English language

Quoted speech and reported speech

 
1-Quoted speech:
Quoted speech is related to quote a speaker’s exact words, 
mainly in writing such as academic papers. We use quotations marks.

Safia: the desert is clean. (speaker’s exact words)
Safia said, “ The desert is clean.” (Quoted speech) or
“ The desert is clean,” said Safia.

Other common verbs that introduce quotations: 
Say  - admit  - announce  - answer  - ask  - complain  - explain  - 
inquire  - report  - reply  - shout  - state  - write.
 

2-Quoted speech (direct) & reported (indirect) speech:

Safia said, “The desert is empty.”
Safia said that the desert was empty.

The reported speech reproduces an idea. We don’t use all of the exact 
words: You may change verb forms and pronouns: and we don’t use
the quotation marks.

Verb form in reported speech:
Rule:

-  The main verb of the sentence is in the present:  No
change is made in the verb tense or modal in the noun-clause.

- The main verb of the sentence is in the past:  The verb in the 
noun-clause change into the past form, as follow:


Quoted speech 
Reported speech
He said, “I study.” 
He said (that) he studied.
He said, “I am studying.” 
 He said (that) he was studying.
He said, “I studied.” 
He said (that) he had studied.
He said, “I have studied.”
 He said (that) he had learned.
He said, “I am going to study.”
He said (that) he was going to study.
He said, “I will study.
 He said (that) he would study.
He said, “I can study.”  
He said (that) he could study.
He said, “I may study.” 
 He said (that) he might study.
He said, “I have to study.”
  He said (that) he had to study.
He said, “I must study.” 
 He said (that) he had to study.
He said, “I should study.”
He said (that) he should study.
He said, “I ought to study.”
He said (that) he ought to study.

 
But, in an immediate reporting, or soon after it was said, 
especially in speaking, the verb is not changed in the noun clause:

What did he just say? I didn’t hear him?
He said (that) he is in the good mood.
 

3- Say & Tell:
Said is followed immediately by a noun-clause.
Tell is immediately followed by a noun or pronoun object 
and then by a noun-clause.

She tells us that she is going to come.
She told someone that she was going to come.

4- Ask IF:
To report YES/NO questions, we use ask (not say).
After ask, we use IF (not that) to introduce a noun clause.

He said to them, “Are you ready?”
He asked them if they were ready.
	= He asked them whether they were ready.
	= He asked if they were ready (the noun or pronoun 
	object can be omitted after ask).

YES/NO questions can be reported also by:
Want to know  - wonder  - inquire.
 
5- Verb + pronoun (or noun) + infinitive to report speech:

He said to her, “Can I borrow your car, please?”
He begged her to lend him her car.

Subject+Verb+Object+Infinitive phrase

Some verbs are immediately followed by a pronoun (or noun)
Object and then an infinitive phrase.

They are:
Tell someone to  - advise  - ask  - encourage – invite  - order  - 
permit  - remind  - warn  - allow  - beg  - challenge  - convince  - 
direct  - expect  - instruct  - persuade  - urge,  …

6-Other Verbs:
Advise:
Advise someone to do …(with a pronoun or noun, 
An infinitive is used)
Advise doing (without a pronoun or noun, an gerund is used)

Suggest/Recommend:
Suggested/ Recommend that I should do …
Suggest/ Recommend doing (followed immediately by a gerund)

For these two verbs:
- They are not followed by a pronoun or noun object and an infinitive.
- They can be followed by a that-clause where should is used. Should is 
not necessary. However, If should is not used, the verb in the noun 
clause is always in the simple form.

She suggested reading a book.
She recommended that we should read a book.
She recommended that he read (not “S”) the book.
She suggested he buy a book.
She recommended he not buy a book.

Certain other verbs and expressions require the simple 
form of a verb in the noun clause that follows to stress the
importance:
Demand, insist, request, and ask. It is important, it is necessary,
it is essential.
Examples:
She demanded that he be polite.
They insisted that they come over.
He requested that he be heard from his friend.
It is important that you be on time.
It is essential that she come as soon as possible.
It is necessary that he not leave out the results.

7- Using -Ever words:
 
-Ever words give the idea of any.
Whoever = any one
Who (m) ever = anyone who (m)
Whatever = anything that
Whichever … = any of the … that
Whenever = at any time that
Wherever = anyplace that 
However = in any way that

Whoever wants to speak is welcome.
Anyone who wants to speak is welcome.
You can borrow whichever books you want.
You can borrow any of the books that you want.
She never says whatever comes into her mind.
She never says anything that comes into her mind.
They may give answers however they prefer.
They may give answers in any way that they prefer.