The Understanding of Indirect Speech

„I have found a flat,‟ he said He said that he had found a flat. Present perfect continuous He said, „I‟ve been waiting for ages.‟ Past perfect continuous He said he had been waiting for ages. Simple past „I took it home with me,‟ she said. Past perfect She said she had taken it home with her. Future He said, „I willshall be in Paris on Monday.‟ Conditional He said he would be in Paris on Monday. Future continuous „I willshall be using the car myself on the 24 th ,‟ she said Conditional continuous She said she‟d be using the car herself on the 24 th . But note, Conditional I said, „I wouldshould like to see it.‟ Conditional I said I wouldshould like to see it. no tense change If you are reporting something and you fell that it is true, you do not need to change tense of the verb. Tom said, “New York is bigger than London.” Direct Tom said that New York is or was bigger than London. Indirect 16 If the reporting verbs of direct speech are in the present, present per fect, and future tense, it doesn’t make any changes in noun clause, or the tense used are usually same as the speaker’s exact words. When the reporting verb is simple present, present perfect, or future, the noun clause verb is not changed 17 . She says, “I watch TV every day.” Direct She says that she watches TV every day. Indirect 16 Raymond Murphy, English Grammar In Use: A Self-study Reference and Practice Book for Intermediate Students, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1986, with answers ed., p. 96. 17 Azar, Understanding …, p. 254. c. Change the time expressions and other expressions. Time expressions, place expressions and other expressions are changed in indirect speech to show the correct relationship between the original information and the reported information. It is also to show that we are not talking at the same time as the speaker was. Table 2.2 The changes of timeplace expressions Direct Speech Indirect Speech Now Then Yesterday the day before next … tomorrow the following … last … the … before … ago … before This That here There today that day

4. The Kinds of Indirect Speech

There are three kinds of Indirect Speech; reporting a statement, reporting a question, and reporting a command.

a. Reporting a Statement.

In indirect a statement, we use word ―that‖ as a conjunction between the introductory phrase and the reported words. That can usually be omitted after say and tell + object. But it should be kept after other verbs: complain, explain, object, point out, protest etc 18 . Example: My sister told to me: “I don‟t like tennis.” Direct My sister told to me that she didn ‟t like tennis. Indirect 18 Thomson, A Practical English …, p. 269.

b. Reporting a Question.

If the direct question is WH question – which is begun by words where, when, why, what, who, how, and which – the word asked is used to report the words and reported question is changed into positive form. Stone states, ―When a question begins with a question word, ‗How?’, ‗When?’, ‗Where?’, ‗Why?’, etc., it is reported by placing word ‗asked’ before it and inverting the verb and subject of the question 19 .‖ Example: The man asked : “Where do you live?” Direct The man asked where I lived. Indirect If the direct question is in ―yesno question‖ form – which is begun by auxiliary verb – the word ―ifwhether‖ is used as a conjunction in indirect sentence. Werner and Nelson state , ―Yesno questions may be changed to noun clause by using if or whether or not to introduce them. Whether is preferred in formal English 20 .‖ The reported question is changed into positive form. Example: Mother asked John, “Are you going to marry her?” Direct Mother asked John ifwhether he was going to marry her. Indirect

c. Reporting a Command.

There are two kinds of reporting a command; 1 Positive command In positive command, the word ―to‖ is used to connect the introductory phrase and the reported words. Example: He asked me, “Open your book” Direct He asked me to open my book. Indirect 19 Stone, Cambridge Proficiency …, p. 132. 20 Werner, Mosaic …, p. 218.