Reported Speech

• Engels
• MBO
• Studiejaar 2

Reported Speech

Demonstrative pronouns

What is a reported speech? 

Reported speech (or indirect speech) helps us convey what someone has said or written. As the term suggests, we use it to report what someone else said in the past, without using their exact words. 

Reported speech is used in many different contexts, such as in news articles, investigation/inspection reports, conversations, and academic writing.

Why is reported speech important in English?

Reported speech is important in English because it allows us to accurately convey what someone else has said or written. It allows us to summarize what someone else has said, without using their exact words.

What are the demonstrative pronouns? 

The four English demonstrative pronouns are this, that, these, and those. They are used to highlight something that was previously mentioned or that is clear from the context.

The goal: Demonstrative pronouns “demonstrate” something; using them is the verbal equivalent of pointing at something or someone. They draw attention to the thing or person you’re referring to.

How to use the demonstrative pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns point out the number (singular/enkelvoud or plural/meervoud) and the relative distance of the thing being referred to.

Demonstratives are used to point out the distance between the thing or person being referred to and the person speaking or writing.

This (singular) and these (plural) are the “near”  demonstratives. They indicate someone or something relatively close.

That (singular) and those (plural) are the “far” demonstratives. They indicate someone or something that is relatively far.

Examples

This can refer to literal physical distance—for example, contrasting the distance of two physical objects, people, or locations from the speaker or writer.

Examples: Demonstratives referring to physical distance

These flowers in my hand are tulips. Those, over on the windowsill, are roses.

No, this is my Uncle Bill. That’s my dad over there.

That’s the Van Gogh Museum in the distance, and this building on our left is the concert hall.

Exceptions (uitzonderingen) 

Demonstrative pronouns
_________ is my car right here.

1. This
2. That
3. Which
4. What

Demonstrative pronouns
Do you know________ boys
over there?

1. these
2. those
3. that
4. which

Demonstrative pronouns
______ are not the droids
you're looking for.

1. This
2. those
3. that
4. these

Demonstrative pronouns:

I like ... jumper over here.

1. this
2. that
3. these
4. those

Demonstrative pronouns:

Look at ... shoes over there!

1. this
2. that
3. these
4. those

Demonstrative pronouns:

........... jackets over there are blue.

1. This
2. that
3. these
4. those

______ apple in my hand is fresh.

1. this
2. these
3. those
4. that

______ mountains in the distance are beautiful.

1. that
2. this
3. those
4. these

______ book on the table is mine.

1. that
2. these
3. this
4. those

Which demonstrative pronouns are nearby?

1. this, these
2. that, those

Types of reported speech

Statements are the most common type of reported speech. They are used to report what someone has said in the past. 

Direct speech: "I'm tired," she said.

Reported speech: She said that she was tired.

Questions are also commonly reported. They are used to report a question that someone has asked in the past. 

Direct speech: "What time is it?" he asked.

Reported speech: He asked what time it was.

Commands/Orders are reported less frequently, but they are still important. They are used to report a command that someone has given in the past. 

Direct speech: "Don't forget to lock the door," she said.

Reported speech: She reminded us not to forget to lock the door.

Reporting orders and requests

When we want to report an order or request, we can use a verb like 'tell' with a to-clause: He told me to go away. The pattern is verb + indirect object + to-clause. The indirect object is the person spoken to. Other verbs used to report orders and requests in this way are: command, order, warn, ask, advise, invite, beg, teach, & forbid.

Requests for objects

Requests for objects are reported using the pattern "asked for" + object.

Suggestions

Suggestions are most often reported using the verbs suggest, insist, recommend, demand, request, and propose followed by a that clause. 'That' and 'should' are optional in these clauses, as shown in the first two examples below. 

Note that suggest, recommend, and propose may also be followed by a gerund in order to eliminate the indirect object (the receiver of the suggestion) and thus make the suggestion more polite. This usage of the gerund is illustrated in the fourth and fifth examples below.

Steps 

Direct Speech:  I like chocolate.

1.  Add a reporting verb
2. Backshift our tenses by one 
3. Change our pronouns

Reported Speech: She said (that) she liked chocolate. 

Formula

1. Statements - Uses the reporting verb: Say or said/ Tell or Told

2. Requests/Orders - Uses the reporting verb: verb + indirect object + to-clause. The indirect object is the person spoken to. Other verbs used to report orders and requests in this way are: command, order, warn, ask, advise, invite, beg, teach, & forbid.

3. Questions - Uses reporting verb: ask (as well) moving the modal to behind the subject.

e.g.:  'What time does the train leave?'

He asked me what time the train left.

'Where did he go?'

She asked where he went.

Here's how it works (2)

We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence:

Direct speech: I like ice cream.

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

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 the same if you use 'that' or if you don't use 'that'.)

But, if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then we usually change the tenses in the reported speech:

Direct speech: I like ice cream.

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

He said, 'I am learning English.'

1. He said that he is learning English.
2. He said he learns English.
3. He said that he was learning English.
4. He said he learned English.

She said, 'I will go to the party.'

1. She said she will go to party.
2. She said that she would go to the party.
3. She said that she is going to the party.
4. She said she goes to the party.

They said, 'We have finished our homework.'

1. They said they have finished their homework.
2. They said they finish their homework.
3. They said that they had finished their homework.
4. They said they finished their homework.

John said, 'I can play the guitar.'

1. John said he plays the guitar.
2. John said that he could play the guitar.
3. John said he can play the guitar.
4. John said he played the guitar.

He said, 'Please close the door.'

1. He requested to close the door.
2. He warned about closing the door.
3. He asked if I closed the door.
4. He told me to close the door.

She said, 'Don't touch that.'

1. She suggested to touch that.
2. She advised not to touch that.
3. She asked if I touched that.
4. She commanded touching that.

They said, 'Help us with this.'

1. They asked if I would help.
2. They suggested helping with this.
3. They ordered to help them.
4. They requested help with this.

John said, 'Close the window.'

1. John asked to close the window.
2. John said close the window.
3. John told to close the window.
4. John wants to close the window.

Mary said, 'Please help me.'

1. Mary said help her.
2. Mary requested to help her.
3. Mary asked to help me.
4. Mary wanted help.

Tom said, 'Don't touch that.'

1. Tom told not to touch that.
2. Tom said don't touch that.
3. Tom requested not to touch that.
4. Tom warned not to touch that.

She said, 'I am going to the store.'

1. She said she went to the store.
2. She said she is going to the store.
3. She said she goes to the store.
4. She said that she was going to the store.

Listening exercise

In the following listening exercise, you're going to watch: 

Airplane technology: Detachable cabins, Mach 24, and crazy patents - future airplanes compilation

• Click on the link
• Connect to Edpuzzle with your Gmail account 
• Answer the questions correctly. 

edpuzzle.com

edpuzzle.com

edpuzzle.com

Homework

• Study Meteorology and weather forecast vocabulary list
• Object pronouns
• Subject pronouns
• Possessive pronouns 
• Reported Speech
• Demonstrative pronouns
• Listening test on the second week of January (week van 13 januari)

toa.toets.nl