REPORTED SPEECH

SAY & TELL
REMEMBER!!!
to say smth to smb
to tell smb smth
EXPRESSIONS
say good morning, etc; say something / nothing, say a few words, say so, etc.
to tell the truth, tell a lie, tell smb one’s name, tell a story, tell a secret, tell one from another.

NO CHANGES
‘say/says’
# ‘I am busy,’ Tom says. Tom says that he is busy.
Compare:
1) ‘I am busy,’ Tom said. Tom said that he was busy. So I decided to call him later.
2) ‘I am busy,’ Tom said. Tom said that he is busy. Let’s wait a bit, he will soon be free.

NO CHANGES
2) general truth, permanent states or conditions
1) ‘The sun rises in the east,’ the teacher said. The teacher said that the sun rises in the east.
2) ‘The capital of Spain is Madrid,’ the teacher said. The teacher said that the capital of Spain is Madrid. I didn’t know that.
Compare:
‘The capital of Spain is Barcelona,’ Mike said. Mike said that the capital of Spain was Barcelona and that’s why he made the teacher angry.

NO CHANGES
3) the speaker is reporting something immediately after it was said.
# ‘The dinner is ready,’ mother said.
Dad, mom said (that) the dinner is ready. (up-to-date information)
or
Dad, mom said (that) the dinner was ready.
Compare:
Mom said the dinner was ready and we went to the dining room.

NO CHANGES
3) conditionals type 2,3, mixed or wishes.
# ‘If I were you, I would buy a silk blouse’ Jane said.
Jane said that if she were me, she would buy a silk blouse.
# ‘I wish I hadn’t spent so much money’ Jane said.
Jane said that she wished she hadn’t spent so much money.

INTRODUCTORY WORDS / VERBS
STATEMENTS = that
# John said, ‘ My brother is learning to drive.’
John said that his brother was learning to drive.
2) GENERAL / TAG/ ALTERNATIVE QUESTIONS
# ‘Are you tired?’ John asked.
John asked us / me / them if / whether I was / we were tired.
# ‘Your dad is doctor, isn’t he?’ John asked.
John wanted to know if my dad was a doctor.