Direct and Indirect speech 1. Indirect statements
Study the following pairs of sentences in Direct and Indirect Speech. Notice carefully the changes in personal and possessive pronouns. Indirect Speech is formed according to the Rule of the Sequence of Tenses. The verbs most commonly used to introduce the reported speech are: to tell, to say, to add, to notice, to remark, to explain, to inform, to remind, etc.
to say smth (to smb) to tell smb smth
| DIRECT SPEECH | INDIRECT SPEECH |
| Jimmy said, "My brother is learning to drive." (The Present Continuous Tense) | Jimmy said that his brother was learning to drive. (The Past Continuous Tense) |
| Nick said, "Sometimes 1 go home by tram." (The Present Indefinite Tense) | Nick said that sometimes he went home by tram. (The Past Indefinite Tense) |
| The teacher told John, "You didn't write exercise two." Frank said, "Ron fell down, but he didn't hurt himself." (The Past Indefinite Tense) | The teacher told John that he hadn't written exercise two. Frank said that Ron had fallen down, but he hadn't hurt himself. (The Past Perfect Tense) |
| Bob said, "My uncle has just arrived from Paris." (The Present Perfect Tense) | Bob said that his uncle had just arrived from Paris. (The Past Perfect Tense) |
If the reporting verb is in the present, the tenses that follow are usually the same as those used in the original statement.
"I've eaten." о Не says he has eaten.
"I enjoyed it." о Не says he enjoyed it.
The reporting verb is often in the present when:
□ we are passing on messages: "What does Mother say?" -
She says you must come in now.
□ reading aloud, reporting: The instructions say that you connect this plug to the set.
□ reporting what someone often says: She's always telling me how rich she is.
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EXERCISES
Ex. 1. (A) Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech.
1. Jack told his father, "I hope to pass the examination." 2. Henry said to me, "The teacher is listening to us." 3. Bob said to Tom, "I made no mistakes in the last dictation." 4.1 told the policeman, "I saw the thief in the garden." 5. He said, "I haven't read many English books." 6. Jack's father said to him, "You haven't cleaned your shoes." 7. Mary said, "I don't want to wear my old dress." 8. My mother said to me, "I feel very tired, and I have a headache." 9. My friend told me, "We have plenty of time to do our work." 10.1 said to my sister, "I haven't seen my uncle for a long time."
Ex. 2. (A, B) Change the following sentences into Direct Speech.
1. My sister said that she hadn't got a watch. 2. The teacher told his students that he was pleased with their work. 3.1 told him that I hadn't seen his brother for a long time. 4.1 told my mother that Henry was studying medicine at the University. 5. She told the grocer that she didn't want any sugar. 6. We told the teacher that we didn't understand his question. 7.1 told the taxi-driver that he was driving too fast. 8. She said that her children were playing in the garden.
Ex. 3. Choose the correct word from those in brackets.
1. My grandmother always______ me about her childhood, (says/tells)
2. "Don't do that!" she_______ them, (said/told)
3. Did she______ you where she had put my books? (say/tell)
4. When I was introduced to the actor he______ a few words to me. (said/told)
5. That little boy is very bad. He_______ a lot of lies, (says/tells)
6. She______ to me she didn't know what to do. (said/told)
7. He often______ things like that, (says/tells)
Ex. 4. (В, С) Put in the appropriate forms of "ask", "say" and "tell".
Who Has the Last Say?
Some people always ... that they don't build cars as they used to. What nonsense! I walked round the beautiful new Ferrari again, admiring the lines, when my thoughts were rudely interrupted. "Will you be long?" a voice ... sharply. "I haven't made up my mind yet," I ... looking up at a sour-faced traffic warden. "Well, you can't stop here," he ... me. "Who ... so?" I... him cheekily. "I... so," he ...tome. "It... here," he added, "in case you can't read, "No waiting." "You read very well. Go to the top of the class," I... him, "but I'll make my own decisions." "Oh, will you?" the traffic warden ... "Then so will I and I've decided to give you a ticket," he ... to me with relish as he began filling out the form. "Go ahead," I... him. "This car doesn't belong to me anyway. I wish it did."
(From Alexander L G. "Longman English Grammar for intermediate students")
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2. INDIRECT COMMAND AND REQUEST
An order or request in Indirect Speech is expressed by the Infinitive. The verbs most commonly used to introduce indirect orders are: to tell, to order, to command. Requests are usually introduced by the verb to ask. More emotional forms are: to beg, to implore ( умолять ), to urge ( настаивать , уговаривать ).
STUDY THE FOLLOWING CHART
| DIRECT SPEECH | INDIRECT SPEECH |
| The mother said to the lazy son, "Wake up!" | The mother told the lazy son to wake up. |
| Father said to me, "Remember to post these letters." | Father reminded me to post those letters. |
| 1 said to Nick, "Shut the door, please." | 1 asked Nick to shut the door. |
| Mother said to the children, "Don't ever enter this room." | Mother warned the children not to enter the room. |
EXERCISE