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Interactive Audio Lesson
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Introduction to Reported Speech
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Today, weβre diving into reported speech. Can anyone tell me what they think it means?
I think itβs when you tell someone what someone else said without quoting them directly.
Exactly! Reported speech allows us to share information without using the speaker's exact words. Why do you think this is useful?
Maybe because itβs easier to summarize things?
Or when we want to paraphrase?
Great points! It helps condense information and can make it flow better in conversation. Remember the acronym R.E.P.O.R.T - 'Reframe, Express, Pronoun changes, Order of verbs, Relate time, and Tone change'. This will help us remember the key aspects of converting statements.
Transforming Statements
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Letβs look at direct statements first. What do we need to change when converting them to reported speech?
We remove the quotation marks.
Correct! What else do we do?
We need to change the tense. For example, present to past.
Absolutely right! For example, 'He said, βI am going to the market.β' becomes 'He said that he was going to the market.' Can anyone give me another example?
How about, 'She said, βI love chocolate.β' becomes 'She said that she loved chocolate.'?
Exactly! Youβre all grasping this well.
Converting Questions to Reported Speech
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Next, we'll learn about reporting questions. Whatβs different when we deal with questions as opposed to statements?
We use 'if' or 'whether' for yes/no questions.
Exactly! For example, 'He asked, βAre you coming?β' becomes 'He asked if I was coming.' What about wh-questions?
They use the wh-word directly, like 'where' or 'what'.
Correct! Like in 'She asked, βWhere do you live?β' becomes 'She asked where I lived.' Why do we change the verb to a statement format?
Because we're not asking anymore, weβre sharing the information.
Right! You all are fantastic at this!
Commands and Requests in Reported Speech
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Now, letβs cover commands and requests. What do we need to add when converting these?
We use verbs like 'ordered', 'requested', or 'advised'.
Correct! And what about the structure we need to use after these verbs?
'To' + base form of the verb.
Exactly! For example, 'The teacher said, βOpen your books.β' becomes 'The teacher ordered them to open their books.' Can you give me another example?
'He said, βPlease help me.β' would be 'He requested me to help him.'
Great job! Letβs also remember to use 'not to' for negative requests, like 'Donβt waste food.'
Introduction & Overview
Read a summary of the section's main ideas. Choose from Basic, Medium, or Detailed.
Quick Overview
Standard
The section explains how to change direct speech into reported speech by modifying quotation marks, pronouns, tenses, and expressions of time and place. It categorizes the transformations into statements, questions (yes/no and wh-questions), and commands, providing numerous examples for each case.
Detailed
In the context of grammar, reported speech (or indirect speech) is a way of conveying what someone else has said without using their exact words. This section outlines the key rules for converting direct speech into reported speech, emphasizing the need to remove quotation marks and the use of appropriate conjunctions (like 'that', 'if', or question words). It discusses how to adjust pronouns according to the speaker and listener, change verb tenses for accuracy (known as backshifting), and modify time and place expressions to fit the context of the reporting.
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Statements: Transforming direct statements involves changing the tense and adjusting the structure. For instance:
- Direct: βHe said, βI am going to the market.ββ
- Indirect: βHe said that he was going to the market.β
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Questions: For yes/no questions, βifβ or βwhetherβ is used, while wh-questions retain their interrogative words. Example:
- Direct: βShe asked, βWhere do you live?ββ
- Indirect: βShe asked where I lived.β
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Commands/Requests/Advice: Special verbs like 'ordered', 'requested', or 'advised' are employed, combined with 'to' + infinitive for positive commands and 'not to' + infinitive for negatives. Example:
- Direct: βThe teacher said, βOpen your books.ββ
- Indirect: βThe teacher ordered them to open their books.β
Overall, mastering reported speech is crucial for effective communication and comprehension in English.
Audio Book
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What is Reported Speech?
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Reported speech (or indirect speech) is when we tell someone what another person said without using their exact words. Direct speech uses the exact words of the speaker, enclosed in quotation marks.
Detailed Explanation
Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, allows us to convey what someone else has said without quoting their exact words. In contrast, direct speech repeats the exact words that the speaker used. For instance, if John said, 'I am going to the store,' this is direct speech. If we report this to someone else as John said that he was going to the store, we have converted it into reported speech.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine you overheard a friend making an exciting announcement. Instead of retelling the entire conversation word-for-word, you might say to another friend, 'She mentioned that she is getting a new pet.' This way, you keep the essence of what was said without needing to remember every single word.
Rules for Changing Direct to Indirect Speech
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- General Rules for Changing Direct to Indirect Speech:
- Remove quotation marks.
- Use a conjunction (e.g., 'that' for statements, 'if' or 'whether' for yes/no questions, or a question word for Wh-questions).
- Change pronouns according to the speaker and listener.
- Change tenses (backshift of tenses):
- Simple Present β Simple Past
- Present Continuous β Past Continuous
- Present Perfect β Past Perfect
- Present Perfect Continuous β Past Perfect Continuous
- Simple Past β Past Perfect
- Past Continuous β Past Perfect Continuous
- Future (will) β Conditional (would)
- Modals: can β could, may β might, must β had to, shall β should/would.
Detailed Explanation
When transforming direct speech into reported speech, there are several key rules to follow. First, you need to remove any quotation marks that indicate someone's specific words. Next, add a conjunction like 'that' for statements to connect the clauses smoothly. Also, modify any pronouns to fit the context of the current speaker and listener. Furthermore, you must change the tense of the verbs according to a backshift rule, which involves moving forward in time for past references, such as changing 'is going' to 'was going'. Some modals change as well, reflecting a move from present possibilities to past forms.
Examples & Analogies
Think of changing the way you tell a joke to a friend. If your friend originally said, 'I love ice cream!' you might want to report that by saying, 'He said that he loved ice cream.' Here, you're not quoting the joke verbatim but expressing its content in a way that's tailored to your current conversation.
Reporting Statements
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- Statements:
- Direct: He said, "I am going to the market."
- Indirect: He said that he was going to the market.
- Direct: She said, "I have finished my work."
- Indirect: She said that she had finished her work.
Detailed Explanation
When reporting statements, we start with the reporting verb, such as 'said.' In direct speech, it's usually accompanied by quotation marks, indicating the exact words spoken. For indirect speech, we replace the verbs with their past forms, remove quotation marks, and change the tense accordingly. For instance, 'I am going' in direct speech becomes 'he was going' in indirect speech as we shift the action into the past.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine your friend is telling you their plans. If they say, 'I am studying for my exam,' and later you want to tell someone else what your friend planned, you would say, 'He said that he was studying for his exam.' This helps everyone understand your friend's past intentions without needing the exact phrasing.
Reporting Yes/No Questions
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- Questions:
- Yes/No Questions: Use 'if' or 'whether'. The reported question takes the form of a statement (subject + verb).
- Direct: He asked, "Are you coming?"
- Indirect: He asked if I was coming.
Detailed Explanation
To report yes/no questions, we use 'if' or 'whether' to initiate the reported speech. This changes the structure from a question to a statement form. Instead of asking a question directly, we frame it in a way that shows the subject and verb clearly, as in 'He asked if I was coming.' The verb tense will need to shift to the appropriate past form as well.
Examples & Analogies
Think about a teacher asking a student, 'Are you ready for the test?' If the student tells another friend about it later, they might say, 'The teacher asked if I was ready for the test.' This simplifies the exchange and allows for easy understanding of what was discussed.
Reporting Wh-Questions
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β Wh-Questions (who, what, when, where, why, how): Use the question word as the conjunction. The reported question takes the form of a statement.
- Direct: She asked, "Where do you live?"
- Indirect: She asked where I lived.
Detailed Explanation
For Wh-questions, we retain the original question word (who, what, when, etc.) to introduce our reported speech. Unlike yes/no questions that use 'if,' Wh-questions directly transition the question word into the reporting format. The structure will again shift from a question to a statement format, making it clear and concise.
Examples & Analogies
When your teacher asks you, 'What are you studying?' later you might tell your mom, 'The teacher asked what I was studying.' This modification keeps the context while ensuring clarity in the reported speech.
Reporting Commands and Requests
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- Commands/Requests/Advice:
- Use reporting verbs like 'ordered', 'commanded', 'requested', 'advised', 'told', 'asked'.
- Use 'to' + infinitive for positive commands/requests.
- Use 'not to' + infinitive for negative commands/requests.
- Direct: The teacher said, "Open your books."
- Indirect: The teacher ordered them to open their books.
Detailed Explanation
Reporting commands involves changing the tone from a direct order to an indirect one while maintaining the intent. This is done by utilizing verbs like 'ordered' or 'requested'. For positive commands, we often use 'to' plus the base form of the verb (infinitive). Negative commands require 'not to' plus the infinitive. This helps in transforming direct orders into polite requests or statements.
Examples & Analogies
If a coach yells, 'Run faster!' during practice, you might later tell a teammate, 'The coach ordered us to run faster.' This reframing transforms the coach's direct command into a more objective report while still delivering the message.
Definitions & Key Concepts
Learn essential terms and foundational ideas that form the basis of the topic.
Key Concepts
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Reported Speech: A way to convey what someone said without quoting exactly.
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Tense Backshift: Changing the verb tense when converting speech.
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Pronoun Change: Adjusting pronouns to fit the context of the reporting.
Examples & Real-Life Applications
See how the concepts apply in real-world scenarios to understand their practical implications.
Examples
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Direct: 'She said, βI will go to the park.β' Indirect: 'She said that she would go to the park.'
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Direct: 'He asked, βAre you ready?β' Indirect: 'He asked if I was ready.'
Memory Aids
Use mnemonics, acronyms, or visual cues to help remember key information more easily.
π΅ Rhymes Time
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To report what they said, change the tense instead.
π Fascinating Stories
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Imagine a reporter at a scene telling the story of what someone said, they change their words to fit the news.
π§ Other Memory Gems
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R.E.P.O.R.T: Reframe, Express, Pronoun change, Order of verbs, Relate time.
π― Super Acronyms
RAPID
- Remove quotes
- Adjust pronouns
- Past tense
- Index of time changes
- Direct verb changes.
Flash Cards
Review key concepts with flashcards.
Glossary of Terms
Review the Definitions for terms.
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Term: Reported Speech
Definition:
The act of conveying what someone else said without using their exact words.
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Term: Direct Speech
Definition:
Using the exact words of a speaker, enclosed in quotation marks.
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Term: Tense Backshift
Definition:
The process of changing the tense when converting from direct to reported speech.
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Term: Conjunction
Definition:
A word used to connect clauses, such as 'that', 'if', or question words.
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Term: Pronoun Change
Definition:
Adjusting pronouns to fit the perspective of the reporting speaker.