11
Michael Swan stated in Practical English Usage that reported speech was to quote somebody’s words or thoughts without quoting the exact words that had
been used and connected it more closely to our own sentence.
11
Betty Schramper Azar stated in Understanding English Grammar, “Reported Speech refers to using a noun clause to report what someone has
said.”
12
A .J. Thompson and A.V. Martinet stated in A Practical English Grammar, “In indirect speech we give the exact meaning of a remark or a speech,
without necessarily using the speaker’s exact words.”
13
Reported Speech also called Indirect Speech is used to communicate what someone else said, but without using the exact words.
14
It can be known from several definitions above that reported speech is to quote somebody’s idea or thoughts without exactly repeating the exact word
produced by the speaker.
2. The Kinds of Speech
When one wishes to report what someone else says or has said thinks or has thought or what one said or thought on a previous occasion oneself; two ways
are open to one, either to give the exact words: direct speech, or to adapt the words according to the circumstances in which they are new quoted: indirect
speech.
15
In other word, there are two main ways of reporting people’s words, thoughts, and beliefs:
a. Direct Speech
It may be given the exact words more or less that were said, or imagine that were thought. This kind of structure is called “direct speech”
11
Michael Swan, Practical English Usage, Oxford University Press, 1980, p. 533.
12
Betty Schrampfer Azar, Understanding And...,p. 275.
13
A.J. Thompson and A.V. Martinet, A Practical English Usage, New York: Oxford University Press, 1986, 4
th
ed, p.269.
14
http:www.usingenglish.comglossaryreported-speech.html , 2 November 2009
15
Otto Jespersen, Essentials English Grammar, London: George Allen Unwin Ltd Publisher, 1954, p.260.
12
Direct speech conveys exactly what someone has said, often to dramatize and to create sense immediacy. It is found in newspaper reports, fiction, and oral
narratives.
16
Example:
So he said, ‘I want to go home,’ and just walked out. Did she say, ‘What do you want?’
17
It uses quotation marks when it quotes direct speech. Single quotation marks ‘...’ are more common in British English, and double quotation marks
“...” in American English.
18
In direct speech, usually the words quoted are introduced by one of the
words say or think, put before the quotation. In writing, quotation marks ‘...’ or
“...” are used. In literary writing, a large number of other verbs are used to add variety and to give additional information; for example, ask, exclaim, suggest,
reply, cry, reflect, suppose, grunt, snarl, hiss, and whisper.
b. Indirect Speech
It can be made a speaker’s words or thoughts part of his sentence, using conjunction e.g. that, and changing pronouns, tenses and other words where
necessary. This kind of structure is called ‘indirect speech’ or ‘reported speech’
.
19
Example:
So he said that he wanted to go home, and just walked out. Did she just ask what I wanted?
Commas are not put before that, what, where, etc in indirect speech structures.
Example:
Everybody realised that I was a foreigner.
Not Everybody realised that,..
16
Martin Parrot, Grammar for English Language Teacher, London: Cambridge University Press, 2000, p.217.
17
Michael Swan, Practical English Usage, Oxford University Press, 1995, p.500.
18
Michael Swan, Practical English..., p. 471.
19
Michael Swan, Practical English..., p. 501.
13
Reported speech is used when it is interested not in the words that someone has chosen, but in the essential information they conveyed. It is often
used far fewer words to report this than were originally spoken. Reported speech is found in newspaper reports, fiction, talking, or writing about conversation,
reports, articles or speeches that have been heard or read.
20
In reported speech, the tenses, word-order, pronouns and other words may be different from those in the original sentence.
21
Example:
Direct Speech
Reported Speech
He said, ‘I am going home.’ He said he was going home. ‘Is it raining?’ He asked if it was raining.
He said ‘I love you.’ He said he loved me. To indicate that is quoting or reporting what someone has said or thought
by using a reporting verb. Every reporting clause contains a reporting verb.
22
The
most neutral and most common verbs to use to introduce what are reported are say and tell, and choosing between these verbs often poses a problem to learners. Say
is never followed by an indirect object e.g. him, us, them, my sister whereas it
has to use an indirect object after tell. It is better to choose to tell when to draw
attention specifically to the person who is being addressed. Example:
He said that he was ill. He told me that he was ill.
23
Here is a list of reporting verbs which can be used to report what people say:
24
Table .2.1 The List of Reporting Verbs
Acknowledge Add
Admit Advise
Agree Concede
Confess Confirm
Continue Convince
Imply Inform
Inquire Insists
Instruct Predict
Proclaim Promise
Propose Reassure
Say Scream
Shout Shriek
State
20
Martin Parrot, Grammar for..., p.217.
21
Michael Swan, Practical English..., p. 533-534
22
John Sinclair, Collins Cobuild Grammar, London: Harper Collins, 1990. P.314.
23
Martin Parrot, Grammar for English..., p. 217-218.
24
John Sinclair, Collins Cobuild ..., p.315
14
Announce Answer
Argue Ask
Assert Assure
Beg Begin
Boast Call
complain Cry
Decl are
Decree Demand
Deny Describe
Direct Discuss
Dispute Enquire
Explain Invite
Maintain Mention
Mumble Murmur
Muse Mutter
Note Notify
Object observe
Order Recall
Recite Recommend
Record Refuse
Remark Remind
Repeat Reply
Report Request
Stipulate Storm
Suggest Swear
Teach Tell
Threaten Urge
Vow Warn
Yell
The following table is some common changes in expression of time in indirect speech:
25
Table.2.2 The Common Changes of Expression Time
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
Today That day
Yesterday The day before
The day before yesterday Two days before
tomorrow The next daythe following day
The day after tomorrow In two days’ time
Next weekyear, etc. The following weekyear, etc.
Last weekyear, etc. The previous weekyear, etc.
A year, ago, etc. A year before the previous year
But if the speech is made and reported on the same day these time changes are not necessary.
Example: At breakfast this morning he said, ‘I’ll be very busy today’
At breakfast this morning he said that he would be very busy today.
25
A.J. Thomson A.V. Martinet. A Practical English..., p.274-275
15
3. The Transformational Rules from Direct Question into Reported
