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Couple under umbrellaStatement Clauses

Changing statements to reported speech

 

 

 

Quoted vs. Reported Statements
QUOTED STATEMENT REPORTED STATEMENT

Use a word such as said to restate something someone says.

 

She said, "It's raining here."

She said that it was raining there.

She said, "It was raining here, but it's not now."

She said that it had been raining there, but it wasn't now.

She said, "I'll meet you at this cafe tomorrow."

She said that she would meet me at that cafe the next day.

She said, "That umbrella is mine."

She said that that umbrella was hers.
 

Related page:  Said Synonyms   

 

 

Sentence Transformation
CHANGES INDEPENDENT CLAUSE EMBEDDED STATEMENT

1

Remove comma and quotes.

My friend said,

"It's raining here."

2

Optionally add the relative pronoun that.

My friend said (that)

it is raining here.

3

Adjust point of view to the speaker's:

  • time frame of 2nd verb to 1st verb
  • adverb: here to there
     

My friend said

it was raining there.

 

 

 

Complex Sentence Transformation
CHANGES INDEPENDENT CLAUSE EMBEDDED STATEMENT

1

Remove comma and quotes.

My friend said,

"I'll meet you at this cafe tomorrow."

2

Optionally add the relative pronoun that.

My friend said (that)

I'll meet you at this cafe tomorrow.

3

Adjust point of view to the speaker's:

  • pronoun: I  to she; you  to me
  • verb: time frame of 2nd verb to 1st verb
  • adjective (near-far): this  to that
  • adverb: tomorrow to the next day
     

My friend said

she would meet me at that cafe the next day.

 

 

 

Synonyms
SYNONYM MEANING SENTENCE

say

to utter words

She said that was a good place to eat.

state

to say something (systematically)

She stated she did not like politics.

declare

to say publicly

She declared she was a citizen of the U.S.

claim

to say (take a firm position)

She claimed she was not transporting food or drugs.

announce

to say publicly

She announced she was getting married.


Also see: Other words for said

 

 

 

Tense Agreement

Contrasting Same-time and Earlier Events

 

 

Same-time vs. Earlier-time Tense Agreement
SAME –TIME EVENT EARLIER EVENT

Change the verb in the clause to the same time frame (tense) as the time of speaking to indicate same-time activities or events.

Shift the verb to an earlier time frame (past perfect) to contrast the time of speaking to an earlier activity or event.

She said that she saw me (while she was talking on her phone.)

She said that she had seen me.  (earlier that day)

He announced  he was resigning as CEO of the company. (during the event)

He announced he had resigned as CEO of the company. (earlier that week)

They declared they were Canadian citizens.  (a permanent or general truth)

They declared they had been  Canadian citizens. (They no longer are Canadian citizens.)

I claimed I was the winner. (during the event)
 

I claimed I had been the winner. (at an earlier event)

Related pages: Tense AdjustmentFormal vs. Informal Agreement   

 

 

 

 

Advanced Point

Expressions

 

 

EXPRESSION REPORTED SPEECH

Expressions are often "frozen".  (An expression is two or more words that together take on a new meaning.)  For this reason, it sounds awkward when tense, number or a pronoun is changed.

When changing an expression to reported speech any change to tense, number or pronoun returns the phrase to its literal (word for word) meaning. It is often best to restate the expression in other words.

"You are pulling my leg!"

She said that we were joking.  

"You can't pull the wool over my eyes."

He announced that we couldn't fool him.

"Here it is."

He shouted that he had found it. 
He shouted that it was there. (awkward)
 

 

 

 

 

 

On the roadPractice

On the Road

 

  1. Change the direct quote to Statements.
  2. Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right. 
# YOUR RESPONSE CHECK ANSWER
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   grilled octopus small greek town
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  Taverna meal