reported speech/2

• Engels
• MBO
• Studiejaar 4

reported speech

verschil: rechtstreeks of he/she said that

We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'.

Direct speech: I like ice cream.

Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.

mind that

We don't need to change the tense, though probably we do need to change the 'person' from 'I' to 'she', for example. We also may need to change words like 'my' and 'your'.

(As I'm sure you know, often, we can choose if we want to use 'that' or not in English. I've put it in brackets () to show that it's optional. It's exactly the same if you use 'that' or if you don't use 'that'.)

But, if the reporting verb is in the past tense,

then usually we change the tenses in the reported speech:

Direct speech: I like ice cream.

Reported speech: She said (that) she liked ice cream.

voorbeelden van hoe de tijd mee veranderd

present continuous I am living in London -->  She said (that) she was living in London.

past simple I bought a car --> She said (that) she had bought a car OR She said (that) she bought a car.

past continuous I was walking along the street-->  She said (that) she had been walking along the street.

present perfect I haven't seen Julie --> She said (that) she hadn't seen Julie.

past perfect* I had taken English lessons before -->  She said (that) she had taken English lessons before.

should* I should call my mother She said (that) she should call her mother

might* I might be late She said (that) she might be late

must I must study at the weekend She said (that) she must study at the weekend OR She said she had to study at the weekend

vervolg voorbeelden

will I'll see you later --> She said (that) she would see me later.

would* I would help, but-- .> She said (that) she would help but...

can I can speak perfect English --> She said (that) she could speak perfect English.

could* I could swim when I was four --> She said (that) she could swim when she was four.

shall I shall come later --> She said (that) she would come later.

vervolg voorbeelden/2

should* I should call my mother She said (that) she should call her mother

might* I might be late She said (that) she might be late

must I must study at the weekend She said (that) she must study at the weekend OR She said she had to study at the weekend

Occasionally, we don't need to change the present tense into the past if the information in direct speech is still true

Direct speech: The sky is blue.

Reported speech: She said (that) the sky is/was blue.

but this is only for things which are general facts, and even then usually we like to change the tense):

He works in a bank."

We went out last night

I'm coming

I was waiting for the bus when he arrived.

I'd never been there before