Unit 25: Reporting
Ngữ pháp Use the reference first, then complete the tasks in order.
📘 Giải thích tiếng Việt
Reported speech – nguyên tắc lùi thì
Khi thuật lại lời nói trong quá khứ, động từ thường lùi một bậc thì (backshift): present → past, past/present perfect → past perfect. "I haven't finished" → She said she hadn't finished. Có thể không lùi thì nếu nội dung vẫn còn đúng ở hiện tại.
Động từ khuyết thiếu khi thuật lại
will → would, shall → would/should, can → could, may → might. Đặc biệt must chỉ nghĩa vụ đổi thành had to; be to (mệnh lệnh) đổi thành was/were to. "You must be quiet" → He said I had to be quiet. Lưu ý had better giữ nguyên.
Đổi đại từ, từ chỉ định và trạng ngữ
Cần đổi cho hợp ngữ cảnh: đại từ và sở hữu (I → he/she, my → his/her), từ chỉ định (this/these → that/those), và các mốc thời gian – nơi chốn: now → then, today → that day, tomorrow → the following/next day, yesterday → the day before, last week → the previous week, here → there.
Thuật lại câu hỏi
Câu hỏi gián tiếp dùng trật tự khẳng định (chủ ngữ + động từ), không đảo ngữ, bỏ trợ động từ do/did. Câu hỏi Yes/No dùng if / whether; câu hỏi Wh- giữ từ để hỏi. "When did you get married?" → She asked when she had got married.
Thuật lại mệnh lệnh, đề nghị – bổ ngữ động từ
Nhiều động từ tường thuật đi kèm mẫu riêng: ask/tell/order sb to do, ask sb not to do. Sau các động từ khác chú ý dạng V: deny/admit/suggest + V-ing, refuse/offer/claim + to V, apologise for + V-ing, respond by + V-ing, beg sb to do. "Let's get a pizza" → They suggested getting a pizza.
Recreated from the lesson reference pages.
- If the reporting verb is in the past (eg said), we usually have to change the tense of what the person actually said. The general rule is: go back one tense but there are some exceptions.
- With past perfect simple and continuous, there is no tense change.
| Direct speech | Reported speech |
|---|---|
| present simple: Sam doesn't play hockey very often. | past simple: Fiona said that Sam didn't play hockey very often. |
| present continuous: I'm winning! | past continuous: Carol shouted to us that she was winning. |
| present perfect simple: I've never been given a trophy before! | past perfect simple: Paul said that he'd never been given a trophy before. |
| present perfect continuous: They've been playing for four hours. | past perfect continuous: She told us that they'd been playing for four hours. |
| past simple: We lost the match. | past perfect simple: Finally he told us that they had lost the match. |
| past continuous: We were winning until half-time. | past perfect continuous: She said they'd had been winning until half-time. |
- When something is still true, we can change tense but we don't have to.
The article said that fishing is/was the most popular sport in Britain. - When we are reporting a scientific or historical fact, we don't usually change tense.
Alan told me that Queen Victoria hated Gladstone, the Prime Minister. - Although we can usually leave out that, we cannot leave it out after the verbs reply and shout.
I replied that going swimming in such cold water was a ridiculous idea.
- If the reporting verb is in the past (said), we sometimes have to change modals and semi-modals.
- Could, would, should, ought to, had better and need to do not change.
'I could swim when I was three,' said Lizzie. → Lizzie said that she could swim when she was three.
| Direct speech | Reported speech |
|---|---|
| will/shall | would |
| can | could |
| must | must / had to / be to / should |
| have to | had to |
| don't/doesn't have to | didn't have to |
| may | might |
| am/is/are going to | was/were going to |
- When we are expressing obligation, must in direct speech usually changes to had to, be to or should.
'You must do what the referee tells you,' said the coach. → The coach said that we had to / were to / should do what the referee told us. - When we are expressing obligation, mustn't can become mustn't, be not to or shouldn't.
'You mustn't cheat under any circumstances.' → We were told that we mustn't / were not to / shouldn't cheat under any circumstances. - Must does not usually change to had to or should when we are expressing probability.
'It must have felt wonderful when they won!' said Dave. → Dave said that it must have felt wonderful when they won.
| Direct speech | Reported speech |
|---|---|
| my: It's my turn. | his/her: Eddie pointed out that it was his turn. |
| this/that + noun: I bought this fishing rod yesterday. | the/that: Linda said she'd bought the fishing rod the day before. |
| this/that + verb: This is a great game! | it/that: Tony said it was a great game. |
| these/those + noun: Look at these baseball gloves! | the/those: Alison told us to look at the baseball gloves. |
| these/those + verb: These are the best baseball gloves I've ever seen. | they: She said they were the best baseball gloves she'd ever seen. |
| verb + these/those without an object: I've had these for years. | them: She said she'd had them for years. |
- We do not need to change time words/phrases when the information is still true at the moment of speaking/writing.
'I'll see you at the match next week,' said Dave. → Dave told us he'd see us at the match next week. - In narratives, writers often use direct speech time words and phrases for dramatic effect.
Carlo turned to Fraser and said that, here, now, they would decide who the champion was once and for all.
| Direct speech | Reported speech | Direct speech | Reported speech |
|---|---|---|---|
| here | there | now, at the moment | then, at that moment |
| tomorrow | the following/next day, the day after | next week/year/etc | the following/next week, the week after |
| tonight | that night | last week/year/etc | the week before, the previous week |
| yesterday | the day before, the previous day | ago | before, previously, earlier |
- With reported questions, we make the same changes regarding tense, pronoun and time and place word/phrases as we do with reported speech.
- In reported questions we don't use the question form or question marks.
| Direct speech | Reported speech |
|---|---|
| Questions beginning with the verbs have, do, be and modals: 'Do you want to play Monopoly?' asked Cheryl. | Cheryl asked if/whether we wanted to play Monopoly. |
| Questions with what, who, which, when, where, why and how: 'What time did the match start?' asked Jimmy. | Jimmy asked Andrea what time the match had started. |
The structure question word + infinitive is very common with reported questions.
She asked me how to tune a piano. He asked me what to do.
| Direct speech | Reported speech |
|---|---|
| Commands 'Put the cricket bats away!' said Alex. | tell / command / order / instruct + sb + full infinitive Alex told me to put the cricket bats away. |
| Requests 'Would you put the cricket bats away?' asked Alex. | ask + sb + full infinitive Alex asked me to put the cricket bats away. |
Different reporting verbs take different grammatical patterns. Some verbs can take more than one pattern, eg deny doing, deny sth, deny (that) ...
Common reporting verbs include: accuse, agree, apologise, ask, beg, claim, command, cry, deny, explain, instruct, order, promise, refuse, reply, respond, say, shout, state, suggest, tell, whisper
Jimmy said that he definitely wasn't going to the match on Saturday.
Alison told Ben that he'd forgotten to do the washing-up.
Jason admitted that he had been lying when he'd said he had nothing to do with the breakages.
Paul told me that Dawn hadn't been particularly hard-working when she was at university.
Sharon shouted that she hadn't finished yet.
Rudy said he'd meet us all at the café in half an hour.
Belinda's mum told her that she didn't have to eat her sprouts if she didn't want to.
Sebastian announced that he and Tristan were going to set up a website.
Karen asked Diana when she had got married.
Freda asked Bjørn if she could borrow his bike for a couple of hours.
When I told Mr Peters that the dog has / had eaten my homework, he didn't believe me.
Adam told me that his girlfriend doesn't / didn't eat meat at all.
When I saw Ed yesterday morning, he told me that he is / was going to look at a flat in the afternoon.
Roger told me about the pop quiz. He said his team were / had been doing well in the first few rounds, but that it all went / had all gone wrong with the round about dance music.
When we watched Death Watch II, Paul said he has / had never seen a worse movie in his life!
Did Galileo say that the Earth goes / went round the sun?
Phil told me on Friday that he has / had just bumped into Wally Deacon!
Babs announced to us all last night that she is / was finally giving up smoking.
Did you say that you do / did want sugar in your coffee or not?
I told Brian last week that the office isn't / wasn't opening on Tuesday so I don't know why she showed up yesterday morning.
Bob did tell me that he probably wouldn't be coming in today.
Last week he told us that we don't have to do that exercise and then yesterday he said he'd made a mistake.
Did you say these bills had to be paid before tomorrow?
Steve said he could play guitar when he was two years old. Do you believe that?
Pauline told my mum that she'd had better get a lawyer. I think she's right.
When we went to the party, Claudia told me that I must be on my best behaviour all evening.
Darren said that Mr Taylor was to have forgotten about the meeting, but I'm not so sure. I think he just didn't want to come.
When I was a teenager, my dad always told me that I'm not to stay out later than ten o'clock.
I was pleased when silly Id told us that she can help us paint the flat.
When I was at school, my English teacher always told us that we don't have to pay attention but we do have to be quiet.
The letter they sent six months ago said that they shall be in touch again soon.
Seven years ago, the Prime Minister stated that his government will be corruption-free.
Maureen told me _____ didn't go with the suit I was planning to wear.
Susan told us in no uncertain terms that _____ play was rubbish.
Why did Derek say that _____ sister's called Chloe?
Mike told the waiter that _____ wasn't what he'd ordered.
My mum said that _____ trainers were too expensive.
She did actually tell me _____ number but I forgot to write it down.
Mum asked me to put _____ on the table.
Angus and James told me that _____ house was broken into last night.
Seamus asked Marios what he was doing at _____ moment.
Marios replied that right _____ he was not doing anything much.
Seamus mentioned a conversation they'd had the _____ week.
Marios admitted that he'd been to the gym two days _____.
Marios reminded Seamus that he was taking part in the London Marathon _____ month.
Marios told Seamus that he had been planning to call him the day _____.
Seamus said he was at the office and suggested they meet _____.
Shirley told her friends that _____.
Tony's mum told _____.
As he was leaving, Jake told _____.
Mum told me _____.
Olivia said happily _____.
Alan commented to Ros _____.
Daniel's mum said _____.
Greg told Jeanne _____.
Andrea asked Gareth if _____ to the concert the following Thursday. go
Pete asked _____ at four o'clock. whether
Tim's dad asked _____ on the phone all evening. if
Fiona asked _____ day. whether
Dominic asked whether _____ any more. me
Kevin asked _____ an e-mail about it. him
Robert _____ the dishes. offered
Toby asked his parents _____ go to bed right then. did
Kostas didn't dare ask Eleni where had she / she'd had been the previous evening.
I was tempted to ask why did Ranji want / Ranji wanted to sit next to Li Han so badly.
We did ask Carol who she had / had she invited but for some reason she wouldn't tell us.
Can you believe it? Fred actually asked me how to / I'd read the article in an e-mail!
No one has asked me why didn't I / I didn't come to work yesterday.
I'm going to ask them what on earth did they think / they thought they were doing.
Ask that man over there who should we / who to complain to.
Doug and Sally didn't even ask me how the website was / was the website going.
You'd better ask the security guard how he _____ into the building at the weekend.
That was so nice of them to ask whether I _____ to stay the night.
I know you asked me _____ the washing-up now but it'll only take a minute.
Why did the officer order his men _____ when he knew they were outnumbered?
I would ask you _____ judgement until you know all the facts.
I couldn't believe it when Sandy came out and asked me if I _____ drugs before.
I don't like asking you _____ on a Saturday.
You should have asked your mother which cloth _____. She'd know.
It was funny when you were asked by the technician how _____ the computer on.
She very kindly asked me if I _____ fruit cake.
Go and ask your dad _____ us a coffee, would you?
I'm sorry, but we've been instructed _____ to reporters under any circumstances.
Do you deny _____ this with the defendant on the day in question?
Why did you refuse _____ the police officer's questions? It only makes you look guilty!
It's about time Mrs Richards apologised to me _____ me a gossip in front of everybody.
She may claim _____ a PhD but nobody's ever actually seen the certificate.
The kids suggested _____ a pizza tonight. What do you think?
I do agree there _____ simple solution to this problem.
Tammy responded _____ that at least she'd never lied to her parents.
I'm begging _____.
The next time someone asks me (1) _____ my hobbies are, or, indeed, (2) _____ I have any hobbies, I'm tempted to refuse (3) _____ answer. Better still, I'll turn the question round and ask them to (4) _____ me what their hobbies are. Doubtless they'll claim to (5) _____ an avid collector of rare postage stamps, or an expert builder-of-cathedrals-out-of-matchsticks, but I shan't believe it. I don't think we should deny (6) _____ any longer: the hobby is dead. I would like to suggest (7) _____, from now on, the word 'hobby' is erased from our vocabulary. You may accuse me (8) _____ being naive, but I strongly believe the facts support my case. Ask any teenager - or adult, for that matter - how they (9) _____ their spare time. They'll respond (10) _____ a list of activities - going to the gym, playing computer games, watching TV, downloading music, hanging out with friends, surfing the Internet, going to the pub, playing football - none of which can sensibly be called a hobby.
