WHAT DID HE SAY?
John said:
- “I went to the supermarket.”
- “I have already eaten.”
- “I am watching a film.”
- “I’ll call you later.”
When we write we can use speech marks “…” When we speak we don’t:
- John said he went to the supermarket.
- John said he had already eaten.
- John said he was watching a film.
- John said he would call me later.
Note:
- We do not need that in English. It is ok to say John said that he went, but it is not necessary
- You need to be careful with the object pronouns. I’ll call you becomes he’d call me, or him/her/us/them
Practice:
Mary: I’m going to the supermarket.
George: Oh, I’ll come with you.
Mary: Good. You can help carry the bags.
George: We need potatoes, ham and eggs.
Mary: Remember I don’t like that ham you like.
George: Yes, you didn’t eat it yesterday.
Mary: I can eat the more expensive ham.
George: OK. I’ll get some of that then.
Mary: I forgot my money!
George: Don’t worry, I’ll pay.
Mary said she was going to the supermarket and George said he would go with her. She said that was good because he could help carry the bags. He said they needed potatoes, ham and eggs. Then she said that he should remember that she didn’t like the ham that he liked. He said yes and said she hadn’t eaten it the day before. She said she could eat the more expensive ham, and he said that he would get some of that. Then she said that she had forgotten her money, and he said she shouldn’t worry because he would pay.
Mary said she was going to the supermarket and George said he would go with her. She said that was good because he could help carry the bags. He said they needed potatoes, ham and eggs. Then she said that he should remember that she didn’t like the ham that he liked. He said yes and said she hadn’t eaten it the day before. She said she could eat the more expensive ham, and he said that he would get some of that. Then she said that she had forgotten her money, and he said she shouldn’t worry because he would pay.
There are 9 saids here. Try eliminating some of them using these words:
Told (x2) replied reminded remembered agreed offered
Vocabulary building reported speech
He agreed to pay Halt!
She suggested going swimming You put the battery in here
He told them where to go See you at the party
They ordered him to stop Yes, no and yes again. Is that all?
We implied we were going The bus will be an hour late
He explained how it worked It’s on the top floor
You informed me about the delay Let’s go to the pool!
I replied to all your questions OK, I’ll pay
It is easier to use reporting verbs than to use say:
- He said that he would pay He agreed to pay
- He told them where to go He said where they should go
- She dismissed my ideas She said that my ideas were no good
- They insisted on paying They said they really wanted to pay
- I refused to speak I said that I would not speak
- He confessed He said that he did it
- He explained it He said how it worked
-ING and TO
Some verbs are followed by -ing (1) and others by to + infinitive (2):
Agree admit deny forget promise offer recommend refuse
threaten reply apologize for complain about regret
-ing after a preposition
He apologized for standing on my foot.
He insisted on paying the bill
To and the object pronoun
He agreed to us paying
OR he agreed to our paying
OR he agreed that we could pay
He recommended me to go to Oviedo
OR he recommended that I go to Oviedo
OR he recommended going to Oviedo
They told him to pay
We ordered them to leave
Neither ing nor to
He insisted I pay
OR he insisted on me paying
OR he insisted that I should pay
The made me go with them
She let me drive