Se usa para reportar algo que alguien dijo. (I asked him if he would marry me.)

Cuando se reporta generalmente se usa otro tiempo diferente al tiempo en que originalmente las palabras se dijeron. (Bill on Saturday evening: I don’t like this party. /Peter on Sunday morning: Bill said that he didn’t like the party.)

Generalmente se cambia el tiempo del verbo. (You look nice. = I told her she looked nice.)

Pero si se reporta algo y la situación no ha cambiado, el tiempo del verbo queda igual. (Paul: “My new job is interesting”. / Paul said that his new job is interesting [la situación no ha cambiado])

No es necesario usar THAT especialmente después de verbos que se usan para hacer reportes, e.g. say, think, tell, wish, suggest, surprise. (She said (that) she’d had enough. /I think (that) you’re probably right.)

Después de los verbos reply, telegraph, shout THAT debe ser usado. (She shouted that she was busy NOT She shouted she was busy)

Se usa el verbo SAY para decir algo a alguien. (She said (that) she would be late.)

Si queremos usar este verbo con un pronombre objeto, entonces le tendremos que agregar TO. (I say to all the people……)

Se usa el verbo TELL para decir a alguien (persona(s)) algo. (She told me (that) she would be late.)

Pero TELL es usado sin pronombre objeto en algunas expresiones comunes como: tell the truth, tell a lie, tell a story/joke, tell the difference, tell the time. (I don’t think she’s telling the truth NOT ….saying the truth)

Para reportar preguntas el sujeto lo colocamos antes del verbo sin usar auxiliares excepto en preguntas negativas. (He wanted to know when I was leaving NOT …. when was I leaving. / I knew how they felt NOT …how did they feel.)

Para reportar una preguntas cuya respuesta es SI o NO entonces usamos IF or WHETHER y no utilizamos los verbos say or tell. (I don’t know if/weather I can help you. / The driver asked if/whether I wanted the town centre.)

Swan M.. 1980. PRACTICAL ENGLISH USAGE. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

Cuando se reporta algo que alguien dijo, generalmente el tiempo del verbo va como sigue:

LO QUE SE DICE ORIGINALMENTE LO QUE SE REPORTA

PRESENTE SIMPLE

“I live in a small flat.” ( Ana said)

PASADO SIMPLE

She said she lived in a small flat.PRESENTE CONTINUO

“I’m leaving on Tuesday.” (I said)

PASADO CONTINUO

I said that I was leaving on Tuesday.PASADO SIMPLE O

PRESENTE PERFECTO

“I learnt a lot.” (He said)“Mr. Jackson has left.” (she said)

PASADO PERFECTO

He said he had learnt a lot.She said that Mr. Jackson had left.

PASADO PERFECTO

“Peter hadn’t eaten.” (She said)

PASADO PERFECTO

She said that Peter hadn’t eaten.WILL

“I will help you.” (Nicole said)

WOULD

Nicole said she would help me.AM/IS/ARE GOING TO

“We’re going to be late.” (I said)

WAS/WERE GOING TO

I said that we were going to be late.CAN

“I can’t find my money.” (Frank said)

COULD

Frank said he couldn’t find his money.MAY

“May I come in?” (Mary asked)

MIGHT

Mary asked if she might come in.MUST, SHOULD Y OUGHT TO NO CAMBIAN SU FORMA

Harrison M.. 1995. GRAMMAR SPECTRUM 2. Pre-intermediate. Oxford. Oxford University Press. & Taylor J. & Stanley N.. 1995. GRAMATICA DE LA LENGUA INGLESA (DELTI). USA. National Textbook Company.

YOUR TURN. TRY TO ANSWER CORRECTLY THE FOLLOWING EXERCICES:

Look at these pictures of people coming through passport control at an airport. Change the tings they said into reported speech.

0 He said that he was visiting friends.

1 She said

2 He said

3 They said

4 She said

5 They said

Complete the sentences with said or told

0 She said she wasn’t feeling very well.

1 They that the train was going to be late.

2 Who you that I was leaving? It’s not true!

3 Alex me that he would buy the tickets.

4 She she had four sisters.

5 She him that she was very angry with him.

6 He he didn’t know what was wrong with the car.

01

2

4 53

I am visiting friends.

I am going to a conference.

I have lost my Passport.

We have been on holiday.

I don’t understand.

We are staying for three weeks.

I’m enjoying the movie, John.

Mary

We had stopped the car beside the road.

Peter

Weatherman

The weather will be sunny and warm.

I saw a flying saucer.

I know it’s difficult, Jane.

John

David

Harrison M.. 1995. GRAMMAR SPECTRUM 2. Pre-intermediate. Oxford. Oxford University Press.

First Exercise

1 she said she was going to a conference.

2 He said he had lost his passport.

3 They said they had been on holiday.

4 She said she didn’t understand.

5 They said they were staying for three weeks.

Said or told

1said

2 told

3 told

4 said

5 told

6 said

What did they say?

Mary told John she was enjoying the movie.

Peter said they had stopped the car beside the road.

The weatherman said the weather would be sunny and warm.

John said he had seen a flying saucer.

David told Jane he knew it was difficult.