Page 219 - Basic English Usage

221 283

283 reported speech: pronouns; ‘here and now’ words;
tenses

BILL (on Saturday evening):1 don’t like this party. Lwant to go home.
PETER (on Sunday morning): Bill said he didn’t like the party, and he
wanted to go home.

Pronouns
In reported speech, we use the same pronouns to talk about people that
we use in other structures.
Bill said he didn't like the party.
(NOT -BitsateHt didr-Hike the party)

‘Here and now’ words
When somebody is speaking, he or she uses words like this, here, now
to talk about the place where he or she is speaking, and the time when
the words are said.
If we report the words in a different place at a different time, we will not
use this, here, now etc.
Bill said he didn't like the party.
party:
this
(NOT 6Htsaia he-cdr-Hike )
Tenses
When we report things that people said in the past, we do not usually
use the same tenses as they used. (This is because the times are
different.)
Bill said he didn’t like the party.
(NOT Bitsaie he dees tike the party)
Compare:
Original words Reported speech
Will you marry me? | asked him if he would marry me.
(NOT ... #Hhe-wifhrarry me-)
You look nice. | told her she looked nice.
(NOT ... shetooks-nice-)
I'm learning French. She said she was learning French.
(NOT ... shefstearning ...)
I've forgotten. He said he had forgotten.
(NOT ... fehas-forgetten-)
John phoned. She told me that John had phoned.
(NOT “pe thatiehn phened-)