Tense Changes in Reported Speech

Tense Changes in Reported Speech

When the introductory verb (глагол главного предложения, который вводит прямую речь) is in the present tense, there is no tense change in the indirect statement, that is, the rules the Sequence of English Tenses aren’t observed. You are only to follow the rule of conversion the direct speech into the reported one.

D irect s peech	R eported s peech
Jack says, “She knows the answer”.	Jack says (that) she knows the answer.
Ann says, “We are leaving at 5”.	Ann says (that) they are leaving at 5.
Bob says, “I have read the story”.	Bob says (that) he has read the story.
Sue says, “They told the truth”.	Sue says (that) they told the truth.
Jim says, “I was thinking about it”.	Jim says (that) he was thinking about it.
Greg says, “Dad will speak to you”.	Greg says (that) dad will speak to me.
Paul says, “He can swim here”.	Paul says (that) he can swim here, etc.

 1. Translate. Reconstruct the direct speech from the reported statements.

1. My uncle says he has just come back from the Caucasus. 2. He says he has spent a fortnight in the Caucasus. 3. He says it did him a lot of good. 4. He says he feels better now. 5. He says his wife and he spent most of their time on the beach. 6. He says they did a lot of sightseeing. 7. He says he has a good camera. 8. He says he took many photographs while travelling in the Caucasus. 9. He says he will come to see us next Sunday. 10. He says he will bring and show us the photographs he took during his stay in the Caucasus. 11. Nick says he is going to the hotel to see his friends, who have just arrived in St. Petersburg from the United States of America. 12. He says they have not been here for a long time. 13. He says they were friends at school.

 

 

The Sequence of English Tenses.

If the introductory verb is in the past tense, the verb in the reported statement must be changed.

 

Simple

Continuous

Perfect Perfect Continuous

Past

 

 

He said

that…

Present write

am writing

have written have been writing Past   wrote  

was writing

had written   had been writing Future will write will be writing

will have written

will have been writing Future-in- the-Past  would write would be writing

would have written

would have been writing                

 

 

Study the forms of the verb – to write – in the reported speech.

 

 

Tense-form	Direct	Reported
Present Simple	write	wrote
Past Simple	wrote	had written
Future Simple	will write	would write
Present Progressive	is writing	was writing
Past Progressive	was writing	was writing/had been writing
Future Progressive	will be writing	would be writing
Present Perfect	have/has written	had written
Past Perfect	had written	had written
Future Perfect	will have written	would have written
Present Perfect Progressive	have been writing	had been writing
Past Perfect Progressive	had been writing	had been writing
Future Perfect Progressive	will have been writing	would have been writing

 

Direct speech

Reported speech

now теперь then, at that time тогда, в то время today сегодня that day в тот день tonight сегодня вечером that night в тот вечер yesterday вчера the day before, the previous day накануне tomorrow завтра the next day, the following day на следующий день the day after tomorrow послезавтра a day later день спустя in an hour через час an hour later час спустя this week на этой неделе that week на той неделе last week на прошлой неделе the week before неделю спустя next week на следующей неделе the following week на будущей неделе two days ago два дня назад two days before за два дня до этого here здесь there там come* приходить go* идти

 Study the samples

Direct speech	Reported speech
Present Simple Jack said, “ Sheknows the answer	Past Simple Jack said (that) sheknew the answer.
Past Simple Sue said, “ Theytold the truth.”	Past Perfect Sue said (that) theyhad told the truth.
Future Simple Greg said, “Dad will speak to you. ”	Future in- the- Past Greg said (that) dad would speak to me.
Present Continuous Anna said, “We are leaving today. ”	Past Continuous Anna said (that) theywere leaving that day.
Past Continuous I said: “I was thinking about it all day long.	Past Continuous/Past Perfect Continuous I said (that) I was / had been thinking about it all day long.
Future Continuous Alec said, “ I shall be reading for my exam all day long tomorrow. ”	Future Continuous in-the-Past Alec said (that) shewould be reading for her exam all day long the next day. ”
Present Perfect Bob said, “ I have read the story.”	Past Perfect Bob said (that) hehad read the story.
Past Perfect Matt said, “I had read this book by yesterday. ”	Past Perfect Matt said (that) hehad read this book by the day before. ”

Reporting Statements

        Say – and – tell – are usually used to introduce indirect statements. However,    other words can be used too.

Introductory words	translation	Introductory words	translation
to announce to answer to complain of smth. to declare to deny to remind of to mention to promise to remark on to reply to to state to inform smb. of to retort to request to confess to boast to smb. about to point out to repent	объявлять отвечать жаловаться заявлять отрицать напоминать упоминать обещать отмечать отвечать утверждать сообщать возражать просить признаваться хвастаться указывать раскаиваться	to let know of to claim to report to to impart to to explain to to exclaim to hint at to emphasize to propose to recommend to suppose to guess to flare up to forewarn to reproach to recollect to keep smb. up to acknowledge	сообщать утверждать сообщать сообщать объяснять восклицать намекать подчеркивать предлагать рекомендовать полагать считать рассердиться предупреждать упрекать вспоминать поддерживать подтверждать

 

 

Study the steps of turning the direct statement into the reported one.

1. Omit quotation marks.

2. Change pronouns and possessives into second and the third person.

3. Use the “key-word” – that.

            4. Change the tense of the verb in the subordinate clause according to the new subject and the rule – “ one tense back.”

e.g. He said,” I shall call you tomorrow.”          

                 1             2               3                       4

                that       subject       verb     remainder  of the sentence

                 that         he        would call     me the next day.

7. Say the following statements in the reported speech. Do use the introductory words.

He said: (that)

“I am fine”. “I live in Astrakhan”. “Yesterday I was at home”. “I am learning the rule now”. “My father has just gone for work”. “The weather is nice today”. “I am going to the theatre tonight”. “Lucy will come on Sunday”. “We had two tests last week”. “I have been reading for the exam for an hour”. “My brother studies at the University”.

Reporting “Yes / No” Questions (general)

Yes/No Questions are reported with – if, whether or whether not. (союзы, имеющие значение частицы – ли)

  Study the steps of turning general questions into the reported ones.

1. Omit quotation marks.

2.  Omit such auxiliary– verbs as: do, does, did

3. Use the “key-word” – if or whether, whether not.

4.  Change pronouns and possessives into second and the third person.

5. Change the tense of the verb in the subordinate clause according to the new subject and the rule – “ one tense back.”

            The word order in the reported general question is as follows:

e.g. He asked, “Are you students?”                He asked if we were students                                                   

1                      2                   3                         4

 

     if, whether         subject       verb     remainder of the sentence         whether                   we      were students            or not

 

Instead of – ask – as an introductory verb, the following must be used:

Introductory word	translation
1. to want to know 2. to inquire 3. to wonder 4. to try to find out 5. would like to learn, to know 6. It (is) was interesting for me (him, her)	1. хотеть знать 2. выяснять 3. интересоваться 4. пытаться выяснить 5. хотелось бы узнать 6. Мне (ему, ей…) интересно

8. Report the general questions in indirect speech. Change the introductory words.

1. John asked, “Has anybody seen the film?”

2. He asked, “Are you listening to music now?”

3. She asked, “Have you been working hard on this problem?”

4. She asked, “Were you in the library yesterday?”

5. He asks, “Does she work now?”

6. He asks, “Has she been reading this book since Monday?”

7. Jane asked, “Can anybody tell me what you have been discussing all this time?”

8. He asked, “Will you be at Nick and Carol’s party tonight?”

9. Bob asked, “Do you need any help?”

  10. He asked, “Did your mother enjoy yesterday’s film?”

  11. Mom asked, “Had you had diner before you went to the University?”

 

Reporting “Yes/ No” Answers

Yes/No Answer s are expressed by subject + appropriate auxiliary verb (подходящий вспомогательный глагол)

– He asked, “Are you going to Kiev?” and she answered, “Yes”.

– He asked if she was going to Kiev and she answered, she was.

– He asked, “Are you meeting him soon?” and I answered, “No”.

             –  He asked if I was meeting him soon and I answered, I was not.

 

The following ways to say – “Yes”– are also possible:

She consented She gave her assent She agreed to smb. / with smth. She gave in / a way She confirmed She accepted the proposal She submitted She answered in the positive / affirmative

Она согласилась Она дала согласие Она согласилась Она уступила Она подтвердила Она приняла предложение Она подчинилась Она ответила утвердительно

 

The following ways to say – “No” are also possible

She denied She rejected She objected She was against She contradicted She refused She declined the proposal She answered in the negative

Она отрицала Она отклонила предложение Она возразила Она была против Она опровергла, отрицала Она отказалась Она отклонила предложение Она ответила отрицательно

14. Report the following questions and answers in indirect speech.

1. He asked, “Are you a secretary?” and she said, “Yes.”

2. He asked, “Have you received our invitation to the wedding?” and she said, “Yes.”

3. He asked, “Were you in the office at 6 p.m.?” and she said, “Yes.”

4. He asked, “Will you go out with me tonight?” and she said, “No.”

5. He asked, “Did you tell Pete about it?” and she said, “No.”

6. He asked, “Did you see this film?” and she said, “No.”

 

Useful advice

1. Use such verbs as: to go on to proceed on + to tell, to say, to remark, to point out etc ., to continue            to keep on to denote the continuation of the activity in the meaning of: “ Затем он сказал, обратил внимание, отметил …” etc.   e.g. He went on to tell, to point out, to remark…
2. Don’t forget to use “the Ving” forms of the verbs:	thinking, saying, seeing, hearing … etc., in the meaning of: думая, подумав, говоря, сказав, увидев, видя, услышав, etc.	2. I am very happy today”, he said. He expressed his happiness, sayingthat he was very happy that day.

 

Mixed exercises

 15. Statements

Саша сказал, что

- он живет в Москве.

- он гостит в семье Гэрэтов.

- он уже побывал в Музее кока-колы в Атланте.

- он скоро поедет в Нью-Йорк.

- он вернется в Атланту к первому августа.

General Questions

Служащий таможни (customs official) спросил Сашу:

                          - едет ли он в Америку один.

- бывал ли он в Америке раньше.

- будет ли он жить в Нью-Йорке.

- привез ли он в подарок русские матрешки. (Russian dolls)

- хорошо ли он себя чувствует после полета.

Special questions

Служащий таможни спросил Сашу:

- откуда он родом.

- какова цель (the goal of) его визита.

- где он собирается жить.

- как долго он пробудет в Америке.

- когда он возвратится.

Requests

Джо позвонил Саше и попросил его:

- приехать погостить (to stay) в Нью-Йорк.

- приехать в Нью-Йорк на поезде.

 

Restore the direct speech.

1. I asked him if the doctor had given him any medicine. I asked him if he was feeling better then. 2. I asked the man how long he had been in St. Petersburg. 3. I asked him if he was going to a healthy resort. 4. We asked the girl if her father was still in Moscow. 5. I asked the girl what sort of work her father did. 6. I asked if they had taken the sick man to hospital. 7. I asked my friend if he had a headache. 8. I wanted to know when he had fallen ill. 9. I wondered if he had taken his temperature.

 

Tense Changes in Reported Speech

When the introductory verb (глагол главного предложения, который вводит прямую речь) is in the present tense, there is no tense change in the indirect statement, that is, the rules the Sequence of English Tenses aren’t observed. You are only to follow the rule of conversion the direct speech into the reported one.

D irect s peech	R eported s peech
Jack says, “She knows the answer”.	Jack says (that) she knows the answer.
Ann says, “We are leaving at 5”.	Ann says (that) they are leaving at 5.
Bob says, “I have read the story”.	Bob says (that) he has read the story.
Sue says, “They told the truth”.	Sue says (that) they told the truth.
Jim says, “I was thinking about it”.	Jim says (that) he was thinking about it.
Greg says, “Dad will speak to you”.	Greg says (that) dad will speak to me.
Paul says, “He can swim here”.	Paul says (that) he can swim here, etc.

 1. Translate. Reconstruct the direct speech from the reported statements.

1. My uncle says he has just come back from the Caucasus. 2. He says he has spent a fortnight in the Caucasus. 3. He says it did him a lot of good. 4. He says he feels better now. 5. He says his wife and he spent most of their time on the beach. 6. He says they did a lot of sightseeing. 7. He says he has a good camera. 8. He says he took many photographs while travelling in the Caucasus. 9. He says he will come to see us next Sunday. 10. He says he will bring and show us the photographs he took during his stay in the Caucasus. 11. Nick says he is going to the hotel to see his friends, who have just arrived in St. Petersburg from the United States of America. 12. He says they have not been here for a long time. 13. He says they were friends at school.