REPORTED SPEECH
If we report what someone said word for word, without changing anything, using their own words, that's called a quote (direct speech – premi govor).
John said: ''I will buy a new car tomorrow''.
Jane asked him: ''Are you sure?''
Reported speech means using our own words to reflect on what someone said.
John said that he would buy a new car the next day.
Jane asked him if he was sure.
Certain changes occur in reported speech:
-a change in tense (one tense back)
-a change in pronouns
-a change in the word order of questions (the subject goes back before the auxiliary verb in reported questions)
-a change of all the references to time and place
CHANGE OF TENSE
QUOTE REPORTED SPEECH
Present simple Past simple
Present continuous Past continuous
Present perfect simple Past perfect simple
Present perfect continuous Past perfect continuous
Will future (will + infinitive) would + infinitive
'going to' future (am/are/is + going to) was/were + going to
Future continuous (will be + verb-ing) would be + verb-ing
Past simple Past perfect simple
Past continuous Past perfect continuous
Past perfect simple Past perfect simple
Past perfect continuous Past perfect continuous
CHANGE OF TIME AND PLACE REFERENCES
QUOTE REPORTED SPEECH
today that day
yesterday the day before/the previous day
tomorrow the day after/the next day/the following day
the day after tomorrow in two days' time
the day before yesterday two days before
next week, month, etc. the following week, month, etc.
last week, month, etc. the previous week, month, etc.
here there
this that, the
REPORTED STATEMENTS
Rok said: ''Miha is cute''.
Rok said that Miha was cute.
Reporting verb (said, told me, commented, opined, replied, answered, stated, yelled, shouted, whispered, etc.) is usually in the past simple tense.
The connecting word that comes after the reporting verb is that.
REPORTED QUESTIONS
YES/NO QUESTIONS
No question word, they start with an auxiliary verb, they can be answered with yes or no.
Matic asked Miha: ''Are you happy?''
Matic asked Miha if he was happy.
Reporting verbs: asked, questioned me, demanded to know, inquired, etc.
The word order changes (subject before the auxiliary verb in the reported question).
The connecting word that comes after the reporting verb is if.
WH-QUESTIONS
These questions start with a question word (who, why, where, when, what, etc.), which is then followed by the auxiliary verb. They cannot be answered by yes or no.
Žiga asked: ''What's the time?''
Žiga asked what the time was.
Matevž asked: ''When do we start school?''
Matevž asked when they started school.
Sandra asked: ''Who did you meet yesterday?''
Sandra asked me who I had met the day before.
REPORTED COMMANDS
Reporting commands, instructions, requests, advice, etc. (telling people what to do – imperative).
The general said: ''Shoot on sight!''
The general commanded the soldiers to shoot on sight.
The teacher told us to open our notebooks.
The customs officer asked me to open my suitcase.
My mother told me to clean my room.
The doctor advised me to clean my teeth.
Reporting verbs: command, order, tell, ask, advise, beg, etc.
We use to infinitive after the reporting verb – no change in tense.
Subject + verb + personal object + to infinitive
John ordered his son to wash the dishes.
Passive voice (we start with the personal object):
John's son was ordered to wash the dishes.
The soldiers were commanded to shoot on sight.
I was told to clean my teeth.
If we report what someone said word for word, without changing anything, using their own words, that's called a quote (direct speech – premi govor).
John said: ''I will buy a new car tomorrow''.
Jane asked him: ''Are you sure?''
Reported speech means using our own words to reflect on what someone said.
John said that he would buy a new car the next day.
Jane asked him if he was sure.
Certain changes occur in reported speech:
-a change in tense (one tense back)
-a change in pronouns
-a change in the word order of questions (the subject goes back before the auxiliary verb in reported questions)
-a change of all the references to time and place
CHANGE OF TENSE
QUOTE REPORTED SPEECH
Present simple Past simple
Present continuous Past continuous
Present perfect simple Past perfect simple
Present perfect continuous Past perfect continuous
Will future (will + infinitive) would + infinitive
'going to' future (am/are/is + going to) was/were + going to
Future continuous (will be + verb-ing) would be + verb-ing
Past simple Past perfect simple
Past continuous Past perfect continuous
Past perfect simple Past perfect simple
Past perfect continuous Past perfect continuous
CHANGE OF TIME AND PLACE REFERENCES
QUOTE REPORTED SPEECH
today that day
yesterday the day before/the previous day
tomorrow the day after/the next day/the following day
the day after tomorrow in two days' time
the day before yesterday two days before
next week, month, etc. the following week, month, etc.
last week, month, etc. the previous week, month, etc.
here there
this that, the
REPORTED STATEMENTS
Rok said: ''Miha is cute''.
Rok said that Miha was cute.
Reporting verb (said, told me, commented, opined, replied, answered, stated, yelled, shouted, whispered, etc.) is usually in the past simple tense.
The connecting word that comes after the reporting verb is that.
REPORTED QUESTIONS
YES/NO QUESTIONS
No question word, they start with an auxiliary verb, they can be answered with yes or no.
Matic asked Miha: ''Are you happy?''
Matic asked Miha if he was happy.
Reporting verbs: asked, questioned me, demanded to know, inquired, etc.
The word order changes (subject before the auxiliary verb in the reported question).
The connecting word that comes after the reporting verb is if.
WH-QUESTIONS
These questions start with a question word (who, why, where, when, what, etc.), which is then followed by the auxiliary verb. They cannot be answered by yes or no.
Žiga asked: ''What's the time?''
Žiga asked what the time was.
Matevž asked: ''When do we start school?''
Matevž asked when they started school.
Sandra asked: ''Who did you meet yesterday?''
Sandra asked me who I had met the day before.
REPORTED COMMANDS
Reporting commands, instructions, requests, advice, etc. (telling people what to do – imperative).
The general said: ''Shoot on sight!''
The general commanded the soldiers to shoot on sight.
The teacher told us to open our notebooks.
The customs officer asked me to open my suitcase.
My mother told me to clean my room.
The doctor advised me to clean my teeth.
Reporting verbs: command, order, tell, ask, advise, beg, etc.
We use to infinitive after the reporting verb – no change in tense.
Subject + verb + personal object + to infinitive
John ordered his son to wash the dishes.
Passive voice (we start with the personal object):
John's son was ordered to wash the dishes.
The soldiers were commanded to shoot on sight.
I was told to clean my teeth.