Reported Speech

Reported Speech:

I still want to be in the program.

She said she still wanted to be in the program.

I am having another operation on Friday.

She said she was having another operation on Friday.

I have already had one operation.

She told me that she had had already had one operation.

I was in a car accident.

She said that she had been in a car accident.

They are going to start filming soon.

I told her they were going to start filming soon.

I will not be able to walk on it for a month.

She said that she wouldn’t be able to walk on it for a month.

I can not come to the meeting on Monday.

She told me she couldn’t come to the meeting on Monday.

You must talk to Marx.

I told her that she had to talk to Marx.

The modal verbs: could, should, would, might, and ought to do not change in the reported speech.

Don’t have to change (for something general or still in the future): I told him I love classical music.

Tomorrow – the following, last – the …before.

Reported Speech: Question

He asked if I had any acting work.

First he asked me if/whether I was working at the moment.

He asked (me) whether I was available to start next week.

What other parts have you had recently.

He asked me what other parts I have had recently.

Reported question:

He asked me where I had studied acting.

He asked me if/whether I was working at the moment.

I asked her where her brother was..

Reported speech: request & imperatives

Request : He asked me to come to a meeting on Monday

Imperatives:

He told me to be at their offices at ten.

He told me not to accept anymore work.

ANYA    Hello. Cooke, Heath and Jardine. Can I help you?

STUART                Hello. Could I speak to Tim Cooke, please?

ANYA    I’m afraid he’s in a meeting at the moment.

STUART                I wonder if I could leave a message then.

ANYA    Of course.

STUART                My name’s Holding, Stuart Holding, and I was supposed to be meeting Tim for lunch today at my office.

ANYA    Ah, yes ... here it is. Lunch with Stuart Holding at one.

STUART                Well, I’m afraid I haven’t left Edinburgh yet. I’m at the airport and nobody knows when we’re going to leave. There’s some kind of mechanical problem apparently. I might have to take a train back. So annoying ... Anyway, obviously I can’t meet Tim at one.

ANYA    Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.

STUART                Could we make it tomorrow instead?

ANYA    You must speak to Mr Cooke personally about that, I’m afraid. Have you got his mobile?

STUART                Yes, I should have it somewhere. I’ll try and get hold of him. Thank you for your help.

ANYA    Not at all. Goodbye, Mr Holding.

STUART                Goodbye.

Tim isn’t in his office.

Stuart was supposed to have lunch with Tim today.

He is in Edinburgh.

His flight will be late.

Stuart is going to call Tim later.