Summary English Proficiency II - Grammar

1. Module 11 MGL: Reported Speech
Units: 50 (ex.2), 51 (ex. 1exam exercise, 3), 52 (ex. 2) + review exercise 2
1.1. introduction
- Reported speech = utterance is taken out of its setting and placed in a new one
 express meaning not exact words
 Pronouns change
 Verb phrase changes
 Place indication changes
 Original statement is embedded in a noun clause preceded by a reported /
reporting verb
 e.g., I have lived here for 20 years.  He said he had lived there for 20 years.

- Reported speech is used in academic language more often than in less formal writing
which often uses direct speech
 punctuation: ‘…’ or “…” traditionally after a comma (but colon is increasingly used)
 when DS is followed by a phrase, such as : she said, the comma is placed before
the second inverted comma (‘…,’ she said)

1.2. patterns in reported speech
1.2.1. say, tell, think (most frequently used in informal spoken
situations)
⚠️say ≠ tell
 you say something (to someone) e.g., she told us that …
 you tell someone something e.g., she said that …
- reporting verb + that ?
 register “that” is often omitted in spoken Eng
 ALWAYS add “that” after: reply, respond, answer, shout

1.2.2. common reporting verbs (to report statements)

Reporting verbs with (that)-clause Mention, say
“I’ve been ill”
 Prof. Deconinck mentioned (that) she had been ill
Prof Deconinck said (that) she had been ill
Reporting verbs with objects (= hearer) followed by a Tell, assure, convince, inform, notify, persuade,
that-clause remind, warn
“she has gone home”
 he told me that she had gone home
“she will be home”


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, He assured me that she would be home
Reporting verbs with to + object followed by a that- Say, admit, confess, mention, propose, report
clause “she won’t be better tomorrow”
 he said to me that she wouldn’t be better
tomorrow
“she has a virus”
 he admitted to me that she had a virus
Reporting verbs with with + object followed by a that- Agree, argue, check, confirm, disagree
clause “you’re right. We should give her a ring”
 He agreed with me that we should give her a ring
Reporting verbs with object + infinitive Invite, encourage, ask, expect, order, remind, urge,
warn
“Drink enough coffee before our grammar class”
 Ms. Holtzem warned us to drink enough coffee
before our grammar class
reporting verbs with an infinitive Apply, decide, offer, decline, demand, refuse,
volunteer
“I will get us a coffee later”
 She offered to get us a coffee later.
Reporting verbs with an infinitive or that-clause Promise, agree, claim, hope, propose, threaten, vow
“I will get coffee, I promise”
 She promised to get coffee
She promised that she would get coffee
Reporting verbs with gerund or a that-clause Deny, suggest, admit, mention, propose, recommend,
report
“I didn’t have any coffee yet, I swear”
 she denied that she had already had a coffee
 she denied having had a coffee

1.2.3. reporting negative statements
- the verb within the statement negative, not the reporting verb
e.g. Calvin says: “I still haven’t been able to log onto MyGrammarLab.”
 Calvin said that he still hasn’t been able to log onto MyGrammarLab
- BUT not with “thinking” verbs such as think, expect, plan, intend
 in that case we make the reporting verb negative
e.g., Mother says: “Miley Cyrus is not a good role model for young girls.”
 Mother doesn’t think Miley Cyrus is a good role model for young girls.

1.2.4. weak/neutral/strong reporting verbs




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, 1.3. changes in reported speech
1.3.1. backshift
- to change the tense of the original words
 present simple  past simple

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