Reporting+Verbs

When reporting speech the tense usually changes. This is because when we use reported speech, we are usually talking about a time in the past (because obviously the person who spoke originally spoke in the past). The verbs therefore usually have to be in the past too.

"I'm going to the movies," he said becomes... He said he was going to the movies.

**Reporting Verbs**

//Said, told// and //asked// are the most common verbs used in indirect speech.

We use **//asked//** to report questions:- //For example: I **asked**// Sarah //what time the lesson started.//

We use **//told//** with an object. //For example: Sarah **told**// //me she felt tired.//

We usually use **//said//** without an object. //For example: Sarah **said**// //she was going to teach online.//

If said is used with an object we must include **//to//** ; //For example: Sarah **said**// //**to**// //me that she'd never been to China.//

**//Note//** - We usually use **//told//**//.// //For example: Sarah **told**// //me that she'd never been to China.//

There are many other verbs we can use apart from said, told and asked. These include:- <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;">Accused, admitted, advised, alleged, agreed, apologised, begged, complained, denied, explained, implied, invited, offered, promised, replied, suggested, thought

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;">Using them properly can make what you say much more interesting and informative. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;">//For example:// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;">He asked me to come to the party <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;">He invited me to the party <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;">He begged me to come to the party <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;">He advised me to come to the party <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;">He suggested I should come to the party

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;">However, //that// is optional.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;">**Use of 'That' in reported speech** <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;">In reported speech, the word **//that//** is often used. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;">//For example: He told me **that**// //he lived in Canberra.// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;">//For example: He told me he lived in Canberra.// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;">**//Note//** - **That** is never used in questions, instead we often use **if**. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;">//For example: He asked me **if** I would come to the party.// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 180%;">