Reported speech 1
A Reported speech
We often tell people what other people have said. This is called reported or indirect speech. We very rarely try to report the exact words that someone says. Usually we give the general meaning with a summary.
'Look I've been phoning all day and he's always in a meeting. Can you tell him that I'll give Him
a calf sometime next week, please?' (actuai words)
->■ Sandra phoned. She said she'd call you next week, (report)
'From what I can see, the advertising campaign is a great success/ (actual words)
~> He said the campaign was a success, [report)
■1  Mote the change of tense in the above examples: will to would and is to was.
it is not always necessary to change tenses. If the statement is still true we can keep the same tense as the original.
He said the campaign was a great success, (the campaign is finished)
He-said the campaign is/was a great success, (the campaign is still happening)
See sections B and C below for more details.
In writing we can repeat the exact words using speech marKs (' .,. ').
'/ have no further comment to make at this stage,' said the company press officer when h$
spoke to our reporter yesterday.
This unit uses said as the reporting verb. See unit 22 for other reporting verbs.
B Tense changes
. When the verb tense changes it Actual words 7 work for IBM' 'I'm working for IBM' 'I've worked for IBM' 'I've been working for IBM' 7 worked for IBM'
7 had worked for IBM'
'I'm going to work for IBM.'
7 can/wUI/may work for IBM.'
moves back' in time. Report (Indirect speech) She said she worked for IBM. She said she was working for IBM. She said she had worked for IBM. She said she had been working for IBM. 5he said she had worked for IBM. OR She said she worked for IBM. She said she had worked for IBM. She said she was going to work for IBM. She said she could/would/might work for IBM. Kiwwi, a Vimna-based telecoms company, said on Friday it was entering the Czech market by offering cheaper voice services through the Internet, (czechtoday website) Earlier m the week,   labor union report said that 751 deaths had occurred 'on the job' in Italy (hiring the first six months of this year, up from 62'I for the same period last year. (International Herald Tribune website)
The Shading Aluminum Industry Co. said last week if would issue 160 million shares for listing on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. (Shanghai Daily website)
There is no change for must, might, could, should, would.
Note that if the actual words were in the past simple {worked}, the report can change or stay the same.
Note that there is no change for the past perfect {had worked).
C No tense change
', We do not need to change tense if the information is still true. 'The sales team are doing very well at the moment' He says/said the team are doing very well.
We do not need to change tense if we report something which is always true.
There is always a period of uncertainty after a merger.'
He says/said there is always a period of uncertainty after a merger.
D People, places, times and things
In reported speech references to people, places, times and things often change, because the point of view changes.
'rjh>ee^^u^he^ Sue.        'rveread your report about tfvs^pr^ect,' he said.
Su^esald%he^^ the next day. He^sa/o^e'rfreaoWriy report about^the project.
The examples in the previous paragraph show some of these typical changes: People:
Place; Times:
Things:
/	->	he/she
you		me
my	->	his iher
your	->	my
here	$	there, at the office
now	->	then, at that time
today	■3»	that day, on Monday
yesterday	->	the day before, the previous day
tomorrow	^	the next day the following day, on Monday
this afternoon	->	that afternoon
last week		the week before, the previous week
next week		the week after, the following week
a few days ago	->	a few days before, a few days earlier
this project	-»	the project
''Remember wtien I said I was going to be honest ■with you, Jeff? That ivas a big, fat He."
21 Practice	Exercise 4 B C Read the words spoken in a conference presentation about the role of the Chief Executive Officer.
Exercise 1 B	'Jack Welch, one of the most famous CEOs of all time, was head of General Electric for twenty
Write the actual words that each person says. Use contractions where possible.	years. But he was an exception. In fact, two-thirds of all major companies worldwide have
1   Anna said that she had already finished.	replaced their CEO over the last five years. What's the reason? The reason is that expectations
	of CEO performance are far too high. Boards of companies look at their CEO as a kind of
2  She said he would be back after lunch.	superhero who can solve all the company's problems. Tiiis process started in the 1980s, and the
	prototype was Lee laccoca, "the man who saved Chrysler Corp".Then in the 1990s, we had
3  He said she was going to contact the printers.	CEOs from the technology sector, like Microsoft's Bill Gates, or Cisco's John Chambers, who
	managed to produce constantly rising share prices. But the situation is very different now and
4 Paul said that he wanted to make a phone call.	economic growth is slowing down.'
{Paul's actual words)'.............................................................................................................................'	
5 She said she was meeting the bank manager at eleven.	Now look at ways to report the words to a colleague. By each sentence write P/TC (if the sentence is
	Possible because of Tense Change rules), P/ST (if the sentence is Possible because it is Still True) or 1 (if the
6 Pierre said he had found out about the problem a long time ago.	sentence is Incorrect).
(Pierre's actual words)'......................................,............................................................................................' 7 David said he had to be back in the office by three thirty.	The speaker said that ... 1  Jack Welch was CEO of General Electric for twenty years. ..R/TC.
8 Jan said she would let me know.	2 Jack Welch had been CEO of General Electric for twenty years, .........., 3 Boards of companies look at their CEOs as superheroes............ 4 Boards of companies looked at their CEOs as superheroes. .....
Exercise 2 D	5  Boards of companies had looked at their CEOs as superheroes............
Look at the actual words spoken. Underline the correct word-; in the reported version. 1   (Helen's words) 'I won't do it until tomorrow.'	6 Lee laccoca started it all in the 1980s............ 7 Lee laccoca had started it all in the 1980s............ 8 Lee laccoca had been started it all in the 1980s....... 9 The situation is different now............ 10 The situation was different now.............
Helen said If she wouldn't do it until the previous/followina dav. 2 (Peter's words) 'It's very busy in here. I'll call you later.' |                Peter said it was very busy here/there, and he'd call me/him later.	
3 (The sales manager's words) 'We received your order last week.' He said they'd/we'd received our/their order the week after/before. 4 (Mel Bowen's words) 'I'm sorry about the delay, I'll deal with this now.' She said she/I was sorry about the delay, and she'd deal with it right then/later.	Exercise 5 B D On Friday morning you had a meeting with someone from your advertising agency at his offices. The words he spoke are en the left. The next week vou tell a colleaaue about the discussion. Underline the correct words on the right.
Exercise 3 B D	The advertisina person's words:                              What vou sav to vour colleaaue:
Rewrite the sentences In reported speech. Use contractions where possible.	'Did you get my emaii I sent yesterday about this         'He said he (1) hopes/hoped I'd got (2) his/my email
1   'I won't put it in the sales because it's selling very well,' she said.	campaign we've been working on? 1 hope so. I'm        that (3) he'd send'/he'dsent (4) yesterday/the day
She said ,£.be..v^w)dA!i...&!^.........	sorry to ask you to come here at such short notice,      before about (5) the/this advertising campaign
2 I've read the report and 1 don't understand section 4,' he said.	but it's quite urgent. The situation is this: we use an     (6) they've/we've been working on. And he
	outside printing company, and a few days ago the       apologised for asking (7) me/you to go
3  'When 1 finish my presentation, I'm going to have a drink,' he said.	workers there went on strike. I'm having a meeting     (8) here/there at such short notice - he said it
	with a union representative this afternoon, but 1          (9) /5/t-vas urgent. Well, apparently a few days
4 'I'm preparing the figures but 1 won't be long,' she said.	thought 1 should talk to you first.'                           (10) ago/before the printers they use (11) have
	gone/had gone on strike, and he (12) is/was
5 'I like playing tennis, but 1 don't do it very often,' she said.	meeting them (13) this/that afternoon. He said he
She said............................................________..........................,.................................................:..„.w ,	thought he should talk to (14) me/you about ft first.'
6 I'm going to visit our Polish subsidiary, but I'm not sure when,' she said.	
	•
Reported speech 2
A Say or tell
We say something and we tell somebody.
Simon said he was confident about the success of the Beta project. Simon told me the project was going well.
We never use to between tell and the object.
He toid me what happened in the meeting. (NOT told te mo)
We can use to after say, especially when the actual words are not reported. What did he say to you?
I think the boss wanted to say something to Susan.
8 Other reporting verbs
1 There are many verbs to report what people say Each verb has one or more possible patterns. Common reporting verbs include:
Verb + jng form (unit 19) Verb + to infinitive (unit 19)
Verb + object + to infinitive (unit 19}
Verb + that clause
Verb + object + 'that clause
admit, deny, mention, propose, suggest agree, ask, demand, decide, offer, promise, refuse, threaten
advise, ask, convince, encourage, invite, order, persuade, remind, tell, warn admit, agree, announce, answer, claim, complain, confirm, deny, explain, mention, promise, propose, reply say, suggest
advise, assure, convince, inform, notify, persuade, promise, reassure, remind, tell
They denied doing anything wrong.
I suggested changing our export agency.
She promised to cail me tomorrow. They refused to iower their price.
He advised us to wait until next year. They invited me to come for lunch.
They agreed (that) they'd wait
She promised (that) she'd call me tomorrow.
I reminded them (that) they had. to pay a 25% deposit. I told him (that) I couldn't make the meeting next week.
We use the same tense change rules as in unit 21.
Greek telecom giant OTE won the privatisation contract with RomTekcom. OTE promised that. 70 per cent of the telephone system would be digital within three years. (Bucharest Business Week website)
We can also report what people think or know. Verbs include; know, notice, think, realise, etc. Sorry, I didn't realise you were busy. I thought you had finished.
C It + passive of a reporting verb
We use it + passive of a reporting verb + that to report what people in general feel or believe. This is a formal use, for example in a newspaper story, a scientific report or a written summary of a meeting.
It was announced at the conference that Argentina was losing Pesos $3,000 million per annum on grain prices compared with the average in the last ten years. It was pointed out that international prices had not improved in two years, but this stability had allowed an increase in production. (LatinTrade website)
Verbs that are often used in this way are:
be agreed, be announced, be believed, be claimed, be confirmed, be considered, be decided, be estimated, be expected, be feared, be felt be found, be pointed out, be proposed, be reported, be rumoured, be said, be shown, be suggested, be thought.
D Reporting questions
^  The word order in reported questions is like a normal statement (this is the same rule as.for indirect questions in unit 16). Tense changes follow those given in unit 21. 'Where is it?' He asked me where it was. (NOT where was it)
When we report question word questions {when, what, why, where, how, etc) we use the question word.
'When will the goods arrive?' They asked me when the goods would arrive.
'Why have your sates gone down?' -> I was asked why our sales had gone down
'A year ago, I was asked how this ivonderful merger between Daimler and Chrysler would work, and 1 said J was waking for the interpersonal problems. They were bound to happen, as our experiences with Seat had shown.' — CEO of Volkswagen   (Der Spiegel website)
'" ■ When we report yeslno questions (Do you, Did you, Are you, etc) we use if or whether. Do you speak French?' -> She asked me if I spoke French.
Are you going to pay in cash?' #e" asked me whether i was going to pay in cash.
Notice in the examples that reported questions have no question mark in writing,
E Reporting commands and requests
Commands are reported with tell and the infinitive,
'Take us to the airport.' -> She told the driver to take us to the airport.
'Don't worry. I'll deal with it.'      ->        She told me not to worry.
Requests are reported with.ask and the infinitive. 'Would you mind waiting for a moment?' 'Please don't wail for me, I'll come along later.'
He asked me to wait. He asked us not to wait.
22 Practice
Exercise 1 A
Underline the correct words.
1 Sally told/told me that she had lost the catalogue.
2 This is confidential, please don't say/tell anything about it.
3 This is confidential, please don't say/tell anyone about it.
4 Chris said/said me he must leave early.
5 I said/told them about the meal, and they said/told they would come.
6 'You see,' told/said Steve, 'I always told/said you'd get a promotion.'
7 'You see,' told/said Steve, Jl always told/said you you'd get a promotion.' B 'Look,' 1 told to/said to her, 'why don't you tell/say me what you mean?'
Exercise 2 B
Match the actual words in sentences 1-12 with the reported statements a)-l).
1 'Well done! You've done it!'
2 'Who me? No, I never did it.'
3 'I'm really sorry I didn't do it - I just forgot.'
4 'If I were you, I'd do it.'
5 'Would you like to do it?'
6 'Don't forget to do it!'
7 'Oh, I see that you've done it.'
8 'Oh, by the way, I've done it.'
9 'Oh! I thought you hadn't done it!'
10 'I really wouldn't do it. It could be a disaster
11 'I'll do it, you can count on ne.'
12 'No, I won't do it. It's out of the question.'
0	a)
□	b)
□	c)
□	d)
□	e)
□	f)
□	g)
□	h)
□	
□	J)
□	k)
□	I)
He advised me to do it.
He apologised for not doing it.
He congratulated me on doing it.
He invited me to do it.
He denied doing it.
He mentioned that he'd done it.
He didn't realise I'd done it.
He promised that he'd do it.
He noticed that I'd done it.
He refused to do it.
He reminded me to do it
He warned me not to do it.
Exercise 3 D unit 21
Rewrite each sentence in reported speech.
1 'Are you on holiday for the whole of August?' she asked me. She asked me .!£/.W.h^.ih£r..J...W^
2 'What do the letters 'URL' mean?' I asked him.
I asked him................................................................................................
3 'Have you prepared the figures?' my boss asked me.
My boss asked me.........................................................................................s,w,,„,.
4 'When is your birthday?' I asked Francesca.
I asked Francesca....................................................................................................... ,
5 'Did you remember to back up the file?' she asked him.
She asked him...............................................................................................,.
6 'Why have you turned off the air conditioning?' Ellen asked me.
Ellen asked me ..........,....»,.,.,:..........................................................................
7 'Do you speak Italian?' they asked me at the interview.
They asked me at the interview.........................................,..........................>.................,,,
8 'How much did you pay for your car?' I asked Pablo.
I asked Pablo..............................................................................................„........
Exercise 4 C
Read the extract from a meeting, chaired by Claudia. Then underline the most appropriate reporting verbs in the written summary below.
Claudia:   Oh, hi. Take a seat ... Urn, I'd like Co hear your views on the talks we're having with BCP about the possible merger. Do you think we should go ahead with the discussions?
nigel:      Well, no actually. I don't think we should. Our company cultures are totally different, and 1
can't see many opportunities to cut costs in a combined operation. I'm sorry, but I'm against it.
tony:       But, Nigel, can't you see that we're too small to stand alone in the global economy.There's going to be rationalisation in our market and now is the right time to- act.
Claudia:   Urn, right. How long do you think it would take to integrate the two companies?
tony:      Probably about six months, maybe more.
NicBL:       That's six months of complete chaos and falling investor confidence, it's just too risky. claudia:   Well, I don't think we have enough information at the moment. Perhaps we could set up a
task force to look into the whole issue in more detail? tony Hmm.
olalpia:   Tony - would you be willing to chair it?
tony:       OK, I'll chair a task force, but I'll need representatives from the other departments as well. claudiA:   That shouldn't be a problem. When do you think you'll be able to get die report done? tony:      Uni, in about six weeks. nigel:      Six weeks! That's ridiculous.
tony      OK, we'll try to get all the information together in four weeks.
claudta:   Right, that's settled. We'll meet again a month from today, same time same place.
1 It was estimated/announced that it would take about six months to integrate the two companies in the event of a merger.
2 It was rumoured/suggested that we could set up a task force to produce a report on the implications of the merger.
3 It was proposed/claimed that the task force would be chaired by Tony, with representatives from other departments.
4 It was shown/agreed that the task force should produce its report in four weeks.
5 It was claimed/decided that the next meeting would be on July 28th at 9 am in the main conference room.
Exercise 5 A B D
Nigel (from Exercise 4) is talking to a colleague about the same meeting later in the week. Underline the correct wofds in his report.
'Claudia asked us (1) that we give/to give our opinions about the merger talks. I (2) told them I told to them that I thought the whole thing was a bad idea, but they refused (3) to listen/listening. Of course Tony disagreed, as usual. He (4) told/said that we were too small for the global market. Then Claudia asked how long (5) would it/it would take to integrate the two companies, and Tony claimed it would (6) take/to take six "months. Claudia suggested (7) setting up/to set up a task force to look into the whole thing. I decided (8) not saying/not to say anything. Tony offered (9) to chair/that he would chair the task force. He proposed that the task force (10) reporting/should report back in six weeks, but 1(11) reminded them that/reminded that we'd need the report much sooner, Anyway, we decided (12) to meet Jmeeting again in a month.'