Reported Speech

Reglas para ejercicio de Reported Speech

Question Forms and Reported Speech

Question Forms and Reported Speech

1. Normal word order is used in reported questions, that is, the subject comes before the verb, and it is not necessary to use 'do' or 'did':

• "Where does Peter live?" She asked him where Peter lived.

2. Yes / no questions: This type of question is reported by using 'ask' + 'if / whether + clause:

• "Do you speak English?" He asked me if I spoke English.

• "Are you British or American?" He asked me whether I was British or American.

• "Is it raining?" She asked if it was raining.

• "Have you got a computer?" He wanted to know whether I had a computer.

• "Can you type?" She asked if I could type.

• "Did you come by train?" He enquired whether I had come by train.

• "Have you been to Bristol before?" She asked if I had been to Bristol before.

3. Question words:

This type of question is reported by using 'ask' (or another verb like 'ask') + question word + clause. The clause contains the question, in normal word order and with the necessary tense change.

• "What is your name?" he asked me. He asked me what my name was.

• "How old is your mother?", he asked. He asked how old her mother was.

• The policman said to the boy, "Where do you live?" The policeman asked the boy where he lived.

• "What time does the train arrive?" she asked. She asked what time the train arrived.

• "When can we have dinner?" she asked. She asked when they could have dinner.

• Peter said to John, "Why are you so late?" Peter asked the John why he was so late.

Note: See also Summary of Reporting Verbs

Grammar notes: reported speech

Definition

Reported speech is often also called indirect speech. When we use reported speech, we are usually talking about the past (because obviously the person who spoke originally spoke in the past). The verbs therefore usually have to be in the past too. For example:

"I'm going to the cinema".

He said he was going to the cinema.

Estilo indirecto - Reported Speech

El Estilo indirecto o Reported speech es una estructura que se emplea cuando queremos decir o hacer mención sobre algo que alguien ha dicho previamente.

Direct speech

(estilo directo) Reported speech

(estilo indirecto)

"I always drink coffee". She said. She said that she always drank coffee.

"Yo siempre bebo café." Ella dijo. Ella dijo que ella siempre bebía café.

Para hacer mención sobre lo que alguien ha dicho usamos verbos como explain, promise, say, tell, suggest... Aunque los más utilizados son say y tell.

No es necesario cambiar el tiempo del verbo si el verbo de la oración principal está en presente. En el ejemplo anterior podríamos decir: She said that she always drink coffee.

Para introducir lo que ha dicho, usamos that aunque muchas veces se puede omitir esta palabra.

Al convertir una oración de "Direct Speech" a "Reported Speech" tenemos en cuenta que el verbo principal retrocede un tiempo verbal.

Tabla de cambios que sufre el verbo:

Direct speech Reported speech

present simple

I am happy

I sleep

past

...