The Definition of Reported Speech

Table 2.3 The example of direct and indirect speech Direct Speech Indirect Speech He said , ―I’m waiting for Ann‖ He said that he was waiting for Ann ―do you know jhon?‖ He asked ifwhether I knew jhon He said ―I love you‖ He said he loved me From some examples above it can be seen that, when transforms direct speech into indirect speech, some changes are neede. For example in the first statement: Direct speech : he said, ―I’mwaiting for Ann.‖ Indirect speech : he said that he was waiting for Ann Tenses of the direct speech is present continuous tense, so when it is transform into indirect speech, the tense of indirect speech is past continuous tense. Pronounofis changed into he. Besides, from examples above, it also can be seen that teh most neutal and most common verbs which are used to introduced 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, etc whereas it has to use an indirect object after tell. It is better to choose to tellwhen to draw attention specifically to the person who is being addressed. Example: he said that he was ill. He told thst he was ill. Here is a list of reporting verbs which can be used to report what people say. 47 47 John Sinclair, collins cobuild english grammar, london: Harper Collins, 1990, p. 315 Table 2.3 The List of Reporting Verbs Acknowledge Add Admit Advise A gree Allege Announce Answer Argue Ask Assert Assure Beg Begin Boast Call Claim Command Comment Complain Concede Confess Confirm Contend Continue Convince Cry Declare Decree Demand Deny Describe Direct Discuss Dispute Enquire Explain Forbid Grumble Guarantee Hint Imply Inform Inquire Insist Instruct Invite Maintai Mention Mumble Murmur Muse Mutter Note Notify Object Observe Order Persaude Plead Pledge Pray Predict Proclaim Promise Prophesy Propose Reassure Recall Recite Recommend Record Refuse Remark Remind Repeat Reply Report Request Respond Reveal Rule Say Scream Shout Shriek State Stipulate Storm Suggest Swear Teach Tell Treaten Thunder Urge Vow Wail Warn Whisper Write Yell The following table is some expressions of time in indirect speech. 48 48 A.J Thompson and A.V. Martinet, practical English Usage, new York: oxford university press, 1986, 4 th ed, p. 274