	→ the day before, the previous day
tomorrow	→ the next/following day
this week	→ that week
last week	→ the week before, the previous week
next week	→ the week after, the following week
ago	→ before
here	→ there
come	→ go
bring	→ take

2. Reported commands/requests

There is no backshift of tenses with commands/requests in Reported Speech.

You only have to change the person and shift expressions of time/place.

Forms:

• affirmative commands → to + infinitive

• negative commands → not + to + infinitive

1.1. Affirmative commands

• Direct Speech → Dad: “Do your homework.”

• Reported Speech → Dad told me to do my homework.

1.2. Negative commands

• Direct Speech → Teacher: “Don't talk to your friend.”

• Reported Speech → The teacher told me not to talk to my friend.

1.3. The introductory sentence in commands

The word tell in introductory sentences in Reported Commands can be substituted with other words, e.g.: to ask, to advise.

For example: My mom asked me to bring her iPhone.

There is no backshift of tenses, no matter which tense is used in the introductory sentence.

Direct Speech

• Dad: “Do your homework.”

Reported Speech

• Dad tells me to do my homework.

• Dad told me to do my homework.

2. Suggestions

Direct Speech

• Father: “Let's watch a film.”

Reported Speech

• Father suggested watching a film.

• Father suggested that they should watch a film

Do not use the infintive after suggest. Father suggested to watch watching a film.

3. REPORTED QUESTIONS

In Reported speech the question becomes a statement.

!!! MIND THE WORD ORDER: SUBJECT – VERB

1. The introductory sentence in Reported Questions

1.1. The introductory sentence is in the Simple Present

If the introductory sentence is in the Simple Present, there is no backshift of tenses.

• Direct Speech → Susan: “Does Mary work in an office?”

• Reported Speech → Susan asks if/whether Mary works in an office.

The introductory sentence: Susan asks ... → is in the Simple Present. There is no backshift of tenses. The auxiliary do is dropped.

1.2. The introductory sentence in the Simple Past

If the introductory sentence is in the Simple Past, there is mostly backshift of tenses.

• Direct Speech → Susan: “Does Mary work in an office?”

• Reported Speech → Susan asked if/whether Mary worked in an office.

The introductory sentence: Susan asked... → is in the Simple Past. There is backshift of tenses.

1.3. Types of introductory sentences

The word ‘ask’ in introductory sentences in Reported Questions can be substituted with other words, e.g.: want to know, wonder

For example:

Susan: Did you charge the battery?

Susan wanted to know if I had charged the battery.

2. Questions with and without question words

• Questions can be formed with or without question words.

If there is a question without a question word in Direct Speech, use whether or if in Reported Speech.

Ex.: Peter: “Do you play football?” → Peter asked me whether (if) I played football.

• If there is a question with a question word in Direct Speech, use this question word in Reported Speech.

Ex.: Peter: “When do you play football?” → Peter asked me\ when I played football.

EXERCISES

1

Fill in the gaps with say or tell in the correct tense.

A. 1. All the experts _____ the earth is getting warmer

2. Did you ____ Mark and Sarah how to find our house?

3. The Sales Manager is going to ____ everyone about the meeting.

4. Vicky, why don’t you just ____ what the matter is?

5. They ____ they’re going to build a new Disney World here.

6. What did Natasha ____ about her holiday plans?

7. Could you ____ me the way to the train station, please?

8. The company should ____ its employees what’s going on.

9. You shouldn’t ____ lies, you know, Matthew.

10. Did you ____ anything to Melanie about the barbecue?

B. ‘This sugar-free chocolate is delicious’, ____ Sandra. ‘I can’t ____ the difference between the chocolate and the one containing sugar.’ ‘I like it, too’, ____ Mark. ‘I wish someone had ____ me about it sooner. I could have lost so much weight, ’____ Sandra. ‘I like you just the way you are, ‘ she ____ him.

C. ‘I saw Paul in town today’, Steve ____ Louise. ‘I ____ good afternoon to him and noticed that he’d had his hair cut. I should have ____ something about it, but it looked awful, so I didn’t mention it’. ‘You did the right thing’, Louise ____ him. ‘It’s better to ____ nothing than to ____ a lie.

D. At Alison’s wedding reception, her father stood up and ____ the guests that he would like to ____ a few words. He started to ____ a story about when Alison was young. Alison felt embarrassed, but she didn’t ____ so. Then, her father ____ the guests some jokes, which everyone found very funny. Finally, he ____ a prayer for the happy couple.

2

Finish the sentences using Reported speech. Always change the tense, although it is sometimes not necessary.

Example: Peter: "I clean the black shoes."

Peter told me that ____________________________

Answer: Peter told me that he cleaned the black shoes.

1) John: "Mandy is at home." John said that ______

2) Max: "Frank often reads a book." Max told me that _________

3) Susan: "I'm watching TV." Susan said to me that ________

4) Simon: "David was ill." Simon said that _______

5) Peggy: "The girls helped in the house." Peggy told me that ________

6) Richard: "I am going to ride a skateboard." Richard said to me that _______

7) Stephen and Claire: "We have cleaned the windows." Stephen and Claire told me that ______

8) Charles: "I didn't have time to do my homework." Charles remarked that ________

9) Mrs. Johns: "My mother will be 50 years old." Mrs Jones told me that _______

10) Jean: "The boss must sign the letter." Jean said that ______

3

Finish the sentences using Reported speech. Always change the tense, although it is sometimes not necessary.

Example: Peter: "I cleaned the black shoes yesterday."

Peter told me that ________

Answer: Peter told me that he had cleaned the black shoes the day before.

1) Emily: "Our teacher will go to Leipzig tomorrow." Emily said that ______

2) Helen: "I was writing a letter yesterday." Helen told me that ________

3) Robert: "My father flew to Dallas last year." Robert told me that _______

4) Lisa: "Tim went to the stadium an hour ago." Lisa said that _______

5) Patricia: "My mother will celebrate her birthday next weekend." Patricia said that _______

6) Michael: "I am going to read a book this week." Michael said to me that _______

7) Jason and Victoria: "We will do our best in the exams tomorrow." Jason and Victoria told me that _______

8) Andrew: "We didn't eat fish two days ago." Andrew remarked that _______

9) Alice: "I spent all my pocket money on Monday." Alice complained that ________

10) David: "John had already gone at six." David said that _______

4

Rewrite these sentences using direct speech. Complete the sentence.

1) She said that she had seen the robber leave the bank. - She said, "…"

2) She told them to go to bed. - She told them, "…!"

3) He said he couldn’t get to sleep that night. - He said, "…"

4) He told her that he would phone her the next day. - He told her, "…"

5) She asked him if he could phone her that evening. - "…?" she asked him.

6) They said they had to get up early the following morning. - "…," they said.

7) They said that they didn’t want to be late. - They said, "…."

8) She said she was going into town later that morning. - She said, "…"

9) He told them he had always wanted to play James Bond. - He told them, "…"

10) Pond said that he had been working at a tea company before he became a spy. - Pond said, …"

5

Choose the correct answer a, b or c.

1) Mary: "I will go downtown tomorrow."

Jill: "Mary said (that) she would go downtown ."

a. on Friday b. tomorrow c. the following/next day

2) Mary: "I am going to play tennis today."

Jill: "Mary said (that) she was going to play tennis ."

a. that day b. today c. tomorrow

3) Mary: "I went shopping yesterday."

Jill: "Mary said (that) she had gone shopping ."

a. yesterday b. the day before c. on Saturday

4) Mary: "I am enjoying life now."

Jill: "Mary said (that) she was enjoying life ."

a. now b. at that time c. today

5) Mary: "I will cook dinner later this evening."

Jill: "Mary said (that) she would cook dinner later .

a. that evening b. in the evening c. this evening

6) Mary: "I'm going to class in three hours."

Jill: "Mary said (that) she was going to class ."

a. three hours before b. three hours later c. in three hours

7) Mary: "I went to bed early last night."

Jill: "Mary said (that) she had gone to bed early ."

a. the night before b. last night c. the night prior

8) Mary: "I am going to go to London in 10 days."

Jill: "Mary said (that) she was going to go to London ."

a. in 10 days b. 10 days later c. on Wednesday

9) Mary: "I had lunch at noon."

Jill: "Mary said (that) she had had lunch .

a. at 12 o'clock b. at noon c. that noon

10) Mary: "I will play cards the day after tomorrow."

Jill: Mary said (that) she would play cards ."

a. in two days b. on Thursday c. two days later

11) Mary: "I bought it three years ago."

Jill: "Mary said (that) she had bought it ."

a. in three years b. three years ago c. three years before

6

For each of the following sentences, read the direct quote, and then complete the sentence.