REPORTED SPEECH Interactive image

Reported speech

01 Choosing reporting verbs

Neutral verbs: say and tell

The most neutral and most common verbs we use to introduce what we are reporting are say and tell, and choosing between these verbs often poses a problem to learners. Say is never followed by an indirect object (e.g. him, us, them, my sister), whereas we have to use an indirect object after tell. We choose say when the person who was spoken to is unimportant or already known. We choose tell when we wish to draw attention specifically to the person who is being addressed. He said (that) he was ill. He told me (that) he was ill.

01 Choosing reporting verbs

Neutral verbs: say and tell

We follow say with a that clause (e.g. (that) he.was ill) or or a clause beginning with a question word (e.g. She didn't say who was there). However we can follow tell + indirect object with a variety of clause types and with a noun phrase.

Clauses

Reported speech

Genial quiz

START

Question 1/10

Choose the right sentence to report what someone has said to you

Peter had told me that his father isn't well this morning.

Peter said that her father isn't well the day before.

Peter had told me that his father isn't well the day before.

Right answer

Wrong answer

Wrong answer

Question 2/10

When we use indirect or reported speech we must do some changes

We must change verb tenses and pronouns.

We must change verb tenses

We must change verb tenses, pronouns, time words and punctuation.

Wrong answer

Right answer

Question 3/3

Instead of say and tell, we can use other reporting verbs with regarding to the modifiers of those verbs

Verbs can be followed by a gerund, or object + gerund or preposition + gerund

Verbs can be followed by a that clause or a question word + to infinitive

All the answers are possible

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