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