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Learn it your way
A short class with Sarah and her students. The other ways are under More.
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Today, we’re diving into reported speech. Can anyone tell me what they think it means?
I think it’s when you tell someone what someone else said without quoting them directly.
Exactly! Reported speech allows us to share information without using the speaker's exact words. Why do you think this is useful?
Maybe because it’s easier to summarize things?
Or when we want to paraphrase?
Great points! It helps condense information and can make it flow better in conversation. Remember the acronym R.E.P.O.R.T - 'Reframe, Express, Pronoun changes, Order of verbs, Relate time, and Tone change'. This will help us remember the key aspects of converting statements.
Let’s look at direct statements first. What do we need to change when converting them to reported speech?
We remove the quotation marks.
Correct! What else do we do?
We need to change the tense. For example, present to past.
Absolutely right! For example, 'He said, “I am going to the market.”' becomes 'He said that he was going to the market.' Can anyone give me another example?
How about, 'She said, “I love chocolate.”' becomes 'She said that she loved chocolate.'?
Exactly! You’re all grasping this well.
Next, we'll learn about reporting questions. What’s different when we deal with questions as opposed to statements?
We use 'if' or 'whether' for yes/no questions.
Exactly! For example, 'He asked, “Are you coming?”' becomes 'He asked if I was coming.' What about wh-questions?
They use the wh-word directly, like 'where' or 'what'.
Correct! Like in 'She asked, “Where do you live?”' becomes 'She asked where I lived.' Why do we change the verb to a statement format?
Because we're not asking anymore, we’re sharing the information.
Right! You all are fantastic at this!
Now, let’s cover commands and requests. What do we need to add when converting these?
We use verbs like 'ordered', 'requested', or 'advised'.
Correct! And what about the structure we need to use after these verbs?
'To' + base form of the verb.
Exactly! For example, 'The teacher said, “Open your books.”' becomes 'The teacher ordered them to open their books.' Can you give me another example?
'He said, “Please help me.”' would be 'He requested me to help him.'
Great job! Let’s also remember to use 'not to' for negative requests, like 'Don’t waste food.'
To report what they said, change the tense instead.
Imagine a reporter at a scene telling the story of what someone said, they change their words to fit the news.
R.E.P.O.R.T: Reframe, Express, Pronoun change, Order of verbs, Relate time.
RAPID: Remove quotes, Adjust pronouns, Past tense, Index of time changes, Direct verb changes.
Term
Reported Speech
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Term
Direct Speech Example
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Term
Changes in Tenses
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The act of conveying what someone else said without using their exact words.
Using the exact words of a speaker, enclosed in quotation marks.
The process of changing the tense when converting from direct to reported speech.
A word used to connect clauses, such as 'that', 'if', or question words.
Adjusting pronouns to fit the perspective of the reporting speaker.
This section explores the rules and transformations involved in converting direct speech to reported speech, covering statements, questions, and commands.
The section explains how to change direct speech into reported speech by modifying quotation marks, pronouns, tenses, and expressions of time and place. It categorizes the transformations into statements, questions (yes/no and wh-questions), and commands, providing numerous examples for each case.
In the context of grammar, reported speech (or indirect speech) is a way of conveying what someone else has said without using their exact words. This section outlines the key rules for converting direct speech into reported speech, emphasizing the need to remove quotation marks and the use of appropriate conjunctions (like 'that', 'if', or question words). It discusses how to adjust pronouns according to the speaker and listener, change verb tenses for accuracy (known as backshifting), and modify time and place expressions to fit the context of the reporting.
Statements: Transforming direct statements involves changing the tense and adjusting the structure. For instance:
Questions: For yes/no questions, ‘if’ or ‘whether’ is used, while wh-questions retain their interrogative words. Example:
Commands/Requests/Advice: Special verbs like 'ordered', 'requested', or 'advised' are employed, combined with 'to' + infinitive for positive commands and 'not to' + infinitive for negatives. Example:
Overall, mastering reported speech is crucial for effective communication and comprehension in English.