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учебно-методический материал по английскому языку (9 класс) на тему

REPORTED SPEECH

Reported statements

In reported speech (also known as indirect speech), the tense used in the speaker’s original words is usually (but not always) moved back a tense when the reporting verb (said, told, etc.) is in the past. The tense does not change if the reporting verb is in present, present perfect or future.

# “Sales have dropped dramatically in the last year”

A representative said (that) sales had dropped dramatically in the previous year.

When the tense doesn’t change

The past simple and continuous often remain unchanged in reported speech, in both written and spoken English, if this can be done without causing any confusion about the time of the actions.

It is also possible for other tenses to remain unchanged in reported speech in spoken English.

Past continuous

• The past continuous usually remains unchanged in reported speech:

# When they arrived, I was still cooking the dinner.

He said that when they arrived, he was still cooking the dinner.

# I was working until ten last night.

She said that she was working until ten the previous night.

• Where the past continuous is used to refer to an activity that was completed before an event in the past simple or present perfect, we are more likely to change the past continuous to the past perfect continuous:

# We were planning to go out but then Joe started feeling sick.  

She said that they had been planning to go out but then Joe started/had started feeling sick.

Past simple

• When the past simple is used in a time clause, it does not generally change. When there is a time clause, the verb in the main clause can remain in the past simple or change to the past perfect:

# When I got there the place was almost empty.

She said that when she got there the place was/had been almost empty.

• When the past simple is used to refer to a situation that still exists in the present, it does not generally change:

# We did not stay in the hotel because it was too expensive.

(And presumably the hotel is still expensive now.)

She said that they hadn’t stayed in the hotel because it was too expensive.

• In other circumstances it is better to change the past simple to the part to the past perfect in the written reporting.

However, in oral reporting, it is becoming increasingly common to leave the past simple unchanged:

# I enjoyed myself last night.

Oral reporting: Clare said that she enjoyed (had enjoyed) herself last night/on Saturday night.

Written reporting: Clare said that she had enjoyed herself the previous night/on Saturday night.

Present tenses

• In oral reporting, it is becoming increasingly common to change the present tenses if the activity is still going on or the situation still exists at the time of reporting:

# Alison’s living with her parents now.

Jo told me that Alison’s living (was living) with her parents now.

# I can’t come to the party because I’m doing my homework.

He said that he can’t (couldn’t) come to the party because he was doing his homework.

        However, if the party is now finished and he is no longer doing his homework, then we change the tenses in the reported speech:

# He said thath he couldn’t come to the party because he was doing his homework.

• #The school takes on new students every month.

Assuming that situation still exists, the verb can stay in the present simple or change to the past simple in oral reporting:

The receptionist told me that the school takes on/took on new students every month.

The future

In oral reporting, the future tenses can remain unchanged if the event is still in the future:

# I’m meeting John tonight.

Sheila said that she is meeting/was meeting John tonight.

(Tonight is still in the future)

BUT: Sheila said that she was meeting John last night.

(Tonight is now in the past.)

# We’re going to launch a thorough investigation.

The police said that they are going to/were going to launch a thorough investigation.

# There will be no increase in taxes.

The prime minister said  that  there will/would be no increase in taxes.

# The plane will be leaving in thirty –five minutes.

They announced that  the plane will/would be leaving in thirty –five minutes.

Time and place changes

It is often necessary to change time, place and other references in reported speech, depending on when and where the reporting takes place in relation to the actual words.

Some common changes:

Note: In the following exercises, you should make the tense change as for written reporting.

PRACTICE

        Ex.1. In your notebook, rewrite the sentenced in reported speech.

1. I’ll come and see you on Friday if that’s all write. (She said)
2. The conference will be spending a considerable time discussing the world debt crisis. (The statement said)
3. The shop’s closing in half an hour. (She explained)
4. He’s planning to set up his own business. (Gareth tell me)
5. We’re going to have to make quite a few cutbacks. (The managing director said)
6. The police have been investigating new allegations of fraud. (A spokesman said)
7. When the project first started, there was a lot of interest in it. (She noticed)
8. It’s pouring with rain down here. (She told me)
9. I’ll have finished writing the report by the time you get here. (She promised)
10. My new computer has made a lot of difference to me. (He said)
11. The 8.45 train from Waterloo will be arriving in approximately five minutes. (The station announcer has just said)
12. When we were setting up the organization, we had very little money. (They told me)
13. The club lost quite a lot of money last month. (The treasurer told the meeting)
14. It will be a very difficult time fro all of us. (He agreed)
15. You work too hard. You should take more time off. (He told me)

REPORTED QUESTIONS

The rules about tense changes apply to questions in the same way as they apply to statements.

• Wh questions

The subject and verb are NOT inverted in reported speech:

# Why didn’t you tell me the truth?

She asked me why I hadn’t told her the truth.

                Subject + verb

• Yes/no questions

Put if or whether before the subject + verb:

# Have I seen you before?

She asked me if she had seen me before.

To-infinitive in reported speech

• In reported requests, advice, commands, etc., use to-infinitive:

# Can you help me write her speech?

She asked me to help her write her speech.

# Don’t stay out too late.

She told me not to stay out too late.

• When reporting shall/should questions, we can use to-infinitive after the question word:

# How much should we give them?

He wanted to know how much to give them.

# What should I buy for Peter?

She asked me what to buy for Peter.

# Should I tell her what happened?

We wanted to know whether to tell her what had happened.

Note: We do not use the to- infinitive after why or if.

PRACTICE

Ex.2. Write the following in reported speech.

1. Where do you think we should advertise? (He asked me)
2. Are you going to audition fro the play? (Emma asked me)
3. Give me a ring if you need any help. (She told me)
4. How is Laura getting on? (She often asks me…you…)
5. Shall I ask her out for a meal? (He’s been wondering)
6. Why did Matthew look so embarrassed when he saw Carole? (He asked)
7. Must we stay here all evening? (He wondered)
8. What are they doing about publicity for the event? (She asked)
9. Will you send me the report when it’s finished? (He asked me)
10. What have you done with the student records? (She asked me)
11. Do you think you could keep your voices down a bit? (She asked us)
12. Where did you buy that hat? (He wanted to know)
13. Have you been eating properly? (The doctor asked me)
14. Don’t make any noise during the performance. (They asked me)
15. Were you still teaching music when you met Oliver? (Mike asked me)

VERBS USED IN REPORTING

Many different verbs are used in reporting. We do not usually report every word that was said ar written and these different verbs can help to summarize the original words:

# Would you like to come and stay for the weekend?

He invited us to stay fro the weekend.

# No, no, I don’t want your money. I’m definitely going to pay for the meal and that’s that.

She insisted on paying for the meal.

Examples of the verbs used in reporting

PRACTICE

Ex.3 . Put the sentences into reported speech, summarize what was said and using the verbs in the box.

1. I know you’ve got a lot of work to do at the moment. I’ll help you type up your report.
2. A: I don’t think you should hand in your resignation immediately.

B: OK. I suppose you’re right. I’ll leave it fro a while then.

3. No, I’m not going to discus it with you. I think it’s a waste of time (he said)
4. I really think I should have invited to the meeting. I’m very unhappy about the fact that I wasn’t. (he said)
5. You’ve been quite ill and you need recover. I really think you should take it easy for a few day. (the doctor said)
6. You must not go near their house again or there will be trouble. (the police said to him)
7. After giving the matter some serious thought, we have now reached a final decision. We are going to close down the naval base in two years’ time. (said the Ministry of Defense)
8. Someone’s been reading my diary. I know they have. I found it in the wrong drawer this morning. It was you, wasn’t it.
9. remember that you’ve got to apply fro a new passport. Ours is out of date now. (he said to me)
10. I’m really sorry about all that trouble I’ve caused. I didn’t mean to. (he said)

SUMMARAZING WHEN REPORTING

When we are reporting, we do not repeat everything that was said. As we report, we summarize. A range of different verbs are used and these help to summarize. In addition, we often use adjectives to describe how someone responded, instead of reporting their words:

# That’s fantastic. I’m just so pleased. This is the best news we’ve had in ages.

She was very delighted when we told her the news.

Oral reporting

When we report orally, we regularly switch our method of reporting. We use a mixture of direct speech, reported speech and descriptions of the content of the conversation. E.g.:

I was talking to Jo last night about the holiday. She thinks we shouldn’t book anything up yet because we’ll probably get a cheaper deal if we leave it till just before we go. I agree with her but I said I didn’t know what you would think about that. And then of course we have to decide definitely where we want to go. I said we quite fancied going to one of the islands but she said, “Well, I’m not sure Graham will like the idea.” Anyway, in the end she said why don’t we talk to him about it when we meet him on Tuesday.

Written reporting

In written reports, we tend to use reported speech consistently rather than switching from one style of reporting to another. If we are reporting what one person said, it is not necessary to keep repeating She/he/it said… . However, we continue to use the reported speech tenses if it is understood that we are still reporting. E.G.:

The meeting was concluded by the Chair of Governors, who said that although it had been a difficult year, the staff of the school had managed very well. The financial cutbacks had hit hard and it was to be hoped that there would be no further cutbacks in the coming year. Library stocks were severely depleted and he suggested that there should be a series of fundraising activities to help raise money for books. He thanked all the staff for their hard work and hoped that the coming year would be successful. The Headteacher then thanked the Chair of the Governors fro his contribution to the school and the meeting was closed at 9.00 p.m.

PRACTICE

Ex.4. Translate into English, paying attention to the reported speech.

1. Преподаватель сказал, что в библиотеке имени Некрасова есть читальный зал для детей.
2. На лекции мы с удивлением узнали, что всего за десять лет литературной жизни писатель О.Генри (Уильям Сидни Портер) написал свыше 600 рассказов, комических пьес и юмористических стихов.
3. Доктор сказал, что я выздоровел и могу ходить на лекции.
4. Главный инженер сказал, что в этом году будет выпущена новая марка автомобиля.
5. Ник сказал, что лифт плохо работает, так как он не понял их на нужный этаж.
6. Он сказал мне, что готовится к экзаменам и не может пойти погулять.
7. Фред спросил Линду, собирается ли она провести отпуск в горах.
8. Чарли сказал, что подумывает о покупке нового мощного компьютера, так как его старый не годится для его работы.
9. Грэг сообщил, что у них родилась дочка.
10. Том уверил нас, что произошло недоразумение, которое скоро разрешится.
11. Президент сказал подчиненным, что не хочет, чтобы случившееся стало достоянием прессы, хотя бы в ближайшие несколько дней.
12. Джордж извинился, что не мог помочь нам вчера. Он признался, что у него было свидание с новой подругой.
13. Доктор сказал, что к понедельнику я полностью поправлюсь и смогу приступить к занятиям.
14. Мы повстречали Анну, которая сказала, что проект, над которым мы работали столько лет, закрыли из-за отсутствия финансирования.
15. На наш вопрос о том, что делает Фред, мы ответили, что не видели его со времени последнего экзамена.
16. Он ответил, что не сможет вернуть взятый в банке кредит, так как потерял работу.
17. Она пожаловалась, что доктор был невнимателен к ней и не расспросил обо всех ее болезнях.
18. Он посоветовал, чтобы мы заказали билеты заранее, так как места на такие популярные рейсы очень быстро раскупаются.
19. Тревор объяснил, что не хотел причинять неудобства своим поздним возвращением, поэтому предпочел заночевать в городе.
20. Я знал, что с документами будет все в порядке, но когда нам сообщили о том, что нам дадут визы, нашему ликованию не было пределов.