Lesson 6 Title: Reported Speech and Complex Tenses
Subtitle: Lesson 6
Presented by: Fatima
Contact Information: blackboarder1@gmail.com

Understanding Reported Speech and Complex Tenses

• Definition of Reported Speech

• Importance of Complex Tenses in Reported Speech

Reported speech is used when we tell someone else what another person said, without quoting their exact words. This requires changing the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and sometimes other parts of the sentence to match the context.

In this class, we will cover:

Basics of Reported Speech:
Direct vs. Indirect Speech.

Tense Changes:
How to shift tenses in reported speech.

Complex Tenses:
Understanding mixed tenses and their application.

By the end of this session, you should be able to accurately use reported speech in various contexts, even when complex tenses are involved.

Direct Speech vs. Indirect Speech

Direct Speech:
Quoting the exact words spoken by someone.
➲ He said, “I am going to the store.”

Indirect Speech:
Reporting what someone said without quoting their exact words, often involving changes in tense, pronouns, and time expressions.
➲ He said (that) he was going to the store.

Pronoun Changes

Pronouns often change in reported speech to reflect the new subject of the sentence.

Direct: I am tired.
Reported: She said she was tired.

Time Expressions
Time expressions often need to be adjusted to fit the new context.

Direct: I will do it tomorrow.
Reported: He said he would do it the next day

Understanding these changes is essential for accurately conveying what was said in different situations

• Present to Past
• Present Perfect to Past Perfect
• Past Simple to Past Perfect
• Future to Conditional

When reporting speech, we typically shift the tense of the original statement back one step into the past. This is known as backshifting.

Present to Past
Direct: I am hungry.
Reported: She said she was hungry.

Present Perfect to Past Perfect
Direct: I have finished my homework.
Reported: He said he had finished his homework.

Past Simple to Past Perfect
Direct: I went to the park.
Reported: She said she had gone to the park.

Future to Conditional
Direct: I will call you later.
Reported: He said he would call me later.

Note: In some cases, if the reporting verb is in the present tense, we do not need to backshift the tense.

Example:
She says, "I am going to the store."
She says she is going to the store.

This process ensures that the meaning remains clear and accurate when the original speech is conveyed.

Let’s explore the use of complex tenses in reported speech.

This is especially important when the original statement contains more than one tense or involves reported questions.

Mixed Tenses
Sometimes, a sentence in direct speech may involve multiple tenses.

Direct: I was reading a book when she called.
Reported: He said he had been reading a book when she had called.

Reported Questions
When reporting questions, the structure changes, and tenses must be adjusted.

Direct: Where do you live?
Reported: She asked where I lived.

Direct: What are you doing?
Reported: He asked what I was doing.

In reported questions, the question format is removed
are you becomes I was.

Understanding how to manage these complex structures is key to mastering reported speech.

Convert Direct Speech to Reported Speech

1. 'I am studying for the exam,' he said.

2. 'She has been waiting for an hour,' John mentioned.

3. 'We will visit them next week,' they said.

4. 'I bought a new phone yesterday,' she told me.

5. 'He is working on the project,' she said.

Rewrite the Sentences with Correct Tense Shifts

1. 'I am going to the store,' she said.

2. 'They were playing soccer,' he mentioned.

3. 'She will help you,' he said.

4. 'I had already finished when she arrived,' she told me.

5. 'We have completed the assignment,' they announced.

Report the Questions Accurately

1. 'Where are you going?' he asked.

2. 'What time does the train leave?' she wanted to know.

3. 'Have you seen my keys?' he inquired.

4. 'Why did you leave early?' she asked.

5. 'Will you attend the meeting?' they questioned.

Take your time to complete these exercises, then check your answers on the next slide.

To summarize, today's class covered:

◦ The basics of reported speech and how it differs from direct speech.

◦ The process of tense shifting when converting direct speech to reported speech.

◦ How to handle complex tenses and reported questions for more accurate communication.

Common Challenges:

Tense Shifting:
Ensuring correct tense changes can be tricky, especially with complex sentences.

Pronoun Changes:
Remember to adjust pronouns based on the new subject.

Time Expressions:
Be mindful of changing time expressions to match the context.

Tips for Improvement:

Practice Regularly:
Convert sentences from direct to reported speech and vice versa.

Pay Attention to Context:
Context determines how time expressions and pronouns are adjusted.

Use Resources: Refer to grammar guides and exercises to deepen your understanding

In our next class, we will continue to build on these skills by Advanced Phrasal Verbs and Idiomatic Expressions