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Difficulties in Reported Speech - English lesson

   DIFFICULTIES IN THE REPORTED SPEECH ...

A huge number of lessons about Direct and Indirect Speeches (when conversations are reported) have been created on this site since its opening ... Excellent lessons ,test-test –test- test –  so, why add to this very good multitude ?

-  when you turn Direct Speech into Reported Speech, you must pay attention to TENSES and know their correspondances ...

- you should remember that ‘to say to' introduces Direct Speech and should be replaced by ‘told' in the Reported Speech.

- you mustn't forget to change the pronouns ...

The adverbs of time or place  in Direct and Reported Speeches  are simply ignored, sometimes even by Advanced adults or natives themselves

1) Adverbs of  PLACE, object and TIME : are very often totally forgotten, even ignored ... It's true that  in conversation, they are sometimes omitted, and very often used in a faulty way ...  (GRRRRRrrrr ! ):BEWARE ! while taking an exam !

This => that  

These =>those

Here => there

Yesterday  = > the day before / the preceding day

Two days ago => Two days before / the preceding days

Four months ago=> Four months before / the preceding 4 months

Today =>On that day

Now =>Then

Last Monday morning => The Monday morning before/ the preceding Monday in the morning

Tomorrow=> the day after / the following day

Next week=> the week after / the following week

Two days later => In two days

A month later =>  In a month

Two years later => In two years

2) Difficulties linked to 'short answers' : 'yes', 'no', 'never' ...  'Short answers' are answers ... given to questions !  (Therefore, the  subjects are not inverted...) 'Who is he ?' => 'I wonder who he is !'

- Use : 'whether' to transform a question which will bring a YES/NO answer :

- In Reported (Indirect) Speech, the auxiliary must be employed (whether it is suggested, or mentioned). : ex 1: 'Do you like them?' 'No, but I'll make an effort !' => 'She asked me if I liked them, I replied I didn't,  but added I would make an effort.' 

ex 2: 'Will you go out with me tonight?' ' No!' => He asked her if she would go out with him on that night, and she answered that she wouldn't.

3) Difficulties linked to modals : You have seen that some modals are 'well-behaved' with Indirect Speech. ('Can I come here?'=> She asked if she could come there. ' No problem ! Could, could have, should and should have are unchanged in the Reported Speech !

Alas, it's different for  MUST and NEEDN'T... which can take several forms :

- a) NECESSITY,  OBLIGATION when the action is taking place : 'I must go now'=> She said she had to go at that moment (then) ; 'I needn't go now!' => She said she didn't have to go (then); 

- b) When it indicates a rule or permanent interdiction, MUST doesn't change : ex : 'Peter, you mustn't jump the red lights' => The instructor told Peter that he mustn't jump the red lights.

4) What should be done if more than two sentences are following ? plus other little difficulties ... If the Reported Speech is made up of several sentences using different grammar forms (such as an interrogative clause, an affirmative one,  and an imperative one,  you must adapt the introductory verbs. If the sentences give some extra information, it's necessary to write : '... adding that' ou 'x added that ...'.

ex : He asked me : 'What's your name ?' added: 'I can't bear late candidates!' and ordered :'Hurry up, and don't speak, now' ! '=> He asked me what my name was, added that he couldn't bear late candidates and ordered me to hurry up and not to speak at that moment.

Don't worry ! Most examiners are very pleasant ... In the following exercise, you'll have to choose the right Indirect Form of a sentence given in the Direct Speech. It's very easy, but be careful because there are about as many traps as possible !

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1. Dad => Mom : 'Have the children put away their toys ? It'll be time for bed in 15 minutes. Dad told Mom that the children had put away their toys and that it will be time for bed 15 minutes later.Dad asked Mom whether the children have put away their toys because it will be time for bed 15 minutes agoDad asked Mom whether the children had put away their toys because it would be time for bed 15 minutes later.I don't know

2. Mary =>Jane. 'Are you free tomorrow night ? I'd like you to come to my party ! Mary asked Jane whether she was free the night before, because she would like her to come to her party.Mary asked Jane whether she was free the following night, because she would like her to come to her party.Mary asked Jane if she was free the following night, because she will like me to come to her party.I don't know

3. Pete => Patricia : 'This work looks difficult to me... Can I help you ?
Pete told Patricia that that work looked difficult to him and asked whether he could help her.Pete told Patricia that that work looks difficult to him and asks whether he can help her.Pete said to Patricia that this work looked difficult to him and asked whether he can help herI don't know

4. Sandy => Jennifer : 'Will you come tonight ?' 'No!'
Sandy told Jennifer that she will come tonight and Jennifer answered that she won't.Sandy asked Jennifer whether she would come that night and Jennifer answered that she wouldn't.Sandy asked Jennifer whether she came that night and Jennifer answered that she won't.I don't know

5. Dad => Johnny : 'Have you tidied up your room ?' 'No, but I will in 10 minutes.' Dad told Johnny to tidy up his room ; Johnny answered that he wouldn't, but had to do it 10 minutes later.Dad asked Johnny whether he had tidied up his room ; Johnny answered that he hadn't, but would do it 10 minutes later.Dad asked Johnny whether he tidied up his room ; he answered that he didn't, but would do it 10 minutes later.I don't know

6. Mom => Paul : 'I heard that Ann was at the dance last night ! Did she have fun ?' ' Yes, and she has danced till now !' Mom ordered Paul that she heard that Ann had been at the dance the night before. She would ask if she had fun and Paul answered that she did and added that she had danced till then.Mom told Paul that she had heard that Ann had been at the dance the night before. She asked if she had had fun and Paul answered that she had and added that she had danced till then.Mom said to Paul that she had heard that Ann had been at the dance last night. She asked if she had fun and Paul answered that she had and added that she danced till then.I don't know

7. Devon => Dad : I need a new tennis racket ! What's the best place to get a new one ? Devon said to Dad that he wanted a new tennis racket and asked what the best place was to get a new one.Devon told Dad that he needed a new tennis racket and asked what the best place was to get a new one.Devon asked Dad whether he wanted a new tennis racket and asked what was the best place to get a new one.I don't know

8. Mom => Olie : Clean yourself ! Don't wipe your dirty fingers on my nice and new tablecloth! and come here when you're no longer dirty !' Mom ordered Olie to clean herself. She added to wipe not her dirty fingers on Mom's new tablecloth and ordered her come back here when she was no longer dirty.Mom ordered Olie clean herself. She added to not wipe her dirty fingers on Mom's new tablecloth and ordered her to come back here when she was no longer dirty.Mom ordered Olie to clean herself. She added not to wipe her dirty fingers on Mom's new tablecloth and ordered her to come back there when she was no longer dirty.I don't know

9. Mom => Granny : 'Did you remember to take your medicine before breakfast? If not, you'd better take it now !' Mom asked Granny if she remembered to take her medicine before breakfast. She added that if she hadn't, she'd better take it now.Mom asked Granny if you remembered to take your medicine before breakfast. She added that if she didn't, she'd better take it then.Mom asked Granny if she had remembered to take her medicine before breakfast. She added that if she hadn't, she'd better take it then.I don't know

10. Dad =>Philip : 'Do as you're told ! Don't answer back ! You're very rude and will be grounded tonight !' Dad ordered Philip to do as he was told, not to answer back, and added that Philip was rude and would be grounded on that night.Dad ordered Philip to do as he's told, not to answer back, and added that Philip was rude and would be grounded this night.Dad ordered Philip do as he was told, not answer back, and added that he was rude and will be grounded on that night.I don't know