It is no t always necessary to change the verb in reported speech. If you rep ort som ething and the situation hasn’t changed, you do no t need to change the verb to the past:
■ direct: Tom said, “My new jo b is very interesting.”
reported: Tom said that his new jo b is very interesting.
(The situation hasn’t changed. His jo b is still interesting.) ■ direct: A nn said, “I w a n t to go to South Am erica next year.”
reported: A nn told m e that she w a n ts to go to South A m erica next year.
(Ann still wants to go to South A m erica next year.) You can also change the verb to the past:
■ Tom said that his new jo b w as very interesting.
■ A nn told m e that she w a n te d to go to South A m erica next year. B ut if you are reporting a finished situation, you must use a past verb:
■ Paul left the room suddenly. H e said h e h a d to go. (not has to go)
You need to use a past form w hen there is a difference betw een w hat was said and w hat is really true. For example:
You m et Sonia a few days ago.
She said: “J o e is in th e h o s p ita l.” (direct speech) Later that day you m eet Joe in the street* You say: “I d idn ’t expect to see you, Joe. Sonia said you w e re in the hospital.” (not “Sonia said you are in the hospital,” because he clearly is not)
Joe is in the hospital. Sonia said you w er n the hospital.
Say and te ll
If you say ivho somebody is talking to, use tell:
■ Sonia to ld m e that you w ere in the hospital. (not Sonia said me) ■ W h at did you te ll th e p o lic e ? (not say the police)
O therw ise use say:
■ Sonia said that you were in the hospital, (not Sonia told t h a t . . .) ■ W h at did you say?
B ut you can say som ething to somebody:
■ A nn said good-bye to m e and left. (not A nn said m e good-bye) ■ W h at did you say to the police?
T E L L SO M EB O D
SAY S O M E B O D -
T e ll/a s k som ebody to do som ething
W e also use the infinitive (to d o / to stay, etc.) in reported speech, especially w ith te ll and ask (for orders and requests):
■ direct: “S tay in bed for a few days,” the doctor said to me.
reported: The doctor to ld m e to stay in bed for a few days.
■ direct: “D o n ’t s h o u t,” I said to Jim .
reported: I to ld Jim n o t to shout.
■ direct: “Please d o n ’t te ll anybody w hat happened,” Jackie said to me.
reported: Jackie ask e d m e n o t to te ll anybody w hat (had) happened.
You can also say “Somebody said (not) to do som ething”: ■ Jackie said not to te ll an y o n e. (but wot Jackie said me)
Exercises
U N I
I can't drive. I don't like fish, j Rosa has a very well-paid job. I don't have any brothers or sisters.
46.1 Here are some things that Ann said to you:
I've never been to South America.
I'm working tomorrow night. Rosa is a friend of mine. Dave- is lazyr
But later Ann says something different. What do you say? Ann
1. Dave works very hard. 2. Let’s have fish for dinner. 3. I’m going to buy a car. 4. Rosa is always short of money. 5. My sister lives in Tokyo. 6. I think Peru is a great place. 7. Let’s go out tomorrow night. 8. I’ve never spoken to Rosa.
46.2 Complete the sentences with say or tell (in the correct form). Use only one word each time.
1. A nn s a id good-bye to m e and left.
2. ______________________ us about your vacation. D id you have a good time? 3. D o n ’t ju st stand th e re !___________ something!
4. I w onder w here Sue is. S h e she w ould be here at 8:00. 5. J a c k _______________________ me that he was fed up w ith his job.
6. T he d o c to r________________ that I should rest for at |east a week. 7. D o n ’t ______________ anybody w hat I ________________________. It’s a
secret ju st betw een us.
8. “D id s h e _______________________ you w hat happened?” “N o, she didn’t ______________________ anything to m e.”
9. Jason couldn’t help me. H e ______________________me to ask Kate. 10. Gary couldn’t help me. H e ______________________ to ask Caroline.
46.3 The following sentences are direct speech:
Don't wait for me if I'm late. Mind your own business. Don't worry, Sue.
Can you open your bag, please? Hurry tipi
____________________________Y o u \ \
B u t you sa id he w as lazy.__________ B u t_______________________________
Please slow down! Will you marry me? Do you think you could give me a hand, Tom?
Choose one of these to complete each sentence below. Use reported speech.
1. Bill was taking a long tim e to get ready, so I told him to h u r r y up_____________
2. Sarah was driving too fast, so I a s k e d _________________________________________ 3. Sue was nervous about the situation. I t o l d ___ 4. I couldn’t move the piano alone, so I _______________________________ ______ 5. The customs officer looked at me suspiciously a n d ____________________________ 6. T he m an started asking m e personal questions, so I ____________________________
7. Jo h n was in love w ith Maria, so he ______________________________________ 8. I didn’t w ant to delay H elen, so I __________
U N I T
47
A
B
C
Questions 1
In questions we usually p u t the subject after the first verb:
■ W ill T o m be here tom orrow ? ■ H a v e y o u been w orking hard? ■ W h en w as th e h o u se built? R em em ber that the subject comes after the first verb:
■ Is C a th e r in e w orking today? (not Is w orking C atherine)
Subject + Verb Verb + Subject
Tom will —► will Tom? you have —► have you? T he house was —► was the house?
In simple present questions, we use d o /d o e s :
you live — d o you live? ■ D o you liv e near here?
the film begins -*• d oes the film begin? ■ W hat tim e d o e s the film b eg in ? In simple past questions, we use d id :
you sold —► d id you sell? ■ D id you sell your car? the train stopped -*• d id the train stop? ■ W hy d id the train stop? B ut do no t use d o / d o e s / d i d if w h o /w h a t, etc. is the subject o f the sentence. Com pare:
w h o object w h o subject
Zoe called somebody . Somebody called Zoe.
object subject
W ho d id Zoe call? W h o c a lle d Zoe?
In these examples, w h o /w h a t, etc. is the subject:
■ W h o w a n ts som ething to eat? (not W h o does want) ■ W h a t h a p p e n e d to you last night? (not W h at did happen) ■ H o w m a n y p e o p le c a m e to the m eeting? (not did come) ■ W h ic h b u s go es dow ntow n? (not does go)
N ote the position o f prepositions in questions beginning W h o /W h a t/W h ic h /W h e r e . ■ W h o do you w ant to speak to? ■ W h a t was the w eather lik e yesterday? ■ W h ic h jo b has A nn applied fo r? ■ W h e re are you fro m ?
You can use preposition + w h o m in formal style: ■ To w h o m do you wish to speak?
I s n ’t i t . . . ? / D id n ’t y o u . . . etc. (negative questions) W e use negative questions especially to show surprise:
■ D i d n ’t y o u hear the doorbell? I rang it three times. or w hen we expect the listener to agree w ith us:
■ “H a v e n ’t w e m et som ew here before?” “Yes, I think we have.” N ote the m eaning o f yes and n o in answers to negative questions:
Yes. (= Yes, I w ant to go) D o n ’t y o u w ant to go to the party?
N o . (= N o, I don’t w ant to go) N o te the w ord order in negative questions beginning W h y . . . ?:
■ W h y d o n ’t w e go out for a m eal tonight? (not W hy we don’t go) ■ W h y w a sn ’t M a ry at w ork yesterday? (not W hy M ary w asn’t)
Exercises
U N
I47.1 Ask Joe questions. (Look at his answers before you write the questions.)
1.
2.
3. 4. 5.
(where / live?) W h e re do y o u live?
(born there?)_______________________ (m arried?).
(how long / m arried?). (children?).
(how old / they?). (what / do ?). (what / wife / do?)_
47.2 Make questions with who or what.
1. Somebody hit me.
2. I hit somebody. 3. Somebody paid the bill. 4. Som ething happened. 5. Diane said som ething. 6. This book belongs to somebody.
7. Somebody lives in that house. 8. I fell over som ething. 9. Som ething fell on the floor. 10. This w ord means som ething. 11. I borrow ed the m oney from somebody. 12. I’m w orried about something.
In Vancouver.
No, I was born in Toronto. Yes.
17 years. Yes, two boys.
12 and 15. I’m a journalist.
She’s a doctor. Joe
47.3 Put 1. 2
.
3. 4. 5.6.
7. 8.
9.10
.the words in parentheses in the correct order. All the sentences are questions.
w hen / was / built / this house) W hen w a s th is h o u se built?______________
how / cheese / is / made)
w hen / invented / the com puter / was) _ w hy / Sue / w orking / isn’t / to d a y )____ w hat tim e / com ing / your friends / are) why / was / canceled / the c o n c e rt)____ w here / your m other / was / born) why / you / to the party / didn’t / come) how / the accident / did / h a p p e n )_____ w hy / this m achine / doesn’t / w o r k ) ___
-7.4 Write negative questions from the words in parentheses. In each situation you are surprised.
1. A: W e w on ’t see A nn tonight.
B: W hy not? (she / not / come / to the party?) Isn 't s h e com ing to th e p a r t y ?
2. A: I hope we don’t see Brian tonight.
B: W hy? (you / not / like / h im ? )_______________________________________ ____ 3. A: D o n ’t go and see that movie.
B: W hy not? (it / no t / g o o d ?)_______________________________________________ 4. A: I’ll have to borrow some money.