Change the following from Direct into Reported Speech.
1. "Where have you been?" he said to me. He asked me where I had been. .........................
2. "Close your eyes and open the parcel," she said to me. ............................
3. "I'm writing my autobiography," said Paul. (up-to-date reporting) ..........................
4. They said to her, "We hope you will lend us your car." (out-of-date reporting) .........................
5. "Please sir, can I have some more food?" said Oliver. .
6. "Go to your room and stay there!" said his father . .
7. "Don't walk on the grass," the park attendant said to us. ......................
8. "Did you pay the electricity bill?" he said to his wife. .........................
9. "I'll phone you at seven o'clock tonight," she said to him. (out-of-date reporting) ..
10. "What size shoes do you take?" the shop assistant said to him. (out-of-date reporting)
11. "He's never written to me before, said Maria. (up-to-date reporting) .
12. "Let's paint the walls blue!" said my little brother.
13. "Will Liza be safe on her own?" her father wondered. (out-of-date reporting) .
14. My mother said to me, "Don't stay up reading too late!" ..
15. "I own two cars, a yacht and a private plane," said Roy. (untrue) ........................
Modals in Reported Speech
· The forms of some modal verbs change in Reported Speech when the reported sentence is out of date. Will/Shall would, can could/would be able to, may might/could, shall should (asking for advice) or would (asking for information) / offer (expressing offers), must must/had to (obligation) (must remains the same when it expresses possibility or deduction), neednt didnt need to/didnt have to/wouldnt have to.
· Would, could, used to, mustnt, should, might, ought to and had better remain the same.
Direct Speech
He said, "Ill see you later".He said, "I can lift weights".He said, "I can do it tomorrow".He said, "I may see John".He said, "How shall I repair the tap?"He said, "When shall we arrive?"He said, "Shall I clean it?"He said, "You must return it soon".He said, "She must be clever".He said, "You should work more".He said, "You had better help me".He said, "You neednt do it now".He said, "You neednt come tomorrow".
Reported Speech
He said (that) he wouldsee me later.He said (that) he could lift weights.He said (that) he would be able todo it the next day.He said (that) he mightsee John.He asked how he shouldrepair/to repair the tap. (advice)He asked when they wouldarrive. (information)He offered to clean it. (expressing offers)He said (that) I must/had toreturn it soon. (obligation)He said (that) she mustbe clever. (deduction)He said (that) I shouldwork more.He said (that) I had betterhelp him.He said (that) I didnt need to/didnt have todo it then.He said (that) I wouldnt have togo the next day.
Reporting a dialogue or a conversation
In conversations or dialogues we use a mixture of statements, commands and questions. When we report dialogues or conversations, we use: and, as, adding that, and he/she added that, explaining that, because, but, since, so, and then he/she went on to say, while, then etc or the introductory verb in the present participle form. Exclamations such as: Oh!, Oh dear!, Well! etc are omitted in Reported Speech.
Direct Speech
Oh, that is a very nice sweater! she said.
Where did you buy it?
It is too difficult for you, she said. Shall I help you?
Why dont you come over for dinner on Friday? she said. We could discuss it then.
Reported Speech
She remarked/exclaimed that it was a very nice sweater and she asked where I had bought it. (Oh is omitted)
She said it was too difficult for me, offering to help.
She invited me to dinner on Friday, suggesting that we could discuss it then.
