TENSE

 CHANGE  IN  REPORTED  SPEECH  

 
1  We  do  not  change  the  tense  of   2   We   can   choose   to   change   the   3We   don’t   usually   change   the   tense  
the   original   words   in   reported   tense   or   not.   This   o8en   depends   when:  
speech  when:   on   the   rela9onship   of   the    
  reported   event   to   the   9me   of   ·∙the  ac)on  in  the  indirect  speech  is  s)ll  
·∙the  repor)ng  verb  is  in  a  present   repor9ng  it.   happening  or  going  to  happen  
tense      
  For  example,  if  we  report:   ‘I’m   working   on   the   details   of   a  
àHe   says   that   intelligent   life   in     tenta?ve  se@lement’  
the  universe  does  not  exist.   ‘I’m   going   on   holiday   tomorrow    
  morning’     àThe   nego?ator   said   he   is   working   on  
·∙the   direct   speech   includes   an     the   details   of   a   tenta?ve   se@lement.    
unreal  past   on   the   day   it   is   said,   we   are   likely   (He  is  s)ll  working  on  the  details)  
  to  say:    
‘I  wish  I  were  younger’     ·∙  The  reported  verb  expresses  a  fact  or  
  àSusanna   said   she’s   going   on   situa)on   that   cannot   or   is   unlikely   to  
à  Janice  said  that  she  wished  she   holiday  tomorrow  morning,     change:  
were  younger.        
  But   reported   a   few   days   later,   we   àHe   explained   that   these   animals  
Janice   said   that   she   wished   she   are  more  likely  to  say:     roamed  the  Earth  millions  of  years  ago.  
had  been  younger        
    àSusanna   said   she   was   going   on   àHe  told  us  that  counselling  is  not  the  
  holiday  the  next  morning.     answer  for  everyone.  
     
·∙ T h e   v e r b   c o m e s   a l t e r   a   ) m e  
conjunc)on,  e.g.  when,  aGer  
 
àMar?n   replied   that   he   had   started  
the  job  immediately  aGer  he  leG  school.  
     
*    Note  that  in  all  of  these  cases,  it  is  also  possible  to  change  the  tense   *  
   
1  Verb  only  
  REPORTING  VERBS  
‘I'm  really  sorry  .    
à    She  apologised.  
 
agree,  apologise,  refuse   4  Verb  +  to  infini9ve  
 
'We’ll  pick  up  the  children,  if  you  like.’    
2  Verb  +  (that)  clause   They  offered  to  pick  up  the  children.   7  Verb  +  object  +  to  +  infini-ve  +  complement  
     
‘I   hacked   into   the   company's   accounts   agree,   demand,   guarantee,   offer,   'Muhammad  Ali  was  the  greatest  boxer  ever.  ’  
system.’     propose,   refuse,   swear,   threaten,   à   She   considers   Muhammad   AIi   to   have   been  
à   He   admi@ed   (that)   he   had   hacked   into   volunteer,  vow   the  greatest  boxer  ever.  
the  company's  accounts  system.    
  acknowledge,   assume,   believe,   claim,  
accept,   acknowledge,   add,   admit,   advise,   5   verb   (+   op9onal   object)   +   to  
infini9ve   consider,  declare,  expect,  feel,  find,  presume,  
agree,   announce,   answer*,   argue,   assert,   suppose,  think,  understand  
assume,   believe,   boast,   comment,    
'Please  can  I  use  the  car?’      
complain,   concede,   conclude,   confess,  
con)nue*,   decide,   declare,   deny,   doubt,  
àShe  asked  to  use  the  car    
exclaim,   expect,   explain,   foresee,   imagine,   'Please  let  me  stay.  ’    
imply,   insist,   know,   men)on,   no)ce,   àShe  begged  us  to  let  her  stay.   8  Verb  +  -­‐ing  form  
observe,   point   out,   predict,   promise,      
protest,   recommend,   remark,   repeat,   ask   (sb),   beg   (sb),   expect   (sb),   promise   ‘I  didn’t  do  it.  ’    
(sb)   à  He  denied  doing  it.  
reply*,  report,  respond,  reveal,  say,  shout*,  
   
state,  suggest,  vow,  whisper  
(*  =  that  is  obligatory)   admit,   apologise   for,   decide   on,   deny,  
6  Verb  +  object  +  to  +  infini9ve   men)on,  recommend,  regret,  report,  suggest  
 
3  Verb  +  object  +  that  clause   'You  shouldn't  say  anything.’    
  àI  advised  him  not  to  say  anything.   9  Verb  +  object  +  preposi9on  +  -­‐ing  form  
'Don't  worry.  You’ll  arrive  on  ?me.’        
à  She  reassured  me  that  I  would  arrive  on   advise,   allow,   challenge,   command,   'You  forged  the  cheques,  didn’t  you?’    
?me.   compel,   encourage,   expect,   forbid,   àThey  accused  me  of  forging  the  cheques.  
  force,   implore,   instruct,   invite,   order,    
advise,   assure,   inform,   reassure,   remind,   permit,   persuade,   remind,   request,   tell,   accuse  sb  of,  blame  sb  for,  congratulate  sb  on,  
tell,  warn   urge,  warn   thank  sb  for