REPORTED SPEECH (is what someone else’s said)
Reporting verbs are verbs of saying or believing, such
as agree, announce, believe, claim, consider, expect, hope, know, report, say, sug
gest, think, understand, etc. And we can use their passive form for distancing in two
different ways. Check the examples below:
o It is said that they are in Las Vegas.
o They are said to be in Las Vegas.
It is said that… + subject + verb
We can use the passive of a reporting verb in a sentence after an introductory it: It +
passive reporting verb + (that) + clause (subject + verb)
o It is believed that the murderer is no longer in the country.
o It has been announced that they are going to cancel the tour.
o It has been suggested that the team can’t be trusted defensively.
o It was thought the building could collapse.
Someone is said to + infinitive
When we use the passive form of a reporting verb after the real subject of a sentence
(and NOT after it), we need to use an infinitive after the passive of the reporting verb.
Someone is said to do
When the reported action is simultaneous with the reporting, we can use subject
+ passive reporting verb + to + infinitive.
o He is said to have the biggest private art collection in the country.
o They were believed to be secretly in love.
We can also use this form to refer to the future.
o She is expected to become a superstar.
Someone is said to be doing
When the reported action is in progress simultaneously with the reporting, we can
also use subject + passive reporting verb + to be + -ing (continuous infinitive) with
dynamic verbs.
o They are thought to be living under strict protection.
Someone is said to have done
When the reported action is previous to the reporting (earlier in the past), we
use subject + passive reporting verb + to have + past participle (perfect infinitive).
o She was thought to have left the previous week. (=she left before people
thought about it)
o He is claimed to have hit another student. (=he hit another student first, and
people claimed he did it later.
DECLARATIVE SENTENCES (any single sentence)
Rocio drinks coffee. (simple declarative sentence in positive)
Rocio doesn’t drink beer (simple declarative sentence in the negative)
It was windy outside but Pilar still went to play hockey (compound declarative sentence)
Since it was raining, Guadalupe stayed inside (complex declarative sentence)
PRESENT SIMPLE “I am tidy” said Genaro Genaro said he was tidy
PRESENT CONTINUOUS “I am studying” said Guadalupe said she was
Guadalupe studying.
PAST SIMPLE “I did my homework” said Rocio said she had done her
Rocio homework.
PAST CONTINUOUS “I was doing my homework” Genaro said he had been
said Genaro doing his homework
PRESENT PERFECT “I haven’t studied yet” She said she hadn’t studied
yet
PRESENT PERFECT I have been chatting with my She said she had been
CONTINUOUS friends chatting with her friends
PAST PERFECT The plane had already left She said the plane had
already left.
WILL I will close the window She said she would close the
window
WILL-----WOULD
IS-----WAS
MAY----MIGHT
CAN----COULD
MUST---HAD TO
TONIGHT---THAT NIGHT
TODAY---THAT DAY
YESTERDAY----THE DAY BEFORE
HERE----THERE
THIS---THAT
QUESTIONS
Direct speech Indirect speech
"Where does Peter She asked him where
live?" Peter lived.
"Where are you She asked where I was
going?" going.
"Why is she He asked why she was
crying?" crying.
Yes / no questions
This type of question is reported by using 'ask' + 'if / whether' +
clause:
Examples
Direct speech Indirect speech
"Do you speak English?" He asked me if I spoke English.
"Are you British or He asked me whether I was British or
American?" American.
"Is it raining?" She asked if it was raining.
Direct speech Indirect speech
"Have you got a He wanted to know whether I had a
computer?" computer.
"Can you type?" She asked if I could type.
"Did you come by train?" He enquired whether I had come by
train.
"Have you been to Bristol She asked if I had been to Bristol
before?" before.
Question words
This type of question is reported by using 'ask' (or another verb
like 'ask') + question word + clause. The clause contains the
question, in normal word order and with the necessary tense change.
Examples
Direct speech Indirect speech
"What is your name?" he asked He asked me what my name
me. was.
Direct speech Indirect speech
"How old is your mother?", he He asked how old her mother
asked. was.
The policman said to the boy, The policeman asked the boy
"Where do you live?" where he lived.
"What time does the train arrive?" She asked what time the train
she asked. arrived.
"When can we have dinner?" she She asked when they could
asked. have dinner.
Peter said to John, "Why are you so Peter asked John why he was
late?" so late.
COMMANDS
Stop talking: he said to stop talking
Don’t shout: he said not to shout
REPORTING VERBS
+ infinitive + + verb + + particle
(to + vb) somebody ing + vb + ing
+ infinitive
Refuse Remind Deny Insist (on)
Decide Ask Suggest Think
Promise Beg Recommend (about)
Demand Warn Admit Blame
Agree Order (smbd for)
Threaten Encourage Accuse
Hope Persuade (smbd of)
Advise Apologise
Urge (to smbd
for)
Complain
(to smbd
about)
Confess (to)
Forbid
(smbd from)
