Special Cases in Reported Speech

Reporting Verbs in Indirect Speech
1. Infinitive and Gerund constructions in Reported Speech

1.1. agree, refuse, offer, promise, hope, threaten + infinitive.
ANN: “Would you wait half an hour?”

TOM: “All right”.
Tom agreed to wait. / Tom said he would wait.
ANN: “Would you lend me another $150?”

TOM: “No, I won’t lend you any more money”.
Tom refused to lend her any more money.
PAUL: “I’ll help you if you like”.

Paul offered to help him/me. / Paul said that he would help me/him.
ANN: “I’ll pay you back next week. Really I will!”

Ann promised to pay him/me back the following week. /
Ann said that she would pay him/me back the following week. /
Ann assured him/me that she would …
KIDNAPPERS: “If you don’t pay the ransom at once we’ll kill your daughter”.
The kidnappers threatened to kill his daughter if he didn’t pay the ransom at once.
The kidnappers said (that) they would kill …
1.2. accuse + object + of, admit, deny, apologize for, insist on + gerund.
“You took the money!”, he said.

He accused me/him of taking the money.
“Yes, I took it”, he said.

He admitted taking it.
“No, I didn’t take it”.

He denied taking it.
TOM: “I’ll pay for both of us”.

BILL: “Let’s each pay our own share”.
TOM: “No, I’ll pay”.
Tom insisted on paying.
1.3. Other useful verbs are: add, admit, answer, argue, assure + object, boast,
complain, deny, explain, grumble, observe, point out, promise, remark, remind +
object, reply. They can all take a that-clause.
2. Questions in Reported Speech.
The most common verbs are: ask, inquire, wonder, want to know.
Notes:
ask can be followed by the person addressed (indirect object):
He asked: “What have you got in your bag?”

He asked (me) what I had got in my bag.
But inquire, wonder, want to know cannot take an indirect object, so if we wish to
report a question where the person addressed is mentioned, we must use ask:
He said, “Mary, when is the next train?”

He asked Mary when the next train was.
If we use inquire, wonder or want to know we must omit Mary:
He wanted to know when the next train was.

He inquired when the next train was.
3. Commands, requests, advice in Reported Speech.

They are usually expressed by a verb of command/request/advice + object + infinitive
(= the “object + infinitive construction”). The following verbs can be used: advise, ask,
beg, command, encourage, forbid, invite, order, recommend, remind, request, tell,
urge, warn:
He said, “Get your coat, Tom!”

He told Tom to get his coat.
“You had better hurry, Bill!”, she said.

She advised Bill to hurry.
“Don’t swim out too far, boys!”, I said.

I warned/told the boys not to swim out too far.
“Do sit down, please!”, said my hostess.

My hostess asked/invited me to sit down.
“Please, please, don’t take any risks,” said his wife.

His wife begged/implored him not to take any risks.
“Forget all about this young man,” said her parents. “Don’t see him again or
answer his letters.”
Her parents ordered her to forget all about the young man and told her
not to see him again or answer his letters.
“Don’t forget to order the wine”, said Mrs Pitt.
Mrs Pitt reminded her husband to order the wine.
“Go on, apply for the job,” said Jack.

Jack urged/encouraged me to apply for the job.
Suggest + gerund/+ (should) base form:

MUM: “It’s going to rain. Let’s go to the cinema instead of the park”
Mum suggested going to the cinema. /
Mum suggested that we (should) go to the cinema rather than the park.
4. Exclamations.
Examples:
He said, “Thank you” He thanked me.
He said, “Curse this wind” He cursed the wind.
He said, “Welcome!” He welcomed me/us/him.
He said, “Happy Christmas!” He wished me a Happy Christmas.
He said, “Congratulations!” He congratulated me.
He said, “Liar” He called me a liar /accused me of lying.
He said, “Damn” He swore.
He said, “This is my sister Jane” He introduced me to his sister.

Special Cases in Reported Speech

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Special Cases in Reported Speech

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What are the different ways to report verbs of offering, promising, threatening etc.?

What are the different ways to report verbs of offering, promising, threatening etc.?

How are questions reported in indirect speech?

How are questions reported in indirect speech?

Reporting Verbs in Indirect Speech

1. Infinitive and Gerund constructions in Reported Speech

ANN: “Would you wait half an hour?”

ANN: “Would you lend me another $150?”

PAUL: “I’ll help you if you like”.

ANN: “I’ll pay you back next week. Really I will!”

“You took the money!”, he said.

“Yes, I took it”, he said.

“No, I didn’t take it”.

TOM: “I’ll pay for both of us”.

ask can be followed by the person addressed (indirect object):

He asked: “What have you got in your bag?”

He said, “Mary, when is the next train?”

If we use inquire, wonder or want to know we must omit Mary:

He wanted to know when the next train was.

3. Commands, requests, advice in Reported Speech.

He said, “Get your coat, Tom!”

“You had better hurry, Bill!”, she said.

“Don’t swim out too far, boys!”, I said.

“Do sit down, please!”, said my hostess.

“Please, please, don’t take any risks,” said his wife.

“Go on, apply for the job,” said Jack.

Suggest + gerund/+ (should) base form:

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