Reported speech: person, place and time

It's Friday afternoon. David is at Tom's flat. Tom has decided to have a party for all his friends.

A few minutes later Nick has arrived at the flat. Now David is reporting what Tom said. So instead of Tom's words I'm having, David says he's having.

The next day David is talking to Harriet. Now David is in a different place from where Tom first told him about the party. So instead of here, he says at his flat. And a day has passed since he first heard about it. It is now the day of the party. So instead of tomorrow evening, David says this evening.

B Changes in reported speech

Changes from direct speech to reported speech depend on changes in the situation.

We may have to make changes when we are reporting something another person has said,

or when we report it in a different place or at a different time. Here are some typical changes.

133Exercises

1 Changes in reported speech (A-B)

Read what each person says and then complete the sentences.

► Vicky: Daniel told me on Friday that he'd had a job interview the previous day. Daniel had a job interview on Thursday.

1 Trevor: Laura tells me I need a haircut.

………………………………….. needs a haircut.

2 Claire: My brother told me in 1997 that he expected to become Manager the following year.
Claire's brother expected that he would become Manager in ....................................

3 Alice: I wanted to see Mark in April, but he said he was very busy that month.
Mark was very busy in …………………………………………………………

4 Harriet: I saw Nick last week. He said he'd given up smoking the week before.
Nick gave up smoking ................................. ago.

2 Changes of person (A-B)

Put in the missing words.

3 Changes of place and time (A-B)

Put in here, that day, the day before, the next day, the week before. ► Rachel (a week ago): I'm taking my driving test tomorrow.

You (today): When I saw Rachel, she said she was taking her driving test the next day

1 Emma (two days ago): I've only had this new computer since yesterday.
You (today): Emma said she'd only had the new computer since

2 Matthew (a week ago): I'm meeting a friend at the station later today.

You (today): Matthew said he was meeting a friend at the station later

3 Mark (in the street): I'll see you in the office.
You (in the office): Mark said he would see me

4 Sarah (a month ago): The conference was last week.

You (today): Sarah told me the conference had taken place

Date: 2014-12-22; view: 1632