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Indirect or Reported speech

Le discours indirect sert à rapporter les paroles de quelqu'un.

On peut utiliser les verbes say, tell, ask, answer, announce, shout, yell, whisper…selon ce qu'il ou elle dit.

 

Lorsque l'on rapporte des paroles au présent, il suffit de réorganiser la phrase et changer les pronoms personnels.   

Mum : "I like driving my car."            Mum says she likes driving her car.

 

Les phrases affirmatives rapportées peuvent aussi être introduites par 'That' : 

Mum says that she likes driving her car.

 

 

Lorsque l'on rapporte des paroles au passé, il faut aussi adapter les temps de la phrase.    

 

Les verbes au Simple Present sont transposés au Simple Past, 

She said: "I want to go to sleep!"  ►  She said she wanted to go to sleep.

 

Les verbes au Présent en ING sont transposés au Passé en ING,

She said: "I am watching TV!"  ►  She said she was watching TV.

 

Les verbes au Present perfect sont transposés au Plu Perfect.

She said: "I have been to Paris twice!"  ►  She said she had been to Paris twice.

 

Les verbes au Simple Past sont transposés au Plu Perfect ou restent au Simple Past si on n'a pas besoin de marquer une antériorité.

She said: "I wanted to go to sleep!"  ►  She said she had wanted to go to sleep. or She said she wanted to go to sleep.

 

Les verbes au Preterit en ING sont transposés au Plu Perfect en ING.

She said: "I was watching TV when he arrived."  ►  She said she had been watching TV when he arrived.

 

Les modaux sont transposés à leur forme passée ou avec l'expression modale qui leur correspond au passé.

She said: "You must go to sleep!"  ►  She said I had to go to sleep.

MUST n'existant pas au passé, on utilise l'expression modale de l'obligation "HAVE TO" au passé.

 

Revoir la leçon sur les modaux et leurs formes passées

 

 Modality

 

Attention, il y a aussi parfois des transformations dans les constructions...   

 

Les Wh-questions se transforment en affirmations,

le wh- reste mais il n'y a plus d'inversion sujet auxiliaire.

They asked : "When will you come?"  ►  They asked when I would come.

 

Les Yes-No questions sont introduites par IF et l'inversion disparait aussi.

I wondered : "Does she have a brother?"  ►  I wondered if she had a brother.

 

Les phrases impératives deviennent des propositions infinitives introduites par 'TO'.

I  ordered "Come here".  ►   I ordered to come here.

Elles sont introduites par NOT TO si l'impératif est négatif.

I begged: "Don't leave me!"  ►   I begged not to leave me.

 

 

 

 

  ... et aussi dans les adverbes de lieu et de temps.

 

Pour rapporter les paroles de quelqu'un, de nombreux verbes existent :

Vocabulary exercise: Translate those verbs into English

deviner   ►                       dire quelque chose   ►    

affirmer   ►                 supplier   ►    

remarquer   ►                       soupirer   ►       

vouloir savoir   ►                  dire à quelqu'un ►    

déclarer   ►                        commenter   ►  

hurler de peur   ►                prévenir   ►    

implorer   ►                   annoncer  ►    

bégayer   ►                     ajouter  ►    

mentionner   ►                   conseiller   ►           

murmurer   ►                    répéter  ►    

crier   ►                  faire remarquer   ►    

marmonner   ►              observer   ►    

répondre   ►               révéler   ►    

 nier  ►                                   imaginer  ►    

 suggérer  ►                      hurler ►      

se plaindre   ►                  se demander     ►    

ordonner  ►                    plaisanter   ►    

douter de  ►                    solliciter   ►      

inciter, conseiller vivement  ►       

Ton score : {{ getScore() }}
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Exercise 1: Turn into reported speech

« I enjoyed myself with your brother. » What does Kate say?

.

« My dog is running after his ball » What do they say ?

.

« Do you like our new car ? » What do the Cooks ask their neighbours ?

.

Ton score : {{ getScore() }}
{{ solutionTexte() }}

Exercise 2: Turn into reported speech

« I rang my sister yesterday because I want her to know how happy I am. » What did Fred say ?

.

« Where were you born ? » What did she ask you ?

.

"He’s afraid he has to leave you tomorrow" What did you say?

.

Ton score : {{ getScore() }}
{{ solutionTexte() }}

Exercise 3: Here is the transcript of Bill's police interview about Monday's robbery at the supermarket. 

Read it carefully before doing the activity.

Police officer : What's your name ?

   Bill : My name is Bill Kirby.

Police officer : I know you're a fireman, aren't you ?

   Bill : Yes, I am.

Police officer : Where do you work ?

   Bill : I work in front of the supermarket.

Police officer : So, let's talk about the supermarket's robbery.

   Bill : If you want.

Police officer : Do you know anything about it ?

   Bill : I'm sorry but I have nothing to say. I was absent on Monday. The flu.

Police officer : Oh ! What a pity ! Come back if you remember anything !

   Bill : I will but don't be too hopeful !

Police officer : Thank you for your help. Good bye.

   Bill : Good bye, Sir.

 

Now, Bill is back at home and his wife wants to know everything about his interview. 

 

Complete his sentences using the elements from the interview.

The police officer asked .

I answered .

The police officer told me .

He asked me .

I said .

He suggested that we .

He wanted to know if .

I explained .

He ordered me .

I promised I .

Ton score : {{ getScore() }}
{{ solutionTexte() }}

 

More exercises on Indirect speech

 

By Corentin 05/01/2025 17:50

cacao

By Corentin 05/01/2025 17:57

Where were you born ? » What did she ask you ? Réponse : She asked me where I was born
Dans cet exemple pourquoi ne décale t'on pas d'un cran au passé "were you born" comme les autres exemples ?

By Mrs Williams 10/02/2025 11:48

Hello Corentin! Sorry not to have seen your questions earlier.
I'm sorry but I can't see the word "cacao" on this page. Maybe you were just surprised to see "COCOA" written but it's the way to say "cacao" in English! ;)
As for your 2nd question, it would be correct to answer "She asked me where I had been born" but in English, you can also choose to keep Simple Past and not use Past Perfect when there is no real change in the situation. In that case, the moment you were born is not changed if you see what I mean.
Thanks to your question, I'll add a comment to my lesson. Thanks a lot!

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